Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2020-03-05

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Mar 5
● Final45 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
616 head
1,103 vs last sale 1,719 616 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
205 head
155 vs last sale 50 205 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
138 head
147 vs last sale 285 138 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: Feeder steers weighing less than 550 lbs sold mostly 4.00-6.00 higher, 550-749 lbs steers sold steady to weak. Heifer calves were all too lightly tested this week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to lower undertones were noticed. Feeder cattle sold on moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Demand for grass and wheat pasture cattle was mostly good again this week despite lower CME contract prices. Cattle were mostly in light flesh. Market activity this week was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand and offerings. Packers showed lighter demand for all cattle on offer. Feeding demand was mostly light as well and all cow prices slid lower as a result. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested on breaking cows to develop a full market trend however lower to sharply lower undertones were noticed. Boning and lean cows sold mostly 4.00 lower. Feeding cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or re-breed sold mostly 10.00-12.00 lower. Additional pressure on the feeding market caused these offerings to sell lower.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $171.28/cwt on 365 head.
Average price
$171.28
365 head · 578 lb average
Value per head Derived
$990
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$69
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2
$10.50/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+6.30
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2444180.508026thin
Medium and Large 1583171.15998352
Medium and Large 2431170.007337thin
One grade step is worth $10.50/cwt here — about $69 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 sale365 hd
171.28
MT average3 barns · 843 hd
164.98
+6.30
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
BullsAverage1,92180.341,54412
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,46755.6881777
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,20253.0363777
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,50352.1778420

Every lot, as filed

45 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
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,09883.36/cwt75.00–100.0091517
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,13467.93/cwt58.00–83.5077048
SteersMedium and Large 1-2394187.50/cwt187.50–187.507394
SteersMedium and Large 2431170.00/cwt170.00–170.007337
SteersMedium and Large 1431193.00/cwt193.00–193.008327
SteersMedium and Large 1717143.97/cwt139.50–147.501,03228
SteersMedium and Large 1788132.00/cwt132.00–132.001,0403
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight95551.00/cwt51.00–51.004872
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight85041.00/cwt41.00–41.003492
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,21255.30/cwt50.50–58.0067011
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,19651.40/cwt50.50–52.506156
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,14153.00/cwt53.00–53.0060527
HeifersMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed605154.00/cwt154.00–154.0093221
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,40651.35/cwt47.00–53.507229
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,55543.00/cwt43.00–43.006691
CowsBoner 80-85%1,46356.26/cwt54.75–59.0082352
CowsLean 85-90%1,21453.07/cwt44.50–54.7564467
CowsLean 85-90%1,27956.79/cwt55.50–59.007265
CowsLean 85-90%1,19060.00/cwt60.00–60.007141
HeifersMedium and Large 1527162.05/cwt161.00–163.508547
HeifersMedium and Large 1598144.50/cwt144.50–144.508643
HeifersMedium 1-2435151.00/cwt151.00–151.006572
CowsBoner 80-85%1,46753.39/cwt48.50–55.0078322
CowsBoner 80-85%1,52562.50/cwt62.50–62.509533
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,58553.83/cwt53.75–54.5085310
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2460156.38/cwt153.00–163.0071923
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2397165.00/cwt165.00–165.006558
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2520155.00/cwt155.00–155.008063
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2423161.00/cwt161.00–161.006812
HeifersMedium and Large 1473165.33/cwt165.00–170.0078215
HeifersMedium and Large 1616144.63/cwt137.50–148.0089128
SteersMedium and Large 1952119.50/cwt119.50–119.501,1383
SteersMedium and Large 1-2545166.50/cwt166.50–166.509072
SteersMedium and Large 1514183.88/cwt175.00–187.0094576
SteersMedium and Large 1619165.87/cwt163.50–166.751,02767
SteersMedium and Large 1486189.49/cwt188.00–190.0092166
SteersMedium and Large 1584168.10/cwt166.00–168.5098238
SteersMedium and Large 1660158.21/cwt155.50–160.001,04464
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,52753.28/cwt52.50–53.7581416
Bulls1,78581.27/cwt77.00–84.001,4516
Bulls2,17985.48/cwt85.00–86.001,8634
Bulls1,81567.24/cwt67.00–67.501,2202
BullsMedium and Large 1-2542154.00/cwt154.00–154.008353
BullsMedium and Large 1622155.00/cwt155.00–155.009647
BullsMedium and Large 1590159.50/cwt159.50–159.509417

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.