Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2019-10-17
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2019-10-17

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested this week to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers 900-949 lbs offered the best test this week, these offerings sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher. steer calves under 450 lbs sold steady to 10.00 higher, 450-599 lbs steers sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher, steers over 600 lbs were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Heifer calves 400-449 lbs sold steady to 4.00 higher, 500-599 lbs heifers sold mostly 4.00-5.00 higher. All other weights of heifer calves were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Quality this week was average to attractive. Several full load lots of calves were seen this week. Demand for load lots was mostly good while packages of calves sold on moderate to good demand. The best demand this week was for light weight calves under 475 lbs or heavyweight calves over 600 lbs which buyers thought could finish against the April board. Many order buyers and farmer feeders were in the stands this week creating very active market activity. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to very light demand for mostly light offerings. Packer buyers showed mostly light demand for all cows on offer. Cows were mostly in thin flesh and pushing excess fill. Slaughter cows sold mostly 8.00-12.00 lower. Feeding cows were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however lower to sharply lower undertones were noticed. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 4.00-8.00 lower in a narrow comparison.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $155.50/cwt on 2,754 head.

Average price

$155.50

2,754 head · 580 lb average

Value per head Derived

$902

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$480

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

$40.19/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−0.59

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	575	156.19	898	2,234
Medium and Large 1-2	539	156.18	842	426
Medium 1-2	425	156.00	663	7thin
Medium 1	620	152.91	948	32
Large 1	1,074	124.36	1,336	49
Large 1-2	1,188	116.00	1,378	6thin

One grade step is worth $40.19/cwt here — about −$480 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 sale2,754 hd

155.50

—

MT average5 barns · 4,375 hd

156.09

−0.59

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	—	Average	1,779	73.05	1,299	22
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,484	46.43	689	4thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,232	45.01	555	38

Every lot, as filed

89 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
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,236	47.86/cwt	43.00–50.00	592	25
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,225	39.54/cwt	37.00–45.50	484	13
Bulls	—	—	1,763	77.24/cwt	74.50–80.50	1,362	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	579	146.38/cwt	145.00–147.00	848	53
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	798	137.50/cwt	137.50–137.50	1,097	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	732	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	1,025	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	483	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	734	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	956	121.50/cwt	121.50–121.50	1,162	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	406	172.00/cwt	172.00–172.00	698	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	778	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	1,089	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	771	149.87/cwt	149.00–151.00	1,155	43
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	881	136.00/cwt	131.00–136.25	1,198	267
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	529	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	794	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	912	130.46/cwt	126.00–134.25	1,190	39
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	622	136.32/cwt	134.50–137.00	848	34
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	814	136.13/cwt	134.00–138.00	1,108	102
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	635	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	851	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	816	145.68/cwt	145.00–147.50	1,189	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	524	141.27/cwt	137.00–145.50	740	208
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	614	151.83/cwt	146.00–155.00	932	489
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	580	152.61/cwt	150.00–159.00	885	315
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	342	188.00/cwt	188.00–188.00	643	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	719	143.60/cwt	143.25–144.00	1,032	38
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	343	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	566	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	569	138.89/cwt	134.00–140.50	790	270
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	381	166.85/cwt	162.50–170.00	636	94
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	358	194.36/cwt	191.00–195.00	696	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	864	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	1,253	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	685	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	911	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	476	148.89/cwt	146.00–152.50	709	319
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	904	133.50/cwt	133.50–133.50	1,207	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	919	140.37/cwt	138.00–141.25	1,290	51
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	614	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	872	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	478	166.00/cwt	161.00–176.00	793	283
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	425	182.03/cwt	175.00–190.00	774	123
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	427	153.59/cwt	147.00–159.00	656	128
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,113	45.80/cwt	45.00–50.00	510	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	720	147.41/cwt	138.00–149.00	1,061	35
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,108	65.17/cwt	56.00–67.00	722	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	525	156.55/cwt	152.50–160.50	822	617
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	918	121.50/cwt	121.50–121.50	1,115	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	679	146.17/cwt	142.00–149.00	992	175
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	966	129.75/cwt	129.75–129.75	1,253	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	515	164.92/cwt	164.50–165.00	849	44
Steers	Large 1	—	1,041	130.50/cwt	130.50–130.50	1,359	14
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	978	79.18/cwt	77.00–84.00	774	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,229	47.03/cwt	45.00–49.00	578	9
Bulls	—	—	1,708	66.36/cwt	65.00–68.00	1,133	9
Bulls	—Heavy Weight	—	2,600	83.00/cwt	83.00–83.00	2,158	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,448	49.85/cwt	47.50–52.00	722	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,361	61.14/cwt	55.00–67.00	832	33
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	467	159.50/cwt	159.50–159.50	745	6
Steers	Large 1-2	—	1,188	116.00/cwt	116.00–116.00	1,378	6
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,011	122.46/cwt	120.00–124.00	1,238	48
Steers	Large 1	—	1,066	123.15/cwt	119.00–125.00	1,313	23
Steers	Large 1	—	1,128	119.50/cwt	119.50–119.50	1,348	12
Steers	Medium 1	—	698	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,047	9
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,520	43.00/cwt	43.00–43.00	654	2
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	314	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	471	7
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	633	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	918	3
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	411	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	596	4
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	489	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	699	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	955	67.00/cwt	67.00–67.00	640	1
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	303	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	545	5
Heifers	Medium 1	—	767	139.06/cwt	135.00–140.50	1,067	20
Heifers	Medium 1	—	661	140.50/cwt	140.50–140.50	929	17
Steers	Medium 1-2Unweaned	—	425	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	663	7
Steers	Medium 1	—	816	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	1,134	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	628	144.40/cwt	139.00–146.00	907	41
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	636	135.65/cwt	133.00–139.50	863	20
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,381	56.04/cwt	50.00–64.50	774	30
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,218	47.21/cwt	45.00–48.00	575	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,035	50.00/cwt	50.00–50.00	518	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,197	66.43/cwt	64.00–68.00	795	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	436	145.16/cwt	145.00–146.00	633	13
Heifers	Medium 1	—	727	140.71/cwt	140.50–141.00	1,023	35
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	346	177.50/cwt	177.50–177.50	614	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	473	142.12/cwt	129.00–150.00	672	115
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	533	137.24/cwt	135.00–140.00	731	74
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	486	158.11/cwt	154.00–160.50	768	148
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	912	135.50/cwt	135.50–135.50	1,236	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	986	122.50/cwt	122.50–122.50	1,208	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	374	182.47/cwt	170.00–189.00	682	36
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	670	143.80/cwt	137.00–145.50	963	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	438	172.99/cwt	167.00–175.00	758	48
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	527	151.74/cwt	151.00–152.50	800	45
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	962	124.27/cwt	123.00–128.50	1,195	70
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	369	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	590	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	860	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	1,084	2

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 →