Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2025-01-30
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-01-30

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steer calves under 500 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Steers 500 lbs and heavier sold steady to 10.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Heifer calves under 550 lbs were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Heifers over 550 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Demand remains good to very good. Offerings were light. Quality this week was mostly plain to average with a few consignments of attractive cattle noted. Demand for feeder cattle helped keep prices steady to higher despite a smaller and lower quality offering. Most calves were in light flesh. Package sizes were mostly small to moderate with many singles in the offering. Market activity was active this sale with bidders both ringside and over the internet actively bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for moderate offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady on breaking cows, boning and lean cows were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Packers picked around to try to put together a load of slaughter cows, however demand from feeding buyers kept packers from purchasing many cows for immediate harvest. Most cows were purchased for feed this week. Feeding cows sold on good to very good demand, fueled by strong demand from both packers and private feeders. Feeding cows sold mostly 3.00 to 5.00 higher on high quality cow suitable to feed to premium white. Short term feeding cows sold generally steady to firm. Slaughter bulls sold 5.00-10.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Demand for bulls was very good this week as packers competed over limited offerings. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Quality this week was average to attractive and similar to last week. Many young cows were purchased to feed again this week.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $320.77/cwt on 131 head. That ranks 1 of 21 comparable sales and sits −113.09 against this barn's trailing median of $433.86.

Average price

$320.77

131 head · 537 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,722

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$115

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

$41.77/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−5.39

vs MT average

+16.13 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	536	321.77	1,725	122
Medium 1	543	318.00	1,727	5thin
Medium and Large 1-2	523	307.42	1,608	2thin
Medium and Large 2	575	280.00	1,610	2thin

One grade step is worth $41.77/cwt here — about $115 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 sale131 hd

320.77

—

MT average3 barns · 640 hd

326.17

−5.39

National average182 barns · 24,858 hd

304.64

+16.13

This barn, trailing median21 sales

433.86

−113.09

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	—	High	1,745	161.40	2,816	46
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,531	140.10	2,145	73
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	Low	1,730	139.50	2,413	1thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,405	135.17	1,899	246
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,166	124.57	1,452	167

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)	1,204	$2,361	9
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,268	$2,290	7
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,094	$2,050	6
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,430	$2,000	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,165	$2,000	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,310	$1,894	16
Bred Heifers	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	(<2 yrs)	1,000	$2,250	3thin

Every lot, as filed

103 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 1-2	—	1,263	2,100.00/head	2,100.00–2,100.00	2,100	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,129	138.22/cwt	127.50–145.00	1,561	13
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,430	2,000.00/head	2,000.00–2,000.00	2,000	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	675	293.00/cwt	293.00–293.00	1,978	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	346	440.00/cwt	440.00–440.00	1,522	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	353	424.05/cwt	415.00–430.00	1,497	5
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,064	2,450.00/head	2,450.00–2,450.00	2,450	5
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,094	2,050.00/head	2,050.00–2,050.00	2,050	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,166	127.41/cwt	124.00–128.00	1,486	13
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	790	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,975	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,165	2,000.00/head	2,000.00–2,000.00	2,000	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	770	266.00/cwt	266.00–266.00	2,048	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	550–600	585	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	1,814	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	476	379.87/cwt	357.00–392.50	1,808	22
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,272	2,431.96/head	2,400.00–2,450.00	2,432	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	324	390.00/cwt	390.00–390.00	1,264	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	527	316.00/cwt	316.00–316.00	1,665	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	566	316.08/cwt	308.00–320.00	1,789	60
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,356	2,007.32/head	2,000.00–2,025.00	2,007	7
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,000	2,250.00/head	2,250.00–2,250.00	2,250	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	504	329.20/cwt	323.50–336.00	1,659	53
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	564	353.55/cwt	331.00–367.00	1,994	38
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	483	341.87/cwt	335.00–344.50	1,651	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	679	317.65/cwt	316.00–318.00	2,157	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	415	415.00/cwt	415.00–415.00	1,722	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,060	183.51/cwt	152.00–229.50	1,945	69
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	400	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	1,480	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	641	297.33/cwt	292.00–308.00	1,906	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	810	267.67/cwt	267.00–268.00	2,168	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	542	352.50/cwt	352.50–352.50	1,911	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	483	352.58/cwt	345.00–382.00	1,703	15
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,170	154.21/cwt	139.50–200.00	1,804	46
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	523	307.42/cwt	305.00–310.00	1,608	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	715	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	2,074	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	708	252.00/cwt	252.00–252.00	1,784	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	490	323.58/cwt	310.00–327.00	1,586	15
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,293	1,850.00/head	1,850.00–1,850.00	1,850	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	951	167.33/cwt	145.00–185.00	1,591	12
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,379	2,250.00/head	2,250.00–2,250.00	2,250	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	350	395.00/cwt	395.00–395.00	1,383	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	431	346.40/cwt	340.00–352.00	1,493	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	382	372.01/cwt	360.00–385.00	1,421	7
Steers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	532	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,702	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	910	234.00/cwt	234.00–234.00	2,129	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	1,210	1,650.00/head	1,650.00–1,650.00	1,650	2
Bulls	—	—	2,171	183.10/cwt	179.00–190.00	3,975	10
Bulls	—	—	1,874	161.73/cwt	158.00–169.00	3,031	10
Bulls	—	—	1,667	150.47/cwt	139.00–158.00	2,508	12
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,260	130.50/cwt	130.50–130.50	1,644	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,452	160.76/cwt	157.00–175.00	2,334	11
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,283	135.82/cwt	130.00–142.00	1,743	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,565	139.41/cwt	136.00–141.00	2,182	7
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight	—	2,120	138.86/cwt	136.00–142.00	2,944	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,750	131.39/cwt	129.00–134.00	2,299	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,821	143.42/cwt	143.00–146.00	2,612	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,465	128.22/cwt	121.00–134.50	1,878	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,438	118.54/cwt	118.00–119.00	1,705	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,450	128.17/cwt	127.00–129.00	1,858	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,186	112.32/cwt	107.00–119.00	1,332	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,431	149.39/cwt	144.00–150.25	2,138	44
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,167	129.27/cwt	124.00–132.50	1,509	98
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	897	107.37/cwt	96.00–115.00	963	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,171	119.48/cwt	107.50–123.50	1,399	42
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,211	135.68/cwt	135.00–138.00	1,643	7
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	1,730	139.50/cwt	139.50–139.50	2,413	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,405	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	1,995	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,390	134.87/cwt	126.00–143.00	1,875	150
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,140	93.06/cwt	84.00–99.00	1,061	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,200	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	1,536	2
Bulls	Large 1	1150–1200	1,173	209.00/cwt	209.00–209.00	2,452	2
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,410	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	2,270	1
Heifers	Large 1-2	1100–1150	1,121	206.77/cwt	203.00–208.00	2,318	4
Bulls	Large 1-2	1200–1250	1,210	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	2,178	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,462	141.59/cwt	139.00–144.00	2,070	49
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,415	121.93/cwt	108.00–126.00	1,725	36
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	968	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	1,287	2
Heifers	Medium 1	500–550	543	318.00/cwt	318.00–318.00	1,727	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	488	327.00/cwt	327.00–327.00	1,596	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	628	295.86/cwt	287.50–304.00	1,858	77
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	445	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	1,869	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	681	281.57/cwt	278.00–284.00	1,917	44
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	750–800	763	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	2,060	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	712	271.66/cwt	271.00–272.00	1,934	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	512	382.42/cwt	360.00–392.00	1,958	57
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	459	390.00/cwt	390.00–390.00	1,790	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	850	273.00/cwt	273.00–273.00	2,321	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	902	253.00/cwt	253.00–253.00	2,282	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	900–950	910	253.00/cwt	253.00–253.00	2,302	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	978	237.84/cwt	225.00–241.00	2,326	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	773	288.60/cwt	288.00–290.00	2,231	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	711	297.35/cwt	294.00–299.00	2,114	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	626	327.96/cwt	320.00–337.00	2,053	30
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	650–700	663	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	1,956	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	427	352.50/cwt	352.50–352.50	1,505	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	616	276.76/cwt	275.00–282.00	1,705	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	668	264.00/cwt	264.00–264.00	1,764	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	505	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,616	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	575	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,610	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	492	337.00/cwt	337.00–337.00	1,658	3
Bulls	Large 1	1100–1150	1,148	214.00/cwt	214.00–214.00	2,457	4
Steers	Large 1	600–650	645	307.54/cwt	300.00–319.00	1,984	10
Bulls	Large 1	1300–1350	1,300	162.50/cwt	162.50–162.50	2,113	1
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	750	172.50/cwt	170.00–175.00	1,294	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 →