Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2019-04-18

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Apr 18
● Final57 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
430 head
85 vs last sale 345 430 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
1,270 head
1,110 vs last sale 160 1,270 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
200 head
58 vs last sale 258 200 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Also sold here(Mon)Thu Apr 16, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Steers and heifers were too lightly tested this week to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain. Calves were mostly offered in small packages again this week. Demand for feeders was mostly moderate. Offerings this week were light. Market activity was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for mostly moderate offerings. Feeding buyers were the main push this week as they were fully back in the market after being mostly sidelined over the last few weeks due to weather and lot conditions. Packers also purchased cows to send to feed this week as they prepare for increased summer grilling demand. Packers also showed good demand for cows to send to immediate harvest as lightened holiday sale schedules helped fuel demand. All classes of feeding and slaughter cows sold on good demand. Cow quality this week was mostly attractive to very attractive, with many high quality and high dressing cows in the offering. Slaughter cows and feeding cows both sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold on good demand as well as packers showed good demand for lean grinding materials. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-5.00 higher. A strong offering of bred cattle sold on was seen this sale. Most of these cows calve between now and late June. Many buyers were on hand to bid on these offerings. Quality was average to attractive. 2-3 year old cows suitable to re-breed sold on moderate to good demand, these offerings sold higher on moderate supplies.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $145.22/cwt on 142 head.
Average price
$145.22
142 head · 653 lb average
Value per head Derived
$948
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$176
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 1
$11.58/cwt at this weight
vs the market
4.09
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2555151.8384361
Medium and Large 1726140.251,01981
One grade step is worth $11.58/cwt here — about −$176 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 sale142 hd
145.22
MT average3 barns · 2,820 hd
149.31
−4.09
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 · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
BullsLow1,90583.011,58189
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,54364.941,0028thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,45461.5289445
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,17658.4568725

Every lot, as filed

57 lots · USDA AMS · Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Thu)
Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,5431,185.00/cwt1,185.00–1,185.0018,2855
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,4631,250.00/cwt1,250.00–1,250.0018,2884
BullsMedium and Large 1739141.50/cwt141.50–141.501,0464
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,31461.20/cwt55.00–65.5080465
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,09954.15/cwt51.00–56.5059526
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned452165.00/cwt165.00–165.007463
SteersMedium and Large 1110325.00/cwt300.00–375.003583
HeifersMedium and Large 1638150.00/cwt150.00–150.009579
HeifersMedium and Large 1578160.50/cwt160.50–160.5092820
Bred HeifersMedium 1-29181,050.00/cwt1,050.00–1,050.009,6396
Bred CowsMedium 11,0431,427.20/cwt1,425.00–1,450.0014,88611
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3621,458.05/cwt1,300.00–1,510.0019,85927
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1985103.68/cwt81.00–122.501,021149
HeifersMedium and Large 1Fleshy835129.09/cwt128.00–129.501,07836
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned479173.00/cwt173.00–173.008294
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned509143.00/cwt143.00–143.007284
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight96253.24/cwt53.00–54.005124
CowsBoner 80-85%1,40464.12/cwt61.50–66.5090013
CowsBoner 80-85%1,60168.30/cwt67.00–69.501,09310
HeifersMedium and Large 1710137.00/cwt137.00–137.009733
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2721134.75/cwt134.50–135.009726
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2515154.29/cwt154.00–154.5079523
CowsBoner 80-85%1,41656.90/cwt55.50–60.5080622
Bulls1,65576.95/cwt71.00–78.001,27416
SteersMedium and Large 1-2571172.13/cwt170.50–172.5098316
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2455163.00/cwt163.00–163.007424
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2447159.00/cwt159.00–159.007113
Heifer PairsMedium and Large 1-21,0161,550.00/cwt1,550.00–1,550.0015,7489
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2501,613.89/cwt1,500.00–1,660.0020,174240
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2581151.01/cwt150.50–153.0087725
SteersMedium and Large 1-2487182.50/cwt182.50–182.508893
BullsMedium and Large 1-2874111.00/cwt111.00–111.009704
BullsMedium and Large 11,54383.65/cwt80.50–88.001,29120
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3071,455.44/cwt1,450.00–1,475.0019,0239
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,11488.22/cwt63.00–106.0098392
SteersMedium and Large 1879135.38/cwt135.00–135.501,1904
HeifersMedium and Large 1813130.00/cwt130.00–130.001,0579
SteersMedium and Large 1700161.00/cwt161.00–161.001,1272
BullsMedium and Large 11,3271,814.35/cwt1,500.00–2,100.0024,07613
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1461,150.00/cwt1,150.00–1,150.0013,1795
BullsMedium and Large 11,4952,448.81/cwt2,000.00–2,800.0036,61020
BullsMedium and Large 1807139.50/cwt139.50–139.501,1268
BullsMedium and Large 1973121.00/cwt121.00–121.001,1777
BullsMedium and Large 1873126.00/cwt126.00–126.001,1004
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,36767.17/cwt62.00–70.0091889
BullsMedium and Large 11,7361,675.00/cwt1,675.00–1,675.0029,07819
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,5221,441.82/cwt1,425.00–1,450.0021,9456
CowsLean 85-90%1,24763.61/cwt62.00–64.507935
CowsLean 85-90%1,21458.88/cwt54.50–62.5071514
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,46056.00/cwt56.00–56.008182
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,57167.92/cwt67.50–68.501,0676
Bulls1,94883.74/cwt80.00–90.501,63170
Bulls2,23598.30/cwt97.00–99.002,1973
CowsLean 85-90%1,15553.00/cwt53.00–53.006122
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,43465.52/cwt60.00–68.0094080
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,1611,575.00/cwt1,575.00–1,575.0018,2864
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,5481,189.53/cwt1,135.00–1,210.0018,41412

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.