Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2019-09-12
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2019-09-12

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested this sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. CME positions took a positive bounce this week giving buyers some confidence in the market. Demand was moderate to good. Quality this week was mostly plain to average and significantly lower than last week. Market activity was moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light demand and offerings. Packers showed light demand for cows this week as they bid on mostly blemished or lame cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-7.00 lower. Feeding buyers showed lighter demand for cows as well. Feeding buyers know seasonally heavier supplies are just around the corner and showed very light demand for thin cows as a result. Fleshy cows sold with the best demand this week. Feeders purchased these cows in hopes of getting them finished for the usual increase in demand for fed cows during the holidays. Cows this week offered buyers below average weigh-up conditions as most were very full and many were thin from weaning calves. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 5.00 lower. Young age cows suitable to re-breed sold on light to moderate demand; however, these offerings were too lightly tested to develop any market trend.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $130.37/cwt on 105 head.

Average price

$130.37

105 head · 896 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,169

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$252

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

$16.53/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−8.73

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	742	136.53	1,014	15thin
Medium and Large 1	859	133.79	1,149	61
Large 1	1,055	120.00	1,266	29

One grade step is worth $16.53/cwt here — about −$252 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 sale105 hd

130.37

—

MT average3 barns · 699 hd

139.10

−8.73

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	1,845	77.00	1,421	61
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Very Low	1,436	55.92	803	24
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,210	53.67	649	42

Every lot, as filed

37 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
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Full	—	547	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	695	13
Heifers	Large 1Full	—	1,022	112.11/cwt	112.00–112.50	1,146	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	839	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	1,032	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	937	118.45/cwt	118.00–119.00	1,110	11
Bulls	—	—	1,993	83.70/cwt	82.00–86.00	1,668	6
Bulls	—	—	1,678	72.43/cwt	67.00–75.00	1,215	17
Bulls	—	—	1,897	77.98/cwt	75.50–81.50	1,479	38
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,635	47.50/cwt	47.50–47.50	777	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,434	58.50/cwt	58.00–59.50	839	8
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,424	55.11/cwt	53.00–56.50	785	15
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,051	75.07/cwt	71.00–78.50	789	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	713	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	998	9
Steers	Large 1	—	1,055	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	1,266	29
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	981	1,010.00/cwt	1,010.00–1,010.00	9,908	10
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,153	69.31/cwt	67.00–72.00	799	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,705	61.76/cwt	60.00–64.00	1,053	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,478	63.43/cwt	58.00–68.00	937	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	823	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	1,086	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	800	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	1,096	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	757	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	1,060	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	917	134.60/cwt	133.00–135.00	1,234	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	988	123.69/cwt	123.00–127.50	1,222	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	768	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	1,006	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	879	121.39/cwt	121.00–122.00	1,067	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	753	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	1,009	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	732	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	988	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	826	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	1,041	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	973	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	1,119	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	928	101.00/cwt	101.00–101.00	937	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,044	44.41/cwt	41.00–48.50	464	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,243	56.70/cwt	56.50–57.00	705	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,225	54.33/cwt	50.00–56.00	666	33
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,071	112.50/cwt	112.50–112.50	1,205	7
Heifers	Medium 1	—	715	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	937	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	977	120.50/cwt	120.50–120.50	1,177	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,362	55.40/cwt	54.50–56.00	755	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,460	57.00/cwt	55.00–57.50	832	4

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 →