Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2020-03-19

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Mar 19
● Final46 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
78 head
2,199 vs last sale 2,277 78 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
385 head
108 vs last sale 277 385 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
919 head
775 vs last sale 144 919 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 and heifers were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Feeder cattle sold on very light to light demand and offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain and offered in small packages or as singles. Market activity was slow. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for moderate offerings. Packer buyers purchased slaughter cows on very good demand as they showed great need for cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold 4.00-6.00 higher on breaking cows and mostly 6.00-9.00 higher on boning and lean cows. Cow quality this week was mostly attractive to very attractive. Packers opted to feed the highest quality end of cows this week. Feeding cows were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on an outstanding offering. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or re-breed sold mostly 5.00 higher on a significantly higher offering than last week. A strong offering of bred cows and heifers were seen this sale. These offerings were of average to attractive quality and sold on mostly moderate to good demand.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $143.62/cwt on 21 head.
Average price
$143.62
21 head · 620 lb average
Value per head Derived
$890
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$243
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 1
$7.44/cwt at this weight
vs the market
26.65
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2453150.006803thin
Medium and Large 1647142.5692318thin
One grade step is worth $7.44/cwt here — about −$243 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 sale21 hd
143.62
MT average3 barns · 353 hd
170.27
−26.65
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
BullsHigh1,81485.681,55410
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,37065.74901163
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,24564.65805156
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,65162.241,02827

Every lot, as filed

46 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 1-2413150.00/cwt150.00–150.006202
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,0201,494.38/cwt1,460.00–1,525.0015,24394
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,45368.45/cwt63.25–69.75995101
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,43069.85/cwt69.50–70.5099956
Stock CowsMedium and Large 195387.63/cwt67.00–97.00835107
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,19173.74/cwt64.50–85.00878177
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,32359.50/cwt59.50–59.507873
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed97761.66/cwt59.00–63.006023
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,4641,106.76/cwt1,075.00–1,135.0016,2036
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,6081,235.00/cwt1,235.00–1,235.0019,8598
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2461,583.83/cwt1,525.00–1,600.0019,73531
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,268900.00/cwt900.00–900.0011,41217
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,53163.50/cwt63.50–63.509728
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3951,065.75/cwt1,025.00–1,085.0014,86747
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,437981.95/cwt950.00–1,000.0014,11164
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,4101,010.00/cwt1,010.00–1,010.0014,24118
BullsLarge 11,24891.00/cwt91.00–91.001,1362
BullsLarge 11,69084.50/cwt84.50–84.501,4282
BullsLarge 1-21,25079.00/cwt79.00–79.009881
BullsMedium and Large 1955104.00/cwt104.00–104.009932
BullsMedium and Large 1433155.00/cwt155.00–155.006713
BullsMedium and Large 1-2858106.00/cwt106.00–106.009094
HeifersMedium and Large 1Fleshy588132.50/cwt132.50–132.5077912
Bred HeifersMedium 19321,475.00/cwt1,475.00–1,475.0013,7477
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2479148.00/cwt148.00–148.007097
SteersMedium and Large 1757125.00/cwt125.00–125.009463
SteersMedium and Large 1530163.00/cwt163.00–163.008644
SteersMedium and Large 1711124.00/cwt124.00–124.008824
SteersMedium and Large 1631149.00/cwt149.00–149.009407
SteersMedium and Large 1-2453150.00/cwt150.00–150.006803
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3441,208.04/cwt1,100.00–1,225.0016,23645
Bulls2,34090.00/cwt90.00–90.002,1061
Bulls1,78078.93/cwt77.00–80.501,4052
Bulls1,74986.99/cwt83.00–89.501,5217
CowsBoner 80-85%1,34470.97/cwt70.00–71.509543
CowsBoner 80-85%1,37763.60/cwt61.00–64.5087621
CowsBoner 80-85%1,37065.95/cwt64.50–69.50904139
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,63165.10/cwt64.00–69.001,06212
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,66759.95/cwt58.00–60.5099915
CowsLean 85-90%1,19151.67/cwt51.00–52.006156
CowsLean 85-90%1,28770.42/cwt69.00–70.5090634
CowsLean 85-90%1,21662.46/cwt57.00–63.5076045
CowsLean 85-90%1,27064.85/cwt64.00–68.0082467
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight91045.00/cwt45.00–45.004101
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight95557.00/cwt57.00–57.005441
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight80061.50/cwt61.50–61.504922

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.