Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2019-09-19

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Sep 19
● Final44 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
788 head
388 vs last sale 400 788 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
235 head
97 vs last sale 138 235 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
65 head
31 vs last sale 96 65 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: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. CME positions continue to see positive movement this week giving buyers continued confidence in the market. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Quality was better in places compared to last week. Demand was moderate to good. Market activity was moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand and light to moderate offerings. Packers showed moderate demand to start the sale, however demand increased to mostly good as the sale progressed. Packers showed need for cows for immediate harvest as they bid aggressively on nearly every cow that sold today. slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher. Feeding cow buyers showed good demand for fleshy cows again this week. The majority of feeding cows purchased this week were fleshy cows as packers pushed most other cow offerings above where feeders wanted to buy them. Cows this week offered buyers average to below average weigh up conditions and slightly better than last week. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher again on good demand from packer buyers. Young age cows suitable to re-breed sold on mostly moderate demand however these offerings were too lightly tested to develop any market trend.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $136.75/cwt on 391 head.
Average price
$136.75
391 head · 796 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,089
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$229
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$9.45/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+5.01
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1805137.151,105361
Medium 1686136.0693315thin
Medium and Large 1-2686127.7087615thin
One grade step is worth $9.45/cwt here — about $229 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 sale391 hd
136.75
MT average3 barns · 1,096 hd
131.74
+5.01
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
BullsAverage1,85781.081,50665
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,47562.8992846
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,71562.251,0682thin
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,22956.8769985
SteersChoiceLow1,32795.001,26111

Every lot, as filed

44 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
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2820126.17/cwt126.00–126.501,0359
CowsBoner 80-85%1,44863.15/cwt61.00–66.0091427
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,70559.50/cwt59.50–59.501,0141
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,45460.76/cwt58.00–64.0088320
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,30863.96/cwt63.50–64.508372
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,15275.88/cwt72.00–81.008745
SteersMedium and Large 1-2739138.67/cwt137.00–140.501,02515
SteersMedium and Large 1967129.46/cwt127.50–130.001,25224
SteersChoice1,32795.00/cwt95.00–95.001,26111
SteersMedium and Large 1-2529143.00/cwt143.00–143.007567
SteersMedium and Large 1-2785135.54/cwt135.00–136.501,06414
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,15966.75/cwt64.00–74.0077412
SteersMedium 1-2668133.00/cwt133.00–133.008883
SteersMedium and Large 1868134.00/cwt134.00–134.001,1633
SteersMedium and Large 1942130.50/cwt130.50–130.501,22912
SteersMedium and Large 1846135.34/cwt135.25–136.001,14524
SteersLarge 11,060118.50/cwt118.50–118.501,2563
SteersLarge 11,114109.75/cwt109.00–111.501,22310
HeifersMedium and Large 1966121.92/cwt120.50–122.501,17824
HeifersMedium 1686136.06/cwt133.50–137.0093315
HeifersMedium and Large 1721140.00/cwt140.00–140.001,0094
HeifersMedium and Large 1756137.81/cwt137.75–138.001,04224
SteersLarge 11,171104.50/cwt104.50–104.501,22416
SteersMedium 1699135.50/cwt135.50–135.509474
CowsBoner 80-85%1,51259.72/cwt57.00–62.5090312
HeifersMedium and Large 1842133.89/cwt132.00–134.001,12784
HeifersMedium and Large 1908124.70/cwt122.00–126.001,13231
HeifersMedium and Large 1877126.98/cwt125.50–127.501,11466
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2485130.00/cwt130.00–130.006316
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,72565.00/cwt65.00–65.001,1211
CowsLean 85-90%1,07149.44/cwt47.00–50.5053010
CowsLean 85-90%1,35861.36/cwt61.25–63.0083317
CowsBoner 80-85%1,51667.30/cwt67.00–67.501,0207
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight93051.00/cwt51.00–51.004742
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned535130.50/cwt130.50–130.506985
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned582139.00/cwt139.00–139.0080916
HeifersMedium and Large 1NHTC708151.00/cwt151.00–151.001,069123
CowsLean 85-90%1,22857.05/cwt52.50–61.0070156
BullsLarge 11,11896.50/cwt96.50–96.501,0792
BullsLarge 11,010106.00/cwt106.00–106.001,0712
Bulls1,87881.53/cwt77.50–85.501,53133
Bulls1,96786.16/cwt83.00–90.501,69518
Bulls1,66773.48/cwt68.50–75.501,22514
SteersLarge 1Full1,018114.00/cwt114.00–114.001,1613

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.