Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2024-12-05
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-12-05

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale(11-21-24): Feeder steer calves under 600 lbs sold mostly 10.00-20.00 higher, steer calves over 600 lbs sold 3.00 to 5.00 higher. Heifer calves under 600 lbs sold mostly 8.00-15.00 higher; heifer calves over 600 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher. Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Demand was mostly good to very good for all calves on offer. Offerings were heavy. Quality today was mixed from plain to very attractive. Quality this week was higher than last sales offering. A very large buyer pool was on hand for todays sale as 16 feeder buyers purchased calves. A few farmer feeders were in the stands as well actively bidding on calves. Demand for weaned calves was good again this week, however buyers showed more interest in quality over vaccinations and weaning status. Package sizes varied greatly this week, however a good volume of load lots and partial load lots were seen. Demand for light weight calves suitable to go to grass was very good today. Buyers took calves up to 550 lbs for steers and 525 lbs for heifers to grass. Yearling demand was stronger this sale as well as cooperate buyers were very active in buying yearlings. Most yearlings were out of grow lots this sale and in moderate to moderate plus flesh. Market activity was active this sale with buyers rapidly 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. Feeding cows sold with the best demand again this week. Feeding cows sold with steady to higher undertones. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, higher undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed on a lower quality offering. Quality was mostly plain to average today.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $337.30/cwt on 1,056 head. That ranks 1 of 21 comparable sales and sits −150.48 against this barn's trailing median of $487.78.

Average price

$337.30

1,056 head · 544 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,836

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$700

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

$113.92/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+4.00

vs MT average

+11.93 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	543	343.92	1,868	822
Medium and Large 1-2	547	322.95	1,765	168
Medium 1	558	317.87	1,774	45
Medium and Large 2	556	238.00	1,323	12thin
Medium 1-2	508	230.00	1,168	9thin

One grade step is worth $113.92/cwt here — about $700 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 500–600 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 sale1,056 hd

337.30

—

MT average4 barns · 1,373 hd

333.29

+4.00

National average187 barns · 33,494 hd

325.37

+11.93

This barn, trailing median21 sales

487.78

−150.48

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	1,745	133.59	2,332	12
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,646	115.90	1,907	15
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,390	109.44	1,522	52
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,056	92.63	979	95

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)	1,179	$2,400	4thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,294	$1,800	16
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,427	$1,700	3thin

Every lot, as filed

151 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
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	588	257.50/cwt	257.50–257.50	1,514	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	534	334.10/cwt	319.00–341.00	1,784	117
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	481	349.25/cwt	327.50–351.00	1,680	38
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	467	339.56/cwt	334.00–350.00	1,586	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	744	249.00/cwt	249.00–249.00	1,853	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	489	313.00/cwt	313.00–313.00	1,531	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	466	308.90/cwt	300.00–310.00	1,439	39
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	518	297.10/cwt	290.00–304.00	1,539	30
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	950–1000	966	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	2,174	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	505	316.00/cwt	316.00–316.00	1,596	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	372	414.27/cwt	413.00–415.00	1,541	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	600–650	642	248.00/cwt	248.00–248.00	1,592	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	800–850	824	226.00/cwt	226.00–226.00	1,862	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	750–800	789	233.00/cwt	233.00–233.00	1,838	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	531	283.35/cwt	275.00–287.50	1,505	34
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	438	354.86/cwt	340.00–385.00	1,554	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	372	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	1,200	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	602	291.00/cwt	291.00–291.00	1,752	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	381	481.47/cwt	437.50–495.00	1,834	57
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	600–650	631	283.00/cwt	283.00–283.00	1,786	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	527	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,713	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	413	322.71/cwt	319.50–332.50	1,333	40
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Full	1100–1150	1,120	182.50/cwt	182.50–182.50	2,044	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	750	182.50/cwt	182.50–182.50	1,369	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	479	382.00/cwt	365.00–393.00	1,830	102
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	891	226.50/cwt	226.50–226.50	2,018	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	300–350	345	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	1,277	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	650–700	667	272.76/cwt	270.00–274.00	1,819	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	693	269.00/cwt	269.00–269.00	1,864	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	374	441.59/cwt	437.50–445.00	1,652	15
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,294	1,800.00/head	1,800.00–1,800.00	1,800	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	595	264.91/cwt	263.00–279.00	1,576	91
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Full	1000–1050	1,015	202.50/cwt	202.50–202.50	2,055	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	381	342.88/cwt	340.00–345.00	1,306	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	707	241.00/cwt	241.00–241.00	1,704	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	600	246.00/cwt	246.00–246.00	1,476	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	331	440.92/cwt	437.50–450.00	1,459	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	828	222.00/cwt	222.00–222.00	1,838	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	592	287.94/cwt	282.00–315.00	1,705	38
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	900	89.50/cwt	89.50–89.50	806	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,194	117.92/cwt	112.00–123.00	1,408	20
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,128	95.27/cwt	95.00–96.00	1,075	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,588	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	1,667	4
Bulls	—	—	1,735	132.88/cwt	123.00–147.50	2,305	7
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,760	134.59/cwt	126.00–139.00	2,369	5
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	479	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	1,545	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	450–500	486	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,385	35
Steers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	426	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	1,470	10
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	450–500	494	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	1,457	43
Bulls	Medium 1	450–500	498	312.50/cwt	312.50–312.50	1,556	31
Steers	Medium 1Full	400–450	423	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	1,438	3
Heifers	Medium 1	750–800	798	237.00/cwt	237.00–237.00	1,891	7
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	550–600	596	303.00/cwt	303.00–303.00	1,806	24
Heifers	Medium 1	800–850	819	236.00/cwt	236.00–236.00	1,933	12
Heifers	Medium 1	300–350	329	364.01/cwt	360.00–372.50	1,198	29
Steers	Medium 1-2	500–550	508	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,168	9
Steers	Medium 1	600–650	634	285.78/cwt	279.00–297.00	1,812	22
Steers	Medium 1	650–700	656	262.00/cwt	262.00–262.00	1,719	7
Steers	Medium 1	500–550	523	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,674	9
Heifers	Medium 1	350–400	385	336.92/cwt	336.00–340.00	1,297	28
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	500–550	509	346.00/cwt	346.00–346.00	1,761	12
Heifers	Large 1	1100–1150	1,118	196.00/cwt	196.00–196.00	2,191	2
Heifers	Large 1	1050–1100	1,085	208.00/cwt	208.00–208.00	2,257	4
Heifers	Large 1	1150–1200	1,153	193.93/cwt	192.50–194.00	2,236	63
Steers	Large 1	650–700	685	251.00/cwt	251.00–251.00	1,719	8
Steers	Medium 1	400–450	425	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,381	7
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	450–500	482	318.00/cwt	318.00–318.00	1,533	8
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,179	2,400.00/head	2,400.00–2,400.00	2,400	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	869	248.88/cwt	248.50–249.25	2,163	137
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	674	289.60/cwt	275.00–296.00	1,952	61
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	514	317.65/cwt	307.00–325.00	1,633	116
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	400–450	409	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	1,391	7
Steers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	556	238.00/cwt	238.00–238.00	1,323	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	781	260.55/cwt	251.00–264.00	2,035	89
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	469	330.56/cwt	317.50–337.00	1,550	134
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,427	1,700.00/head	1,700.00–1,700.00	1,700	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	700–750	709	241.00/cwt	241.00–241.00	1,709	11
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	450–500	471	349.00/cwt	349.00–349.00	1,644	12
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,036	147.71/cwt	128.00–152.50	1,530	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	521	316.37/cwt	305.00–323.00	1,648	78
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	617	273.81/cwt	258.00–285.00	1,689	31
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	824	254.00/cwt	254.00–254.00	2,093	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	733	274.62/cwt	267.00–279.00	2,013	100
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	759	251.63/cwt	244.00–254.00	1,910	123
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	374	370.41/cwt	361.00–375.00	1,385	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	681	260.71/cwt	250.00–267.00	1,775	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	303	505.00/cwt	505.00–505.00	1,530	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	700–750	726	266.00/cwt	266.00–266.00	1,931	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	750–800	759	258.00/cwt	258.00–258.00	1,958	28
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	419	420.38/cwt	405.00–435.00	1,761	125
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	655	293.80/cwt	274.00–297.00	1,924	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	576	325.66/cwt	309.00–342.50	1,876	308
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	850–900	881	245.50/cwt	245.50–245.50	2,163	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1	250–300	262	513.87/cwt	510.00–517.50	1,346	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	404	349.00/cwt	349.00–349.00	1,410	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	600–650	638	256.00/cwt	256.00–256.00	1,633	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	954	245.50/cwt	245.50–245.50	2,342	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	661	261.72/cwt	247.00–267.00	1,730	78
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	618	284.00/cwt	284.00–284.00	1,755	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	800–850	816	238.00/cwt	238.00–238.00	1,942	28
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	250–300	294	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	1,235	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	639	272.34/cwt	272.00–280.00	1,740	45
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	310	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	1,302	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	877	248.00/cwt	248.00–248.00	2,175	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	577	302.46/cwt	297.50–307.00	1,745	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	367	372.35/cwt	350.00–380.00	1,367	52
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	900–950	933	237.00/cwt	237.00–237.00	2,211	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	550–600	573	306.00/cwt	306.00–306.00	1,753	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	477	331.80/cwt	321.00–349.00	1,583	210
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	450–500	459	358.00/cwt	358.00–358.00	1,643	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	579	318.63/cwt	317.00–320.00	1,845	32
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	573	297.80/cwt	279.00–310.00	1,706	212
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	423	342.39/cwt	331.00–355.00	1,448	202
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	694	247.00/cwt	243.00–250.00	1,714	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	250–300	294	415.00/cwt	415.00–415.00	1,220	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	516	357.12/cwt	342.00–374.00	1,843	170
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	568	296.44/cwt	280.00–309.50	1,684	154
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	900–950	920	228.00/cwt	228.00–228.00	2,098	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	619	300.42/cwt	293.00–304.00	1,860	51
Steers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	319	494.35/cwt	470.00–502.00	1,577	27
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	707	244.00/cwt	244.00–244.00	1,725	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	910	238.99/cwt	235.00–239.50	2,175	160
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	522	357.34/cwt	339.00–366.00	1,865	312
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	477	383.26/cwt	366.00–406.00	1,828	269
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,453	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	2,339	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	988	184.51/cwt	150.00–205.00	1,823	49
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	434	419.73/cwt	412.00–428.00	1,822	71
Steers	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,013	234.34/cwt	227.00–235.50	2,374	85
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	631	303.16/cwt	293.00–313.50	1,913	261
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	965	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	1,544	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	300–350	341	456.37/cwt	445.00–467.50	1,556	22
Steers	Large 1	700–750	744	259.00/cwt	259.00–259.00	1,927	5
Heifers	Medium 2Unweaned	450–500	489	241.00/cwt	241.00–241.00	1,178	23
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,182	100.66/cwt	92.00–103.00	1,190	24
Steers	Large 1-2Unweaned	700–750	706	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	1,800	10
Heifers	Large 1	450–500	461	314.00/cwt	314.00–314.00	1,448	8
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	600–650	617	258.00/cwt	258.00–258.00	1,592	26
Heifers	Large 1	550–600	557	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,560	14
Heifers	Large 1	800–850	808	233.50/cwt	233.50–233.50	1,887	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,310	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	1,716	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,328	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	1,394	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,795	114.45/cwt	111.00–118.00	2,054	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	833	75.39/cwt	72.50–82.00	628	30
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,675	121.70/cwt	121.00–126.50	2,038	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,098	91.00/cwt	91.00–91.00	999	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,376	105.82/cwt	95.00–112.00	1,456	20
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,345	116.00/cwt	116.00–116.00	1,560	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,469	89.71/cwt	89.00–91.00	1,318	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,548	93.08/cwt	91.50–95.00	1,441	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,110	77.46/cwt	73.00–89.00	860	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,381	116.75/cwt	113.00–126.00	1,612	23

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 →