Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2024-10-03

Billings Livestock Commission

Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2024-10-03
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-10-03

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Oct 3

● Final79 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777

← Sep 26Oct 3Oct 10 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

417 head

▼ 2,101 vs last sale 2,518▼ 144 vs year ago 561 · −25.7%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

374 head

▲ 20 vs last sale 354▲ 98 vs year ago 276 · +35.5%

Replacement Cattle receipts

161 head

▲ 72 vs last sale 89▲ 60 vs year ago 101 · +59.4%

Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: Feeder calves were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed on steer calves and steady to firm undertones were noticed on heifer calves. Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on steers and steady to higher undertones were noticed on all heifers. Demand was mostly good on both yearling and calves. Offerings were light. CME positions traded mixed today with the front two months trading slightly lower and the differed months trading slightly higher. Quality today was mixed from plain to attractive. Package sizes were mostly small with many very small packages and singles noticed. No load lots were seen this sale. Market activity was mostly moderate to active this sale. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for light offerings. Feeding cow demand was mostly good and most cows sold to feeding buyers this week. More feeding cow buyers were seen this week which helped improve demand for feeding cows compared to last weeks sale. Packers continue to show light demand for cows for immediate harvest. Very few cows were purchased to slaughter this week, however limited offerings sold with steady to higher undertones as feeding cow buyers pushed cow prices way past slaughter cow orders. Feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher. Cow and bull quality was mixed this sale. Weigh up conditions were mostly average today. Bull quality this sale was mostly average. Demand for feeding bulls was light again this sale. Feeding bulls sold mostly steady to 3.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 4.00 lower. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady to firm. Demand for rebreed cows was mostly good this sale as several young cows were purchased for this purpose. Quality on young age cows was mostly average to attractive.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $300.68/cwt on 28 head. That ranks 1 of 22 comparable sales and sits −142.26 against this barn's trailing median of $442.94.

Average price

$300.68

28 head · 543 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,633

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$106

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$40.58/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+4.79

vs MT average

+13.86 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	540	303.58	1,639	26
Large 1	583	263.00	1,533	2thin

One grade step is worth $40.58/cwt here — about $106 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 sale28 hd

300.68

—

MT average3 barns · 57 hd

295.89

+4.79

National average167 barns · 15,497 hd

286.82

+13.86

This barn, trailing median22 sales

442.94

−142.26

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

22 sales

Steers 500–600 lb: high $525.97, low $398.08, median $442.94 across 22 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	1,758	145.27	2,553	56
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,646	126.19	2,077	14
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,393	124.55	1,735	158
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,190	120.23	1,431	110

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	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,224	$1,964	28
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,038	$1,875	4thin
Bred Heifers	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	(<2 yrs)	988	$2,000	4thin

Every lot

79 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 · Steers22 lots · lightest first
Steers	200–250	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	205	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	861	1
Steers	300–350	Large 1Unweaned	324	364.26/cwt	355.00–375.00	1,180	4
Steers	300–350	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	345	395.00/cwt	395.00–395.00	1,363	1
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	366	369.14/cwt	365.00–372.50	1,351	9
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	413	382.05/cwt	380.00–387.50	1,578	19
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	440	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,584	3
Steers	450–500	Large 1Unweaned	451	317.00/cwt	317.00–317.00	1,430	8
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	495	306.00/cwt	306.00–306.00	1,515	4
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	525	310.24/cwt	302.00–320.00	1,629	17
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	568	291.00/cwt	291.00–291.00	1,653	9
Steers	550–600	Large 1Unweaned	583	263.00/cwt	263.00–263.00	1,533	2
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	722	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,913	3
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	725	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	1,885	1
Steers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	786	258.00/cwt	258.00–258.00	2,028	7
Steers	750–800	Medium 1	789	248.00/cwt	248.00–248.00	1,957	4
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 2	810	243.00/cwt	243.00–243.00	1,968	3
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 1-2	830	254.18/cwt	254.00–255.00	2,110	11
Steers	850–900	Medium and Large 1	852	247.00/cwt	247.00–247.00	2,104	3
Steers	850–900	Medium and Large 1-2	880	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	2,024	1
Steers	900–950	Medium and Large 1	915	239.20/cwt	238.00–240.00	2,189	10
Steers	950–1000	Medium and Large 1	957	232.00/cwt	232.00–232.00	2,220	32
Steers	950–1000	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	979	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	2,105	8
Feeder Cattle · Heifers22 lots · lightest first
Heifers	250–300	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	283	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	1,005	2
Heifers	250–300	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	294	382.53/cwt	375.00–385.00	1,125	4
Heifers	300–350	Large 1Unweaned	309	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,035	5
Heifers	300–350	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	348	317.50/cwt	317.50–317.50	1,105	7
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	377	317.50/cwt	317.50–317.50	1,197	3
Heifers	400–450	Large 1Unweaned	402	302.50/cwt	302.50–302.50	1,216	11
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	416	316.75/cwt	316.00–317.50	1,318	4
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	467	295.24/cwt	288.00–300.00	1,379	13
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500	248.00/cwt	248.00–248.00	1,240	7
Heifers	550–600	Medium 1-2	562	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,405	16
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	705	248.00/cwt	248.00–248.00	1,748	13
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	765	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	1,721	1
Heifers	800–850	Medium and Large 1-2	811	219.47/cwt	217.50–227.50	1,780	5
Heifers	800–850	Medium and Large 1	813	233.50/cwt	233.50–233.50	1,898	8
Heifers	850–900	Medium and Large 1	863	224.74/cwt	224.00–230.00	1,940	8
Heifers	900–950	Medium and Large 1-2	911	213.09/cwt	207.00–217.50	1,941	5
Heifers	900–950	Medium and Large 1	915	219.00/cwt	219.00–219.00	2,004	6
Heifers	950–1000	Medium and Large 1	998	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	2,146	2
Heifers	1000–1050	Medium and Large 1	1,009	207.95/cwt	206.00–210.00	2,098	15
Heifers	1050–1100	Large 1Full	1,073	196.50/cwt	196.50–196.50	2,108	3
Heifers	1050–1100	Large 1	1,095	204.00/cwt	204.00–204.00	2,234	2
Heifers	1250–1300	Large 1Fleshy	1,260	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	1,915	3
Feeder Cattle · Bulls8 lots · lightest first
Bulls	300–350	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	328	407.50/cwt	407.50–407.50	1,337	3
Bulls	400–450	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	409	387.50/cwt	387.50–387.50	1,585	9
Bulls	450–500	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	480	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	1,548	1
Bulls	500–550	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	510	304.00/cwt	304.00–304.00	1,550	17
Bulls	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	638	226.00/cwt	226.00–226.00	1,442	6
Bulls	900–950	Medium and Large 1-2	915	218.00/cwt	218.00–218.00	1,995	1
Bulls	950–1000	Medium and Large 1-2	987	218.00/cwt	218.00–218.00	2,152	3
Bulls	1100–1150	Large 1	1,125	202.50/cwt	202.50–202.50	2,278	1
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,527	135.15/cwt	127.00–141.50	2,064	6
Bulls	—	—	1,720	138.20/cwt	131.00–143.00	2,377	13
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,762	146.47/cwt	146.00–148.00	2,581	4
Bulls	—	—	1,801	148.72/cwt	144.00–158.00	2,678	18
Bulls	—	—	1,829	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	2,762	15
Slaughter Cattle · Cows14 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,150	112.64/cwt	105.00–117.00	1,295	34
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,165	101.47/cwt	92.00–106.00	1,182	6
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,208	129.15/cwt	128.00–132.00	1,560	18
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,212	124.73/cwt	117.00–127.00	1,512	50
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,235	112.73/cwt	109.00–116.00	1,392	2
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,247	137.77/cwt	137.00–139.00	1,718	5
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,305	124.47/cwt	124.00–125.00	1,624	2
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,382	108.87/cwt	105.00–111.00	1,505	9
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,384	114.15/cwt	109.00–117.00	1,580	11
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,398	126.34/cwt	118.00–130.50	1,766	126
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,496	117.31/cwt	113.00–121.00	1,755	5
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,553	128.98/cwt	127.00–129.50	2,003	5
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,560	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	1,794	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,715	125.85/cwt	122.50–129.00	2,158	8
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Bred Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	988	2,000.00/head	2,000.00–2,000.00	2,000	4
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows4 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	971	180.79/cwt	163.00–191.00	1,755	56
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	993	157.23/cwt	140.00–172.50	1,561	5
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,055	161.71/cwt	133.50–182.50	1,706	47
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,069	128.68/cwt	127.00–135.00	1,376	5
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows3 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,038	1,875.00/head	1,875.00–1,875.00	1,875	4
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,140	1,701.32/head	1,600.00–1,800.00	1,701	2
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,230	1,984.58/head	1,950.00–2,200.00	1,985	26

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 Oct 3, 2024

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 417Last week 2,518Year ago 561

Slaughter CattleReceipts 374Last week 354Year ago 276

Replacement CattleReceipts 161Last week 89Year ago 101

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	300–350	328	407.50	407.50
9	400–450	409	387.50	387.50
1	450–500	480	322.50	322.50
17	500–550	510	304.00	304.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	600–650	638	226.00	226.00
1	900–950	915	218.00	218.00
3	950–1000	987	218.00	218.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1100–1150	1,125	202.50	202.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	700–750	722	265.00	265.00
3	850–900	852	247.00	247.00
10	900–950	915	238.00–240.00	239.20
32	950–1000	957	232.00	232.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	205	420.00	420.00
1	300–350	345	395.00	395.00
19	400–450	413	380.00–387.50	382.05
17	500–550	525	302.00–320.00	310.24
9	550–600	568	291.00	291.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	700–750	725	260.00	260.00
7	750–800	786	258.00	258.00
11	800–850	830	254.00–255.00	254.18
1	850–900	880	230.00	230.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	350–400	366	365.00–372.50	369.14
3	400–450	440	360.00	360.00
4	450–500	495	306.00	306.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	300–350	324	355.00–375.00	364.26
8	450–500	451	317.00	317.00
2	550–600	583	263.00	263.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	750–800	789	248.00	248.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	800–850	810	243.00	243.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
8	950–1000	979	215.00	215.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	250–300	294	375.00–385.00	382.53
3	350–400	377	317.50	317.50
4	400–450	416	316.00–317.50	316.75
13	450–500	467	288.00–300.00	295.24

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
13	700–750	705	248.00	248.00
8	800–850	813	233.50	233.50
8	850–900	863	224.00–230.00	224.74
6	900–950	915	219.00	219.00
2	950–1000	998	215.00	215.00
15	1000–1050	1,009	206.00–210.00	207.95

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	750–800	765	225.00	225.00
5	800–850	811	217.50–227.50	219.47
5	900–950	911	207.00–217.50	213.09

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	250–300	283	355.00	355.00
7	300–350	348	317.50	317.50
7	500–550	500	248.00	248.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	300–350	309	335.00	335.00
11	400–450	402	302.50	302.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
16	550–600	562	250.00	250.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
3	1050–1100	1,073	196.50	196.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
3	1250–1300	1,260	152.00	152.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	1050–1100	1,095	204.00	204.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	4	—	988	2,000.00	2,000.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	56	—	971	163.00–191.00	180.79
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	47	—	1,055	133.50–182.50	161.71

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	5	—	993	140.00–172.50	157.23
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	5	—	1,069	127.00–135.00	128.68

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)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	4	—	1,038	1,875.00	1,875.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	2	—	1,140	1,600.00–1,800.00	1,701.32

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	26	—	1,230	1,950.00–2,200.00	1,984.58

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,235	109.00–116.00	112.73
6	—	1,165	92.00–106.00	101.47

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,553	127.00–129.50	128.98

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
126	—	1,398	118.00–130.50	126.34
11	—	1,384	109.00–117.00	114.15
5	—	1,247	137.00–139.00	137.77

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	1,715	122.50–129.00	125.85
1	—	1,560	115.00	115.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,496	113.00–121.00	117.31
9	—	1,382	105.00–111.00	108.87
2	—	1,305	124.00–125.00	124.47

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
18	—	1,208	128.00–132.00	129.15
34	—	1,150	105.00–117.00	112.64
50	—	1,212	117.00–127.00	124.73

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
18	—	1,801	144.00–158.00	148.72
15	—	1,829	151.00	151.00
13	—	1,720	131.00–143.00	138.20

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,762	146.00–148.00	146.47
6	—	1,527	127.00–141.50	135.15

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.