Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2024-03-14

Billings Livestock Commission

Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2024-03-14
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-03-14

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Mar 14

● Final72 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777

← Mar 7Mar 14Mar 28 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

239 head

▼ 2,763 vs last sale 3,002▼ 156 vs year ago 395 · −39.5%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

247 head

▼ 21 vs last sale 268▼ 222 vs year ago 469 · −47.3%

Replacement Cattle receipts

109 head

▲ 21 vs last sale 88▼ 312 vs year ago 421 · −74.1%

Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however generally steady undertones were noticed on like quality offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain. Package sizes were small this week with many singles in the offering. Demand for all feeders was moderate to good for light offerings. Quality hampered demand as most offerings were plain. The best demand continues to be for cattle suitable to develop into yearlings. CME Feeder cattle contracts sold off sharply today. The March feeder cattle contract closed today at 247.475, while the April closed at 251.175, 3.55 and 5.125 lower respectfully than last Thursdays close. Market activity was mostly moderate this week. Weigh up cows sold on good demand for light offerings. Slaughter cows sold fully steady on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 lower. A slightly lower quality cow offering was seen this week with many lame and blemished cows seen. More of the cow offering sold as slaughter cows this week compared to last week. Quality was mostly average. Demand for feeding cows remains very good. Feeding cows sold generally steady to firm. Weigh up conditions were mixed this sale. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold with lower undertones in a narrow comparison. Quality was not as attractive this week compared to last. Demand for this class was moderate to good this week.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $287.08/cwt on 38 head. That ranks 1 of 23 comparable sales and sits −124.54 against this barn's trailing median of $411.62.

Average price

$287.08

38 head · 571 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,639

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$89

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

$4.95/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−13.26

vs MT average

+10.91 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	547	289.95	1,587	16thin
Medium and Large 1	588	285.00	1,676	22

One grade step is worth $4.95/cwt here — about −$89 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 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 sale38 hd

287.08

—

MT average3 barns · 232 hd

300.35

−13.26

National average176 barns · 16,729 hd

276.17

+10.91

This barn, trailing median23 sales

411.62

−124.54

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

23 sales

Heifers 500–600 lb: high $469.35, low $332.50, median $411.62 across 23 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	—	Low	1,759	126.37	2,222	17
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,651	120.90	1,996	17
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,443	119.63	1,726	89
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,166	110.84	1,293	93

Every lot

72 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.

Class	Weight	Grade / description	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Feeder Cattle · Steers19 lots · lightest first
Steers	350–400	Medium 1-2	358	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	1,235	5
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	385	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,386	5
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2	398	365.00/cwt	365.00–365.00	1,453	2
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1	444	370.05/cwt	365.00–372.50	1,643	6
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	490	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	1,666	1
Steers	450–500	Medium 1	493	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	1,504	4
Steers	450–500	Medium 1-2	496	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	1,538	4
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1	533	341.00/cwt	341.00–341.00	1,818	2
Steers	500–550	Medium 1	546	312.50/cwt	312.50–312.50	1,706	9
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	617	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	1,913	3
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 2	640	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,792	1
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	654	306.00/cwt	306.00–306.00	2,001	6
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2	675	278.00/cwt	278.00–278.00	1,877	2
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	706	286.00/cwt	286.00–286.00	2,019	8
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	731	259.56/cwt	257.00–264.00	1,897	5
Steers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	770	257.00/cwt	257.00–257.00	1,979	3
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 1	835	249.00/cwt	249.00–249.00	2,079	1
Steers	850–900	Medium and Large 1	870	236.00/cwt	236.00–236.00	2,053	2
Steers	1050–1100	Medium and Large 1	1,080	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	2,214	3
Feeder Cattle · Heifers15 lots · lightest first
Heifers	300–350	Medium 1-2	333	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	999	4
Heifers	350–400	Medium 2	359	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,023	7
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2	380	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,235	1
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	385	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	1,194	1
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	417	308.15/cwt	300.00–311.00	1,285	12
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	490	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	1,446	2
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	491	312.20/cwt	311.00–315.00	1,533	13
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	515	299.00/cwt	299.00–299.00	1,540	9
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	588	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,676	22
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	589	278.31/cwt	276.00–280.00	1,639	7
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	610	273.32/cwt	265.00–276.00	1,667	11
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	620	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	1,705	1
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2	653	252.00/cwt	252.00–252.00	1,646	3
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	695	258.00/cwt	258.00–258.00	1,793	1
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	745	237.00/cwt	237.00–237.00	1,766	3
Feeder Cattle · Bulls9 lots · lightest first
Bulls	300–350	Medium and Large 1-2	320	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	1,136	1
Bulls	500–550	Medium and Large 1	503	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,660	3
Bulls	600–650	Medium and Large 1	625	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,781	2
Bulls	700–750	Medium and Large 1	745	249.00/cwt	249.00–249.00	1,855	1
Bulls	800–850	Medium and Large 1-2	838	238.00/cwt	238.00–238.00	1,994	2
Bulls	900–950	Medium and Large 1	902	223.00/cwt	223.00–223.00	2,011	4
Bulls	1050–1100	Medium and Large 1	1,065	184.00/cwt	184.00–184.00	1,960	1
Bulls	1100–1150	Large 1-2	1,140	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	1,938	1
Bulls	1300–1350	Large 1	1,323	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	2,117	2
Feeder Cattle · Beef/Dairy Steers1 lot · lightest first
Beef/Dairy Steers	600–650	Large 1-2	633	257.50/cwt	257.50–257.50	1,630	2
Feeder Cattle · Dairy Steers1 lot · lightest first
Dairy Steers	850–900	Large 3	893	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	1,072	4
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,335	128.04/cwt	124.00–132.50	1,709	2
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,335	117.50/cwt	117.50–117.50	1,569	1
Bulls	—	—	1,723	102.79/cwt	94.00–107.00	1,771	3
Bulls	—	—	1,760	128.03/cwt	122.00–132.00	2,253	7
Bulls	—	—	2,101	142.52/cwt	139.00–146.00	2,994	4
Slaughter Cattle · Cows17 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	850	75.00/cwt	75.00–75.00	638	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	940	95.01/cwt	93.00–97.00	893	3
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,151	99.18/cwt	90.00–105.00	1,142	24
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,172	115.38/cwt	109.00–119.00	1,352	34
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,201	112.57/cwt	107.00–117.00	1,352	10
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,204	122.01/cwt	119.00–126.00	1,469	20
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,235	79.00/cwt	79.00–79.00	976	1
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,410	119.44/cwt	113.00–121.50	1,684	35
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,448	120.50/cwt	120.50–120.50	1,745	2
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,451	100.80/cwt	97.00–105.00	1,463	4
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,462	115.51/cwt	110.00–119.00	1,689	19
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,464	125.45/cwt	121.00–128.00	1,837	22
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,481	124.00/cwt	121.00–130.50	1,836	7
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,625	120.89/cwt	116.00–125.50	1,964	10
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,655	119.00/cwt	119.00–119.00	1,969	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,672	127.37/cwt	127.00–127.50	2,130	4
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,733	109.00/cwt	109.00–109.00	1,889	2
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows5 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium 1	735	201.89/cwt	192.50–212.50	1,484	2
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	813	183.88/cwt	175.00–192.50	1,495	2
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	907	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	1,406	3
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	988	186.65/cwt	160.00–213.00	1,844	44
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,113	136.28/cwt	117.00–185.00	1,517	44

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.

Montana feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Thu)

Thu Mar 14, 2024

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 239Last week 3,002Year ago 395

Slaughter CattleReceipts 247Last week 268Year ago 469

Replacement CattleReceipts 109Last week 88Year ago 421

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	400–450	444	365.00–372.50	370.05
2	500–550	533	341.00	341.00
3	600–650	617	310.00	310.00
6	650–700	654	306.00	306.00
8	700–750	706	286.00	286.00
1	800–850	835	249.00	249.00
2	850–900	870	236.00	236.00
3	1050–1100	1,080	205.00	205.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	350–400	398	365.00	365.00
1	450–500	490	340.00	340.00
2	650–700	675	278.00	278.00
5	700–750	731	257.00–264.00	259.56
3	750–800	770	257.00	257.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	350–400	385	360.00	360.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	350–400	358	345.00	345.00
4	450–500	496	310.00	310.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	600–650	640	280.00	280.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	450–500	493	305.00	305.00
9	500–550	546	312.50	312.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
13	450–500	491	311.00–315.00	312.20
22	550–600	588	285.00	285.00
1	600–650	620	275.00	275.00
1	650–700	695	258.00	258.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	380	325.00	325.00
12	400–450	417	300.00–311.00	308.15
2	450–500	490	295.00	295.00
9	500–550	515	299.00	299.00
7	550–600	589	276.00–280.00	278.31
11	600–650	610	265.00–276.00	273.32
3	650–700	653	252.00	252.00
3	700–750	745	237.00	237.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	350–400	359	285.00	285.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	300–350	333	300.00	300.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	385	310.00	310.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	500–550	503	330.00	330.00
2	600–650	625	285.00	285.00
1	700–750	745	249.00	249.00
4	900–950	902	223.00	223.00
1	1050–1100	1,065	184.00	184.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	320	355.00	355.00
2	800–850	838	238.00	238.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	1300–1350	1,323	160.00	160.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1100–1150	1,140	170.00	170.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Beef/Dairy Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	600–650	633	257.50	257.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Steers — Large 3$ per cwt · actual wt
4	850–900	893	120.00	120.00

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
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	44	—	1,113	117.00–185.00	136.28
(<2 yrs)	Open	44	—	988	160.00–213.00	186.65

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	—	907	155.00	155.00
(<2 yrs)	Open	2	—	813	175.00–192.50	183.88

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	2	—	735	192.50–212.50	201.89

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,335	117.50	117.50
2	—	1,335	124.00–132.50	128.04

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,760	122.00–132.00	128.03
3	—	1,723	94.00–107.00	102.79
4	—	2,101	139.00–146.00	142.52

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	850	75.00	75.00
3	—	940	93.00–97.00	95.01

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
19	—	1,462	110.00–119.00	115.51
4	—	1,451	97.00–105.00	100.80
7	—	1,481	121.00–130.50	124.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
22	—	1,464	121.00–128.00	125.45
35	—	1,410	113.00–121.50	119.44
2	—	1,448	120.50	120.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	1,201	107.00–117.00	112.57
1	—	1,235	79.00	79.00
24	—	1,151	90.00–105.00	99.18

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,733	109.00	109.00
4	—	1,672	127.00–127.50	127.37
10	—	1,625	116.00–125.50	120.89

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
34	—	1,172	109.00–119.00	115.38
20	—	1,204	119.00–126.00	122.01

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,655	119.00	119.00

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.