Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2024-11-14
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-11-14

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: Feeder steer calves all sold 5.00-10.00 higher. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold generally steady; heifer calves over 500 lbs sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher. Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand was mostly good to very good for all calves on offer. Offerings were mostly moderate. Quality today was mixed from plain to very attractive. A wider variety of quality was seen this week. Demand for weaned calves was stronger this week as more weaned offerings were seen. Small packages of calves continue to sell at a discount to large packages. Market activity was active this sale with buyers rapidly bidding on offerings. A larger buyer pool noticed this week as well. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand and light offerings. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend however higher undertones were noticed. Demand was higher as buyers tried to fill loads for the week. Feeding cows sold with the best demand again this week. Feeding cows sold with higher undertones as feeding buyers also tried to fill loads for the week. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality was mostly plain today.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $308.08/cwt on 671 head. That ranks 1 of 21 comparable sales and sits −179.70 against this barn's trailing median of $487.78.

Average price

$308.08

671 head · 558 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,718

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$569

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2

$78.42/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+0.52

vs MT average

+2.64 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	557	310.92	1,732	571
Medium and Large 1-2	558	294.62	1,643	70
Medium 1	569	291.00	1,656	12thin
Large 1	582	288.06	1,677	16thin
Medium and Large 2	500	232.50	1,163	2thin

One grade step is worth $78.42/cwt here — about $569 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

21 sales

Steers 500–600 lb: high $525.97, low $398.08, median $487.78 across 21 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale671 hd

308.08

—

MT average5 barns · 2,029 hd

307.56

+0.52

National average190 barns · 31,255 hd

305.44

+2.64

This barn, trailing median21 sales

487.78

−179.70

A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt

Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	Low	1,842	133.51	2,459	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,488	116.37	1,731	4thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,366	109.58	1,497	69
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,164	107.59	1,253	192

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age

Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.

Class	Stage	Age	Avg wt	$/head	Head
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,051	$2,259	4thin
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,284	$2,015	3thin
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,183	$1,565	3thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,060	$1,200	2thin

Every lot, as filed

139 lots · USDA AMS · Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Thu)

Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added.

Class	Grade / description	Weight	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	600–650	614	278.89/cwt	248.00–282.00	1,712	44
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	540	302.96/cwt	295.00–318.00	1,636	40
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	661	257.00/cwt	257.00–257.00	1,699	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	449	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,414	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	704	237.67/cwt	236.00–239.00	1,673	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	491	282.14/cwt	270.00–290.00	1,385	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	597	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,433	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	492	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	1,587	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	365	395.00/cwt	395.00–395.00	1,442	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	466	309.00/cwt	309.00–309.00	1,440	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	628	268.30/cwt	252.00–275.00	1,685	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	300–350	318	432.17/cwt	410.00–435.00	1,374	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	650–700	668	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,536	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	1,060	1,200.00/head	1,200.00–1,200.00	1,200	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	418	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	1,484	9
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,333	2,060.23/head	1,950.00–2,200.00	2,060	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,119	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	1,567	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	519	267.50/cwt	267.50–267.50	1,388	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Full	400–450	402	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,327	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Full	600–650	641	252.00/cwt	252.00–252.00	1,615	9
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	948	132.94/cwt	119.00–165.00	1,260	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	324	377.87/cwt	377.50–380.00	1,224	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	750–800	765	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	1,798	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	600–650	619	242.59/cwt	242.00–243.00	1,502	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,129	136.30/cwt	122.50–139.00	1,539	25
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS	—	1,185	1,925.00/head	1,925.00–1,925.00	1,925	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	385	355.59/cwt	344.00–385.00	1,369	28
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	800–850	813	234.00/cwt	234.00–234.00	1,902	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	310	435.00/cwt	435.00–435.00	1,349	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,183	1,564.79/head	1,550.00–1,600.00	1,565	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	662	275.32/cwt	260.00–279.50	1,823	84
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	383	332.60/cwt	327.50–337.50	1,274	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	650–700	677	258.51/cwt	250.00–269.00	1,750	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	473	325.26/cwt	320.00–327.50	1,538	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	581	283.49/cwt	280.00–285.00	1,647	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	300–350	317	372.29/cwt	345.00–375.00	1,180	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	581	246.62/cwt	236.00–256.00	1,433	30
Heifers	Small and Medium 3Unweaned	350–400	371	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	668	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	428	334.45/cwt	320.00–352.00	1,431	31
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	377	392.76/cwt	375.00–405.00	1,481	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	426	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,342	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	250–300	263	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	1,105	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	250–300	295	367.50/cwt	367.50–367.50	1,084	24
Steers	Small and Medium 2Unweaned	350–400	373	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	877	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,161	105.54/cwt	103.00–106.50	1,225	13
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,450	117.74/cwt	117.50–118.00	1,707	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,375	104.87/cwt	103.00–106.50	1,442	19
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,411	104.36/cwt	103.00–107.00	1,473	17
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,565	112.00/cwt	112.00–112.00	1,753	1
Steers	Medium 1	600–650	641	263.00/cwt	263.00–263.00	1,686	4
Steers	Medium 1	550–600	569	291.00/cwt	291.00–291.00	1,656	12
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	400–450	419	300.68/cwt	285.00–312.50	1,260	23
Bulls	Large 1	1000–1050	1,025	217.50/cwt	217.50–217.50	2,229	1
Steers	Medium 1-2Unweaned	350–400	381	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,257	4
Heifers	Medium 1-2	400–450	441	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,169	10
Steers	Medium 1-2	650–700	675	243.00/cwt	243.00–243.00	1,640	11
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	500–550	515	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,365	7
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	350–400	367	337.50/cwt	337.50–337.50	1,239	9
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	300–350	335	425.00/cwt	425.00–425.00	1,424	1
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	550–600	578	231.00/cwt	231.00–231.00	1,335	2
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	600–650	605	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	1,361	1
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	550–600	570	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,625	9
Heifers	Medium 1	350–400	388	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	1,125	2
Heifers	Medium 1	400–450	429	307.44/cwt	305.00–310.00	1,319	14
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	600–650	607	237.00/cwt	237.00–237.00	1,439	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	350–400	393	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	1,140	3
Steers	Medium 1	450–500	477	334.00/cwt	334.00–334.00	1,593	9
Steers	Medium 1	400–450	434	351.45/cwt	330.00–365.00	1,525	5
Heifers	Medium 1	450–500	462	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	1,247	3
Heifers	Medium 1	550–600	552	252.00/cwt	252.00–252.00	1,391	8
Heifers	Medium 1	500–550	533	258.00/cwt	258.00–258.00	1,375	8
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS	—	990	2,200.00/head	2,200.00–2,200.00	2,200	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	899	145.94/cwt	122.50–172.50	1,312	6
Steers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	642	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,477	7
Steers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	500	232.50/cwt	232.50–232.50	1,163	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	440	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	1,122	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	400–450	433	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,061	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	605	256.00/cwt	256.00–256.00	1,549	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	600–650	644	266.00/cwt	266.00–266.00	1,713	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	950–1000	991	202.00/cwt	202.00–202.00	2,002	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	550–600	574	243.00/cwt	243.00–243.00	1,395	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	1000–1050	1,011	206.00/cwt	206.00–206.00	2,083	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1	250–300	275	475.00/cwt	475.00–475.00	1,306	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	521	326.03/cwt	324.00–331.00	1,699	29
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,024	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	1,239	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	670	263.04/cwt	260.00–270.00	1,762	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	620	291.22/cwt	283.00–293.50	1,806	67
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	800–850	824	229.00/cwt	229.00–229.00	1,887	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,010	222.50/cwt	222.50–222.50	2,247	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	595	259.00/cwt	259.00–259.00	1,541	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	468	315.94/cwt	308.00–320.00	1,479	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	480	342.53/cwt	333.00–360.00	1,644	56
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	407	388.76/cwt	385.00–391.00	1,582	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	1050–1100	1,097	218.00/cwt	218.00–218.00	2,391	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	304	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	1,155	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	516	327.20/cwt	310.50–338.00	1,688	115
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	731	260.70/cwt	257.00–262.50	1,906	30
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	385	408.00/cwt	408.00–408.00	1,571	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	900	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	2,160	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	440	327.00/cwt	327.00–327.00	1,439	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,020	212.00/cwt	212.00–212.00	2,162	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	250–300	295	465.00/cwt	465.00–465.00	1,372	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	565	309.39/cwt	309.00–310.00	1,748	31
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	518	284.13/cwt	274.00–308.00	1,472	45
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	568	273.83/cwt	268.00–280.00	1,555	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	620	289.57/cwt	282.00–299.00	1,795	193
Steers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	981	235.01/cwt	234.75–236.00	2,305	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	700–750	718	269.09/cwt	258.00–273.00	1,932	52
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	650–700	651	252.50/cwt	252.50–252.50	1,644	41
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	695	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,599	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	750–800	753	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,845	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	548	292.50/cwt	292.50–292.50	1,603	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	372	416.75/cwt	406.00–425.00	1,550	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	421	331.86/cwt	319.00–345.00	1,397	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	600–650	620	268.50/cwt	268.50–268.50	1,665	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	572	268.47/cwt	258.00–275.00	1,536	147
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	424	387.57/cwt	366.00–395.00	1,643	26
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	676	237.91/cwt	237.00–238.00	1,608	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	483	307.47/cwt	300.00–318.00	1,485	120
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,071	2,278.69/head	2,200.00–2,425.00	2,279	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	571	305.20/cwt	290.00–316.00	1,743	396
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	526	295.83/cwt	285.00–310.00	1,556	211
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	476	354.65/cwt	332.00–370.00	1,688	247
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	615	253.05/cwt	249.00–256.00	1,556	47
Bulls	Large 1	1200–1250	1,205	182.00/cwt	182.00–182.00	2,193	1
Steers	Large 1	550–600	598	292.00/cwt	292.00–292.00	1,746	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,171	99.64/cwt	92.00–103.00	1,167	51
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	975	81.00/cwt	81.00–81.00	790	1
Beef/Dairy Steers	Large 1-2	750–800	791	238.50/cwt	238.50–238.50	1,887	28
Beef/Dairy Heifers	Large 1-2	850–900	878	206.00/cwt	206.00–206.00	1,809	17
Beef/Dairy Heifers	Large 1-2	650–700	697	219.00/cwt	219.00–219.00	1,526	13
Beef/Dairy Steers	Large 1-2	900–950	914	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	2,011	13
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,485	118.00/cwt	118.00–118.00	1,752	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,105	73.57/cwt	62.00–83.00	813	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,150	100.99/cwt	100.50–102.00	1,161	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,338	114.99/cwt	105.00–118.00	1,539	33
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,172	116.00/cwt	110.00–118.00	1,360	109
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	940	63.00/cwt	63.00–63.00	592	1
Bulls	—	—	1,842	133.51/cwt	120.00–141.00	2,459	10

How this sale compares

Montana weighted averages

One sale is one barn on one day. The state ladder is every Montana auction USDA reported that week, weighted by head — the fairer test of whether a lot sold well.

Montana feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →