Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2019-10-10
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2019-10-10

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers 900-949 lbs offered the best comparison this week. These offerings sold mostly 4.00-6.00 higher. Yearling heifers were all too lightly tested this sale to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Steer and heifer calves were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed on steers and mostly higher undertones were noticed on heifers. Demand for Yearling cattle was good to very good. Quality on all cattle this sale was mixed from plain to very attractive. Several load lots of yearlings were on offer this week and these sold with the best demand. Demand for spring born calves was mostly light to moderate for light to moderate offerings. The best demand for spring born calves was for lightweight calves under 500 lbs to run on grass. Many buyers were in the stands this week creating good buyer participation and mostly active market activity. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for mostly light offerings. Packer buyers continue to show strong demand for cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Feeding cows were scarcely tested thus no trend is available. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to trend as well, however steady undertones were noticed.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $149.66/cwt on 938 head.

Average price

$149.66

938 head · 766 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,146

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$184

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$30.32/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+2.11

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	764	152.45	1,164	738
Medium and Large 1-2	653	146.78	958	131
Medium and Large 2	771	132.00	1,018	7thin
Medium 1-2	877	129.00	1,131	21
Large 1	1,104	122.13	1,348	41

One grade step is worth $30.32/cwt here — about −$184 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 sale938 hd

149.66

—

MT average5 barns · 2,021 hd

147.55

+2.11

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	—	Low	1,664	77.88	1,296	18
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,458	69.50	1,013	2thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,431	62.73	898	16
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,217	61.15	744	19

Every lot, as filed

63 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
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	454	141.50/cwt	141.50–141.50	642	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	624	131.60/cwt	129.50–132.50	821	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	578	151.34/cwt	150.00–153.00	875	61
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	479	163.79/cwt	159.50–174.00	785	69
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	962	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	1,174	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	600	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	852	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	588	134.88/cwt	134.00–137.00	793	48
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	522	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	793	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	918	128.13/cwt	126.50–132.00	1,176	37
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	836	140.50/cwt	140.50–140.50	1,175	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	719	140.50/cwt	140.50–140.50	1,010	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	936	122.50/cwt	122.50–122.50	1,147	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	674	138.54/cwt	138.00–139.50	934	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	770	119.00/cwt	119.00–119.00	916	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	465	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	642	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	443	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	727	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	915	119.70/cwt	117.00–121.50	1,095	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	367	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	697	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	539	136.32/cwt	135.00–136.50	735	53
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	659	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	824	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	390	172.50/cwt	172.50–172.50	673	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	543	142.99/cwt	132.00–146.00	776	27
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	771	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	1,018	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	349	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	558	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	425	151.20/cwt	148.00–156.00	643	61
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	438	175.97/cwt	175.50–177.00	771	44
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	920	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	1,233	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	817	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	1,152	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	858	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	1,030	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	789	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	1,191	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	818	153.47/cwt	150.00–154.00	1,255	216
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	914	145.91/cwt	142.50–147.00	1,334	257
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	617	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	814	16
Steers	Medium 1-2	—	877	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	1,131	21
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,272	63.50/cwt	63.50–63.50	808	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	852	132.81/cwt	131.00–140.00	1,132	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	785	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	1,130	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	345	184.47/cwt	178.50–187.50	636	9
Steers	Large 1	—	1,045	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	1,348	18
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,013	121.50/cwt	121.50–121.50	1,231	4
Steers	Large 1	—	1,150	116.75/cwt	116.75–116.75	1,343	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	337	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	522	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	992	123.25/cwt	123.25–123.25	1,223	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	596	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	846	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,175	50.00/cwt	50.00–50.00	588	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,246	65.96/cwt	64.50–68.50	822	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,355	69.00/cwt	69.00–69.00	935	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,291	73.00/cwt	73.00–73.00	942	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,039	72.57/cwt	72.00–73.00	754	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	614	154.50/cwt	154.50–154.50	949	8
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,504	66.63/cwt	64.50–67.50	1,002	9
Heifers	Large 1Fleshy	—	1,035	118.00/cwt	118.00–118.00	1,221	13
Heifers	Large 1Fleshy	—	1,130	100.00/cwt	100.00–100.00	1,130	7
Heifers	Medium 1	—	684	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	944	4
Heifers	Medium 1Full	—	743	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	929	6
Heifers	Medium 1	—	772	134.95/cwt	132.00–136.00	1,042	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	890	142.50/cwt	142.50–142.50	1,268	13
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,192	58.82/cwt	52.50–63.50	701	11
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,458	69.50/cwt	69.50–69.50	1,013	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,337	57.71/cwt	57.00–58.00	772	7
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,265	72.00/cwt	72.00–72.00	911	2
Bulls	—	—	1,846	81.03/cwt	80.00–82.50	1,496	10
Bulls	—	—	1,494	74.60/cwt	71.50–78.00	1,115	6

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 →