Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2019-10-03

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Oct 3
● Final50 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
613 head
1,115 vs last sale 1,728 613 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
220 head
40 vs last sale 180 220 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
52 head
55 vs last sale 107 52 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 all too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. CME positions continue to inch higher giving buyers additional confidence in the market. Feedlots are looking for yearlings to fill lots as heavy slaughter numbers are helping clear lot space. The CME feeder cattle index was sharply higher across all 12 states as feeders are becoming aggressive as they search for offerings. Demand for yearlings was mostly good on light to moderate offerings. Demand for spring calves was mostly light to moderate for light offerings. Calf quality this sale was mostly average to attractive. Still too few calves on offer to make an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed on steers and lower undertones were noticed on heifers. Market activity this week was mostly active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light to moderate offerings. Packers showed mostly good demand as they searched for cows for immediate harvest. Feeding buyers were mostly out of the market this week, however packers picked up the slack as the bid aggressively against each other for cows. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average again this sale. Many cows were pushing heavy amounts of fill. Feeding cows were too lightly tested to develop any market trend as most offerings were destined for slaughter this week. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Young re-breed cows sold with higher undertones in a narrow comparison. Demand continues to improve on young cows.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $143.96/cwt on 202 head.
Average price
$143.96
202 head · 740 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,065
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$296
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1
$27.41/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+0.34
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1693149.961,039145
Medium 1-2337145.004899thin
Medium and Large 1-2926129.801,20210thin
Medium 1774127.6098815thin
Large 11,090122.551,33523
One grade step is worth $27.41/cwt here — about −$296 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 sale202 hd
143.96
MT average3 barns · 274 hd
143.62
+0.34
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
BullsLow1,80585.341,54014
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,60267.301,07813
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,47665.7197038
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,24561.04760143

Every lot, as filed

50 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
SteersMedium and Large 1Fleshy642134.00/cwt134.00–134.008603
SteersMedium and Large 1-2855140.00/cwt140.00–140.001,1973
SteersMedium and Large 1915141.78/cwt136.50–143.501,29743
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,23565.00/cwt65.00–65.008032
SteersMedium 1-2337145.00/cwt145.00–145.004899
BullsMedium and Large 1900126.00/cwt126.00–126.001,1341
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned367135.00/cwt135.00–135.004956
SteersMedium and Large 1952135.00/cwt135.00–135.001,2857
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned721133.00/cwt133.00–133.009594
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2807131.00/cwt131.00–131.001,0573
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned685126.00/cwt126.00–126.008633
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned447134.00/cwt134.00–134.0059917
SteersMedium and Large 1-2927126.00/cwt126.00–126.001,1683
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned692135.64/cwt134.00–136.0093911
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned610128.32/cwt125.00–129.0078319
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned642143.00/cwt143.00–143.009189
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned419175.77/cwt175.00–182.5073620
SteersMedium and Large 1895141.50/cwt141.50–141.501,26610
HeifersMedium and Large 1889131.78/cwt129.50–132.751,17226
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned473164.36/cwt155.00–165.0077730
HeifersMedium and Large 1953129.85/cwt126.00–130.251,23722
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned586129.00/cwt129.00–129.007567
HeifersMedium and Large 1907133.00/cwt133.00–133.001,20626
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned548128.00/cwt128.00–128.007012
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned592141.09/cwt140.00–149.008358
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight92355.00/cwt55.00–55.005082
CowsLean 85-90%1,22859.80/cwt54.50–64.00734119
CowsLean 85-90%1,36768.29/cwt65.00–69.0093422
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,54669.43/cwt67.75–70.501,0738
Bulls1,74876.33/cwt71.00–79.501,3343
Bulls1,91090.97/cwt85.50–97.001,7386
BullsMedium and Large 1973122.00/cwt122.00–122.001,1873
SteersLarge 11,167115.67/cwt115.50–116.001,3506
SteersLarge 11,035126.00/cwt126.00–126.001,3043
SteersMedium and Large 1-2979125.00/cwt125.00–125.001,2244
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2855128.00/cwt128.00–128.001,0947
SteersMedium 1Fleshy782127.00/cwt127.00–127.0099312
HeifersMedium 1769134.78/cwt134.00–135.001,03627
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,75558.00/cwt58.00–58.001,0181
Bulls1,71383.99/cwt83.50–84.501,4395
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,13080.59/cwt80.00–86.009118
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,15275.58/cwt70.50–79.5087113
HeifersLarge 1Full1,036111.50/cwt111.50–111.501,1554
SteersLarge 11,068124.76/cwt123.00–129.501,33214
CowsBoner 80-85%1,47567.11/cwt65.00–69.0099024
HeifersLarge 1Fleshy1,060106.00/cwt106.00–106.001,1247
HeifersLarge 11,021119.20/cwt117.00–120.751,21718
SteersMedium 1Fleshy743130.00/cwt130.00–130.009663
CowsBoner 80-85%1,47963.31/cwt63.00–64.5093614
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,67665.35/cwt62.50–66.251,0954

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.