Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2019-10-24
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2019-10-24

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested this week to develop any market trend. All weights of steer and heifer calves sold unevenly steady this week. Quality this week was average to attractive and varied more compared to last week. Calves with fall preconditioning shots sold on good demand this week. These calves sold with a solid 8.00-12.00 premium to calves with no shots or only spring shots. Several buyers showed no interest at all for calves which were not preconditioned this fall. Demand overall was mostly moderate to good on heavy offerings. The seats were full again this week with order buyers and farmer feeders. Market activity this week was mostly active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to very light demand for mostly moderate offerings. Packer buyers showed mostly very light demand for all cows not suitable to feed. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-5.00 lower. With shackle space full due to seasonably high cow slaughter, packers opted to send only the poorest cows to immediate harvest. The majority of cows were destined to feed this week. High quality feeding cows saw an improvement in demand this week as feeding buyers pushed packers to pay higher money for these type offerings, however these offerings were limited. Overall, feeding cows sold unevenly steady. Slaughter bulls sold unevenly steady in a narrow comparison.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $158.59/cwt on 2,331 head.

Average price

$158.59

2,331 head · 551 lb average

Value per head Derived

$874

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$350

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 2

$40.49/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+4.63

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	554	160.49	889	1,960
Medium and Large 1-2	532	151.14	804	291
Medium 1	589	144.71	853	24
Large 1	607	138.72	842	31
Medium and Large 2	464	138.46	643	13thin
Large 1-2	525	138.00	725	6thin
Medium 2	449	120.00	539	6thin

One grade step is worth $40.49/cwt here — about $350 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 sale2,331 hd

158.59

—

MT average5 barns · 6,060 hd

153.95

+4.63

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	1,835	74.74	1,371	23
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,493	42.73	638	2thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,208	39.94	483	58

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%	—	1,244	42.13/cwt	39.00–46.50	524	37
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,189	36.78/cwt	34.00–39.50	437	17
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	958	35.00/cwt	35.00–35.00	335	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	487	125.89/cwt	120.00–130.00	613	17
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	480	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	662	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	526	130.73/cwt	126.00–132.00	688	37
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	672	134.01/cwt	131.00–135.00	901	48
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	473	156.35/cwt	151.00–164.00	740	90
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	874	140.05/cwt	140.00–140.25	1,224	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	436	144.88/cwt	142.00–147.50	632	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	699	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	881	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	817	127.02/cwt	124.00–129.50	1,038	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	430	155.49/cwt	151.00–156.50	669	309
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	585	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	766	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	869	133.20/cwt	132.00–134.00	1,158	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	750	151.50/cwt	151.50–151.50	1,136	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	568	139.89/cwt	134.00–142.00	795	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	307	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	476	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	577	153.21/cwt	148.50–156.75	884	303
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	588	132.45/cwt	131.00–136.00	779	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	367	198.84/cwt	189.00–204.00	730	136
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	712	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	954	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	921	138.36/cwt	134.50–141.00	1,274	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	634	148.74/cwt	143.00–155.75	943	235
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	524	153.82/cwt	150.00–160.00	806	301
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	998	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,297	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	565	133.77/cwt	132.00–135.50	756	121
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	623	133.76/cwt	131.00–136.75	833	170
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	394	157.41/cwt	156.00–157.50	620	64
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	471	150.99/cwt	143.00–156.00	711	284
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	810	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	1,166	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	322	160.63/cwt	155.00–164.00	517	75
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	623	156.75/cwt	156.75–156.75	977	38
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	419	179.32/cwt	172.50–185.00	751	60
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	522	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	773	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	516	140.82/cwt	135.00–144.50	727	250
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,272	44.86/cwt	41.50–48.00	571	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	738	146.49/cwt	141.00–149.50	1,081	26
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	843	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	1,104	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	668	147.79/cwt	142.00–153.00	987	280
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	462	172.39/cwt	159.00–173.50	796	452
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	302	207.50/cwt	207.50–207.50	627	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	299	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	598	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	673	157.40/cwt	156.00–159.00	1,059	25
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,239	1,000.00/cwt	1,000.00–1,000.00	12,390	9
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,154	1,010.00/cwt	1,010.00–1,010.00	11,655	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	963	31.29/cwt	30.00–32.50	301	2
Bulls	—	—	1,820	75.06/cwt	70.00–83.00	1,366	15
Bulls	—	—	1,990	86.78/cwt	84.50–89.00	1,727	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	908	75.23/cwt	75.00–78.00	683	14
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,063	117.50/cwt	117.50–117.50	1,249	5
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	622	136.23/cwt	134.00–138.00	847	21
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	541	149.50/cwt	149.50–149.50	809	7
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,006	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	1,227	13
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	658	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	862	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,493	42.73/cwt	42.00–43.50	638	2
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	685	138.50/cwt	138.50–138.50	949	5
Bulls	—	—	1,786	66.54/cwt	64.00–69.50	1,188	5
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	536	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	804	8
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	605	138.50/cwt	138.50–138.50	838	5
Steers	Large 1-2Unweaned	—	525	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	725	6
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,133	104.50/cwt	104.50–104.50	1,184	11
Steers	Medium 2	—	449	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	539	6
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	578	133.50/cwt	133.50–133.50	772	10
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	629	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	855	21
Heifers	Medium 1	—	728	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	1,019	6
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	452	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	628	5
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	568	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	841	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,382	62.84/cwt	57.00–67.00	868	14
Heifers	Medium 1	—	846	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,058	14
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,401	57.30/cwt	52.50–63.00	803	53
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	940	50.00/cwt	50.00–50.00	470	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,127	63.08/cwt	59.00–71.00	711	27
Heifers	Medium 2	—	428	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	449	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	815	138.50/cwt	138.50–138.50	1,129	18
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	667	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	900	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	666	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	932	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	479	139.01/cwt	134.00–141.50	666	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	301	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	564	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	623	140.50/cwt	140.50–140.50	875	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	533	144.68/cwt	140.00–150.00	771	63
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,223	43.33/cwt	38.00–47.00	530	165
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	607	139.83/cwt	138.00–142.00	849	66
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	373	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	530	9
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	446	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	620	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	366	181.60/cwt	175.00–185.00	665	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	975	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	1,170	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	422	172.67/cwt	171.00–174.00	729	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	967	130.09/cwt	127.50–130.25	1,258	36

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 →