Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, December 5, 2024

6,457 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 $357.26/cwt +20.53 vs last sale · ≈ $1,857/hd at 520 lb · 482 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $382.91/cwt +14.12 vs last sale · ≈ $1,829/hd at 478 lb · 371 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $297.23/cwt +21.84 vs last sale · ≈ $1,697/hd at 571 lb · 366 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 6,457 3,228 4,188
Feeder cattle 6,162 2,921 3,640
Slaughter cattle 204 205 310
Replacement cattle 91 102 238

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last sale(11-21-24): Feeder steer calves under 600 lbs sold mostly 10.00-20.00 higher, steer calves over 600 lbs sold 3.00 to 5.00 higher. Heifer calves under 600 lbs sold mostly 8.00-15.00 higher; heifer calves over 600 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher. Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Demand was mostly good to very good for all calves on offer. Offerings were heavy. Quality today was mixed from plain to very attractive. Quality this week was higher than last sales offering. A very large buyer pool was on hand for todays sale as 16 feeder buyers purchased calves. A few farmer feeders were in the stands as well actively bidding on calves. Demand for weaned calves was good again this week, however buyers showed more interest in quality over vaccinations and weaning status. Package sizes varied greatly this week, however a good volume of load lots and partial load lots were seen. Demand for light weight calves suitable to go to grass was very good today. Buyers took calves up to 550 lbs for steers and 525 lbs for heifers to grass. Yearling demand was stronger this sale as well as cooperate buyers were very active in buying yearlings. Most yearlings were out of grow lots this sale and in moderate to moderate plus flesh. Market activity was active this sale with buyers rapidly bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand and light offerings. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend however, steady to higher undertones were noticed. Feeding cows sold with the best demand again this week. Feeding cows sold with steady to higher undertones. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, higher undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed on a lower quality offering. 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
255–285 262 7 510.00–517.50 $513.87 $1,346 +13.87
303 unweaned 303 2 505.00 $505.00 $1,530 +21.43
312–343 319 27 470.00–502.00 $494.35 $1,577 +24.35
362–390 unweaned 374 15 437.50–445.00 $441.59 $1,652 +7.34
358–393 381 57 437.50–495.00 $481.47 $1,834 +28.88
400–448 419 125 405.00–435.00 $420.38 $1,761 +15.57
428–447 unweaned 434 71 412.00–428.00 $419.73 $1,822 +17.18
453–497 477 269 366.00–406.00 $383.26 $1,828 +17.21
450–493 unweaned 479 102 365.00–393.00 $382.00 $1,830 +10.09
501–546 516 170 342.00–374.00 $357.12 $1,843 +23.12
505–544 unweaned 522 312 339.00–366.00 $357.34 $1,865 +18.96
550–599 576 308 309.00–342.50 $325.66 $1,876 +30.66
574–581 unweaned 579 32 317.00–320.00 $318.63 $1,845 +1.90
610–626 619 51 293.00–304.00 $300.42 $1,860 +1.13
600–648 unweaned 631 261 293.00–313.50 $303.16 $1,913 +2.47
653–668 unweaned 655 22 274.00–297.00 $293.80 $1,924 +3.67
661–682 674 61 275.00–296.00 $289.60 $1,952 —
726 unweaned 726 14 266.00 $266.00 $1,931 -1.05
710–747 733 100 267.00–279.00 $274.62 $2,013 +3.19
759 unweaned 759 28 258.00 $258.00 $1,958 +2.99
775–798 781 89 251.00–264.00 $260.55 $2,035 +2.64
824 824 16 254.00 $254.00 $2,093 —
877 877 3 248.00 $248.00 $2,175 +2.00
881 881 14 245.50 $245.50 $2,163 -0.50
933 933 8 237.00 $237.00 $2,211 —
954 954 16 245.50 $245.50 $2,342 —
1012–1023 1013 85 227.00–235.50 $234.34 $2,374 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
331–332 331 11 437.50–450.00 $440.92 $1,459 -39.08
337–344 unweaned 341 22 445.00–467.50 $456.37 $1,556 +36.37
367–382 372 14 413.00–415.00 $414.27 $1,541 +14.27
403–448 438 21 340.00–385.00 $354.86 $1,554 —
455–474 467 14 334.00–350.00 $339.56 $1,586 —
453–483 unweaned 481 38 327.50–351.00 $349.25 $1,680 -0.75
527 unweaned 527 13 325.00 $325.00 $1,713 -1.47
501–547 534 117 319.00–341.00 $334.10 $1,784 +13.91
570–597 592 38 282.00–315.00 $287.94 $1,705 +2.94
602 602 11 291.00 $291.00 $1,752 +15.41
631 unweaned 631 5 283.00 $283.00 $1,786 —
659–687 unweaned 667 10 270.00–274.00 $272.76 $1,819 +3.79
693 693 8 269.00 $269.00 $1,864 +2.87
744 744 4 249.00 $249.00 $1,853 —
789 789 5 233.00 $233.00 $1,838 —
966 966 6 225.00 $225.00 $2,174 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
423 423 3 340.00 $340.00 $1,438 —
425 425 7 325.00 $325.00 $1,381 —
509 unweaned 509 12 346.00 $346.00 $1,761 +25.59
523 523 9 320.00 $320.00 $1,674 —
596 unweaned 596 24 303.00 $303.00 $1,806 —
605–644 634 22 279.00–297.00 $285.78 $1,812 —
656 656 7 262.00 $262.00 $1,719 +2.69
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
409 unweaned 409 7 340.00 $340.00 $1,391 —
426 426 10 345.00 $345.00 $1,470 —
479 479 8 322.50 $322.50 $1,545 —
494 unweaned 494 43 295.00 $295.00 $1,457 —
556 556 12 238.00 $238.00 $1,323 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
685 685 8 251.00 $251.00 $1,719 -17.00
744 744 5 259.00 $259.00 $1,927 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
706 unweaned 706 10 255.00 $255.00 $1,800 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
508 508 9 230.00 $230.00 $1,168 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290–294 294 17 415.00 $415.00 $1,220 —
294 unweaned 294 6 420.00 $420.00 $1,235 —
310 unweaned 310 1 420.00 $420.00 $1,302 —
359–390 367 52 350.00–380.00 $372.35 $1,367 +42.35
367–388 unweaned 374 19 361.00–375.00 $370.41 $1,385 +13.93
404 unweaned 404 4 349.00 $349.00 $1,410 +11.00
402–449 423 202 331.00–355.00 $342.39 $1,448 +12.39
459 thin fleshed 459 17 358.00 $358.00 $1,643 —
454–490 unweaned 469 134 317.50–337.00 $330.56 $1,550 +25.56
458–492 477 210 321.00–349.00 $331.80 $1,583 +15.85
504–536 514 116 307.00–325.00 $317.65 $1,633 +21.55
502–541 unweaned 521 78 305.00–323.00 $316.37 $1,648 +17.59
551–598 568 154 280.00–309.50 $296.44 $1,684 +11.37
556–599 unweaned 573 212 279.00–310.00 $297.80 $1,706 +18.46
606–629 unweaned 617 31 258.00–285.00 $273.81 $1,689 +13.20
638 638 4 256.00 $256.00 $1,633 -19.70
610–640 639 45 272.00–280.00 $272.34 $1,740 -3.36
654–689 661 78 247.00–267.00 $261.72 $1,730 +17.72
674–693 unweaned 681 11 250.00–267.00 $260.71 $1,775 +17.18
707 707 3 244.00 $244.00 $1,725 —
709 unweaned 709 11 241.00 $241.00 $1,709 -5.00
753–779 759 123 244.00–254.00 $251.63 $1,910 +1.36
809–835 816 28 238.00 $238.00 $1,942 -2.27
855–874 869 137 248.50–249.25 $248.88 $2,163 +18.26
906–940 910 160 235.00–239.50 $238.99 $2,175 +11.76
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 unweaned 345 6 370.00 $370.00 $1,276 +11.48
372 unweaned 372 16 322.50 $322.50 $1,200 -12.26
377–384 381 7 340.00–345.00 $342.88 $1,306 +17.03
400–441 413 40 319.50–332.50 $322.71 $1,333 +4.89
461–498 466 39 300.00–310.00 $308.90 $1,439 +8.90
489 unweaned 489 7 313.00 $313.00 $1,531 +20.79
500–525 518 30 290.00–304.00 $297.10 $1,539 +30.51
518–547 unweaned 531 34 275.00–287.50 $283.35 $1,505 -1.08
588 588 4 257.50 $257.50 $1,514 -2.50
570–598 unweaned 595 91 263.00–279.00 $264.91 $1,576 -0.14
600 600 8 246.00 $246.00 $1,476 —
642 unweaned 642 6 248.00 $248.00 $1,592 —
707 707 7 241.00 $241.00 $1,704 +2.00
824 824 10 226.00 $226.00 $1,862 —
828 828 7 222.00 $222.00 $1,838 —
891 891 5 226.50 $226.50 $2,018 +10.50
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
461 461 8 314.00 $314.00 $1,448 —
557 557 14 280.00 $280.00 $1,560 —
617 unweaned 617 26 258.00 $258.00 $1,592 +9.00
808 808 4 233.50 $233.50 $1,887 —
1085 1085 4 208.00 $208.00 $2,257 —
1118 1118 2 196.00 $196.00 $2,191 -3.00
1151–1195 1153 63 192.50–194.00 $193.93 $2,236 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
306–341 329 29 360.00–372.50 $364.01 $1,198 +9.01
353–396 385 28 336.00–340.00 $336.92 $1,297 +26.58
482 unweaned 482 8 318.00 $318.00 $1,533 +31.01
798 798 7 237.00 $237.00 $1,891 —
819 819 12 236.00 $236.00 $1,933 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
486 unweaned 486 35 285.00 $285.00 $1,385 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
489 unweaned 489 23 241.00 $241.00 $1,178 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
471 471 12 349.00 $349.00 $1,644 —
573 573 20 306.00 $306.00 $1,753 —
565–590 unweaned 577 15 297.50–307.00 $302.46 $1,745 —
618 unweaned 618 10 284.00 $284.00 $1,755 ±0.00
693–694 unweaned 694 7 243.00–250.00 $247.00 $1,714 —
920 920 2 228.00 $228.00 $2,098 +13.00
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
498 498 31 312.50 $312.50 $1,556 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
505 505 13 316.00 $316.00 $1,596 —
1015 1015 3 202.50 $202.50 $2,055 —
1120 1120 3 182.50 $182.50 $2,044 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
756–990 833 85-90% 30 72.50–82.00 $75.39 $628 —
900 900 85-90% 1 89.50 $89.50 $806 —
1098 1098 85-90% 4 91.00 $91.00 $999 —
1040–1255 1110 85-90% 12 73.00–89.00 $77.46 $860 —
1092–1235 1128 85-90% 4 95.00–96.00 $95.27 $1,075 -10.47
910–1252 1182 85-90% 24 92.00–103.00 $100.66 $1,190 -15.25
1045–1254 1194 85-90% 20 112.00–123.00 $117.92 $1,408 +2.01
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1310 1310 80-85% 1 131.00 $131.00 $1,716 —
1328 1328 80-85% 2 105.00 $105.00 $1,394 —
1320–1653 1376 80-85% 20 95.00–112.00 $105.82 $1,456 +23.82
1250–1484 1381 80-85% 23 113.00–126.00 $116.75 $1,612 +34.75
1423–1560 1469 80-85% 3 89.00–91.00 $89.71 $1,318 -19.60
1420–1645 1548 80-85% 3 91.50–95.00 $93.08 $1,441 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1345 1345 75-80% 1 116.00 $116.00 $1,560 —
1588 1588 75-80% 4 105.00 $105.00 $1,667 —
1670–1710 1675 75-80% 8 121.00–126.50 $121.70 $2,038 +3.70
1770–1820 1795 75-80% 2 111.00–118.00 $114.45 $2,054 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1355–2125 1735 7 123.00–147.50 $132.88 $2,305 —
1688–1945 1760 5 126.00–139.00 $134.59 $2,369 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
890–1155 988 (<2 yrs)Open 49 150.00–205.00 $184.51 $1,823
910–1155 1036 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 9 128.00–152.50 $147.71 $1,530
1453 1453 (<2 yrs)Open 2 161.00 $161.00 $2,339
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
750 thin fleshed 750 (<2 yrs)Open 2 182.50 $182.50 $1,369
965 965 (<2 yrs)Open 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,544

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1179 1179 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 2,400.00 $2,400.00
1285–1430 1294 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 16 1,800.00 $1,800.00
1427 1427 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,700.00 $1,700.00

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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.