Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2024-11-15

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2024-11-15
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-11-15

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Fri, Nov 15

● Final85 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1776

← Nov 8Nov 15Nov 22 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

2,016 head

▼ 418 vs last sale 2,434▲ 611 vs year ago 1,405 · +43.5%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

136 head

▲ 122 vs last sale 14▲ 56 vs year ago 80 · +70.0%

Replacement Cattle receipts

88 head

▲ 58 vs last sale 30▲ 66 vs year ago 22 · +300.0%

Also sold hereRegular saleWed Oct 28, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steer calves under 500 lbs sold 10.00-20.00 higher in a narrow comparison; 500-649 lbs steers sold mostly 5.00 to 15.00 higher; steers over 650 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold mostly steady; heifer calves over 450 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher. All yearling cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Calf quality was mostly average to very attractive. Steer quality this week was similar to last week. Heifer quality overall was not as attractive as last week. Demand for steer calves was good to very good for all weight classes. Heifers were met with moderate demand as quality hindered demand at times. Demand for weaned calves was stronger this week. Package sizes today were moderate with one load lot and several part loads noticed. Demand for packages under 5 head remains light. Market activity was mostly active today with a larger buyer pool noticed. Weigh up cows and bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand was mostly light for light offerings.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $319.06/cwt on 494 head. That ranks 1 of 6 comparable sales and sits −111.30 against this barn's trailing median of $430.35.

Average price

$319.06

494 head · 543 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,733

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$30

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

$5.50/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+7.05

vs MT average

+13.62 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	517	320.50	1,656	81
Medium and Large 1	549	318.81	1,749	409
Large 1	535	315.00	1,685	4thin

One grade step is worth $5.50/cwt here — about −$30 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 200–300 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale494 hd

319.06

—

MT average5 barns · 2,135 hd

312.00

+7.05

National average190 barns · 31,255 hd

305.44

+13.62

This barn, trailing median6 sales

430.35

−111.30

A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

6 sales

Steers 500–600 lb: high $503.89, low $428.05, median $430.35 across 6 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

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	1,792	139.10	2,493	8thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,578	111.18	1,754	4thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,397	107.93	1,508	38
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,128	98.96	1,117	65

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 Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,085	$1,500	2thin

Every lot, as filed

85 lots · USDA AMS · Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Fri)

Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.

Class	Weight	Grade / description	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Feeder Cattle · Steers26 lots · lightest first
Steers	250–300	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	284	495.67/cwt	490.00–497.00	1,408	10
Steers	250–300	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	287	440.00/cwt	440.00–440.00	1,263	6
Steers	300–350	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	310	475.00/cwt	475.00–475.00	1,473	3
Steers	300–350	Medium and Large 1	332	440.00/cwt	440.00–440.00	1,461	18
Steers	300–350	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	342	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	1,436	6
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	380	418.49/cwt	412.00–445.00	1,590	31
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	390	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	1,502	8
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	414	391.03/cwt	369.00–402.00	1,619	63
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1	424	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	1,632	16
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	430	349.57/cwt	345.00–352.50	1,503	12
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	472	360.14/cwt	359.00–370.00	1,700	27
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	476	356.09/cwt	335.00–385.00	1,695	178
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	514	322.05/cwt	310.00–327.50	1,655	76
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	523	332.33/cwt	320.00–359.00	1,738	167
Steers	500–550	Large 1Unweaned	535	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,685	4
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1	537	327.71/cwt	323.00–342.00	1,760	34
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	556	297.00/cwt	297.00–297.00	1,651	5
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	571	307.20/cwt	291.00–314.50	1,754	189
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	572	299.50/cwt	299.50–299.50	1,713	19
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	600	288.00/cwt	288.00–288.00	1,728	3
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	615	294.53/cwt	284.50–305.00	1,811	101
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	671	268.81/cwt	267.00–272.00	1,804	14
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	678	268.91/cwt	268.00–270.00	1,823	13
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	706	268.50/cwt	268.50–268.50	1,896	30
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	720	255.50/cwt	255.50–255.50	1,840	13
Steers	850–900	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	870	242.00/cwt	242.00–242.00	2,105	2
Feeder Cattle · Heifers34 lots · lightest first
Heifers	300–350	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	324	407.00/cwt	407.00–407.00	1,319	7
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1	350	362.50/cwt	362.50–362.50	1,269	5
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	373	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,194	3
Heifers	350–400	Medium 1Unweaned	374	338.00/cwt	338.00–338.00	1,264	5
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	383	343.32/cwt	330.00–370.00	1,315	19
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1Fancy	406	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,421	22
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1	411	327.50/cwt	327.50–327.50	1,346	8
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	430	320.48/cwt	318.00–325.00	1,378	53
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	438	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,314	6
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	465	328.00/cwt	328.00–328.00	1,525	5
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	481	312.30/cwt	300.00–318.00	1,502	98
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	482	283.52/cwt	280.00–300.00	1,367	16
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1	512	309.16/cwt	279.00–322.00	1,583	44
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	531	291.26/cwt	284.00–303.00	1,547	90
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	536	259.99/cwt	259.00–261.00	1,394	22
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	556	274.73/cwt	248.00–288.00	1,527	83
Heifers	550–600	Medium 1Unweaned	564	241.00/cwt	241.00–241.00	1,359	5
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1Full	580	249.00/cwt	249.00–249.00	1,444	7
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	586	256.00/cwt	256.00–256.00	1,500	9
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	613	243.00/cwt	243.00–243.00	1,490	2
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	615	252.36/cwt	245.00–258.00	1,552	26
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	615	249.00/cwt	249.00–249.00	1,531	5
Heifers	600–650	Medium 1Unweaned	617	243.00/cwt	243.00–243.00	1,499	11
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1Replacement	632	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	1,612	12
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1Replacement	652	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,630	3
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	655	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,507	2
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	689	239.00/cwt	239.00–239.00	1,647	4
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	733	235.25/cwt	235.00–236.00	1,724	12
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	771	236.00/cwt	236.00–236.00	1,820	6
Heifers	850–900	Medium and Large 1-2	862	224.00/cwt	224.00–224.00	1,931	3
Heifers	900–950	Medium and Large 1-2	915	218.00/cwt	218.00–218.00	1,995	1
Heifers	900–950	Medium and Large 1	919	221.00/cwt	221.00–221.00	2,031	6
Heifers	950–1000	Medium and Large 1Full	976	204.00/cwt	204.00–204.00	1,991	7
Heifers	1050–1100	Large 1	1,083	201.00/cwt	201.00–201.00	2,177	2
Feeder Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls	450–500	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	481	314.46/cwt	309.00–335.00	1,513	9
Bulls	700–750	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	707	233.00/cwt	233.00–233.00	1,647	3
Bulls	1000–1050	Medium and Large 1	1,035	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	2,225	1
Bulls	1150–1200	Large 1	1,155	195.00/cwt	195.00–195.00	2,252	1
Bulls	1250–1300	Large 1	1,250	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	2,250	2
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,510	131.58/cwt	125.00–135.00	1,987	3
Bulls	—	—	1,908	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	2,709	2
Bulls	—	—	1,997	144.69/cwt	144.00–145.00	2,889	3
Slaughter Cattle · Cows12 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	868	64.26/cwt	60.00–67.50	558	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	920	85.00/cwt	85.00–85.00	782	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,067	92.29/cwt	87.00–94.00	985	8
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,145	99.25/cwt	92.00–104.50	1,136	37
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,161	109.07/cwt	108.00–111.00	1,266	15
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,165	75.00/cwt	75.00–75.00	874	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,205	97.50/cwt	97.50–97.50	1,175	1
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,376	112.41/cwt	106.00–119.00	1,547	24
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,410	96.98/cwt	96.00–98.00	1,367	2
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,436	100.81/cwt	93.00–105.00	1,448	12
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,505	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	1,821	2
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,650	101.35/cwt	99.00–103.50	1,672	2
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows4 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	983	138.16/cwt	120.00–155.00	1,358	7
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,001	168.56/cwt	140.00–195.00	1,687	26
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,047	148.04/cwt	123.00–182.50	1,550	34
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,077	124.39/cwt	115.00–130.00	1,340	3
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows1 lot · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,085	1,500.00/head	1,500.00–1,500.00	1,500	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 →

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Fri)

Fri Nov 15, 2024

USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)

Feeder CattleReceipts 2,016Last week 2,434Year ago 1,405

Slaughter CattleReceipts 136Last week 14Year ago 80

Replacement CattleReceipts 88Last week 30Year ago 22

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
10	250–300	284	490.00–497.00	495.67
3	300–350	310	475.00	475.00
31	350–400	380	412.00–445.00	418.49
63	400–450	414	369.00–402.00	391.03
178	450–500	476	335.00–385.00	356.09
167	500–550	523	320.00–359.00	332.33
189	550–600	571	291.00–314.50	307.20
101	600–650	615	284.50–305.00	294.53
13	650–700	678	268.00–270.00	268.91
13	700–750	720	255.50	255.50
2	850–900	870	242.00	242.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
18	300–350	332	440.00	440.00
16	400–450	424	385.00	385.00
27	450–500	472	359.00–370.00	360.14
34	500–550	537	323.00–342.00	327.71
19	550–600	572	299.50	299.50
3	600–650	600	288.00	288.00
14	650–700	671	267.00–272.00	268.81
30	700–750	706	268.50	268.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	550–600	556	297.00	297.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	250–300	287	440.00	440.00
6	300–350	342	420.00	420.00
8	350–400	390	385.00	385.00
12	400–450	430	345.00–352.50	349.57
76	500–550	514	310.00–327.50	322.05

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	500–550	535	315.00	315.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	350–400	350	362.50	362.50
8	400–450	411	327.50	327.50
5	450–500	465	328.00	328.00
44	500–550	512	279.00–322.00	309.16
9	550–600	586	256.00	256.00
5	600–650	615	249.00	249.00
4	650–700	689	239.00	239.00
6	900–950	919	221.00	221.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
12	600–650	632	255.00	255.00
3	650–700	652	250.00	250.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	300–350	324	407.00	407.00
19	350–400	383	330.00–370.00	343.32
53	400–450	430	318.00–325.00	320.48
98	450–500	481	300.00–318.00	312.30
90	500–550	531	284.00–303.00	291.26
83	550–600	556	248.00–288.00	274.73
26	600–650	615	245.00–258.00	252.36

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	350–400	373	320.00	320.00
6	400–450	438	300.00	300.00
16	450–500	482	280.00–300.00	283.52
22	500–550	536	259.00–261.00	259.99
2	600–650	613	243.00	243.00
2	650–700	655	230.00	230.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
12	700–750	733	235.00–236.00	235.25
6	750–800	771	236.00	236.00
3	850–900	862	224.00	224.00
1	900–950	915	218.00	218.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	1050–1100	1,083	201.00	201.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	350–400	374	338.00	338.00
5	550–600	564	241.00	241.00
11	600–650	617	243.00	243.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
7	550–600	580	249.00	249.00
7	950–1000	976	204.00	204.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
22	400–450	406	350.00	350.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1150–1200	1,155	195.00	195.00
2	1250–1300	1,250	180.00	180.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1000–1050	1,035	215.00	215.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	450–500	481	309.00–335.00	314.46
3	700–750	707	233.00	233.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	26	—	1,001	140.00–195.00	168.56
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	34	—	1,047	123.00–182.50	148.04

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,077	115.00–130.00	124.39
(<2 yrs)	Open	7	—	983	120.00–155.00	138.16

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	—	1,085	1,500.00	1,500.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,410	96.00–98.00	96.98

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	1,436	93.00–105.00	100.81
24	—	1,376	106.00–119.00	112.41

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,505	121.00	121.00
2	—	1,650	99.00–103.50	101.35

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	1,161	108.00–111.00	109.07
37	—	1,145	92.00–104.50	99.25

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,165	75.00	75.00
1	—	1,205	97.50	97.50
8	—	1,067	87.00–94.00	92.29

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	920	85.00	85.00
2	—	868	60.00–67.50	64.26

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,997	144.00–145.00	144.69
2	—	1,908	142.00	142.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,510	125.00–135.00	131.58

Head, weight ranges, average weights and price ranges are exactly as USDA AMS filed them — nothing recomputed, nothing rounded — in USDA's own reporting structure. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of that data, not a copy of USDA's document.