Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, January 9, 2025

4,126 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 heifers $342.92/cwt +27.98 vs last sale · ≈ $1,800/hd at 525 lb · 352 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 steers $421.28/cwt +17.00 vs last sale · ≈ $1,778/hd at 422 lb · 236 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $318.65/cwt +26.07 vs last sale · ≈ $2,138/hd at 671 lb · 217 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 4,126 2,401 3,938
Feeder cattle 3,948 1,545 3,756
Slaughter cattle 137 574 98
Replacement cattle 41 282 84

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last sale(12-19-24): Feeder calves were all too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Good to very good demand was seen for all offerings. Offerings were moderate to heavy. Quality this week was mostly average to very attractive and significantly higher in quality compared to last sale. Almost all calves were weaned over 50 days and were in mostly light flesh. Many were strictly hay weaned and and buyers showed very good demand for thin fleshed offerings. Package sizes were mostly moderate with a few load lot packages on offer as well. Market activity was active this sale with a large buyer pool on hand for todays sale. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for light offerings. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. All cows were pushing heavy amounts of fill today. Buyers were very aggressive as they filled loads to end the week. Feeding cows sold with the best demand again this week. Feeding cows sold 3.00-6.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady to weak undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was plain to average.

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
311–343 336 113 475.00–515.00 $482.20 $1,620 -24.54
363–380 369 12 435.00–470.00 $460.66 $1,700 +33.50
400–434 422 236 410.00–445.00 $421.28 $1,778 +20.28
454–496 469 168 372.00–405.00 $392.49 $1,841 +33.49
501–545 530 146 357.50–378.00 $363.47 $1,926 +17.61
550–589 559 144 346.00–365.00 $356.55 $1,993 +28.94
604–630 615 193 323.00–345.00 $334.64 $2,058 +19.36
660–683 671 217 306.00–321.00 $318.65 $2,138 +26.07
703–747 730 50 284.50–313.00 $295.69 $2,159 -5.84
759 759 12 269.00 $269.00 $2,042 —
757–784 780 58 278.00–283.00 $282.25 $2,202 —
802–835 809 25 265.00–273.00 $271.43 $2,196 +22.09
861–887 879 36 260.00–269.50 $267.65 $2,353 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375–385 380 6 417.50–429.00 $423.17 $1,608 +9.96
435–442 438 29 362.50–392.50 $381.07 $1,669 +15.64
463–486 482 24 357.50–376.00 $372.67 $1,796 +32.12
532–539 535 31 330.00–353.00 $348.78 $1,866 +23.05
560–594 571 16 319.00–325.00 $323.05 $1,845 +19.11
640 640 45 318.00 $318.00 $2,035 +30.52
661–663 662 14 261.00–277.50 $268.08 $1,775 -13.41
707–745 722 5 279.00–284.00 $281.94 $2,036 +6.94
760–763 760 15 272.00–278.00 $276.66 $2,103 +27.66
858 858 4 248.00 $248.00 $2,128 —
964 964 5 240.00 $240.00 $2,314 —
1007–1045 1017 21 226.00–234.50 $232.79 $2,367 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
712–732 724 23 265.00–276.00 $269.23 $1,949 —
882 882 9 249.00 $249.00 $2,196 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
398 398 6 385.00 $385.00 $1,532 —
425 425 2 387.50 $387.50 $1,647 +12.50
478 478 4 310.00 $310.00 $1,482 -2.00
647 647 6 278.00 $278.00 $1,799 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
568 568 3 287.50 $287.50 $1,633 —
686 686 4 268.00 $268.00 $1,838 —
1165 1165 7 215.00 $215.00 $2,505 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
311–349 344 89 400.00–412.00 $410.35 $1,412 +27.85
369–393 379 76 373.00–405.00 $386.95 $1,467 +29.30
410–446 435 144 362.50–379.00 $370.80 $1,613 +26.23
457 thin fleshed 457 82 382.00 $382.00 $1,746 —
451–488 459 115 339.00–378.00 $361.50 $1,659 +25.66
507–548 525 346 333.00–347.00 $342.81 $1,800 +28.63
528 thin fleshed 528 6 349.00 $349.00 $1,843 —
550–595 571 76 293.00–332.00 $313.58 $1,791 +24.63
603 fancy 603 20 319.00 $319.00 $1,924 —
601–635 626 117 289.00–306.00 $293.03 $1,834 +29.37
637 637 6 254.00 $254.00 $1,618 -9.66
656–698 675 197 267.00–291.00 $278.87 $1,882 +24.07
695 695 7 261.00 $261.00 $1,814 +6.20
702–739 714 67 264.00–275.00 $266.58 $1,903 +29.58
754–786 762 29 256.00–266.00 $260.69 $1,986 +24.69
805–818 814 9 253.00–255.00 $253.66 $2,065 —
821 fancy 821 11 261.00 $261.00 $2,143 —
886 886 8 232.00 $232.00 $2,056 ±0.00
958 958 3 231.00 $231.00 $2,213 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
356–399 374 14 365.00–374.00 $369.89 $1,383 +17.43
431–443 437 15 346.00–357.00 $351.79 $1,537 +26.26
480 480 3 325.00 $325.00 $1,560 +20.24
500–515 503 42 310.00–322.00 $314.85 $1,584 +23.52
555–570 559 46 275.00–290.00 $285.65 $1,597 +25.65
604–626 615 8 281.00–284.00 $282.47 $1,737 +28.47
667 667 5 252.00 $252.00 $1,681 —
712–728 717 7 249.00–250.00 $249.71 $1,790 —
765–797 788 35 244.00–250.50 $249.13 $1,963 —
872 872 6 231.00 $231.00 $2,014 —
920 920 2 233.00 $233.00 $2,144 +18.00
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
319–320 319 26 347.50–355.00 $348.37 $1,111 —
359–399 373 31 337.50–380.00 $354.85 $1,324 —
423–440 426 47 320.00–340.00 $335.67 $1,430 +20.05
662–682 667 13 232.50–255.00 $237.81 $1,586 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
434 434 6 325.00 $325.00 $1,410 —
470 470 4 300.00 $300.00 $1,410 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
387 387 3 410.00 $410.00 $1,587 —
484 484 7 342.50 $342.50 $1,658 +17.50
700 700 5 281.00 $281.00 $1,967 —
1110 1110 3 206.00 $206.00 $2,287 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060–1270 1133 85-90% 7 92.00–105.00 $99.18 $1,124 +21.81
1134 1134 85-90% 6 129.00 $129.00 $1,463 +51.63
1150 1150 85-90% 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,495 +25.70
1044–1286 1157 85-90% 17 103.00–114.00 $109.30 $1,265 +5.00
1065–1280 1224 85-90% 9 70.00–89.00 $77.09 $944 -52.52
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1242–1600 1321 80-85% 21 116.00–131.50 $126.81 $1,675 —
1315–1455 1372 80-85% 3 97.00–107.00 $101.17 $1,388 +21.17
1355–1442 1405 80-85% 6 136.00–144.00 $141.17 $1,983 +31.19
1315–1645 1537 80-85% 9 94.00–115.00 $109.88 $1,689 +13.75
1555 1555 80-85% 1 91.00 $91.00 $1,415 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1610–1785 1648 75-80% 9 118.00–129.00 $123.31 $2,032 —
1890 1890 75-80% 1 115.00 $115.00 $2,174 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1240–1400 1360 4 150.00–151.00 $150.77 $2,050 —
1377–1395 1382 4 136.00–137.50 $136.38 $1,885 —
1565–2350 1831 6 121.00–133.00 $126.94 $2,324 —
2208–2275 2230 3 143.00–143.50 $143.33 $3,196 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
910–1295 1002 (<2 yrs)Open 10 141.00–182.50 $171.69 $1,720
920–1280 1035 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 16 132.00–180.00 $156.25 $1,617
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
925 925 (<2 yrs)Open 2 160.00 $160.00 $1,480

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1266 1266 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 4 2,500.00 $2,500.00
1370 1370 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,400.00 $2,400.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1400 1400 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 1,500.00 $1,500.00

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Dairy Cows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1400 1400 85-90% 3 95.00 $95.00 $1,330 —

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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.