Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2020-10-29
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-10-29

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested either this week or last to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Unweaned steer calves under 450 lbs sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher; 450-599 lbs steers sold 7.00-10.00 higher; 600-749 lbs steers sold 3.00-8.00 higher. Unweaned heifers sold 2.00-5.00 higher on all weights. Demand was mostly moderate to good on moderate to heavy offerings. Warmer, dryer, weather was seen this week. CME positions pushed higher all week and buyers showed good demand as a result. Quality this week was average to attractive. A large crowd was on hand this week. Market activity was mostly active this week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for light offerings. Not enough cows or bulls sold last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to lower undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly average. Weigh up conditions were below average as all cows and bulls were very full.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $154.55/cwt on 1,904 head.

Average price

$154.55

1,904 head · 560 lb average

Value per head Derived

$865

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$421

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$37.15/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−1.65

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	544	156.79	853	1,654
Medium and Large 1-2	547	148.26	811	165
Medium 1	590	134.44	794	18thin
Medium and Large 2	544	123.00	669	12thin
Large 1	1,065	119.64	1,274	55

One grade step is worth $37.15/cwt here — about −$421 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 sale1,904 hd

154.55

—

MT average5 barns · 4,790 hd

156.20

−1.65

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	1,688	76.32	1,288	18
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Very Low	1,571	60.19	946	14
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Very Low	1,431	51.29	734	113
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,240	44.60	553	73

Every lot, as filed

96 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 1Unweaned	—	421	175.73/cwt	171.00–185.00	740	114
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	616	143.89/cwt	139.00–148.75	886	185
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	919	117.57/cwt	117.50–118.00	1,080	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	344	199.00/cwt	199.00–199.00	685	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	436	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	532	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	641	135.09/cwt	134.50–137.00	866	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	426	139.37/cwt	139.00–141.00	594	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	490	138.81/cwt	135.00–140.00	680	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	428	167.64/cwt	167.00–168.00	717	13
Bulls	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	459	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	601	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	247	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	383	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	387	175.41/cwt	172.00–181.00	679	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	848	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	1,077	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	762	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	983	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	523	147.13/cwt	145.00–149.50	769	34
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	652	126.50/cwt	126.50–126.50	825	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	429	153.50/cwt	146.00–157.00	659	100
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	463	156.10/cwt	155.00–157.00	723	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	890	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	1,068	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	507	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	649	8
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	544	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	669	12
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	548	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	734	5
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	619	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	829	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,027	76.40/cwt	63.75–84.00	785	70
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,207	1,108.04/cwt	1,100.00–1,135.00	13,374	9
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,129	56.26/cwt	54.00–68.00	635	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	451	182.00/cwt	182.00–182.00	821	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,200	54.20/cwt	54.00–54.50	650	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,620	48.00/cwt	48.00–48.00	778	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,483	43.36/cwt	42.00–44.00	643	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	942	37.50/cwt	37.50–37.50	353	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,297	39.87/cwt	34.00–43.00	517	26
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,565	60.97/cwt	57.00–62.50	954	12
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,207	48.49/cwt	47.00–50.00	585	10
Bulls	—	—	2,005	72.33/cwt	71.00–74.00	1,450	3
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,045	55.00/cwt	55.00–55.00	575	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,750	59.00/cwt	59.00–59.00	1,033	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	938	42.50/cwt	42.00–43.00	399	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,453	47.15/cwt	46.00–48.00	685	12
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,241	45.59/cwt	45.00–48.50	566	18
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,405	47.72/cwt	47.50–49.00	670	36
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,595	63.00/cwt	63.00–63.00	1,005	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,405	62.90/cwt	62.00–67.00	884	8
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,455	51.99/cwt	49.50–54.50	756	15
Bulls	—	—	1,698	78.92/cwt	75.00–82.50	1,340	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,300	49.50/cwt	49.50–49.50	644	9
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,642	80.78/cwt	78.00–85.00	1,326	9
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,439	54.38/cwt	49.50–59.50	783	37
Steers	Large 1	—	1,062	120.04/cwt	115.00–121.50	1,275	51
Steers	Large 1	—	1,106	114.50/cwt	114.50–114.50	1,266	4
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,045	116.00/cwt	116.00–116.00	1,212	2
Heifers	Large 1-2	—	845	113.00/cwt	113.00–113.00	955	3
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	468	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	655	3
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	599	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	809	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	971	128.50/cwt	128.50–128.50	1,248	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	482	142.65/cwt	142.00–145.00	688	32
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	333	163.45/cwt	160.00–170.00	544	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	768	137.71/cwt	134.50–140.00	1,058	12
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	562	129.00/cwt	128.00–130.00	725	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	868	130.50/cwt	130.50–130.50	1,133	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	503	143.25/cwt	143.25–143.25	721	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	895	127.25/cwt	127.25–127.25	1,139	41
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	453	179.00/cwt	179.00–179.00	811	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	718	142.58/cwt	138.00–146.00	1,024	56
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	421	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	653	22
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	418	172.43/cwt	172.00–175.00	721	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	519	141.07/cwt	135.00–145.25	732	278
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	475	146.47/cwt	140.50–150.00	696	278
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	793	132.50/cwt	132.50–132.50	1,051	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	466	173.38/cwt	161.00–177.00	808	97
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	710	130.50/cwt	130.50–130.50	927	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	272	172.50/cwt	172.50–172.50	469	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	907	126.25/cwt	125.00–127.50	1,145	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	730	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	986	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	805	133.61/cwt	132.00–135.50	1,076	24
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	578	135.55/cwt	129.00–139.00	783	108
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	682	141.19/cwt	138.00–148.75	963	31
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	653	131.49/cwt	129.50–134.00	859	36
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	574	146.96/cwt	143.50–149.75	844	215
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	275	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	619	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	758	137.52/cwt	137.00–139.00	1,042	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	581	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	749	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	360	148.82/cwt	147.00–150.00	536	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	525	156.23/cwt	149.00–161.00	820	793
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	325	209.70/cwt	205.00–215.00	682	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	957	119.00/cwt	119.00–119.00	1,139	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	360	200.53/cwt	187.50–205.00	722	52
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	782	123.52/cwt	122.00–128.00	966	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	686	133.40/cwt	133.00–134.00	915	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	287	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	465	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	619	132.78/cwt	131.50–133.50	822	52
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	385	156.88/cwt	153.00–165.00	604	59
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	729	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	962	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	889	115.50/cwt	115.00–121.00	1,027	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	527	133.17/cwt	131.00–134.00	702	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	578	138.89/cwt	135.00–140.50	803	46

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 →