Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2023-11-09

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Nov 9
● Final122 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
6,009 head
▲ 2,555 vs last sale 3,454▲ 2,972 vs year ago 3,037 · +97.9%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
255 head
▲ 21 vs last sale 234▲ 76 vs year ago 179 · +42.5%
Replacement Cattle receipts
130 head
▲ 45 vs last sale 85▲ 51 vs year ago 79 · +64.6%
Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were both too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Steer calves under 450 lbs sold mostly 10.00-15.00 higher with instances of 20.00-25.00 higher seen at times on very high quality offerings. Steers 450-699 lbs sold unevenly steady with steady to higher prices seen for high quality calves and lower prices seen for plain to average quality calves. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold steady to 3.00 higher, heifer calves 500-649 lbs sold mostly 3.00 to 5.00 lower, heifer calves over 650 lbs sold 5.00-10.00 lower. Demand was mostly moderate to good for all feeder cattle on offer. CME positions sold off sharply today with triple digit losses seen on all contracts. The nearby November sold 5.80 lower to close at 229.00, while the January contract closed 7.85 lower to close at 224.925. Despite this, buyers showed good demand for feeder cattle as quality was outstanding and offered buyers some of the highest quality feeders of the fall thus far. As many as 19 buyers were active in buying cattle. This helped sustain demand throughout the sale as many buyers stayed late into the night to finish loads. Package sizes were significantly larger this week with several load lots of calves seen. Demand was good for both load lots and packages. Calves with fall preconditioning shots sold with the best demand and sold with strong premiums to calves with only spring shots. This led to wide price spreads at times. A few weaned calves were seen this week. Demand for weaned calves was moderate, however little to no premium was seen for weaned calves this week. Most weaned calves were pushing moderate amounts of fill, which was a turn off to many buyers. Market activity was mostly active today with a very large crowd on hand of both farmer feeders and order buyers noticed. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for mostly light offerings. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested this week to develop a full market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. High quality feeding cows sold fully steady in a narrow comparison. Thin feeding or turn out cows sold steady to 2.00 lower. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, steady to firm undertones were noticed. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average with most cows pushing heavy amounts of fill. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on good demand today. Quality was mostly average to attractive. Young age cows sold steady in a narrow comparison.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $248.38/cwt on 2,617 head.
Average price
$248.38
2,617 head · 616 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,531
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$36
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2
$58.76/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−2.03
vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1621252.541,5672,003
Medium 1575243.821,402173
Medium and Large 1-2581240.011,395325
Large 1813210.241,70969
Medium 1-2505210.001,06122
Medium 2453195.0088316thin
Medium and Large 2790193.781,5319thin
One grade step is worth $58.76/cwt here — about $36 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 sale2,617 hd
248.38
—
MT average5 barns · 4,074 hd
250.41
−2.03
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
Bulls—Low1,785106.231,89614
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,66795.771,5975thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,40784.611,19158
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,16474.5586893

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 $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,005$1,8438
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,110$1,5504thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,120$1,4003thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,145$1,0501thin

Every lot

122 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. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Steers45 lots · lightest first
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned258405.00/cwt405.00–405.001,0452
Steers—Medium 1311320.00/cwt320.00–320.009958
Steers—Medium 1Unweaned337322.50/cwt322.50–322.501,08711
Steers—Medium 1-2341290.00/cwt290.00–290.009897
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned359353.25/cwt340.00–365.001,26819
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned373378.62/cwt365.00–400.001,41246
Steers—Medium and Large 1400362.50/cwt362.50–362.501,45023
Steers—Medium and Large 2Unweaned408315.00/cwt315.00–315.001,2858
Steers—Large 1Unweaned410362.00/cwt362.00–362.001,4843
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned412323.99/cwt320.00–332.501,33513
Steers—Medium 1Unweaned418337.50/cwt337.50–337.501,41137
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned428343.28/cwt330.00–382.501,46998
Steers—Medium 1-2428296.00/cwt296.00–296.001,26728
Steers—Medium and Large 1467312.50/cwt312.50–312.501,4597
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned480310.73/cwt301.00–346.001,492253
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned484295.63/cwt292.00–297.501,43132
Steers—Large 1Unweaned496285.00/cwt285.00–285.001,4147
Steers—Medium 1Unweaned498294.00/cwt294.00–294.001,46422
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned524293.67/cwt280.00–305.001,539252
Steers—Large 1Unweaned525282.00/cwt282.00–282.001,48110
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned535276.97/cwt275.00–279.001,48212
Steers—Medium 1539274.00/cwt274.00–274.001,47729
Steers—Medium and Large 2Unweaned560225.00/cwt225.00–225.001,2607
Steers—Large 1Unweaned566255.13/cwt255.00–256.001,44415
Steers—Medium and Large 1Full578257.14/cwt256.00–259.501,48633
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned579263.37/cwt259.00–280.001,525352
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned584248.82/cwt244.00–261.001,45392
Steers—Medium 1Unweaned584243.92/cwt205.00–250.001,42447
Steers—Large 1-2Unweaned585215.00/cwt215.00–215.001,25816
Steers—Medium and Large 1Fancy612271.17/cwt268.00–272.001,660132
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned621258.32/cwt249.00–264.001,604255
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned624244.28/cwt240.00–247.001,52429
Steers—Large 1Unweaned633241.00/cwt241.00–241.001,52611
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned663246.45/cwt237.00–252.501,634111
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned671233.94/cwt230.00–236.501,57063
Steers—Medium and Large 1680243.50/cwt243.50–243.501,65643
Steers—Medium and Large 2718214.00/cwt214.00–214.001,5376
Steers—Large 1-2Unweaned719187.50/cwt187.50–187.501,3488
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned723236.76/cwt236.00–240.001,71240
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned782232.25/cwt231.00–237.001,81618
Steers—Medium and Large 1794229.00/cwt229.00–229.001,8189
Steers—Medium and Large 1815225.50/cwt225.50–225.501,8382
Steers—Medium and Large 1902221.39/cwt220.00–223.001,99728
Steers—Large 1-2940196.00/cwt196.00–196.001,8423
Steers—Medium and Large 1969211.00/cwt211.00–211.002,04510
Feeder Cattle · Heifers51 lots · lightest first
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned274295.00/cwt295.00–295.008084
Heifers—Medium and Large 1326305.00/cwt305.00–305.0099418
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned349296.00/cwt296.00–296.001,0338
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned378284.21/cwt282.50–287.001,07413
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned386302.82/cwt297.00–304.001,16958
Heifers—Medium and Large 1392299.32/cwt296.00–300.001,17354
Heifers—Medium 1397287.00/cwt287.00–287.001,13921
Heifers—Medium 1Unweaned407265.00/cwt265.00–265.001,0797
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned422264.17/cwt255.00–272.001,11522
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned424293.16/cwt285.00–301.001,24362
Heifers—Medium 2Unweaned453195.00/cwt195.00–195.0088316
Heifers—Medium and Large 1462291.50/cwt291.50–291.501,347125
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned466279.30/cwt267.00–293.001,302322
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned484251.96/cwt244.00–263.001,21982
Heifers—Medium 1498260.00/cwt260.00–260.001,29544
Heifers—Medium 1-2Unweaned505210.00/cwt210.00–210.001,06122
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fancy515278.00/cwt278.00–278.001,43221
Heifers—Medium 1Unweaned517252.99/cwt249.00–254.001,30826
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned527259.86/cwt251.00–272.001,369268
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned527242.81/cwt238.00–254.001,280100
Heifers—Large 1Unweaned527234.00/cwt234.00–234.001,23313
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned563235.81/cwt233.00–238.001,32818
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fancy570259.53/cwt258.00–262.001,47941
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned570249.65/cwt239.00–257.001,423349
Heifers—Medium and Large 2Unweaned593228.50/cwt228.50–228.501,3554
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned613240.53/cwt235.00–243.501,47441
Heifers—Large 1Unweaned623229.25/cwt226.50–233.001,42830
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned631230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,4514
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned654224.00/cwt224.00–224.001,4657
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned681225.89/cwt222.00–231.001,53856
Heifers—Large 1Unweaned688218.00/cwt218.00–218.001,5003
Heifers—Medium 1689221.87/cwt218.00–223.001,52947
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned706221.73/cwt218.50–224.001,56512
Heifers—Medium 1708215.26/cwt213.00–218.001,52411
Heifers—Medium and Large 1739223.55/cwt223.00–224.001,65220
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned743209.00/cwt209.00–209.001,5535
Heifers—Medium 1753205.00/cwt205.00–205.001,54417
Heifers—Medium and Large 1778223.12/cwt221.00–226.001,73674
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2778217.32/cwt216.00–219.001,69125
Heifers—Medium and Large 1833220.35/cwt216.00–224.001,836100
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2858210.12/cwt208.00–212.001,80315
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fancy867223.00/cwt223.00–223.001,93392
Heifers—Medium and Large 1882214.91/cwt213.50–218.501,89689
Heifers—Medium and Large 1919217.82/cwt214.50–219.502,00262
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2919201.34/cwt195.00–203.001,85025
Heifers—Medium and Large 2948166.00/cwt166.00–166.001,5745
Heifers—Medium and Large 1954215.50/cwt215.50–215.502,05611
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2997196.00/cwt196.00–196.001,9545
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,028190.00/cwt190.00–190.001,9537
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,080189.50/cwt189.50–189.502,047113
Heifers—Large 1Fleshy1,239171.00/cwt171.00–171.002,11923
Feeder Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 1Unweaned585235.00/cwt235.00–235.001,3754
Bulls—Medium and Large 1Unweaned621227.56/cwt220.00–231.001,41310
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,28893.52/cwt92.00–95.001,2052
Bulls——1,862111.84/cwt110.00–114.002,0829
Bulls——1,88497.86/cwt94.00–105.001,8443
Slaughter Cattle · Cows13 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight96578.00/cwt78.00–78.007531
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,12853.19/cwt51.50–65.0060014
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,15677.45/cwt67.50–82.5089548
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,19384.36/cwt82.50–87.001,00615
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,19592.00/cwt92.00–92.001,0991
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,20873.98/cwt67.00–80.0089414
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,34882.87/cwt77.00–87.001,11727
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,42680.46/cwt78.00–84.001,14720
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,513104.04/cwt103.00–105.001,5742
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,51497.25/cwt90.00–102.001,4727
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,53586.00/cwt86.00–86.001,3202
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,653103.50/cwt102.00–105.001,7112
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,67790.61/cwt85.00–100.001,5203
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows4 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1933150.88/cwt132.50–161.001,40842
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1955122.67/cwt105.00–151.001,17136
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2965101.26/cwt100.00–102.509772
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2995115.00/cwt115.00–115.001,1441
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows4 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,0051,842.94/head1,800.00–1,850.001,8438
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS1,1101,550.00/head1,550.00–1,550.001,5504
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1201,400.00/head1,400.00–1,400.001,4003
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1451,050.00/head1,050.00–1,050.001,0501

This sale against other markets

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.