Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2019-11-14
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2019-11-14

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend; yearling heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Steer calves under 500 lbs sold steady to weak, 500-750 lbs steers sold unevenly steady from 2.00 lower to 4.00 higher. All weights of heifer calves sold mostly 1.00-4.00 lower. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. Several load lots of calves were seen this week, and these offerings sold on mostly moderate to good demand. Demand overall was mostly light to moderate for heavy offerings. With heavy rain seen earlier in the week the yards and country are both very muddy. Calves all showed light to moderate amounts of mud today. Demand for lightweight calves remains limited again this week as west coast grass operations remain out of the market due to dry weather. Calves with fall preconditioning shots continue to sell with the best demand. Premiums for fully preconditioned calves were from 8.00-12.00 . Trucks remain tight this week which limited demand especially late in the sale. Market activity was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand. Weigh up conditions continue to be in the sellers favor as cows were full again this week. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 4.00 higher on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested last week as most went to feed. Feeding cows sold steady on high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white. Thin fleshed cow destined for short term feed sold mostly 3.00-6.00 lower. Fewer farmer feeder type orders were seen this week allowing packers to buy thin feeding cows lower. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to re-breed sold with lower undertones. Quality was mostly average.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $156.94/cwt on 2,282 head.

Average price

$156.94

2,282 head · 560 lb average

Value per head Derived

$879

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$666

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

$44.43/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−1.90

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	460	164.93	759	249
Medium and Large 1	571	156.17	892	1,972
Medium 1	533	153.90	820	50
Medium 1-2	443	145.00	642	3thin
Large 1	1,183	120.50	1,426	8thin

One grade step is worth $44.43/cwt here — about −$666 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 sale2,282 hd

156.94

—

MT average5 barns · 6,308 hd

158.83

−1.90

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	1,882	78.12	1,470	9thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,550	62.00	961	8thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,501	59.08	887	14
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,225	45.17	553	34

Every lot, as filed

80 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	—	492	148.45/cwt	140.50–155.00	730	196
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	655	130.50/cwt	129.50–131.00	855	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	919	127.77/cwt	127.00–129.00	1,174	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	861	142.50/cwt	142.50–142.50	1,227	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	316	172.31/cwt	172.00–173.00	544	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	979	131.44/cwt	130.50–132.50	1,287	38
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	469	167.59/cwt	161.00–175.00	786	265
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	576	134.86/cwt	133.00–137.50	777	130
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	423	156.62/cwt	152.00–164.00	663	189
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	536	158.04/cwt	153.00–167.50	847	305
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	645	129.50/cwt	129.50–129.50	835	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	329	179.00/cwt	179.00–179.00	589	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	615	150.54/cwt	143.00–156.00	926	288
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	718	145.37/cwt	145.00–146.00	1,044	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	420	178.72/cwt	170.00–186.00	751	64
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	578	152.95/cwt	146.00–159.50	884	624
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	411	163.00/cwt	163.00–163.00	670	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	384	161.25/cwt	159.00–169.00	619	69
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	414	161.13/cwt	159.00–162.50	667	53
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	506	169.00/cwt	169.00–169.00	855	61
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	371	186.28/cwt	181.00–207.50	691	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	348	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	592	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	349	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	663	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	665	148.69/cwt	140.50–154.00	989	298
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	771	142.55/cwt	142.00–143.00	1,099	33
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	800	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	1,136	161
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	829	146.17/cwt	144.00–147.50	1,212	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	897	137.59/cwt	135.50–138.00	1,234	48
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,098	50.01/cwt	48.00–51.00	549	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,346	60.94/cwt	54.00–71.50	820	51
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,301	47.75/cwt	42.00–52.00	621	21
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,596	64.54/cwt	64.00–67.00	1,030	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,441	58.10/cwt	57.00–62.00	837	7
Bulls	—	—	1,535	68.00/cwt	68.00–68.00	1,044	3
Bulls	—	—	2,105	84.52/cwt	84.00–87.00	1,779	5
Bulls	—	—	1,810	76.50/cwt	76.50–76.50	1,385	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,553	60.00/cwt	60.00–60.00	932	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,485	66.00/cwt	66.00–66.00	980	1
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	662	139.72/cwt	139.00–140.00	925	22
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	384	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	691	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,475	48.88/cwt	45.50–52.50	721	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	1,008	34.00/cwt	34.00–34.00	343	2
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,109	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	1,298	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,595	70.00/cwt	70.00–70.00	1,117	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,128	63.60/cwt	61.00–73.00	717	37
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	985	77.96/cwt	71.00–84.00	768	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,165	53.00/cwt	53.00–53.00	617	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,114	41.20/cwt	41.00–42.00	459	10
Heifers	Medium 1	—	797	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	1,100	18
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	543	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	787	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	440	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	660	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	343	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	566	3
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	419	166.05/cwt	164.00–172.00	696	20
Steers	Large 1	—	1,183	120.50/cwt	120.50–120.50	1,426	8
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,474	60.50/cwt	60.50–60.50	892	15
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,129	51.92/cwt	51.50–52.50	586	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	730	140.50/cwt	140.50–140.50	1,026	38
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	617	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	864	3
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	648	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	894	6
Steers	Medium 1-2	—	443	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	642	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	544	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	691	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	517	151.62/cwt	142.00–153.50	784	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	457	159.45/cwt	146.00–164.00	729	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	341	183.60/cwt	177.50–185.00	626	10
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,227	45.60/cwt	38.00–48.00	560	48
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,411	55.11/cwt	51.00–58.00	778	37
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	373	188.50/cwt	188.50–188.50	703	31
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	858	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	1,167	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	763	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	1,045	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	788	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	1,135	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	584	129.54/cwt	128.00–131.00	757	30
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	359	175.29/cwt	170.00–178.00	629	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	540	133.67/cwt	133.00–135.00	722	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	490	137.12/cwt	135.00–139.00	672	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	528	139.92/cwt	136.00–142.50	739	393
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	622	134.19/cwt	128.50–137.75	835	171
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	572	143.70/cwt	138.00–145.50	822	26
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	675	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	945	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	439	165.68/cwt	163.00–169.00	727	87
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	451	168.50/cwt	168.50–168.50	760	28

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 →