Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2024-05-16

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, May 16
● Final97 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
317 head
▲ 71 vs last sale 246▼ 165 vs year ago 482 · −34.2%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
711 head
▲ 442 vs last sale 269▲ 188 vs year ago 523 · +35.9%
Replacement Cattle receipts
515 head
▲ 275 vs last sale 240▲ 193 vs year ago 322 · +59.9%
Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand for feeders was mostly moderate to good. Quality was mostly plain to average today, however quality today was better than last weeks sale. Most calves were offered in small packages or as singles. CME Feeder and live cattle contracts all closed higher today as strong gains were seen throughout the week for the boxed beef cutout prompting buyers to push contracts higher. Boxed beef values closed 3.38 and 2.20 higher at 310.15 and 296.51, on choice and select respectfully. Market activity was mostly moderate to active this week. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for heavy offerings. Packers showed good demand for all cows on offer. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to firm on breaking and boning cows, lean cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 higher on boning and breaking flesh cows, thin fleshed cows sold 2.00-4.00 higher. Quality was mostly average to very attractive this week. Private feeding cow buyers were very aggressive this week as they showed good demand for thin cows that will flesh up quickly. Weigh up conditions were mixed this week with a mix of both empty and full cows seen. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 5.00-8.00 higher. Bull quality was mostly attractive to very attractive today. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold 10.00-15.00 higher. Quality was mostly attractive to very attractive this week. Demand was mostly good to very good with the best demand seen for cows which lost calves. Many open 2 and 3 year old cows sold for 1,900-2,100 per head.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $279.62/cwt on 59 head. That ranks 1 of 23 comparable sales and sits −132.00 against this barn's trailing median of $411.62.
Average price
$279.62
59 head · 544 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,522
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$238
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2
$26.77/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−9.72
vs MT average
+9.62 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1554292.241,61924
Medium and Large 1-2564279.201,57514thin
Medium and Large 2520265.471,38121
One grade step is worth $26.77/cwt here — about $238 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 sale59 hd
279.62
—
MT average3 barns · 564 hd
289.34
−9.72
National average167 barns · 11,471 hd
270.00
+9.62
This barn, trailing median23 sales
411.62
−132.00
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
483428373319median 411.6203/0504/3006/1109/2410/29
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 · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Bulls—Average1,767148.902,63086
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,562138.522,16463
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,400133.471,868213
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,155126.291,459305

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 Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,240$2,31911
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,056$2,17710
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,459$2,0754thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,235$1,5504thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,775$2,6751thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,416$2,6004thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,530$2,3501thin

Every lot

97 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 · Steers14 lots · lightest first
Steers350–400Medium and Large 2353325.00/cwt325.00–325.001,1472
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2408340.00/cwt340.00–340.001,3876
Steers450–500Medium 1-2473305.00/cwt305.00–305.001,4432
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2492337.50/cwt337.50–337.501,6613
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2503297.51/cwt295.00–300.001,4964
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2507316.39/cwt307.00–322.501,6045
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1558327.53/cwt327.53–327.531,8282
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2595300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,7851
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2617298.98/cwt289.00–303.001,8457
Steers600–650Medium and Large 2634230.37/cwt230.00–231.001,4618
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2690265.00/cwt265.00–265.001,8291
Steers700–750Large 1722263.00/cwt263.00–263.001,8993
Steers750–800Medium and Large 2763224.59/cwt218.00–228.001,7143
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1-2805243.00/cwt243.00–243.001,9565
Feeder Cattle · Heifers17 lots · lightest first
Heifers400–450Medium 1-2436292.50/cwt292.50–292.501,2755
Heifers400–450Medium 2445237.50/cwt237.50–237.501,0575
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2461289.30/cwt282.50–299.001,3345
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2510282.50/cwt282.50–282.501,4412
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 2514266.31/cwt261.00–277.001,36919
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1553292.85/cwt290.00–300.001,61921
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Full562288.00/cwt288.00–288.001,6193
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2573278.65/cwt275.00–280.001,59712
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 2580257.50/cwt257.50–257.501,4942
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2625272.50/cwt272.50–272.501,7032
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1633285.54/cwt285.00–286.501,8078
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1661276.00/cwt276.00–276.001,8244
Heifers700–750Large 1719225.00/cwt225.00–225.001,6186
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2743235.00/cwt235.00–235.001,7462
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1796236.33/cwt235.00–239.001,8816
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2846222.00/cwt222.00–222.001,87810
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1885234.50/cwt234.50–234.502,0756
Feeder Cattle · Bulls17 lots · lightest first
Bulls100–150Medium and Large 1130525.00/head525.00–525.005252
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1-2631263.00/cwt263.00–263.001,6606
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1735244.00/cwt244.00–244.001,7936
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1-2745236.00/cwt236.00–236.001,7582
Bulls750–800Medium 1750227.50/cwt227.50–227.501,7065
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 1782242.00/cwt242.00–242.001,8925
Bulls800–850Medium 1849219.00/cwt219.00–219.001,8597
Bulls850–900Medium 1897217.50/cwt217.50–217.501,9513
Bulls900–950Medium and Large 1948220.00/cwt220.00–220.002,0862
Bulls950–1000Medium and Large 1-2960190.00/cwt190.00–190.001,8241
Bulls1050–1100Medium and Large 1-21,065160.00/cwt160.00–160.001,7041
Bulls1150–1200Large 11,185187.50/cwt187.50–187.502,2221
Bulls1150–1200Large 1-21,185178.00/cwt178.00–178.002,1092
Bulls1200–1250Large 11,200184.00/cwt184.00–184.002,2081
Bulls1200–1250Large 1Fancy1,220190.00/cwt190.00–190.002,3184
Bulls1250–1300Large 11,254160.00/cwt160.00–160.002,0064
Bulls1300–1350Large 11,345155.00/cwt155.00–155.002,0851
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls8 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,300132.00/cwt132.00–132.001,7161
Bulls——Return to Feed1,335144.00/cwt144.00–144.001,9221
Bulls——Light Weight1,351126.93/cwt120.50–136.001,71511
Bulls——Light Weight1,385137.00/cwt137.00–137.001,8971
Bulls——1,752137.48/cwt130.00–144.002,40915
Bulls——1,770151.17/cwt144.00–159.002,67635
Bulls——2,006166.75/cwt162.00–175.003,34521
Bulls——2,685141.00/cwt141.00–141.003,7861
Slaughter Cattle · Cows23 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight88394.76/cwt90.00–97.508375
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight929110.17/cwt102.50–117.501,02314
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight990122.00/cwt122.00–122.001,2082
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,065104.00/cwt104.00–104.001,1083
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,081119.12/cwt107.00–123.001,28827
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,114112.29/cwt105.00–120.001,25132
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,185134.88/cwt132.00–141.001,59811
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,187130.07/cwt124.00–133.001,544127
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,191125.56/cwt122.00–131.001,49519
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,208134.57/cwt133.00–139.001,62665
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,387133.59/cwt127.00–139.001,853114
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,400132.34/cwt127.00–138.001,85331
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,407142.57/cwt140.00–146.002,00636
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,425121.79/cwt116.00–126.001,73625
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,448117.83/cwt115.00–123.001,7063
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Natural1,485145.00/cwt145.00–145.002,1538
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,489141.40/cwt140.50–143.002,1054
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,491138.49/cwt135.50–142.002,06516
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,574133.01/cwt129.00–135.002,09416
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,583144.39/cwt142.00–147.002,2862
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,626143.03/cwt142.00–145.002,32611
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,628139.16/cwt135.00–141.502,2666
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,671131.39/cwt125.00–134.002,1964
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows11 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium 1755196.02/cwt191.00–215.001,4805
Stock Cows—Medium 1Thin Fleshed790175.00/cwt175.00–175.001,3831
Stock Cows—Medium 1876155.00/cwt155.00–155.001,3584
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2917187.91/cwt167.00–205.001,72314
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1963207.68/cwt151.00–230.002,000209
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,031176.38/cwt137.00–221.001,818111
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,057135.37/cwt132.50–139.001,4315
Stock Cows—Large 11,060150.00/cwt150.00–150.001,5902
Stock Cows—Large 11,183143.56/cwt142.00–145.001,6982
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,193134.16/cwt131.00–137.001,6018
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,494155.67/cwt155.50–156.002,3266
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs3 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,4162,600.00/head2,600.00–2,600.002,6004
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,5302,350.00/head2,350.00–2,350.002,3501
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,7752,675.00/head2,675.00–2,675.002,6751
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows4 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,0562,177.34/head2,175.00–2,200.002,17710
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2351,550.00/head1,550.00–1,550.001,5504
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2402,319.24/head2,200.00–2,375.002,31911
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,4592,075.00/head2,075.00–2,075.002,0754

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.