Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2025-01-09
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-01-09

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale(12-19-24): Feeder calves were all too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Good to very good demand was seen for all offerings. Offerings were moderate to heavy. Quality this week was mostly average to very attractive and significantly higher in quality compared to last sale. Almost all calves were weaned over 50 days and were in mostly light flesh. Many were strictly hay weaned and and buyers showed very good demand for thin fleshed offerings. Package sizes were mostly moderate with a few load lot packages on offer as well. Market activity was active this sale with a large buyer pool on hand for todays sale. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for light offerings. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. All cows were pushing heavy amounts of fill today. Buyers were very aggressive as they filled loads to end the week. Feeding cows sold with the best demand again this week. Feeding cows sold 3.00-6.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady to weak undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was plain to average.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $331.21/cwt on 516 head. That ranks 1 of 21 comparable sales and sits −102.66 against this barn's trailing median of $433.86.

Average price

$331.21

516 head · 533 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,765

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$206

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

$38.12/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+3.12

vs MT average

+25.97 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	533	337.71	1,801	428
Medium and Large 1-2	532	299.59	1,595	88

One grade step is worth $38.12/cwt here — about $206 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 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 sale516 hd

331.21

—

MT average3 barns · 608 hd

328.08

+3.12

National average163 barns · 22,771 hd

305.24

+25.97

This barn, trailing median21 sales

433.86

−102.66

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	—	Average	1,685	137.66	2,319	17
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,672	122.48	2,048	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Very Low	1,392	122.34	1,703	40
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,164	103.75	1,208	40
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,400	95.00	1,330	3thin

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)	1,266	$2,500	4thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,370	$2,400	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,400	$1,500	1thin

Every lot, as filed

97 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	650–700	675	278.87/cwt	267.00–291.00	1,882	197
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	435	370.80/cwt	362.50–379.00	1,613	144
Steers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	336	482.20/cwt	475.00–515.00	1,620	113
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	344	410.35/cwt	400.00–412.00	1,412	89
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	809	271.43/cwt	265.00–273.00	2,196	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	671	318.65/cwt	306.00–321.00	2,138	217
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	814	253.66/cwt	253.00–255.00	2,065	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	762	260.69/cwt	256.00–266.00	1,986	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	571	313.58/cwt	293.00–332.00	1,791	76
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	500–550	528	349.00/cwt	349.00–349.00	1,843	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	422	421.28/cwt	410.00–445.00	1,778	236
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	459	361.50/cwt	339.00–378.00	1,659	115
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,035	156.25/cwt	132.00–180.00	1,617	16
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,370	2,400.00/head	2,400.00–2,400.00	2,400	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,002	171.69/cwt	141.00–182.50	1,720	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	920	233.00/cwt	233.00–233.00	2,144	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	379	386.95/cwt	373.00–405.00	1,467	76
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	925	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	1,480	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,400	1,500.00/head	1,500.00–1,500.00	1,500	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	850–900	858	248.00/cwt	248.00–248.00	2,128	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	850–900	872	231.00/cwt	231.00–231.00	2,014	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	438	381.07/cwt	362.50–392.50	1,669	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	450–500	457	382.00/cwt	382.00–382.00	1,746	82
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	950–1000	964	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	2,314	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	482	372.67/cwt	357.50–376.00	1,796	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	722	281.94/cwt	279.00–284.00	2,036	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	571	323.05/cwt	319.00–325.00	1,845	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	662	268.08/cwt	261.00–277.50	1,775	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	559	285.65/cwt	275.00–290.00	1,597	46
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	760	276.66/cwt	272.00–278.00	2,103	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	667	252.00/cwt	252.00–252.00	1,681	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	535	348.78/cwt	330.00–353.00	1,866	31
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	1000–1050	1,017	232.79/cwt	226.00–234.50	2,367	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	503	314.85/cwt	310.00–322.00	1,584	42
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	380	423.17/cwt	417.50–429.00	1,608	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	788	249.13/cwt	244.00–250.50	1,963	35
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	437	351.79/cwt	346.00–357.00	1,537	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	374	369.89/cwt	365.00–374.00	1,383	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	640	318.00/cwt	318.00–318.00	2,035	45
Steers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	398	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	1,532	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	615	282.47/cwt	281.00–284.00	1,737	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	480	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,560	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,890	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	2,174	1
Bulls	—	—	2,230	143.33/cwt	143.00–143.50	3,196	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,555	91.00/cwt	91.00–91.00	1,415	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,321	126.81/cwt	116.00–131.50	1,675	21
Bulls	—	—	1,831	126.94/cwt	121.00–133.00	2,324	6
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,382	136.38/cwt	136.00–137.50	1,885	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,157	109.30/cwt	103.00–114.00	1,265	17
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,360	150.77/cwt	150.00–151.00	2,050	4
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,400	95.00/cwt	95.00–95.00	1,330	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,372	101.17/cwt	97.00–107.00	1,388	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,133	99.18/cwt	92.00–105.00	1,124	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,134	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	1,463	6
Steers	Large 1	550–600	568	287.50/cwt	287.50–287.50	1,633	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,537	109.88/cwt	94.00–115.00	1,689	9
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,150	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,495	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,405	141.17/cwt	136.00–144.00	1,983	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,224	77.09/cwt	70.00–89.00	944	9
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,648	123.31/cwt	118.00–129.00	2,032	9
Heifers	Medium 1	650–700	667	237.81/cwt	232.50–255.00	1,586	13
Heifers	Medium 1	400–450	426	335.67/cwt	320.00–340.00	1,430	47
Heifers	Medium 1	350–400	373	354.85/cwt	337.50–380.00	1,324	31
Heifers	Medium 1	300–350	319	348.37/cwt	347.50–355.00	1,111	26
Steers	Large 1	1150–1200	1,165	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	2,505	7
Steers	Large 1	650–700	686	268.00/cwt	268.00–268.00	1,838	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	470	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,410	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	434	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,411	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	717	249.71/cwt	249.00–250.00	1,790	7
Steers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	425	387.50/cwt	387.50–387.50	1,647	2
Steers	Medium 1	700–750	724	269.23/cwt	265.00–276.00	1,949	23
Steers	Medium 1	850–900	882	249.00/cwt	249.00–249.00	2,196	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	700–750	700	281.00/cwt	281.00–281.00	1,967	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	958	231.00/cwt	231.00–231.00	2,213	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,266	2,500.00/head	2,500.00–2,500.00	2,500	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	650–700	695	261.00/cwt	261.00–261.00	1,814	7
Steers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	647	278.00/cwt	278.00–278.00	1,799	6
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	478	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	1,482	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	800–850	821	261.00/cwt	261.00–261.00	2,143	11
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	450–500	484	342.50/cwt	342.50–342.50	1,658	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	750–800	759	269.00/cwt	269.00–269.00	2,042	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	850–900	886	232.00/cwt	232.00–232.00	2,056	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	600–650	637	254.00/cwt	254.00–254.00	1,618	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	600–650	603	319.00/cwt	319.00–319.00	1,924	20
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	350–400	387	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	1,587	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	780	282.25/cwt	278.00–283.00	2,202	58
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	730	295.69/cwt	284.50–313.00	2,159	50
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	615	334.64/cwt	323.00–345.00	2,058	193
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	369	460.66/cwt	435.00–470.00	1,700	12
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	1100–1150	1,110	206.00/cwt	206.00–206.00	2,287	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	879	267.65/cwt	260.00–269.50	2,353	36
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	714	266.58/cwt	264.00–275.00	1,903	67
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	559	356.55/cwt	346.00–365.00	1,993	144
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	469	392.49/cwt	372.00–405.00	1,841	168
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	626	293.03/cwt	289.00–306.00	1,834	117
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	530	363.47/cwt	357.50–378.00	1,926	146
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	525	342.81/cwt	333.00–347.00	1,800	346

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 →