Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2020-05-21

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, May 21
● Final48 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
192 head
161 vs last sale 353 18 vs year ago 210 · 8.6%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
132 head
43 vs last sale 175 17 vs year ago 115 · +14.8%
Replacement Cattle receipts
720 head
115 vs last sale 605 185 vs year ago 535 · +34.6%
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 today to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly plain to average and mostly offered in small packages or as singles. Demand was mostly light for light offerings. Market activity was mostly slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand and moderate offerings. Packer buyers showed mostly light to moderate demand for cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 lower on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested to trend as most of these cows sold to feed. Fleshy cows sold with lower to sharply lower undertones compared to last week. Despite light demand for slaughter cows, packers showed mostly moderate demand for cows suitable to feed. With many ranchers branding and culling cows, cow quality this week was mostly attractive. Feeding cows sold unevenly steady this week from 2.00 lower to 1.00 higher. Weigh up conditions were mixed this sale, which created large prices spreads at times. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady. Young age cows suitable to feed or re-breed sold mostly steady to weak. Quality this week was mostly average.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $123.75/cwt on 82 head.
Average price
$123.75
82 head · 615 lb average
Value per head Derived
$761
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$132
per head · Medium 1 over Large 2
$21.00/cwt at this weight
vs the market
3.11
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1581129.007494thin
Medium and Large 1672128.1586133
Medium and Large 1-2580127.7674125
Medium and Large 2569114.066498thin
Large 2572108.0061812thin
One grade step is worth $21.00/cwt here — about $132 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 sale82 hd
123.75
MT average3 barns · 235 hd
126.86
−3.11
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
BullsAverage1,91387.661,67733
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,46155.3480910
CowsLean 85-90%High1,18452.7562567

Every lot, as filed

48 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
CowsBoner 80-85%1,48654.92/cwt53.00–56.508168
CowsLean 85-90%1,20862.49/cwt62.00–63.007552
CowsLean 85-90%1,11841.59/cwt39.00–44.004655
CowsLean 85-90%1,21757.45/cwt57.00–60.5069916
CowsLean 85-90%1,19052.11/cwt46.00–56.5062042
CowsBoner 80-85%1,36357.00/cwt57.00–57.007772
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,08454.15/cwt48.00–56.0058716
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,19255.00/cwt55.00–55.006563
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed97359.59/cwt55.00–72.505809
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight93546.63/cwt43.00–50.004362
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,34461.26/cwt54.00–68.00823129
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,33659.19/cwt49.00–64.25791134
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,00271.87/cwt70.00–75.0072012
Stock CowsLarge 190869.52/cwt62.50–72.0063112
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,34055.00/cwt55.00–55.007371
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 1-21,129975.00/cwt975.00–975.0011,0084
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,22067.55/cwt58.50–84.0082477
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,02988.02/cwt65.00–106.00906103
BullsMedium and Large 11,170118.50/cwt118.50–118.501,3863
Bulls1,90086.51/cwt82.00–90.001,64418
Bulls1,78275.90/cwt72.00–78.501,3535
Bulls2,00395.60/cwt91.00–99.001,91510
BullsMedium and Large 1105350.00/cwt350.00–350.003681
BullsLarge 11,09886.00/cwt86.00–86.009442
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2560131.00/cwt131.00–131.007343
HeifersMedium and Large 2593112.00/cwt112.00–112.006645
HeifersMedium and Large 1712118.66/cwt118.00–119.008453
HeifersMedium and Large 1550141.00/cwt141.00–141.007762
HeifersMedium 1581129.00/cwt129.00–129.007494
HeifersLarge 2572108.00/cwt108.00–108.0061812
SteersMedium and Large 1-2438163.00/cwt163.00–163.007142
HeifersMedium and Large 2528117.50/cwt117.50–117.506203
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2652119.25/cwt118.00–123.0077812
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2488139.00/cwt139.00–139.006786
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2518134.00/cwt134.00–134.006944
HeifersMedium and Large 1676128.25/cwt126.00–128.5086728
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-21,2251,175.00/cwt1,175.00–1,175.0014,3947
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,6961,325.00/cwt1,325.00–1,325.0022,4724
SteersMedium and Large 1838127.00/cwt127.00–127.001,06427
SteersMedium and Large 1723139.50/cwt139.50–139.501,00916
SteersMedium and Large 1671140.00/cwt140.00–140.009395
SteersMedium and Large 1-2487158.00/cwt158.00–158.007693
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,455900.00/cwt900.00–900.0013,0954
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,5161,000.00/cwt1,000.00–1,000.0015,1606
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,6001,000.00/cwt1,000.00–1,000.0016,0001
Heifer PairsMedium and Large 11,1681,675.00/cwt1,675.00–1,675.0019,5646
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-21,3101,325.00/cwt1,325.00–1,325.0017,35813
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-21,5441,600.00/cwt1,600.00–1,600.0024,7045

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.