Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2024-01-25

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Jan 25
● Final132 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
4,228 head
▲ 4,134 vs last sale 94▲ 642 vs year ago 3,586 · +17.9%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
480 head
▲ 219 vs last sale 261▼ 27 vs year ago 507 · −5.3%
Replacement Cattle receipts
133 head
▲ 58 vs last sale 75▼ 212 vs year ago 345 · −61.4%
Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Last weeks sale saw very light receipts due extreme cold. No accurate market comparisons can be made for feeder cattle offerings, however, higher to sharply higher undertones were seen on 400-649 lbs steers and 450-649 lbs heifers. All other weights of feeders sold with steady undertones. Demand for all feeders was good to very good for heavy offerings. Quality this week was mixed from plain to very attractive with lots of variation seen. Many different breeds of cattle were represented today, with lots of differences in frame and muscle scores seen. The best demand continues to be for cattle suitable to develop into yearlings. Most buyers purchased steers 425-660 lbs and heifers 450-625 lbs for that purpose. CME positions saw triple digit gains today as prices continue to press higher after a late fall collapse. The March contract closed at 238.175, 4.40 higher while the April closed at 243.925, 4.125 higher. A very large crowd was on hand for todays sale as the seats were packed throughout much of the day. Farmer feeders, ranchers and order-buyers were all active participants in todays sale which stretched late into the evening. Todays crowd was the largest crowd of buyers seen all fall and winter. Market activity was very active this sale as a result. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for moderate offerings. Slaughter cow demand remains good to very good, despite heavier supplies. All slaughter cow offerings sold generally steady. A larger supply of cows was seen this week with lots of variation in yield. Feeding cow buyers were more aggressive this week as they push to buy as many cows as possible. Feeding cows sold generally steady. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 3.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on moderate to good demand, no comparisons are available due to light receipts last sale.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $277.06/cwt on 1,676 head.
Average price
$277.06
1,676 head · 537 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,487
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$70
per head · Medium 1 over Large 1
$61.44/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+0.70
vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1458290.751,33059
Medium and Large 1559283.741,5871,009
Medium and Large 1-2532269.111,432402
Medium 1-2399260.781,04091
Medium and Large 2467260.171,21436
Large 1-2482257.831,24453
Large 1611229.311,40026
One grade step is worth $61.44/cwt here — about −$70 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 sale1,676 hd
277.06
—
MT average4 barns · 3,236 hd
276.35
+0.70
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—Low1,710108.311,85229
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,556102.291,59261
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,39097.581,357124
CowsLean 85-90%High1,17191.881,076173

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 Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,329$1,8676
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,449$1,62519
Bred Heifers2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)(<2 yrs)1,282$1,7503thin

Every lot

132 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 · Steers49 lots · lightest first
Steers—Medium 1-2322300.00/cwt300.00–300.0096612
Steers—Medium and Large 1387370.00/cwt370.00–370.001,4323
Steers—Medium 1-2394300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,1828
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2397349.17/cwt347.50–350.001,3869
Steers—Medium 2403210.00/cwt210.00–210.008464
Steers—Medium and Large 1414365.22/cwt360.00–371.001,512128
Steers—Medium 1414347.50/cwt347.50–347.501,43914
Steers—Medium and Large 2428295.00/cwt295.00–295.001,2638
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2432342.88/cwt340.00–350.001,48135
Steers—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed456372.50/cwt372.50–372.501,69913
Steers—Medium and Large 1481345.67/cwt332.50–366.001,663128
Steers—Medium and Large 2488290.43/cwt289.00–300.001,41736
Steers—Medium 1490322.32/cwt321.00–327.501,57924
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2493313.74/cwt295.00–322.501,54736
Steers—Medium 1-2494285.00/cwt285.00–285.001,40813
Steers—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed501348.00/cwt348.00–348.001,74319
Steers—Medium 1-2503282.50/cwt282.50–282.501,42124
Steers—Medium and Large 1521330.86/cwt316.00–339.001,72471
Steers—Medium and Large 2521282.50/cwt282.50–282.501,4726
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2537305.06/cwt302.50–314.001,63861
Steers—Medium and Large 1567311.33/cwt299.50–316.001,765179
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2575290.99/cwt285.00–292.001,67314
Steers—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed584339.00/cwt339.00–339.001,9805
Steers—Large 1595290.50/cwt290.50–290.501,72818
Steers—Medium and Large 1621289.26/cwt281.00–299.501,796200
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2623266.41/cwt255.00–273.001,66061
Steers—Medium and Large 2638229.00/cwt229.00–229.001,4613
Steers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy643273.00/cwt273.00–273.001,75542
Steers—Medium 1-2647242.00/cwt242.00–242.001,5669
Steers—Medium and Large 1669270.49/cwt261.00–274.001,81081
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2684249.19/cwt232.50–260.001,70421
Steers—Medium and Large 2707217.00/cwt217.00–217.001,53412
Steers—Medium and Large 1723253.75/cwt244.00–259.001,835110
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2727238.32/cwt237.00–241.001,7333
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned731246.50/cwt246.50–246.501,8025
Steers—Large 1741242.79/cwt242.50–244.001,79921
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2758234.00/cwt234.00–234.001,77421
Steers—Medium and Large 1763239.76/cwt239.00–240.001,82921
Steers—Medium and Large 2773229.00/cwt229.00–229.001,77013
Steers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy796231.00/cwt231.00–231.001,83915
Steers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy804222.00/cwt222.00–222.001,7855
Steers—Medium and Large 1808236.59/cwt230.50–237.001,91216
Steers—Medium and Large 1Full833224.00/cwt224.00–224.001,86610
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2840230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,93213
Steers—Medium and Large 1853226.25/cwt226.00–227.501,9306
Steers—Medium and Large 2876204.00/cwt204.00–204.001,7874
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2918217.00/cwt217.00–217.001,9922
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2966212.00/cwt212.00–212.002,0489
Steers—Medium and Large 2992203.00/cwt203.00–203.002,0143
Feeder Cattle · Heifers43 lots · lightest first
Heifers—Medium 1-2305265.00/cwt265.00–265.008083
Heifers—Medium and Large 2339265.00/cwt265.00–265.0089814
Heifers—Medium 1-2375266.78/cwt260.00–272.001,00071
Heifers—Medium 1426283.05/cwt277.50–287.501,20621
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2430286.91/cwt275.00–302.501,23497
Heifers—Large 1-2439260.00/cwt260.00–260.001,1417
Heifers—Medium and Large 1440311.48/cwt304.00–315.001,371110
Heifers—Medium and Large 2463274.00/cwt274.00–274.001,2699
Heifers—Medium 1475295.00/cwt295.00–295.001,40138
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2475290.68/cwt284.00–301.001,38187
Heifers—Medium and Large 1478311.64/cwt305.00–316.001,490158
Heifers—Large 1-2489257.50/cwt257.50–257.501,25946
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed506314.68/cwt313.50–315.001,592109
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2515273.87/cwt260.00–293.001,410112
Heifers—Medium 1-2515234.96/cwt232.50–242.501,21017
Heifers—Medium and Large 1520301.85/cwt289.50–312.001,570171
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned528283.50/cwt283.50–283.501,4976
Heifers—Medium and Large 2542278.00/cwt278.00–278.001,5075
Heifers—Large 1545258.00/cwt258.00–258.001,4066
Heifers—Medium and Large 1563278.60/cwt267.00–291.501,569137
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy568252.00/cwt252.00–252.001,4315
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2574254.81/cwt240.00–264.001,46341
Heifers—Medium and Large 2594240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,4264
Heifers—Large 1598245.00/cwt245.00–245.001,4652
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy616223.00/cwt223.00–223.001,3745
Heifers—Medium and Large 1620259.87/cwt250.00–267.001,61198
Heifers—Large 1634218.00/cwt218.00–218.001,38218
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2645240.26/cwt230.00–243.001,55019
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned647247.00/cwt247.00–247.001,59819
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy659219.00/cwt219.00–219.001,4434
Heifers—Medium and Large 1674240.33/cwt232.00–247.001,620117
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2683222.02/cwt218.00–225.001,5167
Heifers—Medium and Large 2699210.00/cwt210.00–210.001,4684
Heifers—Medium and Large 1716228.31/cwt226.00–231.001,63528
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2735221.00/cwt221.00–221.001,6244
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2757209.00/cwt209.00–209.001,5826
Heifers—Medium and Large 1784221.90/cwt221.50–223.001,74011
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy799219.00/cwt219.00–219.001,75014
Heifers—Medium and Large 1824214.05/cwt212.00–217.001,76426
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2873195.47/cwt194.00–197.001,7062
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2920190.51/cwt190.00–191.001,7532
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2984182.33/cwt182.00–185.001,7949
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-21,002183.14/cwt183.00–184.001,8357
Feeder Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 1560280.00/cwt280.00–280.001,5682
Bulls—Medium and Large 1625275.00/cwt275.00–275.001,71911
Bulls—Medium and Large 1655265.00/cwt265.00–265.001,7361
Bulls—Large 1697224.00/cwt224.00–224.001,5617
Bulls—Medium and Large 1726228.16/cwt228.00–229.001,6566
Bulls—Medium and Large 1843216.00/cwt216.00–216.001,8213
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls7 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Light Weight1,336105.00/cwt105.00–105.001,4034
Bulls——Light Weight1,36292.69/cwt92.00–94.001,2623
Bulls——1,51099.00/cwt99.00–99.001,4951
Bulls——1,555112.00/cwt112.00–112.001,7421
Bulls——1,742112.66/cwt107.50–116.001,96312
Bulls——1,933105.70/cwt105.00–107.002,0436
Bulls——2,295122.84/cwt121.00–125.002,8192
Slaughter Cattle · Cows19 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight96083.37/cwt75.00–87.008006
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,050102.00/cwt102.00–102.001,0711
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,11073.00/cwt73.00–73.008101
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,138104.69/cwt102.00–107.501,19111
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,15989.10/cwt82.00–93.001,03351
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,16187.96/cwt86.00–91.001,02119
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,16493.40/cwt91.00–97.001,08736
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,23093.55/cwt91.50–100.001,15148
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,37195.69/cwt93.00–104.001,31221
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,37698.13/cwt94.00–103.001,35073
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,408107.40/cwt105.50–108.501,51212
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,45388.36/cwt86.00–91.001,2844
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,46291.80/cwt88.00–94.501,34214
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,510106.30/cwt105.00–106.501,60512
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,54199.19/cwt98.00–99.501,52911
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,543102.63/cwt100.00–104.251,58430
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,650106.00/cwt106.00–106.001,7491
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,663102.18/cwt100.50–104.001,6993
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,72895.38/cwt94.00–96.501,6484
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows4 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Large 1864130.00/cwt130.00–130.001,1237
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2866133.00/cwt133.00–133.001,1528
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,011148.99/cwt117.50–187.001,50665
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,061111.48/cwt96.00–122.501,18319
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,2821,750.00/head1,750.00–1,750.001,7503
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows3 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,3031,975.19/head1,950.00–2,000.001,9754
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,3801,650.00/head1,650.00–1,650.001,6502
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,4491,625.00/head1,625.00–1,625.001,62519

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.