Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2020-10-19

Billings Livestock Commission

Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2020-10-19
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-10-19

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Mon, Oct 19

● Final32 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1775

← Oct 12Oct 19Oct 26 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

334 head

▼ 90 vs last sale 424▼ 4,491 vs year ago 4,825 · −93.1%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

257 head

▼ 202 vs last sale 459▲ 97 vs year ago 160 · +60.6%

Replacement Cattle receipts

148 head

▲ 68 vs last sale 80▼ 262 vs year ago 410 · −63.9%

Also sold hereRegular saleThu Oct 29, 2026

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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Monday: Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed on unweaned calves. Not enough yearlings tested to develop any market trend. CME positions saw sharply lower prices today with over triple digit losses. The October contract closed 3.45 lower, November 5.00 lower and January 4.20 lower. Market activity today was mostly moderate. Weigh up cow sold on mostly moderate demand for light offerings. A two tier market continues to be seen as cows suitable to feed sell with a strong premium to cows destined for slaughter. Both slaughter and feeding cows sold fully steady this week. Quality was average to attractive . Weigh up conditions were average and better overall than last week. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on mostly moderate to good demand. Quality this week was average to attractive. Offerings sold steady to firm in a narrow comparison.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $147.07/cwt on 131 head.

Average price

$147.07

131 head · 437 lb average

Value per head Derived

$643

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$247

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2

$26.02/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+5.51

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	369	153.62	567	98
Medium and Large 1-2	638	127.61	814	33

One grade step is worth $26.02/cwt here — about −$247 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 0–100 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 0–100 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale131 hd

147.07

—

MT average5 barns · 4,429 hd

141.56

+5.51

A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt

Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	High	1,838	78.43	1,441	7thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,557	69.67	1,084	8thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,392	57.72	803	87
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,188	50.12	596	114

Every lot, as filed

32 lots · USDA AMS · Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Mon)

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.

Class	Weight	Grade / description	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Feeder Cattle · Steers4 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	330	211.00/cwt	211.00–211.00	696	15
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	381	195.82/cwt	191.00–205.00	746	72
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	819	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,065	6
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	933	119.00/cwt	119.00–119.00	1,110	2
Feeder Cattle · Heifers6 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	323	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	533	35
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	377	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	566	46
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	440	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	585	16
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	444	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	622	17
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	715	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	937	1
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	831	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	1,014	16
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—	1,705	72.50/cwt	72.50–72.50	1,236	2
Bulls	—	—	1,770	88.00/cwt	88.00–88.00	1,558	1
Bulls	—	—	1,921	79.00/cwt	77.50–80.50	1,518	4
Slaughter Cattle · Cows14 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	868	36.00/cwt	36.00–36.00	312	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,083	47.16/cwt	46.00–48.50	511	3
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,153	42.36/cwt	41.00–43.00	488	6
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,178	53.67/cwt	52.00–55.00	632	19
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,180	62.00/cwt	62.00–62.00	732	11
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,196	45.53/cwt	44.00–48.00	545	17
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,212	49.46/cwt	48.00–51.50	599	56
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,346	55.54/cwt	52.00–58.50	748	18
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,352	64.22/cwt	64.00–64.50	868	36
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,368	64.45/cwt	59.00–70.00	882	2
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,372	49.50/cwt	49.50–49.50	679	9
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,505	51.60/cwt	49.50–54.50	777	22
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,527	69.06/cwt	67.00–70.00	1,055	6
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,645	71.50/cwt	71.50–71.50	1,176	2
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows4 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	830	73.00/cwt	73.00–73.00	606	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	959	90.49/cwt	82.00–93.00	868	52
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,099	65.94/cwt	62.00–71.00	725	21
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,168	57.50/cwt	57.50–57.50	672	6
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows1 lot · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,233	1,027.66/cwt	985.00–1,085.00	12,671	45

How this sale compares

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.

Montana feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Mon)

Mon Oct 19, 2020

USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)

Feeder CattleReceipts 334Last week 424Year ago 4,825

Slaughter CattleReceipts 257Last week 459Year ago 160

Replacement CattleReceipts 148Last week 80Year ago 410

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	21	—	1,099	62.00–71.00	65.94
(<2 yrs)	Open	52	—	959	82.00–93.00	90.49

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	6	—	1,168	57.50	57.50
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	830	73.00	73.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	45	—	1,233	985.00–1,085.00	1,027.66

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
72	—	381	191.00–205.00	195.82
15	—	330	211.00	211.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	933	119.00	119.00
6	—	819	130.00	130.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
35	—	323	165.00	165.00
46	—	377	150.00	150.00
17	—	444	140.00	140.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	831	122.00	122.00
1	—	715	131.00	131.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	440	133.00	133.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
22	—	1,505	49.50–54.50	51.60
2	—	1,368	59.00–70.00	64.45
9	—	1,372	49.50	49.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
18	—	1,346	52.00–58.50	55.54
36	—	1,352	64.00–64.50	64.22

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,645	71.50	71.50
6	—	1,527	67.00–70.00	69.06

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
19	—	1,178	52.00–55.00	53.67
3	—	1,083	46.00–48.50	47.16
11	—	1,180	62.00	62.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
56	—	1,212	48.00–51.50	49.46
6	—	1,153	41.00–43.00	42.36
17	—	1,196	44.00–48.00	45.53

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	868	36.00	36.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,770	88.00	88.00
2	—	1,705	72.50	72.50
4	—	1,921	77.50–80.50	79.00

Head, weight ranges, average weights and price ranges are exactly as USDA AMS filed them — nothing recomputed, nothing rounded — in USDA's own reporting structure. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of that data, not a copy of USDA's document.