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

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steer calves under 450 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to weak undertones were noticed on a lower quality offering. Steers 450-500 lbs sold mostly 10.00 higher, steers 500-649 lbs steers sold generally steady; steers over 650 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Heifer calves under 400 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Heifers 400-550 lbs sold mostly 3.00-10.00 higher; heifer calves over 550 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower. Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested 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 moderate. Quality today was mixed from plain to very attractive. A slightly smaller buyer pool was on hand for todays sale compared to last week, however despite fewer buyers, participation was good with many bidders actively bidding on offering. A few farmer feeders were in the stands again this week. Several were looking for heifers to develop into replacements. Package sizes varied greatly again this week. Fewer load lots were seen, however buyers were content to piece together loads as demand remains good to very good for all offerings. Demand for light weight calves suitable to go to grass was very good again today. The best demand for calves to go to grass was for 400-550 lbs for steers and 375-525 lbs for heifers. Market activity was active this sale with buyers rapidly bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand and heavy offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher on all classes in a narrow comparison. Feeding cows sold with the best demand again this week. Feeding cows sold with steady to 3.00 higher undertones. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady to 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 higher undertones were noticed on a higher quality offering. Quality was mostly average to very attractive today. Over 100 head of 1 iron home raised cows sold all off one ranch and these offerings sold with very good demand as quality was very attractive.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $308.32/cwt on 391 head. That ranks 1 of 21 comparable sales and sits −125.55 against this barn's trailing median of $433.86.

Average price

$308.32

391 head · 540 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,666

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$428

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 2

$95.60/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+0.71

vs MT average

+28.02 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	537	315.60	1,693	332
Medium and Large 1-2	560	284.60	1,594	31
Large 1	570	277.50	1,582	1thin
Medium 1	554	276.46	1,531	13thin
Medium 2	575	220.00	1,265	14thin

One grade step is worth $95.60/cwt here — about $428 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

Heifers 500–600 lb: high $469.35, low $332.50, median $433.86 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 sale391 hd

308.32

—

MT average3 barns · 651 hd

307.61

+0.71

National average188 barns · 25,726 hd

280.30

+28.02

This barn, trailing median21 sales

433.86

−125.55

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	1,826	137.03	2,503	44
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,661	120.24	1,997	39
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,397	111.52	1,558	196
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,154	110.16	1,271	173
Dairy Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,370	122.00	1,671	1thin
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,687	89.00	1,501	6thin

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/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,228	$2,402	6
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,171	$2,400	4thin
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,120	$2,033	6
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,571	$1,863	6
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,220	$1,675	2thin
Bred Heifers	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	987	$2,218	11

Every lot, as filed

145 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 1Unweaned	500–550	521	327.22/cwt	317.50–331.00	1,705	59
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	326	393.85/cwt	382.50–405.00	1,284	64
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	464	338.36/cwt	326.00–342.00	1,570	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	800–850	849	224.00/cwt	224.00–224.00	1,902	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,037	214.00/cwt	214.00–214.00	2,219	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	800–850	807	244.00/cwt	244.00–244.00	1,969	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	624	269.39/cwt	262.00–277.00	1,681	78
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,235	2,500.00/head	2,500.00–2,500.00	2,500	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	600–650	614	293.00/cwt	293.00–293.00	1,799	17
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	750–800	762	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,867	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,571	1,862.62/head	1,860.00–1,875.00	1,863	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	750–800	774	234.00/cwt	234.00–234.00	1,811	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1	250–300	285	511.58/cwt	505.00–512.50	1,458	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	364	356.11/cwt	352.50–370.00	1,296	19
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	906	214.38/cwt	154.00–234.50	1,942	306
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	560	310.00/cwt	305.00–315.00	1,736	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,233	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	1,529	20
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,171	2,400.00/head	2,400.00–2,400.00	2,400	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	250–300	295	495.00/cwt	495.00–495.00	1,460	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,125	152.56/cwt	131.00–180.00	1,716	9
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,039	141.98/cwt	114.00–175.00	1,475	7
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,138	2,100.00/head	2,100.00–2,100.00	2,100	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	605	294.00/cwt	294.00–294.00	1,779	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	944	226.09/cwt	225.00–227.00	2,134	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,041	207.76/cwt	206.00–211.00	2,163	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	491	316.83/cwt	315.00–318.00	1,556	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	391	395.59/cwt	395.00–400.00	1,547	8
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,108	151.28/cwt	123.00–201.00	1,676	129
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	424	384.16/cwt	373.00–397.50	1,629	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	545	319.00/cwt	319.00–319.00	1,739	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	584	306.00/cwt	306.00–306.00	1,787	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	722	246.00/cwt	246.00–246.00	1,776	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	547	295.89/cwt	289.00–299.00	1,619	16
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,220	2,303.69/head	2,000.00–2,450.00	2,304	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,085	1,898.16/head	1,850.00–1,950.00	1,898	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	458	365.13/cwt	343.00–373.00	1,672	35
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	988	218.00/cwt	218.00–218.00	2,154	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	583	268.00/cwt	268.00–268.00	1,562	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	431	329.77/cwt	320.00–335.00	1,421	55
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	650–700	687	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,924	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	564	277.77/cwt	267.00–286.00	1,567	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	935	73.23/cwt	65.00–81.00	685	9
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,829	118.09/cwt	111.00–121.00	2,160	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	940	88.59/cwt	87.00–90.00	833	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,416	128.08/cwt	126.50–130.50	1,814	16
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,210	107.85/cwt	104.00–110.50	1,305	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,159	77.89/cwt	60.00–87.00	903	16
Bred Heifers	Medium 1Non-Legible BANGS	—	898	1,900.00/head	1,900.00–1,900.00	1,900	6
Heifers	Medium 1	350–400	369	360.76/cwt	355.00–362.50	1,331	34
Steers	Medium 1	450–500	465	337.00/cwt	337.00–337.00	1,567	4
Steers	Medium 1	350–400	376	405.00/cwt	405.00–405.00	1,523	12
Bulls	Large 1Fleshy	1150–1200	1,180	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	2,124	1
Heifers	Large 1	600–650	638	258.00/cwt	258.00–258.00	1,646	2
Heifers	Large 1	450–500	499	304.00/cwt	304.00–304.00	1,517	34
Heifers	Large 1	400–450	446	316.31/cwt	304.00–318.00	1,411	8
Heifers	Large 1	550–600	570	277.50/cwt	277.50–277.50	1,582	1
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	955	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	1,528	1
Steers	Large 1-2	400–450	441	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,235	7
Bred Cows	Large 1-2	—	1,220	1,675.00/head	1,675.00–1,675.00	1,675	2
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,050	150.25/cwt	130.00–175.00	1,578	2
Bulls	Large 1Fleshy	1250–1300	1,280	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	1,971	4
Heifers	Large 1Fleshy	1150–1200	1,180	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	2,183	4
Steers	Large 1	700–750	703	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	1,898	12
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,130	95.40/cwt	88.00–100.00	1,078	5
Heifers	Medium 2	550–600	575	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	1,265	14
Heifers	Medium 2	650–700	692	224.44/cwt	220.00–226.00	1,553	14
Steers	Medium 1	400–450	444	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	1,665	4
Heifers	Medium 1	500–550	546	288.00/cwt	288.00–288.00	1,572	7
Heifers	Medium 1	550–600	563	263.00/cwt	263.00–263.00	1,481	6
Heifers	Medium 1Full	400–450	403	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	1,300	3
Heifers	Medium 1	300–350	314	395.00/cwt	395.00–395.00	1,240	11
Steers	Medium 1	550–600	592	296.00/cwt	296.00–296.00	1,752	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	850–900	855	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	1,838	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	648	279.00/cwt	279.00–279.00	1,808	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	321	376.84/cwt	365.00–385.00	1,210	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	441	371.35/cwt	365.00–380.00	1,638	7
Heifers	Medium 1	400–450	428	344.00/cwt	344.00–344.00	1,472	5
Heifers	Medium 1Full	450–500	486	262.50/cwt	262.50–262.50	1,276	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	642	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,798	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	371	372.54/cwt	360.00–390.00	1,382	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	917	246.13/cwt	238.00–247.00	2,257	31
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,020	219.00/cwt	219.00–219.00	2,234	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	840	242.00/cwt	242.00–242.00	2,033	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	700–750	708	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,628	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	774	265.66/cwt	262.00–266.00	2,056	34
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	424	414.19/cwt	400.00–440.00	1,756	34
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	390	371.00/cwt	371.00–371.00	1,447	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	700–750	730	242.00/cwt	242.00–242.00	1,767	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	412	358.14/cwt	350.00–365.00	1,476	10
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,094	2,600.00/head	2,600.00–2,600.00	2,600	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	465	393.55/cwt	365.00–411.00	1,830	203
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	613	312.62/cwt	299.00–318.00	1,916	111
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	750–800	751	276.00/cwt	276.00–276.00	2,073	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	616	307.43/cwt	299.00–313.50	1,894	86
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	525	317.46/cwt	311.00–325.00	1,667	112
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	581	318.97/cwt	308.50–330.00	1,853	58
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	531	346.97/cwt	339.00–357.00	1,842	102
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	833	262.00/cwt	262.00–262.00	2,182	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	450–500	470	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	1,598	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	783	239.00/cwt	239.00–239.00	1,871	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	431	383.97/cwt	380.00–385.00	1,655	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	660	259.33/cwt	255.00–265.00	1,712	30
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	300–350	341	455.00/cwt	455.00–455.00	1,552	33
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	550–600	589	305.88/cwt	301.00–309.00	1,802	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	500–550	530	336.00/cwt	336.00–336.00	1,781	26
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	691	285.94/cwt	285.50–289.00	1,976	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	678	290.54/cwt	287.00–291.00	1,970	44
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	525	359.29/cwt	359.00–361.00	1,886	40
Steers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	329	482.28/cwt	462.50–515.00	1,587	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	486	380.23/cwt	377.00–390.00	1,848	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	465	338.46/cwt	325.00–347.50	1,574	91
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	589	277.92/cwt	275.00–284.00	1,637	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	500–550	530	322.00/cwt	322.00–322.00	1,707	103
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	668	250.73/cwt	244.00–259.00	1,675	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	556	333.60/cwt	320.00–341.00	1,855	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	411	358.25/cwt	344.00–375.00	1,472	136
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	375	435.25/cwt	432.50–447.50	1,632	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	639	268.05/cwt	265.00–269.00	1,713	31
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	1150–1200	1,175	191.00/cwt	191.00–191.00	2,244	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	714	242.22/cwt	240.00–243.00	1,729	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	585	292.59/cwt	276.00–309.00	1,712	43
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	250–300	290	510.00/cwt	510.00–510.00	1,479	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	895	254.00/cwt	254.00–254.00	2,273	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	721	288.36/cwt	279.00–294.00	2,079	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	363	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	1,634	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	700–750	707	290.70/cwt	277.50–293.00	2,055	30
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	350–400	382	425.00/cwt	425.00–425.00	1,624	70
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	500–550	532	323.78/cwt	321.00–325.00	1,723	19
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,687	89.00/cwt	89.00–89.00	1,501	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,210	128.48/cwt	126.00–132.50	1,555	53
Bulls	—	—	1,962	138.04/cwt	125.00–144.00	2,708	26
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,519	92.53/cwt	87.00–102.00	1,406	14
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,506	110.51/cwt	104.00–118.00	1,664	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,694	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	2,067	8
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,530	134.50/cwt	134.50–134.50	2,058	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,558	116.26/cwt	111.50–118.50	1,811	16
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,192	120.56/cwt	114.00–123.50	1,437	14
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,137	108.12/cwt	95.00–112.50	1,229	71
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,734	125.34/cwt	124.00–127.00	2,173	9
Dairy Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,370	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	1,671	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,369	119.32/cwt	113.00–125.00	1,633	59
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,383	106.89/cwt	91.00–116.50	1,478	97
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,385	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	1,994	1
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,335	119.00/cwt	119.00–119.00	1,589	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,664	136.08/cwt	126.00–142.00	2,264	16

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 →