Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2019-07-25

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Jul 25
● Final34 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
247 head
248 vs last sale 495 247 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
247 head
71 vs last sale 318 247 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
70 head
730 vs last sale 800 70 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

Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however mostly higher undertones were noticed. A few yearlings were on sale this week, these offerings were met with mostly moderate to good demand. Quality was mostly plain to average. Market activity was moderate. Weigh up cows comprised over half the sale this week. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for light offerings. Packers were very active in bidding on offerings as they tried to keep feeding buyers out of the market as cow and bull offerings were limited. The majority of cows are destined for immediate harvest as packers showed need for cows for immediate kill. Slaughter cows sold 2.00-5.00 higher on all classes of slaughter cows. Feeding cows were too lightly tested this week to develop any market trend. Cows offered buyers average to below average weigh up conditions throughout the sale. Cow Quality this week was average. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00 higher. Young age cows were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality was mostly plain to average this week.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $129.99/cwt on 108 head.
Average price
$129.99
108 head · 955 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,242
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$278
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Large 1
$20.19/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+0.00
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2714144.841,03412thin
Medium and Large 1946132.751,25616thin
Large 1-2917130.501,19635
Large 11,053124.651,31245
One grade step is worth $20.19/cwt here — about −$278 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 sale108 hd
129.99
MT average1 barns · 108 hd
129.99
+0.00
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
BullsAverage1,82987.211,59537
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,50565.1998186
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,40264.8190942
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,19962.3074752

Every lot, as filed

34 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
Bulls1,81486.40/cwt82.00–90.001,56725
CowsLean 85-90%1,17060.83/cwt55.00–62.5071224
CowsBoner 80-85%1,39665.30/cwt63.00–68.0091238
Bulls1,93092.18/cwt89.50–97.001,7799
Bulls1,64579.03/cwt72.00–81.501,3003
CowsBoner 80-85%1,46160.14/cwt59.50–60.508794
SteersMedium and Large 1986128.70/cwt128.50–129.501,26910
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2648128.00/cwt128.00–128.008293
HeifersMedium and Large 1823127.43/cwt126.00–129.501,04912
HeifersMedium and Large 1685135.05/cwt135.00–136.0092538
HeifersMedium and Large 1925123.50/cwt123.50–123.501,14211
SteersMedium and Large 1-2684148.67/cwt148.00–149.001,0176
SteersLarge 11,192116.00/cwt116.00–116.001,3837
SteersLarge 1-2932130.00/cwt130.00–130.001,21228
HeifersMedium and Large 1628139.00/cwt139.00–139.0087313
SteersMedium and Large 1879139.50/cwt139.50–139.501,2266
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,02386.00/cwt86.00–86.008807
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,17970.77/cwt67.00–74.5083440
CowsLean 85-90%1,32668.25/cwt67.00–71.509055
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,55960.26/cwt55.00–63.0093923
HeifersMedium and Large 1756130.00/cwt130.00–130.009834
SteersMedium and Large 1-2744141.00/cwt141.00–141.001,0496
SteersLarge 11,009126.91/cwt126.75–127.751,28132
SteersLarge 11,069127.48/cwt126.00–129.001,3634
CowsLean 85-90%1,30265.39/cwt63.00–67.0085117
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight93058.50/cwt58.50–58.505441
SteersLarge 1-2856132.50/cwt132.50–132.501,1347
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,32164.05/cwt64.00–64.5084611
CowsLean 85-90%1,10053.00/cwt53.00–53.005831
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight84556.14/cwt52.00–60.004742
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight88351.40/cwt50.00–53.004542
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,48566.99/cwt63.50–68.0099563
HeifersLarge 11,018115.00/cwt115.00–115.001,1715
SteersLarge 11,238113.00/cwt113.00–113.001,3992

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.