Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2024-04-18

Billings Livestock Commission

Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2024-04-18
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-04-18

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Apr 18

● Final65 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777

← Apr 11Apr 18May 2 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

203 head

▼ 123 vs last sale 326▼ 26 vs year ago 229 · −11.4%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

521 head

▲ 308 vs last sale 213▼ 56 vs year ago 577 · −9.7%

Replacement Cattle receipts

291 head

▲ 158 vs last sale 133▼ 54 vs year ago 345 · −15.7%

Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026

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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were to light to develop a trend. Slaughter cows and bulls steady. Lean slaughter cows and lean cows returning to feed 4.00 lower. Demand good for fleshy type cows.

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 $285.95/cwt on 29 head. That ranks 1 of 23 comparable sales and sits −125.67 against this barn's trailing median of $411.62.

Average price

$285.95

29 head · 521 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,491

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$212

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

$44.09/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−5.42

vs MT average

+21.43 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	518	291.57	1,511	24
Medium and Large 1-2	543	266.63	1,449	3thin
Medium and Large 2	525	247.48	1,299	2thin

One grade step is worth $44.09/cwt here — about $212 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 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 sale29 hd

285.95

—

MT average3 barns · 696 hd

291.37

−5.42

National average180 barns · 13,997 hd

264.52

+21.43

This barn, trailing median23 sales

411.62

−125.67

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	—	Average	1,850	142.05	2,629	60
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,514	131.53	1,991	84
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,240	127.02	1,575	242
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,169	115.58	1,352	33

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	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,300	$2,742	16
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,374	$2,400	3thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,355	$2,300	2thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,431	$1,935	9
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,142	$1,833	3thin
Bred Heifers	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	1,057	$2,438	3thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,250	$2,475	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,167	$1,650	3thin

Every lot

65 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 · Steers15 lots · lightest first
Steers	300–350	Medium and Large 2	315	327.50/cwt	327.50–327.50	1,032	1
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2	355	357.50/cwt	357.50–357.50	1,269	1
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	410	317.50/cwt	317.50–317.50	1,302	2
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1	448	362.05/cwt	360.00–372.50	1,622	6
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	455	362.45/cwt	357.50–367.50	1,649	2
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 2	465	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,302	2
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	490	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	1,580	1
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1	525	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,706	1
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 2	538	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	1,211	2
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	550	327.50/cwt	327.50–327.50	1,801	1
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	588	302.48/cwt	290.00–306.00	1,779	8
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	654	280.40/cwt	280.00–281.00	1,834	5
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	725	257.00/cwt	257.00–257.00	1,863	1
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	740	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	1,924	1
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 1	800	243.00/cwt	240.00–246.00	1,944	2
Feeder Cattle · Heifers17 lots · lightest first
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	417	266.64/cwt	260.00–270.00	1,112	3
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 2	441	230.67/cwt	225.00–232.50	1,017	4
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	457	297.50/cwt	297.50–297.50	1,360	3
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 2	484	218.65/cwt	215.00–230.00	1,058	4
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	494	288.00/cwt	288.00–288.00	1,423	5
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1	512	293.08/cwt	287.00–297.50	1,501	22
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	525	273.70/cwt	272.50–275.00	1,437	2
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 2	525	247.48/cwt	245.00–250.00	1,299	2
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	580	252.50/cwt	252.50–252.50	1,465	1
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	588	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	1,617	2
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 2	635	222.50/cwt	222.50–222.50	1,413	1
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	640	270.51/cwt	269.00–272.00	1,731	2
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	640	251.00/cwt	251.00–251.00	1,606	1
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	662	256.16/cwt	249.00–258.50	1,696	40
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1	778	227.60/cwt	221.00–234.00	1,771	2
Heifers	800–850	Medium and Large 1-2	805	207.50/cwt	207.50–207.50	1,670	1
Heifers	850–900	Medium and Large 1-2	875	212.50/cwt	212.50–212.50	1,859	1
Feeder Cattle · Bulls9 lots · lightest first
Bulls	350–400	Medium and Large 1	390	342.50/cwt	342.50–342.50	1,336	1
Bulls	450–500	Medium and Large 1	470	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,551	1
Bulls	500–550	Medium and Large 1	515	312.50/cwt	312.50–312.50	1,609	1
Bulls	600–650	Medium and Large 1	645	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,806	1
Bulls	700–750	Medium and Large 1	737	238.99/cwt	238.00–240.00	1,761	4
Bulls	750–800	Medium and Large 1	775	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,860	1
Bulls	850–900	Medium and Large 1	880	212.50/cwt	212.50–212.50	1,870	1
Bulls	900–950	Medium and Large 1	926	208.00/cwt	208.00–208.00	1,926	5
Bulls	1050–1100	Medium and Large 1	1,074	203.00/cwt	203.00–203.00	2,180	5
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—	1,659	125.83/cwt	115.00–133.00	2,088	12
Bulls	—	—	1,887	145.79/cwt	135.00–158.00	2,751	47
Bulls	—	—	2,430	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	3,912	1
Slaughter Cattle · Cows9 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,157	117.50/cwt	113.00–121.50	1,359	19
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,186	112.98/cwt	109.00–120.00	1,340	14
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,230	127.59/cwt	122.00–142.00	1,569	201
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,267	127.19/cwt	122.00–134.00	1,611	31
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,363	115.00/cwt	108.00–116.00	1,567	10
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,496	133.06/cwt	124.50–143.00	1,991	65
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,518	119.60/cwt	117.00–122.00	1,816	3
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,584	131.82/cwt	126.00–141.00	2,088	11
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,585	118.11/cwt	114.00–123.00	1,872	5
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs3 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs	—	Medium and Large 2	1,150	1,525.00/head	1,525.00–1,525.00	1,525	2
Cow-Calf Pairs	—	Medium and Large 2	1,200	1,900.00/head	1,900.00–1,900.00	1,900	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,250	2,475.00/head	2,475.00–2,475.00	2,475	1
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows2 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	923	191.28/cwt	174.00–210.00	1,766	126
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,078	171.14/cwt	158.50–185.00	1,845	58
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows6 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,142	1,832.55/head	1,700.00–1,900.00	1,833	3
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 2	1,260	2,000.00/head	2,000.00–2,000.00	2,000	1
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,303	2,791.47/head	2,200.00–2,975.00	2,791	15
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,355	2,300.00/head	2,300.00–2,300.00	2,300	2
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,374	2,400.00/head	2,400.00–2,400.00	2,400	3
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,431	1,935.01/head	1,800.00–2,000.00	1,935	9
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Bred Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,057	2,438.17/head	2,000.00–2,700.00	2,438	3

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 Apr 18, 2024

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 203Last week 326Year ago 229

Slaughter CattleReceipts 521Last week 213Year ago 577

Replacement CattleReceipts 291Last week 133Year ago 345

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 2$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,150	1,525.00	1,525.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,200	1,900.00	1,900.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,250	2,475.00	2,475.00

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	58	—	1,078	158.50–185.00	171.14
(<2 yrs)	Open	126	—	923	174.00–210.00	191.28

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)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	15	—	1,303	2,200.00–2,975.00	2,791.47
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	—	1,355	2,300.00	2,300.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	9	—	1,431	1,800.00–2,000.00	1,935.01
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	3	—	1,374	2,400.00	2,400.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	—	1,142	1,700.00–1,900.00	1,832.55

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	1,260	2,000.00	2,000.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	3	—	1,057	2,000.00–2,700.00	2,438.17

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	400–450	441	225.00–232.50	230.67
4	450–500	484	215.00–230.00	218.65
2	500–550	525	245.00–250.00	247.48
1	600–650	635	222.50	222.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	400–450	417	260.00–270.00	266.64
5	450–500	494	288.00	288.00
2	500–550	525	272.50–275.00	273.70
1	550–600	580	252.50	252.50
1	600–650	640	251.00	251.00
1	800–850	805	207.50	207.50
1	850–900	875	212.50	212.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	450–500	457	297.50	297.50
22	500–550	512	287.00–297.50	293.08
2	550–600	588	275.00	275.00
2	600–650	640	269.00–272.00	270.51
40	650–700	662	249.00–258.50	256.16
2	750–800	778	221.00–234.00	227.60

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	315	327.50	327.50
2	450–500	465	280.00	280.00
2	500–550	538	225.00	225.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	400–450	448	360.00–372.50	362.05
2	450–500	455	357.50–367.50	362.45
1	500–550	525	325.00	325.00
1	550–600	550	327.50	327.50
5	650–700	654	280.00–281.00	280.40
1	700–750	740	260.00	260.00
2	800–850	800	240.00–246.00	243.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	355	357.50	357.50
2	400–450	410	317.50	317.50
1	450–500	490	322.50	322.50
8	550–600	588	290.00–306.00	302.48
1	700–750	725	257.00	257.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	390	342.50	342.50
1	450–500	470	330.00	330.00
1	500–550	515	312.50	312.50
1	600–650	645	280.00	280.00
4	700–750	737	238.00–240.00	238.99
1	750–800	775	240.00	240.00
1	850–900	880	212.50	212.50
5	900–950	926	208.00	208.00
5	1050–1100	1,074	203.00	203.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,585	114.00–123.00	118.11
65	—	1,496	124.50–143.00	133.06

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	1,363	108.00–116.00	115.00
31	—	1,267	122.00–134.00	127.19

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
201	—	1,230	122.00–142.00	127.59

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	1,186	109.00–120.00	112.98

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
19	—	1,157	113.00–121.50	117.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,518	117.00–122.00	119.60
11	—	1,584	126.00–141.00	131.82

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
47	—	1,887	135.00–158.00	145.79
1	—	2,430	161.00	161.00
12	—	1,659	115.00–133.00	125.83

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.