Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2020-10-01
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-10-01

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling feeder steers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Unweaned steer calves sold steady to 10.00 higher in a narrow comparison. The best test for yearling heifers was 800-849 lbs which sold firm and 900-949 lbs which sold mostly 2.00 lower; all other weights of yearling heifers were not well compared. Unweaned heifer calves were too lightly tested last sale to develop any market trend. Quality this week was average to attractive for yearlings and mostly average for calves. Calves with 2 rounds of preconditioning shots sold on significantly stronger demand than calves with only one round of shots. This led to large price spreads at times. Calves are mostly in light flesh despite coming straight off the cow. Yearlings were in mostly light flesh as well with the exception of a few packages which were coming out of the feedlot. Market activity this week was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand and light offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 lower on boning and lean cows, breaking cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. The best demand for feeding cows was for fleshy breaking cows. Demand did improve late in the day as several buyers attempted to fill loads. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 4.00 lower. Cows and bulls were very full throughout todays sale offering buyers mostly below average weigh up conditions. Cow quality this week was mostly plain to average with lots of thin cows in the sale. Young age re-breed type cows were lightly traded again this week. Steady undertones were noticed in a narrow comparison. Quality was mostly average this week.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $156.02/cwt on 1,348 head.

Average price

$156.02

1,348 head · 611 lb average

Value per head Derived

$954

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$261

per head · Large 1 over Medium 1

$45.20/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+1.54

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Large 1	368	192.00	707	14thin
Medium and Large 2	438	167.00	731	9thin
Medium and Large 1	618	156.08	964	1,071
Medium and Large 1-2	600	153.80	923	239
Medium 1	659	146.80	967	15thin

One grade step is worth $45.20/cwt here — about −$261 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 sale1,348 hd

156.02

—

MT average3 barns · 1,744 hd

154.48

+1.54

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	—	High	1,796	75.38	1,354	43
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,473	62.92	927	82
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,397	55.93	782	136
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,200	50.29	603	216

Every lot, as filed

100 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
Dairy Steers	Large 2	—	938	106.00/cwt	106.00–106.00	994	11
Heifers	Large 1Fleshy	—	1,115	111.50/cwt	111.50–111.50	1,243	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	426	174.28/cwt	170.00–180.00	742	102
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	331	195.24/cwt	191.00–198.00	646	27
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	362	161.13/cwt	157.50–165.00	583	47
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	340	164.12/cwt	161.00–170.00	558	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	619	154.04/cwt	149.00–158.50	954	35
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	475	148.49/cwt	140.00–155.00	705	141
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	920	129.90/cwt	127.00–130.75	1,195	67
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	388	180.66/cwt	178.00–182.50	701	30
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	520	153.78/cwt	149.00–155.50	800	54
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	477	161.71/cwt	155.50–173.00	771	221
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	427	150.24/cwt	146.00–155.00	642	201
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	683	141.55/cwt	140.00–142.00	967	36
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	568	158.27/cwt	153.00–161.00	899	153
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	992	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,240	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	756	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	1,089	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	572	134.85/cwt	130.00–137.50	771	45
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,460	55.82/cwt	54.00–57.50	815	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	388	193.54/cwt	191.00–194.00	751	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	688	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	936	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	475	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	660	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	420	173.61/cwt	173.00–175.00	729	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	570	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	832	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,374	58.58/cwt	52.00–65.50	805	46
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,740	66.64/cwt	66.00–67.00	1,160	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,252	53.24/cwt	52.50–54.00	667	19
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	970	52.00/cwt	52.00–52.00	504	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,416	63.87/cwt	62.50–65.50	904	41
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,233	56.68/cwt	55.00–63.00	699	36
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,357	64.72/cwt	63.75–66.50	878	13
Bulls	—	—	1,990	84.57/cwt	83.50–85.50	1,683	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,655	68.00/cwt	68.00–68.00	1,125	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,263	67.50/cwt	67.50–67.50	853	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,655	68.50/cwt	68.50–68.50	1,134	1
Bulls	—	—	1,912	78.18/cwt	75.00–81.25	1,495	20
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,548	59.91/cwt	55.00–63.50	927	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,212	49.32/cwt	45.00–53.50	598	105
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,394	52.66/cwt	51.50–54.00	734	40
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,165	49.79/cwt	47.00–53.50	580	22
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,489	61.31/cwt	56.00–62.25	913	29
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,438	51.93/cwt	50.00–53.50	747	26
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,124	43.47/cwt	39.00–47.50	489	30
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	840	45.00/cwt	45.00–45.00	378	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,533	73.00/cwt	73.00–73.00	1,119	9
Bulls	—	—	1,766	70.97/cwt	65.00–75.00	1,253	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	710	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	980	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	709	148.95/cwt	147.00–149.00	1,056	41
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	764	130.47/cwt	126.00–132.50	997	24
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	545	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	730	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	331	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	520	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	307	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	583	6
Heifers	Medium 1	—	735	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	970	9
Heifers	Large 1Full	—	1,015	118.99/cwt	117.00–120.50	1,208	7
Heifers	Large 1Full	—	1,072	119.50/cwt	119.50–119.50	1,281	5
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,048	124.50/cwt	124.50–124.50	1,305	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	899	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	1,052	6
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,085	126.08/cwt	125.75–126.50	1,368	9
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	368	192.00/cwt	192.00–192.00	707	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	478	155.38/cwt	150.00–166.00	743	36
Heifers	Medium 1	—	659	136.29/cwt	134.50–136.50	898	20
Steers	Medium 1	—	643	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	945	9
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	954	1,008.03/cwt	1,000.00–1,010.00	9,617	10
Heifers	Medium 1	—	643	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	842	7
Steers	Medium 1	—	683	146.50/cwt	146.50–146.50	1,001	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	875	84.00/cwt	84.00–84.00	735	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	389	153.15/cwt	147.50–187.50	596	26
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	888	132.33/cwt	132.00–135.50	1,175	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	837	139.30/cwt	137.50–141.50	1,166	30
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	438	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	731	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	810	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,013	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	777	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	1,018	54
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	923	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	1,163	8
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,135	66.00/cwt	66.00–66.00	749	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	868	141.07/cwt	138.50–144.50	1,224	100
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	954	77.50/cwt	77.50–77.50	739	14
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,167	66.55/cwt	59.00–75.00	777	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	985	125.30/cwt	125.00–125.50	1,234	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	930	136.29/cwt	133.50–138.50	1,267	97
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,003	83.28/cwt	67.00–94.00	835	61
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	773	143.05/cwt	142.00–144.00	1,106	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	970	118.83/cwt	118.00–125.00	1,153	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	811	127.69/cwt	124.50–131.50	1,036	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	727	139.69/cwt	139.00–140.00	1,016	77
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	884	132.23/cwt	130.75–134.50	1,169	66
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	734	136.45/cwt	136.00–137.00	1,002	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	790	138.54/cwt	138.00–140.00	1,094	59
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	899	128.50/cwt	128.50–128.50	1,155	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	763	135.62/cwt	134.00–136.25	1,035	11
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	373	176.00/cwt	176.00–176.00	656	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	678	129.50/cwt	129.50–129.50	878	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	979	130.60/cwt	130.25–134.50	1,279	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	674	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	971	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	826	147.30/cwt	145.50–151.00	1,217	55
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	830	137.39/cwt	135.50–138.00	1,140	157
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	621	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	801	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	527	140.13/cwt	139.00–144.00	738	115
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	769	147.37/cwt	147.00–148.00	1,133	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	515	157.24/cwt	154.00–159.00	810	161
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	280	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	560	2

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 →