Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2020-01-16

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Jan 16
● Final66 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
325 head
6,276 vs last sale 6,601 325 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
210 head
151 vs last sale 59 210 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
2,204 head
2,107 vs last sale 97 2,204 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Also sold here(Mon)Thu Apr 16, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand for yearlings remains mostly good. Feeder steers and heifer calves were all too lightly tested this sale to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to lower undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly average and significantly lower than last weeks very attractive offering. Demand was mostly light to moderate for light offerings. Market activity this week was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand. Packers, after several weeks of very light activity were active in purchasing cows this week. Slaughter cows sold steady to 4.00 higher. Packers showed the best demand for lean and boning cows. Fleshy cows sold mostly to feeding buyers this week. Feeding cows sold on higher demand as both packers and feeding buyers were active in purchasing high quality cows suitable to feed. Feeding cows sold steady to 4.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls sold with higher undertones in a narrow comparison. A heavy offering of bred cows and heifers were on offer this sale. Bred stock comprised the majority of the offering today with over 2,000 head of bred cattle. Demand was good to very good. The stands were packed this sale with many bidders and buyers actively bidding on offerings.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $150.01/cwt on 95 head.
Average price
$150.01
95 head · 544 lb average
Value per head Derived
$816
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$379
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1-2
$38.19/cwt at this weight
vs the market
4.52
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1540152.1982273
Medium and Large 1-2481147.3170819thin
Large 1-21,053114.001,2003thin
One grade step is worth $38.19/cwt here — about −$379 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 sale95 hd
150.01
MT average3 barns · 466 hd
154.52
−4.52
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 · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
BullsHigh1,85579.411,47313
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,62857.749408thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,38855.917764thin
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,18846.77556119

Every lot, as filed

66 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.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
HeifersMedium and Large 1568145.22/cwt144.00–149.008254
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,409975.00/cwt975.00–975.0013,73810
BullsMedium and Large 1913129.00/cwt129.00–129.001,1782
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2800129.00/cwt129.00–129.001,0322
SteersMedium and Large 1-2377180.00/cwt180.00–180.006793
BullsMedium and Large 1-2909132.50/cwt132.50–132.501,2047
Bred HeifersMedium 19231,247.54/cwt1,225.00–1,275.0011,51534
BullsLarge 11,107103.00/cwt103.00–103.001,14011
HeifersLarge 1-21,053114.00/cwt114.00–114.001,2003
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2951,035.00/cwt1,035.00–1,035.0013,4035
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1711,255.78/cwt1,225.00–1,275.0014,70535
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3031,295.64/cwt1,250.00–1,310.0016,88285
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2600134.50/cwt134.50–134.508072
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2374154.26/cwt152.00–157.505777
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2464149.00/cwt149.00–149.006918
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,19056.00/cwt56.00–56.006661
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,416900.00/cwt900.00–900.0012,7449
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,6111,010.08/cwt1,000.00–1,035.0016,27210
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,0721,409.92/cwt1,325.00–1,485.0015,11445
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,0631,396.14/cwt1,350.00–1,450.0014,84177
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3181,260.00/cwt1,260.00–1,260.0016,60743
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,35455.50/cwt55.50–55.507518
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,32047.00/cwt47.00–47.006201
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,31657.23/cwt54.00–68.0075366
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,19152.02/cwt51.00–52.5062023
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,391825.00/cwt825.00–825.0011,47611
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,0931,175.00/cwt1,175.00–1,175.0012,84321
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,4201,149.41/cwt900.00–1,310.0016,322156
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,253780.66/cwt700.00–885.009,78227
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,364927.71/cwt800.00–1,125.0012,654349
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,37456.92/cwt50.00–63.00782131
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,02373.84/cwt60.00–94.00755108
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3611,395.77/cwt1,200.00–1,535.0018,996143
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3751,300.00/cwt1,300.00–1,300.0017,87528
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1521,279.03/cwt1,250.00–1,375.0014,73429
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS1,1631,250.00/cwt1,250.00–1,250.0014,53812
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1871,522.91/cwt1,300.00–1,585.0018,077219
SteersMedium and Large 1-2344194.00/cwt194.00–194.006674
HeifersMedium and Large 1Replacement595145.00/cwt145.00–145.0086322
SteersMedium and Large 1615159.50/cwt159.50–159.509816
SteersMedium and Large 1555164.50/cwt164.50–164.509137
HeifersMedium and Large 1508157.80/cwt157.00–159.0080225
BullsMedium and Large 1-2579140.00/cwt140.00–140.008114
Bulls2,23589.50/cwt89.50–89.502,0001
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,62556.31/cwt56.00–57.009153
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight89841.94/cwt36.00–45.003776
CowsLean 85-90%1,17646.34/cwt37.00–49.0054585
Bulls1,90369.57/cwt66.00–74.501,3243
CowsLean 85-90%1,12431.04/cwt29.00–32.003494
SteersMedium and Large 1399190.00/cwt190.00–190.0075818
CowsBoner 80-85%1,38855.91/cwt52.00–58.007764
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,62958.60/cwt57.50–60.009555
CowsLean 85-90%1,32051.31/cwt50.00–53.5067721
Bulls1,79781.57/cwt77.50–83.501,4669
CowsLean 85-90%1,28357.84/cwt57.50–58.007423
HeifersMedium and Large 1443166.00/cwt166.00–166.007357
HeifersMedium and Large 1471158.24/cwt158.00–160.007458
SteersMedium and Large 1278210.00/cwt210.00–210.005843
HeifersMedium and Large 1641138.00/cwt138.00–138.008857
SteersMedium and Large 1680148.00/cwt148.00–148.001,0062
SteersMedium and Large 1527171.00/cwt171.00–171.009013
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,0531,100.00/cwt1,100.00–1,100.0011,5832
BullsMedium and Large 1680132.00/cwt132.00–132.008986
BullsMedium and Large 1503163.00/cwt163.00–163.008208
BullsMedium and Large 1609151.15/cwt151.00–152.0092120
BullsMedium and Large 1559157.00/cwt157.00–157.0087824

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.