Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, October 17, 2024

5,033 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $305.86/cwt -5.81 vs last sale · ≈ $1,600/hd at 523 lb · 359 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $293.53/cwt +2.93 vs last sale · ≈ $1,658/hd at 565 lb · 293 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $330.92/cwt +2.12 vs last sale · ≈ $1,546/hd at 467 lb · 277 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 5,033 3,391 4,289
Feeder cattle 4,775 2,980 3,906
Slaughter cattle 193 267 221
Replacement cattle 65 144 162

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last sale: Feeder steer calves sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher, with the exception of 500-549 lbs steers which sold steady to 5.00 lower. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold mostly 5.00 higher, heifer calves over 450 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher. Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested either this week or last to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on a larger offering. Demand was mostly good on both yearlings and calves. Offerings were moderate. Lots of packages of calves sold today with lots of quality variation seen. Demand did improve as the sale progressed and more buyers started loads. CME positions traded near steady today with the front two months selling firm and the differed months trading weak. Quality today was mixed from plain to attractive. Most load lots on offer today were yearling cattle. Market activity was mostly active this sale. A large buyer pool was noticed again this week with many bidders seen both ringside as well as over the internet. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for light offerings. Most cows were pushing heavy amounts of fill today. Fleshy breaking cows sold with the best demand as both feeding and slaughter buyers competed over these offerings. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on limited offerings. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher. Cow and bull quality was plain to average. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average today. Bull quality this sale was mostly average. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality was mostly plain to average today.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265–277 unweaned 277 47 432.50–450.00 $432.86 $1,199 —
300–337 unweaned 327 30 415.00–432.50 $426.42 $1,394 +13.54
358–395 unweaned 371 112 390.00–417.50 $403.35 $1,496 -1.95
400–445 unweaned 425 167 354.00–400.00 $374.02 $1,590 +19.01
450–495 unweaned 467 254 314.00–356.00 $331.78 $1,549 +2.98
450–485 470 23 306.00–343.00 $321.41 $1,511 —
502 502 31 308.00 $308.00 $1,546 —
500–548 unweaned 525 328 294.50–313.00 $305.66 $1,605 -6.01
552–593 unweaned 565 293 287.00–298.75 $293.53 $1,658 +2.93
603–646 unweaned 629 118 275.00–290.00 $284.09 $1,787 +4.07
633 fancy 633 4 300.00 $300.00 $1,899 —
643 643 25 280.00 $280.00 $1,800 —
655–688 unweaned 662 110 266.00–285.00 $276.06 $1,828 +7.42
692 692 11 257.00 $257.00 $1,778 —
706 706 35 274.00 $274.00 $1,934 +3.43
715–748 unweaned 733 17 247.00–263.00 $255.76 $1,875 +0.02
762 762 19 258.00 $258.00 $1,966 -11.72
783 unweaned 783 8 252.00 $252.00 $1,973 —
810–849 843 106 253.00–258.00 $257.06 $2,167 +9.06
850 850 1 254.00 $254.00 $2,159 —
857 unweaned 857 5 244.00 $244.00 $2,091 —
973–981 974 245 236.50–240.25 $240.00 $2,338 +10.56
1011 1011 4 218.00 $218.00 $2,204 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
248 unweaned 248 6 445.00 $445.00 $1,104 —
280–290 unweaned 287 3 420.00–425.00 $421.63 $1,210 +4.13
305–345 unweaned 338 36 382.50–410.00 $384.93 $1,301 -12.67
360–399 unweaned 387 77 340.00–387.50 $362.57 $1,403 -8.83
425–433 unweaned 432 20 348.00 $348.00 $1,503 +20.78
467 467 3 282.50 $282.50 $1,319 —
485–493 unweaned 493 94 285.00–295.00 $292.45 $1,442 -12.89
508–549 unweaned 534 91 275.00–294.00 $286.27 $1,529 -12.33
605–637 unweaned 633 9 262.00–268.00 $267.36 $1,692 -2.04
762–798 763 56 247.00–250.00 $249.89 $1,907 -4.11
862 862 3 242.50 $242.50 $2,090 —
960 960 2 225.00 $225.00 $2,160 -3.00
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
862 862 13 244.00 $244.00 $2,103 —
1120 1120 24 215.25 $215.25 $2,411 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
431 unweaned 431 7 290.00 $290.00 $1,250 —
490 unweaned 490 5 260.00 $260.00 $1,274 -30.00
515 unweaned 515 12 250.00 $250.00 $1,288 -8.79
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
597 unweaned 597 11 270.00 $270.00 $1,612 —
688 688 4 265.00 $265.00 $1,823 -8.00
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
436 unweaned 436 13 260.00 $260.00 $1,134 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
449 unweaned 449 10 312.50 $312.50 $1,403 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
263–295 unweaned 287 23 381.00–390.00 $383.15 $1,100 +10.74
300–338 unweaned 310 24 347.50–370.00 $363.93 $1,128 +12.50
358–396 unweaned 377 127 331.00–345.00 $338.69 $1,277 +5.17
402–444 unweaned 423 158 308.00–330.00 $319.37 $1,351 +2.87
457–499 unweaned 481 216 293.00–310.50 $302.03 $1,453 -2.66
500–546 unweaned 517 253 270.00–295.00 $285.51 $1,476 +3.71
546 546 9 265.00 $265.00 $1,447 —
552–599 unweaned 570 131 261.00–273.50 $267.51 $1,525 +2.44
601–625 unweaned 607 47 252.00–261.00 $258.25 $1,568 -0.05
608–630 625 14 258.00–264.00 $259.25 $1,620 —
650–683 unweaned 662 19 247.00–250.00 $249.49 $1,652 —
752 752 48 242.00–246.00 $243.75 $1,833 -5.26
864 864 63 234.50 $234.50 $2,026 +1.50
1043 1043 10 211.00 $211.00 $2,201 +15.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335–348 unweaned 346 26 330.00–335.00 $330.76 $1,144 -1.87
374 unweaned 374 4 310.00 $310.00 $1,159 —
410 410 4 310.00 $310.00 $1,271 —
408–448 unweaned 444 64 293.00–305.00 $294.55 $1,308 -3.01
460–498 unweaned 478 42 260.00–286.00 $278.87 $1,333 -9.08
536 unweaned 536 6 267.00 $267.00 $1,431 +1.22
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
764 764 5 241.00 $241.00 $1,841 —
908 908 88 235.75 $235.75 $2,141 —
999 999 18 222.00 $222.00 $2,218 —
1045 1045 2 208.00 $208.00 $2,174 —
1050–1055 1051 10 205.00–210.00 $207.75 $2,183 —
1096 1096 5 190.00 $190.00 $2,082 -15.00
1266 1266 5 192.00 $192.00 $2,431 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
372 unweaned 372 13 313.00 $313.00 $1,164 -11.00
425–443 unweaned 433 34 300.00–307.50 $303.89 $1,316 —
473 unweaned 473 2 282.00 $282.00 $1,334 —
646 646 7 245.00 $245.00 $1,583 -2.00
691 thin fleshed 691 22 255.00 $255.00 $1,762 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
414–444 unweaned 429 10 282.50–285.00 $283.79 $1,217 +13.79

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
451 unweaned 451 5 280.00 $280.00 $1,263 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
373 unweaned 373 5 375.00 $375.00 $1,399 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1210 1210 3 160.00 $160.00 $1,936 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1193–1570 1346 80-85% 34 116.00–132.00 $124.90 $1,681 -13.04
1313–1492 1370 80-85% 14 108.00–115.50 $113.17 $1,550 —
1395 1395 80-85% 1 141.00 $141.00 $1,967 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
998 998 85-90% 4 87.00 $87.00 $868 +9.50
1025–1250 1115 85-90% 10 93.00–97.00 $95.21 $1,062 +17.71
1105–1216 1198 85-90% 6 87.00 $87.00 $1,042 -6.69
1202 1202 85-90% 3 126.00 $126.00 $1,515 +23.86
1140–1249 1215 85-90% 22 91.00–116.00 $109.18 $1,327 -9.33
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1601 1601 75-80% 11 137.00 $137.00 $2,193 +13.00
1733 1733 75-80% 3 132.00 $132.00 $2,288 +7.40
1890 1890 75-80% 1 130.00 $130.00 $2,457 —
1925 1925 75-80% 5 146.50 $146.50 $2,820 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1410–1818 1629 23 132.00–139.00 $134.80 $2,196 —
1679 1679 6 150.00 $150.00 $2,518 —
1784–2045 1816 21 135.00–144.00 $141.11 $2,563 +6.38

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
854–1090 962 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 35 136.00–171.00 $156.03 $1,501
943–1145 965 (<2 yrs)Open 9 145.00–190.00 $184.07 $1,776
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
804–1128 935 (<2 yrs)Open 9 140.00–150.00 $143.73 $1,344
820–1120 970 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 142.00–167.50 $152.78 $1,482

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1447 1447 Aged (>8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 3 117.00 $117.00 $1,693
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1233 1233 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 2,100.00 $2,100.00

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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.