Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2020-09-10

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Sep 10
● Final75 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,719 head
1,017 vs last sale 702 1,319 vs year ago 400 · +329.8%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
108 head
182 vs last sale 290 30 vs year ago 138 · 21.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
100 head
261 vs last sale 361 4 vs year ago 96 · +4.2%
Also sold here(Mon)Thu Apr 16, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers over 850 lbs sold steady to firm, all other weights of steers were too lightly tested either this week or last to develop any market trend. Yearling heifers 800-949 lbs sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher. All other weights of heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly average to very attractive. Cattle were offered in both load lots and in packages. Both yearling cattle and calves sold on moderate to good demand today. Market activity was mostly active with many buyers in the stands actively bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light demand and offerings. Packers continue to show light demand for cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold weak on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested to develop any market trend as most of these offerings sold as feeding cows. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 lower on a limited option of cows available. Quality this week was mostly plain to average and lower overall compared to last week. Weigh up conditions were average to below average today. Cows selling after the noon hour were significantly fuller than cows which sold during the morning portion of the sale. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 lower. Young age cows were very lightly again this week and most sold as feeding cows.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $132.05/cwt on 844 head.
Average price
$132.05
844 head · 816 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,077
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$16
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1
$12.94/cwt at this weight
vs the market
0.79
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1826133.151,099702
Medium and Large 1-2681133.0190633
Medium 1672128.5786458
Large 1927120.211,11551
One grade step is worth $12.94/cwt here — about −$16 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 sale844 hd
132.05
MT average2 barns · 923 hd
132.83
−0.79
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
BullsAverage1,87078.781,47340
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,43759.2785121
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,59054.508671thin
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,24253.7166735

Every lot, as filed

75 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
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,05569.85/cwt62.00–75.0073711
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,56359.70/cwt55.50–66.7593326
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,38356.00/cwt56.00–56.0077412
SteersMedium and Large 1789141.93/cwt141.50–143.001,1207
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned429167.00/cwt167.00–167.007166
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned484141.38/cwt141.00–142.006848
HeifersMedium and Large 1Full872125.00/cwt125.00–125.001,0903
BullsMedium and Large 1566153.33/cwt153.00–154.008686
SteersMedium and Large 1816142.48/cwt138.00–143.501,16354
HeifersMedium and Large 1742136.22/cwt135.50–137.001,01135
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned502136.00/cwt136.00–136.006837
SteersMedium and Large 1-2895132.00/cwt130.00–133.251,18113
HeifersMedium and Large 1918129.73/cwt127.00–131.001,191125
HeifersMedium and Large 1Full835126.50/cwt126.50–126.501,0565
SteersMedium and Large 1913133.82/cwt130.00–135.001,22296
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned480156.00/cwt156.00–156.007498
Bulls1,85480.96/cwt78.50–84.501,50120
CowsBoner 80-85%1,41760.99/cwt58.00–63.0086413
HeifersMedium and Large 1768136.36/cwt135.00–137.251,04799
HeifersMedium and Large 1832132.67/cwt130.00–134.501,104235
HeifersMedium and Large 1958127.36/cwt127.25–127.501,22022
SteersMedium and Large 1-2900131.00/cwt131.00–131.001,17924
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,59054.50/cwt54.50–54.508671
CowsBoner 80-85%1,45955.26/cwt51.00–57.508067
Bulls2,07986.84/cwt85.50–87.501,8053
CowsBoner 80-85%1,53565.00/cwt65.00–65.009981
CowsLean 85-90%1,26558.75/cwt58.75–58.757431
BullsHeavy Weight2,58572.00/cwt72.00–72.001,8611
CowsLean 85-90%1,18844.87/cwt41.00–48.005334
CowsLean 85-90%1,24854.72/cwt51.00–57.5068330
Bulls1,80674.96/cwt70.00–78.001,35416
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned633145.00/cwt145.00–145.009189
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned569136.50/cwt136.50–136.507776
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned468152.46/cwt146.00–157.0071428
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2928125.50/cwt125.50–125.501,1653
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned534143.76/cwt138.50–146.0076813
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned463166.00/cwt166.00–166.007694
SteersLarge 11,053124.00/cwt124.00–124.001,3063
HeifersLarge 1367147.00/cwt147.00–147.005395
HeifersLarge 1456145.00/cwt145.00–145.0066115
SteersLarge 1Fleshy1,170102.00/cwt102.00–102.001,1933
BullsLarge 1519154.00/cwt154.00–154.007995
SteersLarge 11,008126.00/cwt126.00–126.001,2703
HeifersMedium 1716128.23/cwt127.50–129.0091827
SteersMedium 1-2679134.50/cwt134.50–134.509137
HeifersLarge 11,018123.64/cwt121.50–124.001,2597
SteersLarge 1Unweaned411168.00/cwt168.00–168.006907
SteersLarge 1Unweaned478157.00/cwt157.00–157.0075031
SteersLarge 1Full1,011119.00/cwt119.00–119.001,2035
SteersMedium 1838135.50/cwt135.50–135.501,1356
SteersMedium 1Full740138.00/cwt138.00–138.001,0213
HeifersLarge 11,063117.34/cwt117.00–118.001,2473
HeifersLarge 1Fleshy1,36898.00/cwt98.00–98.001,3413
SteersLarge 1Fleshy1,41695.00/cwt95.00–95.001,3456
SteersMedium 1643138.50/cwt138.50–138.5089117
SteersMedium and Large 1-2766141.00/cwt141.00–141.001,0808
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2885128.00/cwt128.00–128.001,1335
SteersMedium 1-2614134.00/cwt134.00–134.008237
HeifersLarge 1Fleshy1,29694.50/cwt94.50–94.501,22510
HeifersLarge 1Fleshy1,40595.50/cwt95.50–95.501,3428
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2789128.99/cwt123.00–133.001,01810
SteersMedium and Large 1Full777138.00/cwt138.00–138.001,0729
HeifersMedium and Large 1885130.09/cwt129.00–131.001,151131
SteersMedium 1768140.00/cwt140.00–140.001,0759
HeifersMedium 1672124.29/cwt124.00–126.008357
HeifersMedium 1623130.20/cwt129.50–130.5081124
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,27665.66/cwt58.00–76.0083814
SteersMedium and Large 1874136.00/cwt136.00–136.001,18922
SteersMedium and Large 1986126.35/cwt126.00–127.501,24621
SteersMedium and Large 2837124.00/cwt124.00–124.001,0389
SteersMedium and Large 1-2735143.95/cwt142.50–145.501,05830
SteersMedium and Large 1-2849135.50/cwt135.50–135.501,1504
SteersMedium and Large 1Full980125.07/cwt122.00–126.251,22611
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned511166.73/cwt164.00–169.0085225
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned575157.62/cwt152.00–162.0090610

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.