Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2024-10-24

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Oct 24
● Final118 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
3,041 head
▼ 1,734 vs last sale 4,775▲ 2,062 vs year ago 979 · +210.6%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
292 head
▲ 99 vs last sale 193▲ 203 vs year ago 89 · +228.1%
Replacement Cattle receipts
142 head
▲ 77 vs last sale 65▼ 3 vs year ago 145 · −2.1%
Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: Feeder steer calves under 450 lbs sold generally steady, steer calves 450-549 lbs sold 5.00 to 8.00 higher, calves over 550 lbs sold sold steady to 5.00 lower. Heifer calves under 600 lbs sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher, heifer calves over 600 lbs sold steady to weak. Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested either this week or last to develop an accurate market trend, steady undertones were noticed on like quality offerings. Demand was mostly good on both yearling and calves. Offerings were light to moderate. Lots of packages of calves sold today with lots of quality variation seen. Quality today was mixed from plain to attractive, however quality was not as attractive as last week. Large packages of calves sold with the best demand while small packages sold with a discount. Market activity was mostly active this sale. Todays buyer pool was slightly smaller than last week however market activity remained active with bidders both ringside as well as over the internet. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand and offerings. Most cows were pushing heavy amounts of fill today. Slaughter cows sold with lower undertones as all cows were extremely full. Feeding cows sold with the best demand today. Feeding cows sold mostly 3.00 lower on like quality offerings. Cow and bull quality was plain. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed on a lower quality offering. Quality was mostly plain today.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $300.51/cwt on 583 head. That ranks 1 of 22 comparable sales and sits −142.44 against this barn's trailing median of $442.94.
Average price
$300.51
583 head · 540 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,624
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$200
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2
$34.98/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+1.24
vs MT average
+1.47 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1544304.981,660413
Large 1517295.321,52711thin
Medium and Large 1-2531291.251,547143
Medium 1524272.501,4288thin
Medium and Large 2541270.001,4618thin
One grade step is worth $34.98/cwt here — about $200 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 sale583 hd
300.51
—
MT average5 barns · 1,716 hd
299.27
+1.24
National average191 barns · 36,605 hd
299.04
+1.47
This barn, trailing median22 sales
442.94
−142.44
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
540488436384median 442.9403/0504/3006/1109/2410/29
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 · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Bulls—Low1,740135.812,3638thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,549121.451,88258
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,371117.251,60790
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,203105.491,26970

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 Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,321$2,1555
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,172$1,93920
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,365$1,7751thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,098$1,7685
Bred Heifers1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)(<2 yrs)1,094$2,1004thin
Bred Heifers2nd Stage (4-6 mo)(<2 yrs)1,030$2,0001thin

Every lot

118 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 · Steers39 lots · lightest first
Steers200–250Medium and Large 1Unweaned224445.00/cwt445.00–445.009975
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1Unweaned273444.49/cwt425.00–450.001,21310
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned323428.37/cwt415.00–432.501,38421
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned368402.16/cwt380.00–408.001,48044
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned378362.08/cwt350.00–375.001,36943
Steers350–400Large 1Unweaned385367.50/cwt367.50–367.501,4154
Steers400–450Large 1Unweaned407341.68/cwt335.00–345.001,39112
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned427330.85/cwt325.00–347.501,41322
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned431360.16/cwt350.00–379.001,552172
Steers400–450Medium 1Unweaned431325.03/cwt312.50–340.001,40134
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned471338.41/cwt325.00–354.001,59466
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned488307.44/cwt301.00–315.001,50061
Steers500–550Large 1Unweaned517295.32/cwt282.50–303.001,52711
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned518317.09/cwt296.00–336.001,643238
Steers500–550Medium 1Unweaned524272.50/cwt272.50–272.501,4288
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned529291.90/cwt288.00–305.001,544135
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2Unweaned541270.00/cwt270.00–270.001,4618
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2542287.00/cwt287.00–287.001,5562
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned573278.00/cwt278.00–278.001,5936
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned580288.37/cwt285.00–295.001,673168
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1588292.00/cwt292.00–292.001,7177
Steers600–650Medium 2608240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,4597
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned632274.96/cwt268.00–285.001,738163
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1645274.00/cwt274.00–274.001,7672
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned663258.00/cwt258.00–258.001,7115
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned673268.97/cwt267.00–271.501,81062
Steers650–700Large 1Unweaned686256.00/cwt256.00–256.001,75611
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1Unweaned724263.05/cwt252.00–268.001,90431
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned735244.00/cwt244.00–244.001,79310
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1Unweaned761249.20/cwt249.00–250.001,8965
Steers750–800Large 1Unweaned778238.00/cwt238.00–238.001,8522
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2779256.96/cwt254.00–260.002,00218
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1809256.00/cwt256.00–256.002,07115
Steers800–850Large 1Unweaned810236.00/cwt236.00–236.001,9125
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1Unweaned868235.00/cwt235.00–235.002,0403
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1889244.00/cwt244.00–244.002,1694
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1916240.50/cwt240.50–240.502,20316
Steers1000–1050Medium and Large 11,035228.50/cwt228.50–228.502,3651
Steers1050–1100Medium and Large 11,087223.19/cwt223.00–223.502,42618
Feeder Cattle · Heifers42 lots · lightest first
Heifers250–300Large 1Unweaned288385.00/cwt385.00–385.001,1092
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1Unweaned293370.00/cwt370.00–370.001,0842
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned318367.22/cwt355.00–371.001,16835
Heifers300–350Medium 1Unweaned337345.00/cwt345.00–345.001,1633
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned347345.00/cwt345.00–345.001,1977
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned365325.54/cwt317.50–327.501,18815
Heifers350–400Medium 2Unweaned375282.50/cwt282.50–282.501,0598
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned384338.20/cwt330.00–342.001,29972
Heifers350–400Large 1Unweaned388311.51/cwt310.00–312.501,20915
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2Unweaned407265.00/cwt265.00–265.001,0796
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned411275.32/cwt266.00–300.001,13239
Heifers400–450Large 1Unweaned430290.00/cwt290.00–290.001,2476
Heifers400–450Medium 1Unweaned433292.09/cwt270.00–304.001,26536
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned434320.48/cwt311.00–335.001,39171
Heifers450–500Medium 1Unweaned460280.00/cwt280.00–280.001,28822
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned473305.64/cwt291.00–316.001,446130
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1475306.00/cwt306.00–306.001,45412
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned488267.68/cwt267.00–268.001,30616
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2Unweaned489245.58/cwt241.00–255.001,20112
Heifers450–500Large 1Unweaned491279.18/cwt260.00–289.001,37115
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned519287.32/cwt275.00–297.001,49172
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned527261.95/cwt257.50–274.001,38015
Heifers500–550Large 1Unweaned537250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,3433
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1540288.00/cwt288.00–288.001,5554
Heifers550–600Medium 1Unweaned556255.00/cwt255.00–255.001,41813
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned564271.15/cwt261.00–273.501,52972
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1570260.19/cwt258.50–265.001,48323
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned577247.17/cwt240.00–263.001,42624
Heifers550–600Large 1Unweaned593253.00/cwt253.00–253.001,5002
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1603259.00/cwt259.00–259.001,5622
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned623255.02/cwt245.00–259.501,58978
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned659249.90/cwt242.00–255.001,64733
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1674260.00/cwt260.00–260.001,75219
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1Unweaned721230.67/cwt230.00–231.001,6636
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1829237.10/cwt235.50–239.001,96629
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1Full870224.00/cwt224.00–224.001,9493
Heifers850–900Large 1876226.00/cwt226.00–226.001,9804
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1878231.50/cwt231.50–231.502,03333
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1935224.73/cwt223.00–230.002,10138
Heifers900–950Medium 1Full949203.00/cwt203.00–203.001,9266
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1981220.73/cwt220.00–221.002,16534
Heifers1000–1050Medium and Large 11,010213.61/cwt213.00–216.002,1575
Feeder Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned356397.50/cwt397.50–397.501,4158
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 2Unweaned390315.00/cwt315.00–315.001,2295
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned562272.47/cwt260.00–285.001,53112
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned642247.00/cwt247.00–247.001,5863
Bulls850–900Medium and Large 1-2872207.50/cwt207.50–207.501,8095
Bulls1000–1050Medium and Large 1-21,046198.50/cwt198.50–198.502,0769
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,458140.00/cwt140.00–140.002,0413
Bulls——1,909133.30/cwt126.00–141.002,5455
Slaughter Cattle · Cows15 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,185103.28/cwt93.00–107.501,22422
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,196113.56/cwt106.00–122.501,35810
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,21195.40/cwt89.00–107.501,15521
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,215134.00/cwt134.00–134.001,62814
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,218129.35/cwt129.00–130.001,57512
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,22984.20/cwt81.00–85.001,0355
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,392129.74/cwt127.50–130.001,80627
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,393109.64/cwt96.00–116.001,52731
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,401121.86/cwt115.00–130.001,70736
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,41297.44/cwt91.00–104.001,3768
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,440111.00/cwt111.00–111.001,5981
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,644117.58/cwt114.00–120.001,93311
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,67497.42/cwt95.50–105.001,6315
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,680102.00/cwt102.00–102.001,7141
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,725118.47/cwt112.00–122.002,04414
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows5 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2890164.06/cwt129.00–177.001,46026
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,044142.84/cwt127.50–157.501,49110
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,083155.90/cwt130.00–171.001,68818
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,088173.87/cwt147.50–187.001,89216
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,400161.00/cwt161.00–161.002,2541
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows7 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,0981,767.84/head1,700.00–1,850.001,7685
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1721,938.77/head1,900.00–2,150.001,93920
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,229113.28/cwt112.00–115.001,3928
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3212,154.66/head2,000.00–2,275.002,1555
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3651,775.00/head1,775.00–1,775.001,7751
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,653114.00/cwt114.00–114.001,8848
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,680111.00/cwt111.00–111.001,8654
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers2 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 11,0302,000.00/head2,000.00–2,000.002,0001
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 11,0942,100.00/head2,100.00–2,100.002,1004

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.