Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2019-05-23

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, May 23
● Final48 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
210 head
102 vs last sale 312 210 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
115 head
335 vs last sale 450 115 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
535 head
290 vs last sale 825 535 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: Feeder steers and heifer were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain to average and offered in small packages. Demand was moderate to good for cattle suitable to run on grass. All other weights of cattle sold on light to moderate demand. CME contracts finished the day steady to firm. Market activity this week was mostly slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mixed demand this week. Packers showed significantly lighter demand for cows this week as they allowed feeding buyers to purchase the majority of cows. Feeding buyers continue to show good demand for cows as they purchased all ages and body conditions. With packers backed up mostly out of the market feeding cows sold steady to 4.00 lower. Slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00-4.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-4.00 lower. Young age cows sold on light to moderate demand. These offerings sold generally steady on light offerings.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $141.61/cwt on 66 head.
Average price
$141.61
66 head · 586 lb average
Value per head Derived
$830
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$162
per head · Medium and Large 2 over Medium 2
$33.78/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+5.40
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 2444147.786579thin
Medium and Large 1594144.5185843
Medium and Large 1-2607139.758488thin
Medium 2718114.008196thin
One grade step is worth $33.78/cwt here — about −$162 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 sale66 hd
141.61
MT average3 barns · 150 hd
136.21
+5.40
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
BullsAverage1,79585.161,52854
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,55367.001,0412thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,45460.278768thin
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,14659.2267832

Every lot, as filed

48 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
SteersMedium and Large 1-2670149.66/cwt149.00–150.001,0033
SteersMedium and Large 1785141.00/cwt141.00–141.001,1076
SteersMedium and Large 1-2537169.00/cwt169.00–169.009083
SteersMedium 1675138.00/cwt138.00–138.009325
SteersMedium and Large 1653154.00/cwt154.00–154.001,0062
SteersMedium and Large 1713148.00/cwt148.00–148.001,0552
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2562145.00/cwt145.00–145.008156
HeifersMedium and Large 1377166.00/cwt166.00–166.006266
HeifersMedium and Large 2465135.00/cwt135.00–135.006284
HeifersMedium and Large 2428158.00/cwt158.00–158.006765
SteersLarge 11,139114.00/cwt114.00–114.001,2985
SteersMedium and Large 1521175.00/cwt175.00–175.009126
CowsBoner 80-85%1,48567.50/cwt67.50–67.501,0021
CowsBoner 80-85%1,44959.24/cwt55.00–63.008587
HeifersMedium 2718114.00/cwt114.00–114.008196
HeifersMedium and Large 1698134.00/cwt134.00–134.009352
HeifersMedium and Large 1619146.00/cwt146.00–146.0090415
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2740124.00/cwt124.00–124.009182
BullsMedium and Large 11,195114.18/cwt108.00–118.001,3645
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,55367.00/cwt67.00–67.001,0412
CowsLean 85-90%1,19049.00/cwt49.00–49.005832
CowsLean 85-90%1,25767.94/cwt67.00–69.008543
CowsLean 85-90%1,22663.81/cwt63.00–64.007825
CowsLean 85-90%1,13757.78/cwt53.00–62.5065718
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight97858.50/cwt58.50–58.505724
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned593156.00/cwt156.00–156.009253
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned497174.00/cwt174.00–174.008653
Stock CowsMedium and Large 196096.24/cwt77.00–105.0092455
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,22364.39/cwt59.00–71.0078798
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2091,110.02/cwt1,075.00–1,125.0013,4209
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3311,266.76/cwt1,175.00–1,300.0016,8618
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,3151,700.00/cwt1,700.00–1,700.0022,3553
SteersMedium and Large 1577164.00/cwt164.00–164.009463
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,01064.00/cwt64.00–64.006461
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,12061.00/cwt61.00–61.006831
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,14559.20/cwt54.00–62.5067821
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,40570.32/cwt66.00–72.7598842
Stock CowsLarge 11,08668.00/cwt68.00–68.007386
Stock CowsLarge 196271.00/cwt71.00–71.006833
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,07581.11/cwt68.00–97.5087276
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,41167.63/cwt61.50–71.7595463
Bulls1,76487.26/cwt82.00–91.501,53926
Bulls1,70177.60/cwt67.00–82.501,32019
Bulls2,08295.03/cwt92.50–97.501,9799
BullsMedium and Large 1-2511146.69/cwt144.00–153.0075010
BullsMedium and Large 1873119.66/cwt118.00–127.001,0459
BullsLarge 1-21,030101.00/cwt101.00–101.001,0401
HeifersMedium and Large 1Fleshy630138.00/cwt138.00–138.0086920

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.