Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2019-09-05

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Sep 5
● Final65 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,496 head
1,331 vs last sale 165 1,496 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
645 head
325 vs last sale 320 645 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
283 head
129 vs last sale 154 283 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Also sold here(Mon)Thu Apr 16, 2026
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: Feeder steers were too lightly tested last sale to develop any market trend. Feeder heifers sold mostly 2.00-4.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Quality this week was average to very attractive. Cattle were mostly in light flesh and coming off grass. Demand for yearlings was light to moderate for steers and mostly light for heifers. Yearling offerings were moderate. A few packages of spring born calves were seen this sale. These offerings were met with mostly light demand for light to moderate offerings. Market activity this week was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Packers showed lighter demand for cows to send to harvest this week and opted to send most high quality offerings to feed. Cow quality was mostly plain to average. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average as most all offerings were very full due to unseasonably warm weather. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 lower, with the exception of lean cows which sold mostly 2.00-5.00 lower. Feeding cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower. Young age cows suitable to re-breed sold on light to moderate demand. Young age cows sold with steady undertones in a narrow comparison.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $127.76/cwt on 625 head.
Average price
$127.76
625 head · 788 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,006
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$180
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1-2
$29.01/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 1737132.01973441
Medium 1786122.6896459
Medium and Large 1-2867118.971,03133
Medium 1-2674118.0079512thin
Large 11,044114.181,19273
Large 1-21,120103.001,1547thin
One grade step is worth $29.01/cwt here — about −$180 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 sale625 hd
127.76
MT average1 barns · 625 hd
127.76
+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
BullsAverage1,92981.741,57784
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,48860.5090062
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,40060.38846197
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,26254.67690247

Every lot, as filed

65 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
CowsBoner 80-85%1,64064.68/cwt64.00–67.501,06124
CowsBoner 80-85%1,63369.00/cwt69.00–69.001,1272
Bulls1,96983.05/cwt80.50–86.501,63552
Bulls1,79976.30/cwt71.00–80.501,37324
Bulls2,05989.53/cwt87.50–93.501,8438
SteersMedium and Large 1753139.50/cwt139.50–139.501,05036
CowsLean 85-90%1,24964.22/cwt63.50–65.008027
SteersMedium and Large 1-2708136.00/cwt136.00–136.009637
SteersMedium and Large 1-2758134.50/cwt134.50–134.501,0203
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Full860123.00/cwt123.00–123.001,0585
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned411170.00/cwt170.00–170.0069963
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned502155.00/cwt155.00–155.0077848
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned325178.00/cwt178.00–178.005794
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned568140.00/cwt140.00–140.007953
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2858119.44/cwt116.00–121.001,02518
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2903116.00/cwt116.00–116.001,0478
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2738125.00/cwt125.00–125.009234
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2997116.00/cwt116.00–116.001,1573
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned409156.50/cwt156.50–156.5064075
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned490139.15/cwt138.00–139.5068249
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned307160.00/cwt160.00–160.0049123
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,47259.85/cwt56.00–61.0088154
HeifersMedium 1686125.00/cwt125.00–125.0085812
HeifersMedium 1601140.00/cwt140.00–140.008418
HeifersLarge 1-21,120103.00/cwt103.00–103.001,1547
HeifersLarge 11,029116.04/cwt111.00–119.501,19453
HeifersLarge 11,081110.50/cwt110.00–111.001,19510
HeifersLarge 11,147105.00/cwt105.00–105.001,2048
HeifersLarge 1848120.00/cwt120.00–120.001,0182
CowsLean 85-90%1,18750.06/cwt50.00–52.0059447
HeifersMedium 1836118.61/cwt116.00–120.0099226
BullsMedium and Large 1-2505127.50/cwt127.50–127.506446
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,21559.00/cwt59.00–59.007171
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,59364.88/cwt64.00–66.001,0348
CowsBoner 80-85%1,36459.68/cwt54.50–63.00814171
HeifersMedium 1-2674118.00/cwt118.00–118.0079512
HeifersMedium and Large 1803122.00/cwt122.00–122.009803
HeifersMedium and Large 1712131.00/cwt131.00–131.0093325
HeifersMedium and Large 1768127.42/cwt125.00–128.5097927
HeifersMedium and Large 1882123.25/cwt121.00–125.001,08736
HeifersMedium and Large 1974118.13/cwt116.00–120.501,15155
HeifersMedium and Large 1927121.39/cwt118.00–124.751,125148
SteersMedium and Large 1922132.07/cwt125.50–133.501,218138
HeifersMedium 1893118.00/cwt118.00–118.001,05413
SteersLarge 11,029120.33/cwt119.00–121.001,23845
CowsLean 85-90%1,28155.44/cwt54.00–63.50710193
SteersLarge 11,072120.24/cwt118.50–121.001,28950
SteersLarge 1-21,146108.00/cwt108.00–108.001,2387
SteersMedium and Large 1Full947120.00/cwt120.00–120.001,13616
SteersMedium and Large 1950122.50/cwt122.50–122.501,1643
SteersMedium and Large 1820135.00/cwt135.00–135.001,10725
SteersLarge 11,126113.47/cwt112.00–115.501,2787
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned445146.00/cwt146.00–146.006503
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,42560.77/cwt58.50–68.00866164
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,43066.45/cwt61.00–68.5095023
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,21872.75/cwt71.00–75.008867
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,21669.07/cwt65.50–72.008409
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,41968.56/cwt67.00–70.5097312
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,28557.00/cwt57.00–57.007321
BullsLarge 11,19597.50/cwt97.50–97.501,1657
BullsMedium and Large 1952117.00/cwt117.00–117.001,1143
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned496149.00/cwt149.00–149.007399
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned297188.50/cwt188.50–188.5056014
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned563138.00/cwt138.00–138.0077727
BullsMedium and Large 1-2341170.00/cwt170.00–170.005806

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.