Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2023-11-13
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-11-13

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested this week and last week to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. Most calves were offered in small lots or as singles. Demand and offerings were mostly light. Market activity was mostly slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand and offerings. Slaughter cows sold 5.00-7.00 lower on breaking cows. Boning and lean cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 lower. High quality feeding cows, suitable to feed to premium white, sold mostly 4.00-6.00 lower. Thin short term feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-4.00 lower. Demand for cows lightened as heavy supplies have been seen across the northern tier of the US. Lots of open cows are being seen as many ranchers report a very poor breed-up. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady. Demand for high quality cows suitable to rebreed was mostly good, while demand for feeding quality cows was light to moderate.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $249.34/cwt on 166 head.

Average price

$249.34

166 head · 498 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,242

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$679

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

$22.15/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−3.93

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	532	252.15	1,342	126
Medium and Large 1-2	405	243.33	985	29
Medium 1	525	241.00	1,265	3thin
Medium and Large 2	288	230.00	662	8thin

One grade step is worth $22.15/cwt here — about $679 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 0–100 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 0–100 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale166 hd

249.34

—

MT average5 barns · 4,318 hd

253.26

−3.93

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	1,786	107.87	1,927	21
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,655	93.80	1,552	13
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,389	86.82	1,206	220
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,174	77.49	910	269

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	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,254	$1,916	3thin
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,185	$1,250	2thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,256	$1,200	15

Every lot, as filed

64 lots · USDA AMS · Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Mon)

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
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	991	150.12/cwt	95.00–185.00	1,488	62
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	825	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	1,114	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,142	118.72/cwt	92.00–152.00	1,356	70
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,130	92.00/cwt	92.00–92.00	1,040	1
Bred Cows	Large 1	—	1,185	1,250.00/head	1,250.00–1,250.00	1,250	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,370	1,350.00/head	1,350.00–1,350.00	1,350	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,254	1,916.10/head	1,850.00–1,950.00	1,916	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,260	107.65/cwt	92.00–114.00	1,356	30
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,234	1,093.68/head	1,025.00–1,250.00	1,094	7
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,550	96.00/cwt	96.00–96.00	1,488	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	386	243.00/cwt	243.00–243.00	938	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	311	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	793	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	498	229.00/cwt	229.00–229.00	1,140	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	428	265.25/cwt	260.00–271.00	1,135	39
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	525	241.00/cwt	241.00–241.00	1,265	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	370	276.58/cwt	265.00–280.00	1,023	52
Steers	Medium 2-3Unweaned	—	347	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	642	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	971	198.10/cwt	194.00–199.50	1,924	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	422	243.24/cwt	242.00–245.00	1,026	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	565	269.07/cwt	269.00–270.00	1,520	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	417	327.34/cwt	312.50–337.50	1,365	24
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	350	312.50/cwt	312.50–312.50	1,094	2
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	526	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	1,447	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	605	217.00/cwt	217.00–217.00	1,313	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	568	224.00/cwt	224.00–224.00	1,272	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,243	1,275.00/head	1,275.00–1,275.00	1,275	6
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,169	133.66/cwt	125.00–137.00	1,562	4
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,270	103.04/cwt	102.00–104.00	1,309	2
Bulls	—	—	1,943	110.96/cwt	108.00–115.00	2,156	11
Bulls	—	—	1,676	102.79/cwt	93.50–106.00	1,723	7
Bulls	—	—	1,865	119.00/cwt	119.00–119.00	2,219	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,235	82.16/cwt	82.00–83.00	1,015	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,423	88.00/cwt	88.00–88.00	1,252	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,950	85.00/cwt	85.00–85.00	1,658	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,169	75.78/cwt	65.00–80.00	886	115
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	875	80.00/cwt	80.00–80.00	700	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,396	89.67/cwt	85.00–97.00	1,252	125
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,193	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	1,253	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,196	75.77/cwt	67.00–80.00	906	40
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,125	60.22/cwt	51.00–67.00	677	8
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,377	81.28/cwt	75.00–84.00	1,119	66
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,402	98.06/cwt	97.50–98.50	1,375	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,088	62.45/cwt	61.00–64.00	679	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,193	82.15/cwt	80.00–91.00	980	88
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,370	80.60/cwt	77.00–84.00	1,104	17
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,700	98.00/cwt	98.00–98.00	1,666	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,588	95.17/cwt	94.50–96.00	1,511	8
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,720	91.70/cwt	91.00–93.00	1,577	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	940	70.06/cwt	69.00–71.00	659	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	758	55.52/cwt	50.00–59.00	421	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	647	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,488	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	468	288.97/cwt	270.00–291.00	1,352	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	403	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,209	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	418	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	1,150	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	495	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,485	1
Steers	Large 1	—	748	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	1,608	3
Steers	Medium 2Unweaned	—	435	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	805	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	728	221.00/cwt	221.00–221.00	1,609	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	260	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	689	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	918	197.72/cwt	196.00–202.00	1,815	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	839	206.00/cwt	206.00–206.00	1,728	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	288	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	662	8
Bulls	Large 1	—	991	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	1,655	23
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	325	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,040	1

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 →