Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, December 7, 2023

4,188 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction report →

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $265.47/cwt +9.97 vs last sale · ≈ $1,501/hd at 565 lb · 343 head

light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $286.84/cwt +6.45 vs last sale · ≈ $1,521/hd at 530 lb · 234 head

light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $244.79/cwt -1.31 vs last sale · ≈ $1,510/hd at 617 lb · 228 head

Receipts

Head	This sale	Last sale	Last year
Total receipts	4,188	3,700	4,750
Feeder cattle	3,640	3,299	4,199
Slaughter cattle	310	259	368
Replacement cattle	238	142	183

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested this week to develop any market trend. Steer calves under 450 lbs sold mostly 10.00-15.00 lower; Steers 450-499 lbs sold generally steady; steer calves 500-649 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher; steers over 650 lbs were not well compared steady to weak undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher; heifer calves 450-549 lbs sold mostly steady to 8.00 lower; heifer calves over 550 lbs sold mostly 6.00-8.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Demand was mostly moderate to good this sale. Quality today was mixed from plain to very attractive. Much more of the offering was comprised of weaned calves this week. Demand for long weaned calves was mostly good. Many sets of calves were weaned over 50 days. The best demand continues to be for cattle suitable to develop into yearlings, and buyers were willing to buy heavier weights of calves to take to grass this week. Large price spreads continue to be seen between plain/average quality calves and high quality calves as less takers and lighter demand was seen for plain/average quality cattle. CME positions continue to show lots of volatility with many triple digit swings higher and lower seen. Today, CME positions started the day higher before selling off mid trading secession. The January contract closed at 210.025, while the March contract closed at 211.175, up 0.125 and down 0.575 respectfully from yesterdays close. Package sizes were mixed this week. No load lots were seen, however several partial loads were seen and these calves were met with the best demand. Market activity was mostly active today with a very large crowd on hand. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for mostly light offerings. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested this week to develop a full market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. High quality feeding cows were too lightly tested to trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Thin feeding cows sold with lower undertones as well. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average today with most offerings pushing heavy amounts of fill. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on light to moderate demand today. Quality was mostly average and most offerings sold to feed. This class sold steady to firm on a slightly higher quality offering.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
321–337 unweaned	334	33	367.00–375.00	$368.63	$1,231	-11.46
334–345	337	6	360.00–375.00	$371.77	$1,253	—
360–365 unweaned	363	4	355.00–361.00	$358.02	$1,300	-31.75
351–398	376	45	350.00–375.00	$358.03	$1,346	-22.53
403–442	419	81	320.00–352.00	$333.11	$1,396	-19.20
400–430 unweaned	423	36	319.00–340.00	$331.37	$1,402	-21.08
454–461 unweaned	456	33	290.00–313.00	$307.36	$1,402	+2.49
450–478	462	106	301.00–317.50	$306.73	$1,417	-11.09
519	519	5	267.00	$267.00	$1,386	-7.80
501–545	525	121	278.00–295.00	$284.62	$1,494	+9.82
513–548 unweaned	537	108	280.00–292.00	$290.25	$1,559	+6.36
550–587	564	245	251.00–280.00	$266.74	$1,504	+15.42
551–576 unweaned	569	98	252.00–279.00	$262.31	$1,493	+6.12
604–638 unweaned	616	182	238.00–249.50	$244.14	$1,504	-5.98
601–635	620	46	245.00–253.00	$247.38	$1,534	+10.38
651–694 unweaned	667	56	228.00–240.00	$234.69	$1,565	-0.68
657–688	667	46	224.00–239.00	$233.98	$1,561	+3.48
705–748 unweaned	717	36	217.00–226.00	$221.92	$1,591	-0.58
700–744	718	18	214.00–227.00	$222.18	$1,595	-2.18
768 unweaned	768	4	215.00	$215.00	$1,651	-5.00

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
318 unweaned	318	4	357.50	$357.50	$1,137	-12.50
371–392	380	18	335.00–346.00	$344.15	$1,308	—
402–448	423	34	315.00–325.00	$320.40	$1,355	—
439–449 unweaned	445	21	294.00–308.00	$302.08	$1,344	-31.56
465–492	485	43	277.50–298.00	$292.21	$1,417	—
479–499 unweaned	489	18	275.00–293.00	$283.82	$1,388	-2.18
500–531 unweaned	519	38	255.00–275.00	$267.51	$1,388	+2.86
500–544	526	53	264.00–272.50	$266.68	$1,403	+5.68
566–570 unweaned	568	7	230.00–242.50	$235.38	$1,337	-0.40
589	589	14	240.00	$240.00	$1,414	+3.00
603 unweaned	603	2	236.00	$236.00	$1,423	+3.62
603–639	633	35	229.00–234.00	$231.14	$1,463	—
663 unweaned	663	6	224.00	$224.00	$1,485	±0.00
679	679	7	223.00	$223.00	$1,514	-3.00
825	825	10	211.00	$211.00	$1,741	—

Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
320	320	12	334.00	$334.00	$1,069	—
433	433	3	317.50	$317.50	$1,375	—
469	469	15	298.00	$298.00	$1,398	—
532–549	546	113	260.00–273.00	$264.13	$1,442	—

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
619	619	8	234.00	$234.00	$1,448	—

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
420 unweaned	420	3	310.00	$310.00	$1,302	—
524	524	4	227.00	$227.00	$1,189	—

Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
526	526	4	182.50	$182.50	$960	—

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
315	315	1	310.00	$310.00	$976	—
346 unweaned	346	8	305.00	$305.00	$1,055	—
363–374 unweaned	370	23	297.50–310.00	$301.69	$1,116	—
374–391	388	35	297.00–301.00	$299.76	$1,163	—
404–447	425	131	274.00–306.00	$284.77	$1,210	+2.27
403–436 unweaned	431	18	281.00–286.00	$283.12	$1,220	+7.36
451–497	483	121	260.00–272.00	$265.90	$1,284	-11.10
459–499 unweaned	491	76	263.00–267.50	$265.23	$1,302	-8.29
508–542	524	124	253.00–268.00	$260.20	$1,363	-13.80
511–544 unweaned	526	77	252.00–265.00	$260.13	$1,368	-1.48
573–578	576	112	236.50–256.50	$249.93	$1,440	+8.04
556–595 unweaned	581	87	224.50–246.00	$234.95	$1,365	-15.17
601–607 unweaned	605	19	224.00–236.00	$232.24	$1,405	-4.18
603–630	611	28	218.00–228.50	$225.26	$1,376	—
672–689 unweaned	682	31	209.00–214.00	$211.81	$1,445	-4.81
724 unweaned	724	8	208.00	$208.00	$1,506	—
726	726	7	206.00	$206.00	$1,496	—
868–892	882	56	191.00–199.50	$197.47	$1,742	-1.53
954–969	966	24	185.50–190.00	$186.43	$1,801	-8.57

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
298	298	3	270.00	$270.00	$805	—
315	315	5	270.00	$270.00	$850	—
322 unweaned	322	32	287.00	$287.00	$924	+17.00
350–378	362	26	265.00–295.00	$280.15	$1,014	—
365 unweaned	365	3	265.00	$265.00	$967	+15.00
400	400	8	265.00	$265.00	$1,060	-2.50
439–447 unweaned	444	21	244.00–267.50	$250.00	$1,110	-18.50
452–493 unweaned	462	26	240.00–259.00	$245.22	$1,133	-4.61
456–499	481	30	244.00–262.00	$254.05	$1,222	—
518–536 unweaned	530	10	237.00–253.00	$244.65	$1,297	+0.94
577–583 unweaned	578	25	221.00–224.00	$223.40	$1,291	-3.85
582–598	588	8	226.00–227.50	$226.93	$1,334	—
627	627	15	213.00	$213.00	$1,336	—
652	652	3	202.00	$202.00	$1,317	—
814–835	819	23	192.50–194.00	$192.90	$1,580	—
898	898	3	180.00	$180.00	$1,616	—
1048	1048	2	171.00	$171.00	$1,792	—

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
278 unweaned	278	10	270.00	$270.00	$751	—
442	442	6	210.00	$210.00	$928	—
485	485	4	222.00	$222.00	$1,077	—

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
568	568	8	188.00	$188.00	$1,068	—

Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
438 unweaned	438	4	150.00	$150.00	$657	-35.00

Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
368	368	3	280.00	$280.00	$1,030	+55.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
503–505 unweaned	503	9	270.00–271.00	$270.11	$1,359	-14.89
597 unweaned	597	14	234.00	$234.00	$1,397	—
653	653	9	194.00	$194.00	$1,267	—
1013	1013	2	174.00	$174.00	$1,763	—

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
399	399	6	315.00	$315.00	$1,257	—
488–495	492	25	242.00–264.00	$253.52	$1,247	—

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
845–960	896	85-90%	7	42.50–55.00	$51.07	$458	—
965–995	980	85-90%	2	62.00–72.50	$67.33	$660	-3.83
1025–1185	1080	85-90%	3	52.50–61.00	$56.94	$615	—
1100	1100	85-90%	1	60.00	$60.00	$660	-11.10
933–1265	1128	85-90%	93	62.50–78.00	$69.97	$789	-1.13
1025–1250	1161	85-90%	12	67.50–72.00	$69.82	$811	-14.05
1135–1285	1185	85-90%	3	83.00–85.00	$83.72	$992	-0.15
1190	1190	85-90%	1	89.00	$89.00	$1,059	+5.13
1140–1290	1204	85-90%	37	78.00–85.00	$81.84	$985	+9.24
1210	1210	85-90%	1	95.00	$95.00	$1,150	+22.40

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1183	1183	80-85%	6	94.50	$94.50	$1,118	—
1309	1309	80-85%	10	87.50	$87.50	$1,145	+7.99
1245–1425	1359	80-85%	13	85.00–92.50	$88.43	$1,202	+1.00
1280–1760	1447	80-85%	3	74.00–79.00	$75.88	$1,098	—
1305–1553	1464	80-85%	10	73.00–80.00	$77.02	$1,128	—

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1583	1583	75-80%	2	91.00	$91.00	$1,441	+5.00
1395–1865	1640	75-80%	3	89.50–91.00	$90.09	$1,477	—
1749–1955	1818	75-80%	3	84.50–85.00	$84.68	$1,539	—

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1165–1500	1372	3	87.50–100.00	$92.59	$1,270	—
1495	1495	1	105.00	$105.00	$1,570	—
1555–1560	1558	2	109.00	$109.00	$1,698	—
1705–2003	1904	3	119.00	$119.00	$2,266	—
1740–2405	2032	3	109.00–115.00	$111.65	$2,269	—

YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
2240	2240	1	107.00	$107.00	$2,397	—

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
876–1280	995	(<2 yrs)	Open	43	107.50–142.00	$128.06	$1,274
873–1430	1058	Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	53	80.00–127.50	$102.08	$1,080

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
815–1070	925	(<2 yrs)	Open	25	102.50–127.50	$116.33	$1,076
955	955	Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	89.00	$89.00	$850

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
1068	1068	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	3	1,300.00	$1,300.00
1136	1136	Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	5	1,275.00	$1,275.00
1193	1193	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	2	1,575.00	$1,575.00
1214–1323	1269	Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	4	1,775.00–1,800.00	$1,788.04

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
1211	1211	Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	6	1,650.00	$1,650.00
1239	1239	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	8	1,250.00	$1,250.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
1018	1018	(<2 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	2	1,800.00	$1,800.00

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Reading this report

What does "Medium and Large 1" mean?

USDA feeder grades describe frame size and muscle thickness, not quality of the individual animal. "Medium and Large" is the frame score; the number is muscle (1 = heaviest muscled). "Medium and Large 1–2" pens mix both muscle scores — common across the Southeast.

What is $/cwt?

Dollars per hundredweight — per 100 lb of animal. A 500-lb calf at $450/cwt brings 5 × $450 = $2,250. Lighter cattle usually bring more per cwt but less per head.

Why are some prices per head?

Bred cows, cow-calf pairs, and some replacement classes sell by the head, not by weight. We show those exactly as USDA reports them — a $/head figure is never converted into $/cwt on this site.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service's Livestock Market News — federal reporters at the sale. We publish each report in full and link the official USDA document at the top of the page.