Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2025-01-16
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-01-16

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder calves were all too lightly tested today to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed on like quality cattle. Demand remains good to very good. Offerings were light. Quality this week was mostly plain to average and significantly lower than last weeks offering. Many blemished cattle were seen today as buyers sold cattle prior to this weeks cold snap. Almost all calves were weaned over 50 days and were in mostly light flesh. Package sizes were mostly small with many singles in the offering. Buyers were forced to pick around to put together cattle of like quality. No load lots were seen this week. Market activity was active this sale. A noticeably smaller buyer pool was seen this week, however buyers continue to show very good demand and bid rapidly on all feeder calves. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however lower undertones were noticed on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows sold mostly 3.00-7.00 higher as feeding buyers and slaughter buys bid aggressively on all fleshy cows. Feeding cow sold on good to very good demand. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher. All cows were pushing moderate to heavy amounts of fill today. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Quality this week was average to attractive and better overall than last week.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $351.61/cwt on 63 head. That ranks 1 of 21 comparable sales and sits −136.17 against this barn's trailing median of $487.78.

Average price

$351.61

63 head · 537 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,888

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$125

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

$37.78/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−5.47

vs MT average

+9.16 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	536	365.08	1,956	31
Medium 1	507	355.00	1,800	13thin
Medium and Large 1-2	560	327.30	1,831	19thin

One grade step is worth $37.78/cwt here — about $125 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

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 sale63 hd

351.61

—

MT average3 barns · 419 hd

357.08

−5.47

National average190 barns · 32,836 hd

342.45

+9.16

This barn, trailing median21 sales

487.78

−136.17

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	1,944	135.20	2,629	26
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Very Low	1,653	130.22	2,152	70
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,385	127.49	1,765	206
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,150	110.17	1,267	130
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,270	80.00	1,016	2thin

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)	1,270	$2,550	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,335	$2,370	5
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,400	$2,200	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	997	$2,196	7
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,520	$1,900	3thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,343	$1,800	9
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,334	$1,656	8

Every lot, as filed

112 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
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,356	2,400.00/head	2,400.00–2,400.00	2,400	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,270	2,550.00/head	2,550.00–2,550.00	2,550	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,343	1,800.00/head	1,800.00–1,800.00	1,800	9
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,520	1,900.00/head	1,900.00–1,900.00	1,900	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	439	340.30/cwt	320.00–345.00	1,494	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	523	317.50/cwt	317.50–317.50	1,661	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	517	357.50/cwt	357.50–357.50	1,848	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,059	181.24/cwt	150.00–206.00	1,919	105
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,070	2,425.00/head	2,425.00–2,425.00	2,425	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	807	252.00/cwt	252.00–252.00	2,034	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	743	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	2,118	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,110	154.07/cwt	132.50–176.00	1,710	18
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	650–700	671	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	1,812	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	949	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	2,183	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	477	347.71/cwt	340.00–355.00	1,659	41
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	524	330.45/cwt	321.00–332.00	1,732	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	355	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	1,420	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	679	263.00/cwt	263.00–263.00	1,786	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	461	395.39/cwt	385.00–405.00	1,823	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	578	310.15/cwt	309.00–314.00	1,793	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	426	358.41/cwt	352.50–365.00	1,527	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	970	233.00/cwt	233.00–233.00	2,260	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	730	253.22/cwt	253.00–254.00	1,849	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	850–900	869	253.62/cwt	252.00–256.00	2,204	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	526	371.11/cwt	355.00–380.00	1,952	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	712	308.00/cwt	305.00–308.50	2,193	41
Steers	Medium and Large 1	250–300	275	530.00/cwt	530.00–530.00	1,458	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	560	350.34/cwt	335.00–355.00	1,962	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	628	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	1,821	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	683	268.15/cwt	254.00–282.50	1,831	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	650	306.00/cwt	306.00–306.00	1,989	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	631	299.82/cwt	290.00–309.00	1,892	15
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,250	2,250.00/head	2,250.00–2,250.00	2,250	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,287	1,625.00/head	1,625.00–1,625.00	1,625	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	975	226.00/cwt	226.00–226.00	2,204	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	928	140.16/cwt	134.00–155.00	1,301	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	537	335.72/cwt	330.00–355.00	1,803	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	705	234.00/cwt	234.00–234.00	1,650	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	362	465.00/cwt	465.00–465.00	1,683	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	478	362.71/cwt	350.00–375.00	1,734	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	608	237.49/cwt	233.00–255.00	1,444	5
Steers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	425	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	1,466	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	658	261.00/cwt	261.00–261.00	1,717	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	1050–1100	1,050	224.00/cwt	224.00–224.00	2,352	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	570	323.41/cwt	320.00–329.00	1,843	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	338	460.79/cwt	445.00–475.00	1,557	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,006	159.70/cwt	137.50–195.00	1,607	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,400	2,200.00/head	2,200.00–2,200.00	2,200	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	493	313.08/cwt	305.00–325.00	1,543	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	368	372.38/cwt	370.00–375.00	1,370	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,491	134.11/cwt	126.00–140.50	2,000	8
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,356	128.83/cwt	119.00–133.00	1,747	113
Bulls	—	—	2,405	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	3,511	1
Bulls	—	—	2,415	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	3,623	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,315	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	2,065	1
Bulls	—	—	1,945	144.06/cwt	140.00–150.00	2,802	9
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,421	112.15/cwt	99.00–117.00	1,594	18
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,412	136.25/cwt	134.00–139.00	1,924	51
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,603	96.68/cwt	92.00–101.00	1,550	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,623	130.60/cwt	127.00–136.50	2,120	15
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,630	142.66/cwt	139.00–148.00	2,325	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	883	100.02/cwt	93.00–103.75	883	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,121	93.86/cwt	87.00–103.00	1,052	37
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	923	76.36/cwt	75.00–79.00	705	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,270	110.42/cwt	105.00–116.00	1,402	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,218	131.61/cwt	130.00–133.50	1,603	6
Bulls	—Heavy Weight	—	2,575	111.00/cwt	111.00–111.00	2,858	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	990	92.50/cwt	92.50–92.50	916	1
Bulls	—	—	1,872	127.29/cwt	116.00–134.00	2,383	13
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,083	81.06/cwt	67.50–86.00	878	10
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,270	80.00/cwt	80.00–80.00	1,016	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,910	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	2,674	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight	—	2,125	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	2,805	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,365	102.52/cwt	95.00–108.00	1,399	13
Bred Cows	Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,475	1,750.00/head	1,750.00–1,750.00	1,750	2
Heifers	Large 1	500–550	540	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	1,485	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,572	111.00/cwt	110.00–112.00	1,745	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,658	131.07/cwt	127.00–135.00	2,173	37
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,180	125.38/cwt	116.00–128.00	1,479	60
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,620	116.72/cwt	113.00–126.00	1,891	6
Stock Cows	Medium 2	—	880	152.50/cwt	152.50–152.50	1,342	1
Bulls	Large 1	1200–1250	1,209	199.00/cwt	199.00–199.00	2,406	6
Heifers	Large 1	450–500	499	329.00/cwt	329.00–329.00	1,642	4
Steers	Large 1	1150–1200	1,170	222.00/cwt	222.00–222.00	2,597	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	343	465.00/cwt	465.00–465.00	1,595	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	1050–1100	1,091	156.66/cwt	119.00–213.00	1,709	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	350–400	360	430.00/cwt	430.00–430.00	1,548	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	700–750	717	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	1,972	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	500–550	530	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	1,802	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	420	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	1,722	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	607	329.00/cwt	329.00–329.00	1,997	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,023	221.00/cwt	221.00–221.00	2,261	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	490	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,593	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	463	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	1,597	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	570	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	1,838	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	650–700	698	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	1,780	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	831	266.00/cwt	266.00–266.00	2,210	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	250–300	270	515.00/cwt	515.00–515.00	1,391	2
Steers	Medium 1	400–450	449	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	1,684	15
Bulls	Medium 1	850–900	868	244.00/cwt	244.00–244.00	2,118	3
Heifers	Medium 1Fleshy	600–650	625	249.00/cwt	249.00–249.00	1,556	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	597	271.00/cwt	271.00–271.00	1,618	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2	700–750	741	283.00/cwt	283.00–283.00	2,097	4
Steers	Medium and Large 2	750–800	797	264.00/cwt	264.00–264.00	2,104	3
Steers	Medium 2	400–450	441	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	1,191	4
Stock Cows	Medium 1-2	—	680	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	1,292	1
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	695	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	1,494	1
Bred Cows	Medium 1	—	943	2,025.00/head	2,025.00–2,025.00	2,025	4
Steers	Medium 1	500–550	507	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	1,800	13
Steers	Medium 1	450–500	485	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	1,673	2
Heifers	Large 1	650–700	665	263.00/cwt	263.00–263.00	1,749	1
Steers	Large 1	600–650	615	304.00/cwt	304.00–304.00	1,870	2

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 →