Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2019-12-05
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2019-12-05

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand for yearlings was mostly good on light offerings. Steer calves under 450 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed; 450-549 lbs steers sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher, 550-699 lbs steers sold steady to 5.00 higher; steers heavier than 700 lbs sold unevenly steady. Heifer calves weighing less than 500 lbs were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however steady undertones were noticed; 500-649 lbs heifers sold steady to 3.00 higher, heifers over 650 lbs sold with lower undertones. Quality this sale was average to very attractive. Many long strings of April May and June born calves from Northern Montana sold today. These calves were mostly unweaned but very attractive and sold with very good demand. Weaned calves this sale were of mostly plain to average quality and buyers offered little to no premium for weaned calves this sale. Calves with fall preconditioning shots continue to sell with a premium to non vaccinated of calves with only one round of preconditioning shots. Lightweight calves suitable to develop into yearlings sold on good demand. West coast grass operations are back in the market after several storms dumped heavy rain and snow on the west coast over the last two weeks. Market activity this week was mostly active with many buyers in the stands actively bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for light offerings. Packers showed good demand for all weigh up cows as they purchased offerings to feed and send to immediate harvest. Slaughter cow were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00-4.00 higher.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $161.96/cwt on 2,763 head.

Average price

$161.96

2,763 head · 568 lb average

Value per head Derived

$920

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$23

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

$29.54/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+1.45

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	576	162.54	937	2,325
Medium and Large 1-2	518	159.57	827	427
Large 1-2	687	133.00	914	11thin

One grade step is worth $29.54/cwt here — about $23 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 sale2,763 hd

161.96

—

MT average4 barns · 3,484 hd

160.52

+1.45

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	1,853	79.71	1,477	17
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,543	55.81	861	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,486	52.00	773	18
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,288	48.89	630	19

Every lot, as filed

95 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 1	—	437	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	664	32
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	439	144.84/cwt	144.00–146.00	636	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	883	145.50/cwt	145.50–145.50	1,285	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	498	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	817	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	618	155.54/cwt	155.50–156.00	961	114
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	446	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	660	33
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	984	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	1,240	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	477	167.24/cwt	162.50–173.00	798	81
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	615	134.11/cwt	132.50–140.00	825	32
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	735	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	1,000	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	559	136.35/cwt	132.00–139.00	762	107
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	463	138.36/cwt	136.00–139.50	641	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	422	179.42/cwt	177.50–181.00	757	38
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	661	143.11/cwt	140.00–145.50	946	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	556	151.50/cwt	151.50–151.50	842	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	882	136.50/cwt	136.50–136.50	1,204	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	424	165.74/cwt	165.00–166.00	703	27
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	517	134.58/cwt	133.00–138.50	696	52
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	422	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	608	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	466	143.44/cwt	138.00–146.00	668	32
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	577	147.47/cwt	145.00–151.00	851	28
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	330	157.50/cwt	157.50–157.50	520	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	532	135.53/cwt	131.50–140.00	721	42
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	541	157.32/cwt	151.00–161.50	851	90
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	381	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	594	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	342	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	633	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,143	63.03/cwt	56.00–72.00	720	32
Heifers	Medium 1Full	—	865	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	1,055	11
Steers	Large 1-2Unweaned	—	687	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	914	11
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,057	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	1,332	12
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	955	43.00/cwt	43.00–43.00	411	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,326	49.18/cwt	43.50–51.00	652	14
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	678	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	834	5
Bulls	—	—	1,872	82.38/cwt	80.00–84.50	1,542	12
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,422	61.13/cwt	53.50–65.00	869	12
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,282	48.35/cwt	46.50–51.00	620	15
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,300	52.59/cwt	51.50–55.50	684	16
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,141	53.24/cwt	53.00–54.00	607	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	629	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	793	5
Heifers	Medium 1Full	—	796	123.50/cwt	123.50–123.50	983	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	622	142.32/cwt	138.50–146.00	885	35
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	679	142.94/cwt	137.00–147.50	971	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	616	141.63/cwt	140.00–143.00	872	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	364	179.50/cwt	179.50–179.50	653	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	370	182.00/cwt	182.00–182.00	673	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	626	159.75/cwt	159.75–159.75	1,000	155
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	535	150.50/cwt	150.50–150.50	805	40
Bulls	—	—	1,807	73.30/cwt	62.50–78.50	1,325	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,486	52.00/cwt	52.00–52.00	773	18
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,538	54.96/cwt	51.00–59.00	845	9
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,590	63.50/cwt	63.50–63.50	1,010	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,350	38.00/cwt	38.00–38.00	513	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,204	53.16/cwt	53.00–53.50	640	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,227	51.76/cwt	47.00–54.00	635	12
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,039	72.22/cwt	69.00–75.00	750	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	669	148.57/cwt	143.00–150.50	994	113
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	334	208.48/cwt	208.00–210.00	696	41
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	481	184.46/cwt	182.00–189.00	887	213
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	473	151.33/cwt	145.00–156.00	716	282
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	528	168.91/cwt	159.50–181.00	892	452
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	675	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	905	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	500	152.50/cwt	152.50–152.50	763	38
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	714	142.37/cwt	138.00–148.50	1,017	56
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	808	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	1,139	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	378	206.13/cwt	202.50–208.00	779	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	422	196.80/cwt	196.00–198.00	830	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	346	169.61/cwt	167.00–170.00	587	31
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	619	151.64/cwt	145.00–157.75	939	396
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	410	163.19/cwt	153.00–165.00	669	82
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	371	162.77/cwt	160.50–165.00	604	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	796	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	1,178	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	535	160.01/cwt	156.00–162.00	856	76
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	801	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	1,161	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	731	131.97/cwt	130.50–134.00	965	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	657	149.45/cwt	149.00–151.00	982	31
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	588	138.79/cwt	132.00–140.75	816	299
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	628	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	854	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	483	152.50/cwt	152.50–152.50	737	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	276	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	518	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	529	144.35/cwt	138.50–148.50	764	248
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	410	197.50/cwt	197.50–197.50	810	73
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	616	134.63/cwt	128.00–140.00	829	159
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	878	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	1,203	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	657	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	854	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	570	152.92/cwt	151.00–155.00	872	50
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	569	158.60/cwt	150.00–163.50	902	335
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	712	149.83/cwt	148.00–152.00	1,067	64
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	689	128.07/cwt	124.00–132.00	882	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	921	132.20/cwt	131.50–132.50	1,218	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	467	150.49/cwt	147.00–152.00	703	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	620	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	769	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	485	173.06/cwt	170.00–178.00	839	37
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	963	132.68/cwt	130.50–133.00	1,278	31
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	756	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	1,081	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	508	147.53/cwt	143.00–149.50	749	180

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 →