Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2023-12-18
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-12-18

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Quality today was plain to average. A large portion of the feeder cattle offering was comprised of pen clean up cattle with many blemished and lame cattle seen. Buyers picked around and showed good demand for high quality calves. Demand was mostly moderate for light to moderate offerings. CME positions traded higher today with triple digit gains seen. The nearby January traded 2.275 higher while the March traded 1.975 higher, to close at 223.175 and 224.15 respectfully. Market activity was mostly moderate today. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for mostly light to moderate offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 1.00 higher on all classes. High quality feeding cows sold 1.00-2.00 higher. Thin feeding or turn out cows sold mostly steady to 1.00 higher. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested last week 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. Too few offerings were seen this week to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $241.22/cwt on 184 head.

Average price

$241.22

184 head · 550 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,327

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$153

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

$70.30/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−10.30

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	497	260.30	1,295	95
Medium 1-2	265	240.00	636	7thin
Medium and Large 1-2	607	224.32	1,362	68
Medium 1	789	199.00	1,570	7thin
Medium and Large 2	762	190.00	1,448	7thin

One grade step is worth $70.30/cwt here — about −$153 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 sale184 hd

241.22

—

MT average4 barns · 1,461 hd

251.52

−10.30

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	1,567	105.23	1,649	46
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,636	96.58	1,580	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,419	91.81	1,302	73
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,136	81.81	930	194

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)	1,317	$1,613	6
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,424	$1,470	10
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,295	$1,174	10

Every lot, as filed

66 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
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	701	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	1,472	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	403	312.50/cwt	312.50–312.50	1,259	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	948	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	1,431	12
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	643	228.18/cwt	217.50–230.00	1,467	20
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	593	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	1,112	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	493	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,306	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	668	205.57/cwt	200.00–210.00	1,373	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	590	238.00/cwt	238.00–238.00	1,404	2
Steers	Medium 2	—	523	134.14/cwt	127.50–150.00	702	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	335	326.27/cwt	325.00–330.00	1,093	60
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	607	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	1,214	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	398	317.50/cwt	317.50–317.50	1,264	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	561	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	1,515	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	757	198.00/cwt	198.00–198.00	1,499	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	619	215.18/cwt	211.00–219.00	1,332	24
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	558	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	1,311	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	471	304.21/cwt	300.00–307.50	1,433	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	505	291.00/cwt	291.00–291.00	1,470	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	433	324.00/cwt	324.00–324.00	1,403	3
Heifers	Medium 1	—	789	199.00/cwt	199.00–199.00	1,570	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	375	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,069	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	762	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	1,448	7
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	265	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	636	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	908	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	1,725	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	480	251.28/cwt	250.00–252.00	1,206	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	762	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	1,448	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	431	258.08/cwt	251.00–265.00	1,112	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	331	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	993	44
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	803	196.00/cwt	196.00–196.00	1,574	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	520	232.50/cwt	232.50–232.50	1,209	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	466	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	1,258	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,012	185.50/cwt	185.50–185.50	1,877	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	422	284.62/cwt	280.00–287.00	1,201	7
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,640	100.50/cwt	100.50–100.50	1,648	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,190	85.21/cwt	81.00–92.00	1,014	79
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,080	77.83/cwt	70.00–82.50	841	91
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,468	101.61/cwt	97.00–103.25	1,492	16
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,395	91.55/cwt	87.00–96.00	1,277	39
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,562	99.49/cwt	99.00–100.50	1,554	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,164	83.33/cwt	80.00–87.00	970	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,433	82.61/cwt	75.00–85.50	1,184	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,179	93.85/cwt	93.00–95.00	1,106	12
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,165	50.00/cwt	50.00–50.00	583	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,424	82.08/cwt	73.00–84.00	1,169	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,419	86.15/cwt	85.00–88.00	1,222	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,720	89.00/cwt	89.00–89.00	1,531	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,818	93.27/cwt	92.00–94.50	1,696	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,173	76.28/cwt	67.00–79.00	895	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,555	94.50/cwt	94.50–94.50	1,469	3
Bulls	—	—	1,809	112.83/cwt	109.00–117.00	2,041	15
Bulls	—	—	1,635	94.28/cwt	94.00–94.50	1,541	2
Bulls	—	—	1,904	121.48/cwt	119.00–126.00	2,313	3
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,259	89.64/cwt	83.00–101.00	1,129	13
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,509	110.00/cwt	110.00–110.00	1,660	13
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,075	98.88/cwt	84.00–106.00	1,063	36
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	953	109.23/cwt	107.00–112.50	1,041	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,072	115.31/cwt	109.00–143.00	1,236	13
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	952	88.77/cwt	87.00–90.00	845	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,424	1,469.71/head	1,350.00–1,500.00	1,470	10
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,317	1,613.07/head	1,600.00–1,685.00	1,613	6
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	1,072	885.00/head	885.00–885.00	885	5
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,517	1,462.03/head	1,300.00–1,500.00	1,462	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	560	208.77/cwt	200.00–223.00	1,169	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,043	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	1,638	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	326	287.00/cwt	287.00–287.00	936	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	385	272.00/cwt	272.00–272.00	1,047	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 →