Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2024-11-21

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Nov 21
● Final134 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
2,921 head
▼ 584 vs last sale 3,505▼ 1,858 vs year ago 4,779 · −38.9%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
205 head
▼ 105 vs last sale 310▲ 25 vs year ago 180 · +13.9%
Replacement Cattle receipts
102 head
▲ 23 vs last sale 79▲ 35 vs year ago 67 · +52.2%
Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: Feeder steer calves under 500 lbs sold mostly 15.00-25.00 higher in a narrow comparison, steer calves over 500 lbs sold 3.00 to 10.00 higher. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold generally steady to weak on a lower quality offering; heifer calves over 500 lbs sold mostly 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 mostly plain to attractive, with a very limited offering of very attractive cattle seen. Quality this week was much lower than last weeks offering. Demand for weaned calves was stronger again this week as more weaned offerings were seen. Small packages of calves continue to sell at a discount to large packages. Demand for light weight calves suitable to go to grass was very good today. Market activity was active this sale with buyers rapidly bidding on offerings. A larger buyer pool was noticed this week as up to 16 order buyers and a few farmer feeders were in the seats actively bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand and light offerings. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend however, steady to 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 an accurate market trend, lower undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Quality was mostly average today.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $280.35/cwt on 279 head. That ranks 1 of 23 comparable sales and sits −131.28 against this barn's trailing median of $411.62.
Average price
$280.35
279 head · 553 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,551
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$179
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1
$40.09/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−4.82
vs MT average
+13.30 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1556284.091,579212
Medium and Large 1-2538272.121,46557
Medium 1589252.001,4845thin
Large 1574244.001,4015thin
One grade step is worth $40.09/cwt here — about $179 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 200–300 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 sale279 hd
280.35
—
MT average5 barns · 972 hd
285.17
−4.82
National average196 barns · 21,141 hd
267.05
+13.30
This barn, trailing median23 sales
411.62
−131.28
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

23 sales
483428373319median 411.6203/0504/3006/1109/2410/29
Heifers 500–600 lb: high $469.35, low $332.50, median $411.62 across 23 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—Average1,631124.602,0325thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,480117.641,74111
CowsBoner 80-85%Very Low1,496111.481,66735
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,122101.811,142109

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 Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,235$2,2001thin

Every lot

134 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 · Steers52 lots · lightest first
Steers200–250Medium and Large 1Unweaned230510.00/cwt510.00–510.001,1731
Steers250–300Medium and Large 2Unweaned255440.00/cwt440.00–440.001,12219
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1Unweaned279494.79/cwt485.00–512.001,3809
Steers250–300Medium and Large 2280480.00/cwt480.00–480.001,3449
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1285500.00/cwt500.00–500.001,4252
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2300480.00/cwt480.00–480.001,4402
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned311483.57/cwt465.00–490.001,5046
Steers300–350Medium 1320455.00/cwt455.00–455.001,4565
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1322470.00/cwt470.00–470.001,5133
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned343420.00/cwt420.00–420.001,4413
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1356452.59/cwt435.00–460.001,6117
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned363412.45/cwt410.00–415.001,4972
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned381434.25/cwt424.00–452.501,65483
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2395400.00/cwt400.00–400.001,5802
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1425404.81/cwt382.50–435.001,72066
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned427402.55/cwt380.00–426.001,71923
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned428375.00/cwt375.00–375.001,6053
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned462350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,6173
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned472371.91/cwt362.00–380.001,75573
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1474366.05/cwt347.00–381.001,73583
Steers450–500Medium 1499345.00/cwt345.00–345.001,7224
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned519338.38/cwt322.00–347.001,75648
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2Unweaned521282.50/cwt282.50–282.501,4728
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned530326.47/cwt325.00–328.001,7302
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2531320.19/cwt310.00–328.001,70028
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1534334.00/cwt334.00–334.001,78429
Steers500–550Medium 1Unweaned544320.41/cwt312.00–323.001,74321
Steers550–600Large 1557300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,6715
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned578316.73/cwt307.00–324.001,831106
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned582297.50/cwt297.50–297.501,73110
Steers550–600Medium 1596292.00/cwt292.00–292.001,7407
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1598295.00/cwt295.00–295.001,76414
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2598285.00/cwt285.00–285.001,7042
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1610299.29/cwt296.00–305.001,82619
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2610275.59/cwt264.00–280.001,68115
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned619300.69/cwt293.00–310.501,86170
Steers650–700Large 1Unweaned658272.00/cwt272.00–272.001,7906
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned661290.13/cwt285.00–292.001,918127
Steers650–700Large 1661268.00/cwt268.00–268.001,7718
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned664268.97/cwt259.00–276.001,78614
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2671266.13/cwt253.00–273.001,78618
Steers650–700Medium 1672259.31/cwt246.00–265.001,74312
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1713271.43/cwt257.00–275.001,93545
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1Unweaned714267.05/cwt258.00–272.501,90718
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned714256.00/cwt256.00–256.001,8284
Steers700–750Medium 1737242.50/cwt242.50–242.501,7875
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1775257.91/cwt254.00–263.001,99910
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1Unweaned775255.01/cwt246.00–259.001,97620
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1-2839235.00/cwt235.00–235.001,9727
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1880246.00/cwt246.00–246.002,1653
Steers1100–1150Large 1Full1,147205.00/cwt205.00–205.002,3513
Steers1150–1200Large 1Full1,152205.00/cwt205.00–205.002,3623
Feeder Cattle · Heifers57 lots · lightest first
Heifers200–250Medium 2Unweaned204200.00/cwt200.00–200.004085
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned286361.01/cwt345.00–368.001,03230
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2317350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,1103
Heifers300–350Medium 2319287.50/cwt287.50–287.509177
Heifers300–350Medium 1323355.00/cwt355.00–355.001,1473
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned341358.52/cwt332.00–365.001,22328
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2369325.85/cwt322.50–335.001,20221
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned375334.76/cwt310.00–347.501,25533
Heifers350–400Medium 1377310.34/cwt300.00–320.001,17013
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned379356.48/cwt355.00–365.001,35113
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1Full384330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,26713
Heifers350–400Medium 1Unweaned389310.00/cwt310.00–310.001,20619
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1413330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,36312
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned417306.90/cwt295.00–312.501,28038
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned424338.00/cwt335.00–342.501,43343
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2427317.82/cwt315.00–320.001,35732
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned464292.21/cwt275.00–304.001,35631
Heifers450–500Medium 1Unweaned464286.99/cwt272.50–297.001,33240
Heifers450–500Medium 1472274.00/cwt274.00–274.001,29311
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1475315.95/cwt312.50–325.001,50137
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned486305.00/cwt301.00–312.501,48213
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2486300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,45823
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Full496295.86/cwt295.00–296.001,46721
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2512266.59/cwt262.50–280.001,36517
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned522284.43/cwt278.50–286.001,48521
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned527298.78/cwt293.00–308.001,57562
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1540296.10/cwt292.00–308.001,59919
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1564285.07/cwt272.00–288.001,60836
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned566279.34/cwt278.00–285.001,58164
Heifers550–600Large 1Unweaned574244.00/cwt244.00–244.001,4015
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned579265.05/cwt260.00–266.001,53513
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2583260.00/cwt260.00–260.001,5166
Heifers550–600Medium 1589252.00/cwt252.00–252.001,4845
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Full593256.00/cwt256.00–256.001,51831
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1611264.00/cwt264.00–264.001,6138
Heifers600–650Large 1618243.00/cwt243.00–243.001,5028
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned620260.61/cwt253.00–269.001,61641
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Replacement621275.70/cwt270.00–278.501,712100
Heifers600–650Medium 1624234.00/cwt234.00–234.001,46017
Heifers600–650Large 1Unweaned643249.00/cwt249.00–249.001,6013
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned660243.53/cwt240.00–247.001,6072
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1672244.00/cwt244.00–244.001,6403
Heifers650–700Medium 1675247.47/cwt247.00–250.001,67013
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1Unweaned702246.00/cwt246.00–246.001,72710
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2Full707239.00/cwt239.00–239.001,69011
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2740246.00/cwt246.00–246.001,8204
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1745252.03/cwt247.00–252.501,87840
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1771250.27/cwt250.00–251.001,930110
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1Full783242.00/cwt242.00–242.001,89524
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1841240.27/cwt240.00–244.002,02128
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1863230.62/cwt230.00–235.001,9908
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1-2874216.00/cwt216.00–216.001,8885
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1910227.23/cwt220.00–230.002,06823
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1Full968211.00/cwt211.00–211.002,0424
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1970221.44/cwt212.00–222.502,14842
Heifers1000–1050Medium and Large 11,034204.38/cwt204.00–210.002,11316
Heifers1100–1150Large 11,120199.00/cwt199.00–199.002,2295
Feeder Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned426389.61/cwt382.00–397.501,6604
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned600284.00/cwt284.00–284.001,7041
Bulls900–950Medium and Large 1935215.00/cwt215.00–215.002,0101
Bulls1000–1050Medium and Large 11,039211.00/cwt211.00–211.002,1924
Feeder Cattle · Beef/Dairy Steers1 lot · lightest first
Beef/Dairy Steers650–700Large 3695215.00/cwt215.00–215.001,4944
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Light Weight1,455120.00/cwt120.00–120.001,7463
Bulls——1,585122.00/cwt122.00–122.001,9341
Bulls——2,205141.00/cwt141.00–141.003,1091
Slaughter Cattle · Cows11 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight97575.00/cwt75.00–75.007311
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,025122.00/cwt122.00–122.001,2511
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,04783.07/cwt83.00–85.0087029
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,147105.74/cwt103.00–110.001,21354
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,166115.91/cwt112.00–118.001,35224
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,37582.00/cwt82.00–82.001,1281
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,427116.00/cwt116.00–116.001,6558
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,488109.31/cwt105.00–110.001,62716
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,509115.05/cwt113.00–118.001,73618
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,525130.00/cwt130.00–130.001,9831
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,668118.00/cwt118.00–118.001,9682
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows5 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1907200.83/cwt167.00–220.001,82244
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,052152.95/cwt135.00–180.001,60922
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,075132.00/cwt132.00–132.001,4192
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,093122.00/cwt122.00–122.001,3334
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,267134.50/cwt134.00–135.001,7044
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows1 lot · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2352,200.00/head2,200.00–2,200.002,2001

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.