Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2019-05-02
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2019-05-02

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers 500-749 lbs sold steady to 3.00 lower. Feeder heifer under 550 lbs sold steady to weak, 550-699 lbs sold mostly 5.00-8.00 lower, heifers over 700 lbs sold mostly steady to 2.00 lower. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Many load lots of cattle were offered this week. Buyers were able to put together loads of cattle as many long strings of weaned yearlings were on offer. Flesh varied this week from very light to moderate plus. CME feeder contracts have posted losses 9 days in a row as of today's close. Despite lower CME feeder contract prices buyers showed good demand for high quality offerings. Demand was mostly moderate for all cattle on offer. Market activity was mostly active with a good crowd of buyers on hand. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for heavy offerings. Slaughter cows sold generally steady to weak on a fuller lower quality offering this week. Feeding cows sold weak as buyers discounted cows for fill, much like packers. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Young age 2-3 year olds sold steady to firm. A large portion of the supply was made up of open heifers which sold at a 5.00-8.00 premium to offerings which calved. Demand for wet bagged cows remains very good. Quality this week was mostly attractive.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $142.63/cwt on 1,470 head.

Average price

$142.63

1,470 head · 640 lb average

Value per head Derived

$913

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$22

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

$13.36/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−0.38

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1-2	519	150.36	780	80
Medium and Large 1-2	563	146.87	826	188
Medium and Large 1	662	141.56	937	1,176
Medium and Large 2	585	137.00	801	26

One grade step is worth $13.36/cwt here — about −$22 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 sale1,470 hd

142.63

—

MT average3 barns · 1,789 hd

143.01

−0.38

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	1,986	91.17	1,811	4thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,435	62.58	898	24
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,612	61.07	985	7thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,210	59.43	719	56

Every lot, as filed

99 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.

Class	Grade / description	Weight	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	514	183.38/cwt	183.00–183.50	943	39
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	480	178.86/cwt	172.00–183.00	859	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	831	130.45/cwt	130.00–130.50	1,084	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	623	150.62/cwt	149.00–165.00	938	39
Heifer Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,057	1,993.03/cwt	1,800.00–2,150.00	21,066	68
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	741	144.89/cwt	136.00–145.00	1,074	80
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	639	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	863	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	1,117	1,579.85/cwt	1,400.00–1,700.00	17,647	3
Heifer Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,078	2,100.00/cwt	2,100.00–2,100.00	22,638	17
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,157	65.15/cwt	63.50–65.50	754	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,225	58.99/cwt	55.00–62.00	723	45
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	945	53.24/cwt	52.00–54.50	503	2
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,072	107.85/cwt	105.00–109.50	1,156	13
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	962	118.00/cwt	118.00–118.00	1,135	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	720	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	1,008	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	492	177.50/cwt	177.50–177.50	873	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	774	130.50/cwt	129.00–132.25	1,010	158
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	585	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	801	26
Steers	Large 1	—	1,013	118.00/cwt	118.00–118.00	1,195	3
Steers	Medium 1	—	506	178.00/cwt	178.00–178.00	901	7
Steers	Medium 1-2Value Added	—	657	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	1,005	6
Steers	Medium 1-2Value Added	—	551	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	942	55
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	656	174.50/cwt	174.50–174.50	1,145	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	880	129.64/cwt	128.50–132.00	1,141	30
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	483	187.56/cwt	187.00–190.00	906	26
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	989	123.14/cwt	123.00–123.50	1,218	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	916	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	1,172	7
Heifer Pairs	Medium 1	—	929	1,639.68/cwt	1,500.00–1,700.00	15,233	25
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,293	1,181.49/cwt	1,100.00–1,250.00	15,277	13
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,433	1,050.00/cwt	1,050.00–1,050.00	15,047	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Natural	—	423	173.00/cwt	173.00–173.00	732	16
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	632	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	923	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	568	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	903	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Natural	—	509	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	870	45
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Natural	—	302	195.00/cwt	195.00–195.00	589	8
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,555	67.50/cwt	67.50–67.50	1,050	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,422	64.69/cwt	63.50–67.00	920	14
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,454	59.63/cwt	55.00–61.00	867	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	684	149.84/cwt	143.00–153.00	1,025	80
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	661	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	879	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	441	156.97/cwt	155.00–159.00	692	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	331	172.29/cwt	172.00–172.50	570	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	481	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	741	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	798	1,100.00/cwt	1,100.00–1,100.00	8,778	73
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	621	144.94/cwt	142.50–147.75	900	267
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	585	147.90/cwt	145.50–151.00	865	159
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,053	83.38/cwt	65.00–100.00	878	26
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	909	109.00/cwt	76.00–126.50	991	158
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,478	65.27/cwt	60.00–68.50	965	16
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,530	63.89/cwt	61.50–66.50	978	22
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,250	1,425.00/cwt	1,425.00–1,425.00	17,813	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	395	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	652	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,430	1,488.93/cwt	1,450.00–1,525.00	21,292	11
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,590	1,366.04/cwt	1,350.00–1,400.00	21,720	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	681	143.01/cwt	142.50–143.25	974	78
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	873	124.27/cwt	120.00–124.50	1,085	60
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	472	165.76/cwt	162.00–168.50	782	51
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	659	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	890	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	623	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	878	12
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,480	1,178.58/cwt	1,125.00–1,200.00	17,443	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	633	172.80/cwt	171.00–175.25	1,094	87
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	676	161.86/cwt	155.00–173.00	1,094	58
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	726	150.42/cwt	146.50–157.00	1,092	109
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,293	68.77/cwt	67.00–70.50	889	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,198	52.01/cwt	51.00–53.00	623	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,622	60.00/cwt	60.00–60.00	973	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	541	148.39/cwt	145.00–150.50	803	30
Heifers	Medium 1-2Value Added	—	531	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	775	50
Heifers	Medium 1-2Value Added	—	469	161.75/cwt	160.00–162.00	759	25
Heifers	Medium 1-2Value Added	—	642	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	880	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	436	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	698	7
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,264	1,846.07/cwt	1,800.00–1,900.00	23,334	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	763	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	1,076	7
Bulls	—	—	2,185	98.84/cwt	97.50–100.00	2,160	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	773	143.97/cwt	141.50–145.75	1,113	165
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	576	177.74/cwt	174.00–180.50	1,024	200
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	832	138.30/cwt	132.00–142.50	1,151	220
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,390	2,242.37/cwt	2,100.00–2,260.00	31,169	47
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,329	1,575.00/cwt	1,575.00–1,575.00	20,932	10
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,462	1,307.83/cwt	1,250.00–1,350.00	19,120	46
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,425	1,450.00/cwt	1,450.00–1,450.00	20,663	9
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,422	1,650.00/cwt	1,650.00–1,650.00	23,463	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	517	156.56/cwt	153.00–161.00	809	98
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	813	128.98/cwt	124.50–129.75	1,049	107
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	727	132.55/cwt	131.00–138.00	964	138
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	407	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	733	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	392	195.74/cwt	194.00–200.00	767	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	587	171.50/cwt	171.50–171.50	1,007	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	918	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	1,138	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	550	172.00/cwt	172.00–172.00	946	10
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,281	66.52/cwt	64.00–71.50	852	11
Bulls	—	—	1,745	84.50/cwt	84.50–84.50	1,475	1
Bulls	—	—	1,830	82.50/cwt	82.50–82.50	1,510	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	488	154.90/cwt	153.00–156.50	756	38
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	630	140.08/cwt	137.00–142.00	883	47
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	588	144.45/cwt	142.00–145.00	849	58
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,487	1,350.00/cwt	1,350.00–1,350.00	20,075	10
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,843	1,475.00/cwt	1,475.00–1,475.00	27,184	11
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,461	1,508.85/cwt	1,450.00–1,550.00	22,044	8

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 →