Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2020-05-14

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, May 14
● Final52 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
353 head
248 vs last sale 601 41 vs year ago 312 · +13.1%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
175 head
91 vs last sale 266 275 vs year ago 450 · 61.1%
Replacement Cattle receipts
605 head
215 vs last sale 390 220 vs year ago 825 · 26.7%
Also sold here(Mon)Thu Apr 16, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Demand was mostly moderate on light offerings. Quality this week was average to attractive, despite light offerings. Feeders were mostly offered in small packages. With several buyers needing to finish loads for the week demand improved as the sale progressed. Market activity this week was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Feeding buyers were the big push this sale as several buyers were very active in buying high quality cows to feed. Packers showed good demand for cows as well as they purchased cows both to feed and to send to immediate harvest. Feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher on an attractive to very attractive offering. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher as packers were forced to pay higher money to compete with feeding cow buyers over offerings. Weigh up conditions were mixed this sale. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher. A very attractive offering of bulls was seen this sale. Young age cows suitable to feed or re-breed sold unevenly steady, with re-breed type cattle selling fully steady and feeding quality cattle selling 3.00-4.00 lower.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $126.85/cwt on 108 head.
Average price
$126.85
108 head · 628 lb average
Value per head Derived
$797
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$62
per head · Small and Medium 2 over Medium and Large 2
$31.00/cwt at this weight
vs the market
5.19
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Small and Medium 2343135.004637thin
Medium 1614128.1578713thin
Medium and Large 1-2599127.9376722
Medium and Large 1681126.7586462
Medium and Large 2505104.005254thin
One grade step is worth $31.00/cwt here — about −$62 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 sale108 hd
126.85
MT average3 barns · 1,682 hd
132.04
−5.19
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
BullsHigh1,86084.741,57643
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,44060.8087635
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,19656.6567782
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,77055.009741thin

Every lot, as filed

52 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
CowsLean 85-90%1,23659.67/cwt58.00–62.0073829
CowsLean 85-90%1,17955.03/cwt50.50–58.0064934
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight96563.50/cwt63.50–63.506131
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight88346.64/cwt42.00–51.004122
BullsLarge 11,07092.00/cwt92.00–92.009841
BullsLarge 11,03994.50/cwt94.50–94.509824
BullsMedium and Large 1-292388.00/cwt88.00–88.008122
HeifersMedium and Large 1728120.37/cwt119.50–121.5087628
HeifersMedium 1542132.00/cwt132.00–132.007153
HeifersMedium 1636127.00/cwt127.00–127.0080810
HeifersMedium and Large 1Fleshy847106.00/cwt106.00–106.008986
HeifersMedium and Large 1783120.00/cwt120.00–120.009403
HeifersMedium and Large 1541146.00/cwt146.00–146.007904
HeifersMedium and Large 1620135.41/cwt133.00–137.008405
HeifersMedium and Large 1580140.08/cwt138.00–141.5081214
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,5001,025.00/cwt1,025.00–1,025.0015,3752
CowsBoner 80-85%1,41860.59/cwt59.00–63.0085922
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,77055.00/cwt55.00–55.009741
CowsLean 85-90%1,25964.19/cwt63.00–65.008088
CowsLean 85-90%1,16346.65/cwt44.00–49.005438
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned520135.00/cwt135.00–135.007022
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2722117.00/cwt117.00–117.008453
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2580129.65/cwt127.00–132.0075219
HeifersMedium and Large 2505104.00/cwt104.00–104.005254
HeifersSmall and Medium 2343135.00/cwt135.00–135.004637
SteersMedium and Large 1578158.08/cwt154.00–165.009143
SteersMedium and Large 1838119.65/cwt119.50–121.001,00310
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed92060.00/cwt60.00–60.005521
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,4681,100.00/cwt1,100.00–1,100.0016,14810
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3771,312.42/cwt1,260.00–1,360.0018,0726
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,34259.15/cwt56.00–61.0079459
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,39262.61/cwt58.00–67.00872104
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,02687.92/cwt66.00–101.00902154
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,13870.20/cwt59.00–94.00799176
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,09253.97/cwt50.50–55.5058920
SteersMedium and Large 1695138.69/cwt138.50–141.0096413
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed94667.24/cwt56.00–78.0063615
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,06969.23/cwt62.00–71.007405
Bulls2,04294.64/cwt91.00–98.001,9339
Bulls1,52576.51/cwt71.00–80.001,16711
Bulls1,86784.90/cwt80.00–89.501,58521
BullsHeavy Weight2,81083.77/cwt83.00–84.502,3542
CowsBoner 80-85%1,43956.51/cwt55.00–57.508136
BullsMedium and Large 1-2577130.00/cwt130.00–130.007503
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Full594136.00/cwt136.00–136.008084
SteersMedium and Large 1-2627139.00/cwt139.00–139.008723
SteersMedium and Large 1-2594142.00/cwt140.00–146.008439
Dairy SteersLarge 373142.00/cwt42.00–42.003079
CowsBoner 80-85%1,51265.15/cwt63.00–68.509857
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed1,335850.00/cwt850.00–850.0011,3485
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,3701,575.00/cwt1,575.00–1,575.0021,5783
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,5831,210.00/cwt1,210.00–1,210.0019,1547

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.