Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2020-01-23

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Jan 23
● Final68 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
727 head
402 vs last sale 325 727 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
365 head
155 vs last sale 210 365 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
838 head
1,366 vs last sale 2,204 838 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 last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. Demand was mostly light to moderate for light offerings. Market activity this week was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand. Packers were very active this week as they pushed to purchase the majority of cows in the offering. Slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00-6.00 higher on all classes. The cutter cow cutout continues to inch higher. Notably, many bred cows sold to packers to feed or to send to intimidate harvest this week as packer demand was strong enough to purchase lower quality bred cows away from ranchers this sale. The cutter cow cutout as of today's close was 187.18, 0.42 higher than Wednesdays. Feeding cows sold mostly 5.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to re-breed sold generally steady this week.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $140.18/cwt on 332 head.
Average price
$140.18
332 head · 661 lb average
Value per head Derived
$927
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$320
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1
$22.43/cwt at this weight
vs the market
5.62
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1678141.86962232
Medium and Large 1-2579140.2181269
Medium 2398130.005176thin
Medium 1682130.0088718thin
Large 11,074119.431,2827thin
One grade step is worth $22.43/cwt here — about −$320 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 sale332 hd
140.18
MT average4 barns · 1,578 hd
145.81
−5.62
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
BullsAverage1,73979.511,38328
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,58361.1896921
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,38057.0678888
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,20553.29642191

Every lot, as filed

68 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 1818131.30/cwt131.00–133.001,07413
HeifersMedium 2398130.00/cwt130.00–130.005176
HeifersMedium 1682130.00/cwt130.00–130.0088718
HeifersLarge 11,116114.13/cwt114.00–114.501,2744
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2528144.56/cwt141.00–147.0076322
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2640130.38/cwt130.00–132.0083415
HeifersMedium and Large 1614142.55/cwt136.00–145.0087575
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2486148.04/cwt146.00–153.0071910
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2795127.50/cwt127.50–127.501,0149
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2437154.47/cwt145.00–157.506759
HeifersMedium and Large 1532154.00/cwt154.00–154.008199
HeifersMedium and Large 1457162.00/cwt162.00–162.007406
HeifersMedium and Large 1929130.50/cwt130.50–130.501,2124
HeifersMedium and Large 1795130.00/cwt130.00–130.001,0343
HeifersMedium and Large 1559151.45/cwt144.00–155.0084754
HeifersMedium and Large 1957130.86/cwt130.00–133.001,25240
SteersMedium and Large 1869137.50/cwt137.50–137.501,19518
SteersMedium and Large 1673145.24/cwt144.00–148.0097711
SteersMedium and Large 1611165.35/cwt157.00–168.001,01013
SteersMedium and Large 1916138.87/cwt136.00–140.001,27211
SteersMedium 1-2505138.00/cwt138.00–138.006972
SteersLarge 11,068126.00/cwt126.00–126.001,3466
SteersMedium and Large 2500150.00/cwt150.00–150.007505
SteersMedium and Large 2580134.73/cwt131.00–142.507813
SteersMedium and Large 1-2628145.73/cwt142.00–153.0091511
SteersMedium and Large 1-2509164.50/cwt159.00–166.008375
SteersMedium and Large 1-2845137.00/cwt137.00–137.001,1583
SteersMedium and Large 1487181.30/cwt181.00–183.0088319
SteersMedium and Large 1728145.00/cwt145.00–145.001,05622
SteersMedium and Large 1-2782137.68/cwt137.00–138.001,0773
SteersMedium and Large 1523171.23/cwt170.00–173.0089640
SteersMedium and Large 1-2495168.50/cwt168.50–168.5083411
SteersMedium and Large 1-2576159.18/cwt157.00–161.509176
SteersMedium and Large 2498144.00/cwt144.00–144.007178
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,37761.31/cwt56.00–65.50844238
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,421850.00/cwt850.00–850.0012,07911
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,346817.64/cwt810.00–850.0011,00516
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,47455.69/cwt54.00–58.0082110
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,52456.75/cwt56.00–58.008655
SteersMedium and Large 1566170.19/cwt167.50–172.5096332
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,04774.81/cwt60.00–91.00783160
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,43962.10/cwt57.00–66.5089485
CowsLean 85-90%1,13537.30/cwt33.00–43.004235
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,58862.98/cwt61.50–65.001,00014
Bulls1,83981.81/cwt76.00–85.001,50421
Bulls1,44072.61/cwt71.00–75.001,0467
BullsMedium and Large 1459162.68/cwt159.00–166.0074734
BullsMedium and Large 1787133.00/cwt133.00–133.001,0473
SteersMedium and Large 1Full622153.00/cwt153.00–153.009529
SteersMedium and Large 1Full523162.50/cwt162.50–162.508506
SteersMedium and Large 1Fancy569179.00/cwt179.00–179.001,0194
HeifersMedium and Large 1657136.68/cwt134.00–138.0089819
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2696130.00/cwt130.00–130.009054
CowsLean 85-90%1,23157.30/cwt56.00–60.0070547
CowsLean 85-90%1,20952.83/cwt49.00–56.00639134
CowsBoner 80-85%1,36355.48/cwt53.50–56.5075640
CowsBoner 80-85%1,39558.37/cwt57.00–63.0081448
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,57457.59/cwt52.00–59.009067
HeifersLarge 11,017126.50/cwt126.50–126.501,2873
HeifersMedium and Large 1Replacement677137.00/cwt137.00–137.009279
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,290762.53/cwt735.00–785.009,83721
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,235760.00/cwt760.00–760.009,3863
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed97162.05/cwt59.00–65.0060310
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,21156.61/cwt53.00–57.7568635
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,03554.00/cwt54.00–54.005592
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,458854.44/cwt810.00–875.0012,4589
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight93532.00/cwt32.00–32.002991
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight93047.09/cwt45.00–50.004384

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.