Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2020-10-22
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-10-22

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling feeder steers sold mostly 5.00-9.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Unweaned steer calves weighing less than 400 lbs sold fully steady; 400-599 lbs sold mostly 5.00 to 10.00 lower; 600-699 lbs steers sold 3.00-5.00 lower. Yearling heifers sold mostly 3.00-8.00 lower. Unweaned heifer calves under 400 lbs sold steady to weak; 400-649 lbs sold mostly 3.00-7.00 lower, other weights of heifers were too lightly tested to trend. Quality this week was average to attractive. Many calves continue to be in mostly light flesh. CME positions shifted lower over the past week and feedlot buyers have been gun shy to take calves. This coupled with a cold and very snowy weather pattern has many buyers reserved as they bid on calves. Market activity was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for very light offerings. Not enough cows or bulls to develop any market test. Quality this week was mostly average. Weigh up conditions were average.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $143.71/cwt on 1,032 head.

Average price

$143.71

1,032 head · 622 lb average

Value per head Derived

$893

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$354

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$36.74/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−10.48

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	619	144.93	897	864
Medium and Large 1-2	571	141.52	808	145
Medium 2	480	128.00	614	4thin
Large 1	1,157	108.18	1,252	19thin

One grade step is worth $36.74/cwt here — about −$354 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 sale1,032 hd

143.71

—

MT average5 barns · 3,831 hd

154.19

−10.48

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	1,764	81.50	1,438	4thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,521	66.88	1,017	4thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,456	56.71	826	47
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,203	50.15	603	71

Every lot, as filed

79 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
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	839	131.75/cwt	131.75–131.75	1,105	41
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	659	127.09/cwt	123.50–129.00	838	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	722	135.38/cwt	130.50–137.00	977	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	916	122.97/cwt	122.00–124.75	1,126	64
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	381	188.71/cwt	184.00–207.00	719	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	774	129.73/cwt	127.50–132.50	1,004	97
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	390	179.00/cwt	179.00–179.00	698	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	523	139.01/cwt	131.00–143.50	727	140
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	618	140.01/cwt	136.00–142.25	865	209
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	424	174.45/cwt	163.50–185.00	740	63
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	577	132.16/cwt	127.00–137.00	763	107
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	633	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	810	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	375	158.15/cwt	152.00–163.00	593	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	678	136.83/cwt	130.00–140.00	928	71
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	588	139.68/cwt	138.00–140.50	821	84
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	783	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	979	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	343	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	511	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	534	147.92/cwt	145.00–154.00	790	153
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	341	206.42/cwt	202.00–212.50	704	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	427	141.09/cwt	139.00–143.00	602	42
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	393	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	570	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	534	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	689	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	718	131.42/cwt	129.75–134.50	944	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	634	129.65/cwt	127.50–132.00	822	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	328	163.49/cwt	160.00–167.00	536	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	753	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	934	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	765	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	1,002	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	607	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	771	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	828	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,035	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	467	134.40/cwt	133.00–137.00	628	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	587	126.95/cwt	125.00–128.00	745	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	536	135.73/cwt	134.50–139.00	728	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	489	148.07/cwt	147.00–153.00	724	51
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	387	180.33/cwt	177.50–182.50	698	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	635	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	826	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	823	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	1,021	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	581	131.95/cwt	124.00–136.00	767	18
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	840	69.96/cwt	67.00–74.00	588	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	877	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	1,131	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	413	148.05/cwt	144.50–150.50	611	47
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	466	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	610	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	778	125.49/cwt	124.00–126.50	976	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	424	165.87/cwt	165.00–167.00	703	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,174	54.81/cwt	52.00–56.00	643	11
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	640	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	813	8
Steers	Medium 2	—	480	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	614	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	991	77.51/cwt	70.00–94.50	768	49
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,055	58.00/cwt	58.00–58.00	612	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,399	51.00/cwt	51.00–51.00	713	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,182	47.10/cwt	46.50–49.50	557	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,755	72.50/cwt	72.50–72.50	1,272	1
Bulls	—	—	2,048	85.00/cwt	85.00–85.00	1,741	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,198	64.00/cwt	64.00–64.00	767	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,085	35.00/cwt	35.00–35.00	380	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,643	54.39/cwt	53.00–55.00	894	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,270	49.78/cwt	49.00–51.50	632	28
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,480	77.99/cwt	75.00–80.00	1,154	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,443	65.00/cwt	65.00–65.00	938	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,448	57.46/cwt	57.00–58.00	832	40
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,148	48.57/cwt	44.00–50.00	558	24
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,065	64.82/cwt	62.00–69.00	690	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	849	125.50/cwt	125.50–125.50	1,065	58
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	483	155.04/cwt	151.00–164.00	749	89
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	972	119.00/cwt	119.00–119.00	1,157	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	510	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	658	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	445	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	681	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	473	139.90/cwt	138.00–143.00	662	78
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	775	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	1,062	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	851	123.29/cwt	123.00–123.75	1,049	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	878	126.75/cwt	126.75–126.75	1,113	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	908	129.60/cwt	127.00–130.00	1,177	86
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	701	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	967	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	879	130.50/cwt	130.50–130.50	1,147	21
Heifers	Medium 1	—	724	125.17/cwt	123.75–127.50	906	13
Heifers	Medium 1	—	674	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	856	4
Heifers	Medium 1	—	779	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	974	7
Steers	Large 1Fleshy	—	1,050	111.50/cwt	111.50–111.50	1,171	5
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,098	116.75/cwt	116.75–116.75	1,282	17
Steers	Large 1Fleshy	—	1,195	107.00/cwt	107.00–107.00	1,279	14

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 →