Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2023-12-11

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Mon, Dec 11
● Final58 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1775
Feeder Cattle receipts
188 head
130 vs last sale 318 188 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
543 head
97 vs last sale 640 83 vs year ago 460 · +18.0%
Replacement Cattle receipts
135 head
174 vs last sale 309 3,427 vs year ago 3,562 · 96.2%
Also sold hereRegular saleThu Aug 13, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality today was plain to average. Demand was mostly light as offerings were too light to build loads. CME positions traded higher today. The January traded 2.65 higher while the March traded 2.525 higher. Market activity was mostly slow today, with a small buyer pool on hand. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand for mostly moderate offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-2.00 higher on all classes. High quality feeding cows sold 1.00-3.00 higher. Thin feeding or turn out cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Weigh up conditions were mixed today. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on light to moderate demand. Quality was mostly plain to average and most offerings sold to feed. This class sold generally steady.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $208.63/cwt on 69 head.
Average price
$208.63
69 head · 723 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,509
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$9
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$1.06/cwt at this weight
vs the market
40.95
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1723209.081,51340
Medium and Large 1-2723208.021,50329
One grade step is worth $1.06/cwt here — about $9 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 sale69 hd
208.63
MT average4 barns · 2,221 hd
249.58
−40.95
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 · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
BullsLow1,777106.841,89924
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,61394.931,53127
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,38090.051,242159
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,13178.18885226

Every lot, as filed

58 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.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2838114.62/cwt94.00–132.509614
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,071160.50/cwt160.50–160.501,7194
SteersMedium and Large 1-2470280.00/cwt280.00–280.001,3161
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2682195.00/cwt195.00–195.001,3302
HeifersMedium and Large 1500240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,2001
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2895188.00/cwt188.00–188.001,68310
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2483243.39/cwt232.00–247.501,1769
HeifersMedium and Large 1830205.00/cwt205.00–205.001,70217
SteersMedium and Large 1540266.50/cwt266.00–267.001,4392
SteersMedium and Large 1-2512258.48/cwt255.00–262.001,3234
HeifersMedium and Large 1591222.00/cwt222.00–222.001,3127
HeifersMedium and Large 1649210.00/cwt210.00–210.001,3639
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned613232.00/cwt232.00–232.001,4222
SteersMedium and Large 1-2643200.00/cwt200.00–200.001,2862
SteersMedium and Large 1613235.00/cwt235.00–235.001,4413
SteersLarge 1605208.00/cwt208.00–208.001,2581
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2523230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,2032
HeifersMedium and Large 1725199.00/cwt199.00–199.001,4436
SteersMedium and Large 2536240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,2865
SteersMedium and Large 1470292.50/cwt292.50–292.501,3751
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned491286.00/cwt286.00–286.001,4047
SteersMedium and Large 1582248.00/cwt248.00–248.001,4433
SteersMedium and Large 1-2592230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,3623
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2849187.50/cwt187.50–187.501,5924
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2928181.00/cwt181.00–181.001,6802
BullsMedium and Large 1658205.00/cwt205.00–205.001,3492
BullsLarge 11,120141.00/cwt141.00–141.001,5791
BullsLarge 11,185135.00/cwt135.00–135.001,6001
BullsMedium and Large 1-2575227.50/cwt227.50–227.501,3083
Bulls1,98597.62/cwt85.00–106.501,9382
CowsLean 85-90%1,12172.75/cwt68.00–80.0081628
CowsLean 85-90%1,17557.34/cwt52.00–63.006742
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,04061.94/cwt60.00–63.006444
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,10876.56/cwt67.00–80.00848109
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,53097.00/cwt97.00–97.001,4841
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,18384.44/cwt82.00–90.0099970
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,28594.00/cwt94.00–94.001,2081
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,46699.58/cwt96.50–102.001,46010
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,37490.32/cwt86.00–96.001,241133
CowsBoner 80-85%1,38478.17/cwt74.00–84.001,0825
CowsBoner 80-85%1,41888.26/cwt86.50–92.001,2523
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight91053.00/cwt53.00–53.004821
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight95374.37/cwt72.00–78.007093
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,62293.10/cwt91.00–95.001,51017
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,60698.15/cwt93.00–101.501,5769
CowsLean 85-90%1,16983.17/cwt81.00–89.009727
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight97562.00/cwt62.00–62.006051
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,34981.82/cwt77.00–85.001,1048
Bulls1,765121.00/cwt121.00–121.002,1361
Bulls1,917115.33/cwt109.00–118.002,21112
BullsLight Weight1,29580.00/cwt80.00–80.001,0361
BullsReturn to Feed1,60096.15/cwt96.00–97.001,5387
BullsReturn to Feed1,415111.00/cwt111.00–111.001,5711
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1885145.30/cwt120.00–165.001,28670
Stock CowsMedium 1768133.00/cwt133.00–133.001,0212
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,05885.91/cwt82.50–92.009098
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1999100.14/cwt81.00–112.501,00035
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-277586.00/cwt86.00–86.006671

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.