Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2020-08-06
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-08-06

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last reported sale(6-18-20): Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Yearling quality was mostly average to attractive. Demand was mostly moderate for light offerings. Notably, several sets of weaned fall calves sold this sale, and buyers discounted there offerings compared to true yearlings. Market activity this week was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows comprised a large portion of the offering this week. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly good to very good. Packers were very aggressive as they purchased large quantities of cows for slaughter. Slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00 to 6.00 higher with instances of 8.00-10.00 higher seen at times on load lots. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average as hot temperatures had many cows pushing fill. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 5.00-7.00 higher. Feeding cows sold 3.00-6.00 higher. Cow quality this sale was mostly attractive to very attractive. Young age cows suitable to feed or re-breed sold generally steady. Quality this week was mostly attractive.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $125.15/cwt on 61 head.

Average price

$125.15

61 head · 882 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,103

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$258

per head · Medium 1 over Large 1

$11.48/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+0.00

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	762	127.18	970	14thin
Medium and Large 1	878	126.93	1,115	37
Large 1	1,061	115.70	1,227	10thin

One grade step is worth $11.48/cwt here — about −$258 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 sale61 hd

125.15

—

MT average1 barns · 61 hd

125.15

+0.00

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.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	Low	1,801	90.85	1,636	103
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,429	69.09	987	160
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,567	67.62	1,059	113
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,218	63.35	772	74

Every lot, as filed

40 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.

Class	Grade / description	Weight	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,066	67.50/cwt	67.50–67.50	720	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,555	64.46/cwt	62.00–65.00	1,002	17
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	900	62.00/cwt	62.00–62.00	558	1
Bulls	Medium 1-2	—	686	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	837	7
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,070	100.00/cwt	100.00–100.00	1,070	2
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,043	116.43/cwt	115.50–118.00	1,214	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,185	66.53/cwt	65.00–70.00	788	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,420	67.57/cwt	64.00–70.50	959	65
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,740	72.64/cwt	71.00–75.50	1,264	8
Bulls	—	—	2,012	100.70/cwt	97.00–107.00	2,026	24
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,279	72.49/cwt	72.00–73.00	927	9
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,189	55.79/cwt	54.00–57.00	663	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,348	62.30/cwt	58.00–63.75	840	38
Bulls	—	—	1,488	80.42/cwt	77.00–82.00	1,197	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,230	61.43/cwt	59.00–64.00	756	47
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	754	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	1,003	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	564	127.50/cwt	127.50–127.50	719	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	985	67.00/cwt	67.00–67.00	660	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,331	71.96/cwt	64.00–76.00	958	64
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,259	75.17/cwt	71.00–88.00	946	25
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,499	69.75/cwt	64.00–73.00	1,046	266
Bulls	—	—	1,833	90.36/cwt	83.00–96.00	1,656	65
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,553	67.77/cwt	65.50–70.00	1,052	88
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,278	79.00/cwt	79.00–79.00	1,010	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,493	75.36/cwt	71.00–76.00	1,125	57
Heifers	Medium 1	—	706	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	918	7
Steers	Large 1	—	1,080	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	1,307	1
Steers	Medium 1-2	—	763	107.50/cwt	107.50–107.50	820	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	903	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	1,210	8
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,102	114.00/cwt	114.00–114.00	1,256	3
Steers	Large 1	—	1,125	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	1,294	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	841	113.00/cwt	113.00–113.00	950	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	607	151.50/cwt	151.50–151.50	920	7
Heifers	Medium 1	—	869	119.50/cwt	119.50–119.50	1,038	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	955	65.00/cwt	65.00–65.00	621	1
Heifers	Medium 1	—	693	136.50/cwt	136.50–136.50	946	2
Steers	Medium 1	—	701	143.50/cwt	143.50–143.50	1,006	12
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,633	64.00/cwt	64.00–64.00	1,045	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	973	122.31/cwt	120.00–124.50	1,190	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	750	146.50/cwt	146.50–146.50	1,099	11

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.

Montana feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →