Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2024-11-14

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Nov 14
● Final139 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
3,505 head
▼ 797 vs last sale 4,302▼ 1,274 vs year ago 4,779 · −26.7%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
310 head
▲ 125 vs last sale 185▲ 130 vs year ago 180 · +72.2%
Replacement Cattle receipts
79 head
▼ 49 vs last sale 128▲ 12 vs year ago 67 · +17.9%
Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026
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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 classPick one — the panels below update

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 22 comparable sales and sits −134.86 against this barn's trailing median of $442.94.
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

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1557310.921,732571
Medium and Large 1-2558294.621,64370
Medium 1569291.001,65612thin
Large 1582288.061,67716thin
Medium and Large 2500232.501,1632thin
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.

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 median22 sales
442.94
−134.86
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

22 sales
540488436384median 442.9403/0504/3006/1109/2410/29
Steers 500–600 lb: high $525.97, low $398.08, median $442.94 across 22 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Bulls—Low1,842133.512,45910
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,488116.371,7314thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,366109.581,49769
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,164107.591,253192

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 $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,051$2,2594thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,284$2,0153thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,183$1,5653thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,060$1,2002thin

Every lot

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. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Steers53 lots · lightest first
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned263420.00/cwt420.00–420.001,1052
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1275475.00/cwt475.00–475.001,3061
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1Unweaned295465.00/cwt465.00–465.001,3722
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned310435.00/cwt435.00–435.001,3492
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned318432.17/cwt410.00–435.001,37425
Steers300–350Large 1Unweaned335425.00/cwt425.00–425.001,4241
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2365395.00/cwt395.00–395.001,4426
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned372416.75/cwt406.00–425.001,55029
Steers350–400Small and Medium 2Unweaned373235.00/cwt235.00–235.008776
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned377392.76/cwt375.00–405.001,48113
Steers350–400Medium 1-2Unweaned381330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,2574
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1385408.00/cwt408.00–408.001,5714
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Full402330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,3275
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1407388.76/cwt385.00–391.001,5828
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2418355.00/cwt355.00–355.001,4849
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned424387.57/cwt366.00–395.001,64326
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned428334.45/cwt320.00–352.001,43131
Steers400–450Medium 1434351.45/cwt330.00–365.001,5255
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned473325.26/cwt320.00–327.501,53810
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned476354.65/cwt332.00–370.001,688247
Steers450–500Medium 1477334.00/cwt334.00–334.001,5939
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1480342.53/cwt333.00–360.001,64456
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2492322.50/cwt322.50–322.501,5873
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2500232.50/cwt232.50–232.501,1632
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned516327.20/cwt310.50–338.001,688115
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1521326.03/cwt324.00–331.001,69929
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned540302.96/cwt295.00–318.001,63640
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1565309.39/cwt309.00–310.001,74831
Steers550–600Medium 1569291.00/cwt291.00–291.001,65612
Steers550–600Large 1Unweaned570285.00/cwt285.00–285.001,6259
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned571305.20/cwt290.00–316.001,743396
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned581283.49/cwt280.00–285.001,64730
Steers550–600Large 1598292.00/cwt292.00–292.001,7467
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned614278.89/cwt248.00–282.001,71244
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1620291.22/cwt283.00–293.501,80667
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned620289.57/cwt282.00–299.001,795193
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2628268.30/cwt252.00–275.001,68514
Steers600–650Medium 1641263.00/cwt263.00–263.001,6864
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Full641252.00/cwt252.00–252.001,6159
Steers600–650Medium and Large 2642230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,4777
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Full644266.00/cwt266.00–266.001,7134
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2661257.00/cwt257.00–257.001,6995
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned662275.32/cwt260.00–279.501,82384
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1670263.04/cwt260.00–270.001,76218
Steers650–700Medium 1-2675243.00/cwt243.00–243.001,64011
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned677258.51/cwt250.00–269.001,75015
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1Unweaned718269.09/cwt258.00–273.001,93252
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1731260.70/cwt257.00–262.501,90630
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1Unweaned753245.00/cwt245.00–245.001,8452
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1Unweaned813234.00/cwt234.00–234.001,9026
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1900240.00/cwt240.00–240.002,1602
Steers950–1000Medium and Large 1981235.01/cwt234.75–236.002,30519
Steers1050–1100Medium and Large 11,097218.00/cwt218.00–218.002,3916
Feeder Cattle · Heifers50 lots · lightest first
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned295367.50/cwt367.50–367.501,08424
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1304380.00/cwt380.00–380.001,1554
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned317372.29/cwt345.00–375.001,18011
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned324377.87/cwt377.50–380.001,2247
Heifers350–400Medium 1Unweaned367337.50/cwt337.50–337.501,2399
Heifers350–400Small and Medium 3Unweaned371180.00/cwt180.00–180.006687
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned383332.60/cwt327.50–337.501,2748
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned385355.59/cwt344.00–385.001,36928
Heifers350–400Medium 1388290.00/cwt290.00–290.001,1252
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2Unweaned393290.00/cwt290.00–290.001,1403
Heifers400–450Medium 1Unweaned419300.68/cwt285.00–312.501,26023
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned421331.86/cwt319.00–345.001,39740
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned426315.00/cwt315.00–315.001,3427
Heifers400–450Medium 1429307.44/cwt305.00–310.001,31914
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2Unweaned433245.00/cwt245.00–245.001,0614
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1440327.00/cwt327.00–327.001,43914
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2440255.00/cwt255.00–255.001,1223
Heifers400–450Medium 1-2441265.00/cwt265.00–265.001,16910
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2449315.00/cwt315.00–315.001,4145
Heifers450–500Medium 1462270.00/cwt270.00–270.001,2473
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2466309.00/cwt309.00–309.001,4407
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1468315.94/cwt308.00–320.001,47929
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned483307.47/cwt300.00–318.001,485120
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned491282.14/cwt270.00–290.001,3855
Heifers500–550Medium 1Unweaned515265.00/cwt265.00–265.001,3657
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1518284.13/cwt274.00–308.001,47245
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2519267.50/cwt267.50–267.501,3886
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned526295.83/cwt285.00–310.001,556211
Heifers500–550Medium 1533258.00/cwt258.00–258.001,3758
Heifers550–600Medium 1552252.00/cwt252.00–252.001,3918
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1568273.83/cwt268.00–280.001,55510
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned572268.47/cwt258.00–275.001,536147
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Fleshy574243.00/cwt243.00–243.001,3956
Heifers550–600Large 1Unweaned578231.00/cwt231.00–231.001,3352
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned581246.62/cwt236.00–256.001,43330
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2597240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,4333
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1605256.00/cwt256.00–256.001,5493
Heifers600–650Large 1Unweaned605225.00/cwt225.00–225.001,3611
Heifers600–650Medium 1Unweaned607237.00/cwt237.00–237.001,43914
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned615253.05/cwt249.00–256.001,55647
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned619242.59/cwt242.00–243.001,5025
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Replacement620268.50/cwt268.50–268.501,66516
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1Replacement651252.50/cwt252.50–252.501,64441
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned668230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,5362
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned676237.91/cwt237.00–238.001,60821
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2704237.67/cwt236.00–239.001,6739
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1Unweaned765235.00/cwt235.00–235.001,7981
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1Full991202.00/cwt202.00–202.002,0027
Heifers1000–1050Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,011206.00/cwt206.00–206.002,08311
Heifers1000–1050Medium and Large 11,020212.00/cwt212.00–212.002,16212
Feeder Cattle · Bulls7 lots · lightest first
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned548292.50/cwt292.50–292.501,6032
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned595259.00/cwt259.00–259.001,5414
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned695230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,5991
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 1824229.00/cwt229.00–229.001,8876
Bulls1000–1050Medium and Large 11,010222.50/cwt222.50–222.502,2471
Bulls1000–1050Large 11,025217.50/cwt217.50–217.502,2291
Bulls1200–1250Large 11,205182.00/cwt182.00–182.002,1931
Feeder Cattle · Beef/Dairy Steers2 lots · lightest first
Beef/Dairy Steers750–800Large 1-2791238.50/cwt238.50–238.501,88728
Beef/Dairy Steers900–950Large 1-2914220.00/cwt220.00–220.002,01113
Feeder Cattle · Beef/Dairy Heifers2 lots · lightest first
Beef/Dairy Heifers650–700Large 1-2697219.00/cwt219.00–219.001,52613
Beef/Dairy Heifers850–900Large 1-2878206.00/cwt206.00–206.001,80917
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls1 lot · lightest first
Bulls——1,842133.51/cwt120.00–141.002,45910
Slaughter Cattle · Cows13 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight94063.00/cwt63.00–63.005921
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed97581.00/cwt81.00–81.007901
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,10573.57/cwt62.00–83.0081311
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,150100.99/cwt100.50–102.001,1616
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,161105.54/cwt103.00–106.501,22513
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,17199.64/cwt92.00–103.001,16751
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,172116.00/cwt110.00–118.001,360109
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,338114.99/cwt105.00–118.001,53933
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,375104.87/cwt103.00–106.501,44219
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,411104.36/cwt103.00–107.001,47317
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,450117.74/cwt117.50–118.001,7072
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,485118.00/cwt118.00–118.001,7521
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,565112.00/cwt112.00–112.001,7531
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows6 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS9902,200.00/head2,200.00–2,200.002,2001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed1,0601,200.00/head1,200.00–1,200.001,2002
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,0712,278.69/head2,200.00–2,425.002,2793
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1831,564.79/head1,550.00–1,600.001,5653
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS1,1851,925.00/head1,925.00–1,925.001,9251
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3332,060.23/head1,950.00–2,200.002,0602
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows5 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2899145.94/cwt122.50–172.501,3126
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2948132.94/cwt119.00–165.001,2607
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,024121.00/cwt121.00–121.001,2397
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,119140.00/cwt140.00–140.001,5675
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,129136.30/cwt122.50–139.001,53925

This sale against other markets

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.