Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2019-08-08

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Aug 8
● Final48 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
256 head
9 vs last sale 247 256 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
465 head
218 vs last sale 247 465 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
474 head
404 vs last sale 70 474 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 heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however mostly higher undertones were noticed. A few yearlings were on offer this week, these offerings were met with mostly moderate to good demand. Quality was mostly average to attractive. Market activity was moderate to active. Weigh up cows and bulls comprised the majority of the sale this week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Packers were very active in bidding on offerings as they tried to purchase the majority of cows and bulls for immediate harvest. Cows were very full this week offering buyers below average weigh up conditions. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher. Feeding buyers purchased cows on good demand as well. Feeders were only able to pull as few loads away from packers this week. Feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-4.00 higher. Cow quality this week was mostly attractive. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher this week. Packers showed good demand for lean grinding materials this week as most cows on offer were pushing moderate to heavy amounts of flesh. Young age cows suitable to re-breed sold on good demand. These offerings sold with higher undertones in a narrow comparison.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $130.34/cwt on 168 head.
Average price
$130.34
168 head · 797 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,039
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$342
per head · Medium 1 over Large 1
$13.75/cwt at this weight
vs the market
0.30
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1645134.7587055
Medium and Large 1858128.981,107100
Medium and Large 1-2873126.001,1003thin
Large 11,001121.001,21110thin
One grade step is worth $13.75/cwt here — about −$342 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 sale168 hd
130.34
MT average2 barns · 185 hd
130.64
−0.30
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
BullsHigh1,83388.141,616121
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,54768.571,06120
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,42368.37973185
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,19765.3778393

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
Bulls1,99995.97/cwt93.50–99.001,91818
Bulls1,57980.63/cwt75.00–84.501,27325
Bulls1,89589.01/cwt84.00–94.501,68775
BullsLight Weight1,40582.00/cwt82.00–82.001,1523
CowsBoner 80-85%1,46671.18/cwt70.75–73.001,04335
CowsBoner 80-85%1,28963.80/cwt62.00–66.5082244
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,50865.51/cwt62.50–68.0098871
HeifersMedium and Large 1Fancy916129.75/cwt129.75–129.751,18915
HeifersMedium and Large 1825130.53/cwt128.00–132.001,07726
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned297182.50/cwt182.50–182.505422
SteersMedium and Large 1752144.50/cwt144.50–144.501,0876
SteersMedium and Large 1862138.00/cwt138.00–138.001,1906
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned335177.50/cwt177.50–177.505951
HeifersMedium and Large 1760135.33/cwt135.00–136.001,0293
BullsMedium and Large 1823129.00/cwt129.00–129.001,0626
HeifersMedium and Large 1672137.00/cwt137.00–137.009218
HeifersMedium and Large 1870128.04/cwt127.00–128.751,1148
HeifersMedium and Large 1739136.16/cwt134.50–137.001,0069
HeifersMedium and Large 1972119.72/cwt116.00–124.001,16413
SteersMedium and Large 1603154.00/cwt154.00–154.009292
BullsMedium and Large 1-2845125.00/cwt125.00–125.001,0562
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2873126.00/cwt126.00–126.001,1003
SteersMedium and Large 1-2787139.00/cwt139.00–139.001,0945
HeifersMedium and Large 1929125.00/cwt125.00–125.001,16118
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight93855.00/cwt55.00–55.005162
CowsLean 85-90%1,33872.38/cwt71.00–73.009683
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,48062.77/cwt62.00–63.509292
CowsLean 85-90%1,20266.69/cwt64.00–70.5080251
CowsLean 85-90%1,19363.55/cwt59.00–65.0075837
CowsBreaker 75-80%Heavy Weight2,02065.00/cwt65.00–65.001,3131
HeifersLarge 11,001121.00/cwt121.00–121.001,21110
BullsLarge 11,063120.00/cwt120.00–120.001,27616
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,53669.30/cwt67.00–70.501,06416
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,38072.00/cwt72.00–72.009941
CowsBoner 80-85%1,41553.00/cwt53.00–53.007501
CowsBoner 80-85%1,46569.49/cwt65.00–70.501,018105
SteersMedium 1-2675138.00/cwt138.00–138.009322
BullsMedium 1-2677122.50/cwt122.50–122.508297
HeifersMedium 1593141.00/cwt141.00–141.0083612
HeifersMedium 1660133.00/cwt133.00–133.0087843
BullsLarge 1-21,098108.00/cwt108.00–108.001,1862
BullsLarge 11,027122.33/cwt122.00–123.001,2563
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,35165.00/cwt65.00–65.008785
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,41057.00/cwt57.00–57.008041
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,46870.44/cwt66.75–72.501,03494
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,21475.64/cwt67.00–82.0091890
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,12382.98/cwt74.00–104.0093263
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,38469.35/cwt66.25–71.5096071

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.