Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2020-06-18

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Jun 18
● Final41 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
173 head
1,146 vs last sale 1,319 173 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
307 head
79 vs last sale 228 307 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
255 head
699 vs last sale 954 255 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 week: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Feeder quality was mostly plain to average this week and significantly lower than last week. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly light for light offerings. CME positions moved sideways much of this week. The August contract settled at 132.975, 0.80 higher than last Thursdays settlement price. Market activity this sale was mostly slow. Weigh up cows comprised much of the sale this week. Packers were the driving force in the market as they purchased much of the cow offering for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average today as all livestock sold pushed fill. Feeding cows sold unevenly steady from 1.00 lower to 2.00 higher. Buyers were conscious of weigh conditions as they discounted cows carrying exorbitant amounts of fill, while offering premiums for cows offering above average weigh up conditions. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 1.00-2.00 lower on a lower quality offering. Young age cows suitable to feed or re-breed sold steady to weak. Quality this week was mostly average.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $138.15/cwt on 68 head.
Average price
$138.15
68 head · 677 lb average
Value per head Derived
$936
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$73
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium 1
$8.90/cwt at this weight
vs the market
0.08
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2650141.9092231
Medium and Large 1708135.2695733
Medium 1639133.008504thin
One grade step is worth $8.90/cwt here — about $73 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 sale68 hd
138.15
MT average3 barns · 330 hd
138.23
−0.08
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
BullsLow1,78885.991,53785
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,25163.0378989
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,47662.9092894
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,65562.211,02910

Every lot, as filed

41 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
BullsMedium and Large 1-296090.50/cwt90.50–90.508692
SteersMedium and Large 1-2713135.00/cwt135.00–135.009636
BullsMedium and Large 1-2622119.00/cwt119.00–119.007403
BullsMedium and Large 1-291392.00/cwt92.00–92.008404
SteersMedium and Large 1618153.50/cwt153.50–153.509493
HeifersMedium and Large 1616132.00/cwt132.00–132.008134
CowsBoner 80-85%1,43257.87/cwt57.00–60.0082911
BullsLight Weight1,26575.00/cwt75.00–75.009491
Bulls1,44975.69/cwt69.00–80.001,09718
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight99057.00/cwt57.00–57.005641
CowsLean 85-90%1,33045.00/cwt45.00–45.005991
CowsBoner 80-85%1,48662.65/cwt61.00–64.5093162
CowsBoner 80-85%1,47066.26/cwt65.00–68.5097421
CowsLean 85-90%1,26266.51/cwt64.50–67.5083928
Bulls1,98193.23/cwt91.00–100.001,84727
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,61560.99/cwt58.00–62.259857
CowsLean 85-90%1,24257.98/cwt51.50–61.0072015
SteersMedium and Large 1Full699135.00/cwt135.00–135.0094428
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2575126.93/cwt125.00–131.007303
BullsMedium and Large 1103125.00/cwt125.00–125.001292
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,74765.05/cwt63.50–65.751,1363
Bulls1,82486.01/cwt80.50–91.501,56939
CowsLean 85-90%1,25263.08/cwt61.00–64.5079044
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,396975.00/cwt975.00–975.0013,6114
SteersMedium and Large 1965111.50/cwt111.50–111.501,0762
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2538135.50/cwt135.50–135.507297
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Fleshy726111.00/cwt111.00–111.008065
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned585147.50/cwt147.50–147.508634
BullsMedium and Large 1-2565124.77/cwt122.50–128.007055
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,12082.32/cwt65.00–94.0092248
BullsMedium and Large 190195.50/cwt95.50–95.508606
SteersMedium 1639133.00/cwt133.00–133.008504
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,20066.12/cwt61.00–75.0079348
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,18455.28/cwt54.00–56.506554
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,48660.56/cwt54.50–63.7590039
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2675122.97/cwt121.00–124.008303
SteersMedium and Large 1-2593154.00/cwt154.00–154.009138
SteersMedium and Large 1-2548160.50/cwt160.50–160.508802
SteersMedium and Large 1-2648134.33/cwt134.00–136.008706
SteersMedium and Large 1-2761128.00/cwt128.00–128.009745
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,42663.25/cwt55.50–70.0090243

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.