Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2020-11-19
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-11-19

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested last sale to develop any market trend. Good demand was seen for yearling steers as quality was mostly attractive. Yearling heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Yearling heifer quality was mostly plain to average. Unweaned steer calves under 450 lbs sold 5.00-10.00 lower; 450 lbs and heavier sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower. Unweaned heifers under 500 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher; 500-549 lbs unweaned heifers sold 3.00 lower; heifer calves over 550 sold steady. Quality this sale was mixed from plain to attractive. Demand was light to moderate for heavy offerings. CME positions sold off today with triple digit losses seen on all contracts. Demand was good early in the day but waned as the sale progressed and buyers filled loads. With heavy offerings seen today demand for plainer type cattle was mostly light especially later in the afternoon. A brief rain shower was seen over night and caused pens to muddy slightly. Many sets of calves were slightly dirty today as a result. Market activity was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Feeding buyers trying to fill loads helped keep cow prices near steady early, however as they filled loads cow prices backed off. Feeding cows sold fully steady. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 lower. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average and similar to last week. Bulls were extremely full this sale. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Young age cows were not well compared. Quality was mostly plain and much lower than last sale.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $158.98/cwt on 2,799 head.

Average price

$158.98

2,799 head · 546 lb average

Value per head Derived

$868

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$61

per head · Medium 1 over Medium and Large 2

$25.58/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−2.79

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	403	180.97	729	107
Medium and Large 1-2	449	165.82	744	295
Medium and Large 1	566	157.18	890	2,366
Medium and Large 2	430	155.39	668	31

One grade step is worth $25.58/cwt here — about $61 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 sale2,799 hd

158.98

—

MT average5 barns · 8,001 hd

161.77

−2.79

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.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	Low	1,879	70.27	1,321	9thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,635	63.02	1,031	11
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,331	52.12	694	61
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,159	45.86	531	147

Every lot, as filed

91 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 1-2Unweaned	—	323	184.57/cwt	182.00–186.00	596	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	374	163.44/cwt	160.00–166.00	611	84
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	628	142.53/cwt	138.00–146.00	895	204
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	528	132.72/cwt	130.00–138.00	701	39
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	680	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	850	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	571	136.35/cwt	132.00–138.00	779	206
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	660	130.69/cwt	126.00–135.50	863	38
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	381	155.85/cwt	149.00–159.00	594	30
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	529	160.22/cwt	151.00–165.50	848	624
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	563	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	816	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	330	163.05/cwt	161.00–166.00	538	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	472	149.44/cwt	145.50–154.50	705	231
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	424	183.41/cwt	175.00–193.00	778	73
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	220	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	398	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	470	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	705	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	518	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	808	66
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	655	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	865	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	960	119.00/cwt	119.00–119.00	1,142	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	347	192.50/cwt	192.50–192.50	668	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	391	187.39/cwt	181.00–195.00	733	79
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	816	131.50/cwt	131.50–131.50	1,073	28
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	573	148.07/cwt	140.00–151.00	848	322
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	785	139.34/cwt	137.50–141.50	1,094	45
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	605	150.40/cwt	142.00–151.50	910	123
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	667	140.59/cwt	134.00–142.00	938	111
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	748	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	980	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	620	135.64/cwt	135.00–136.50	841	136
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	748	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	898	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	728	138.22/cwt	137.75–139.00	1,006	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	870	136.64/cwt	136.50–137.00	1,189	32
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	423	156.92/cwt	150.00–162.00	664	272
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	478	173.03/cwt	163.00–182.00	827	459
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	562	137.50/cwt	137.50–137.50	773	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	571	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	828	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	927	139.89/cwt	139.50–140.50	1,297	55
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	693	142.75/cwt	142.75–142.75	989	50
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	928	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	1,141	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	628	136.06/cwt	134.00–136.50	854	35
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	539	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	846	18
Heifers	Medium 1-2Unweaned	—	488	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	654	22
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	475	140.14/cwt	136.00–142.00	666	26
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	385	184.00/cwt	184.00–184.00	708	50
Steers	Medium 1	—	356	185.50/cwt	185.50–185.50	660	18
Steers	Medium 1	—	447	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	782	39
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,077	114.50/cwt	114.50–114.50	1,233	9
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,660	55.50/cwt	55.50–55.50	921	1
Bulls	—	—	2,065	66.50/cwt	60.00–69.00	1,373	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,383	47.21/cwt	47.00–47.50	653	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,163	39.48/cwt	38.00–44.50	459	15
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,695	70.11/cwt	62.00–74.50	1,188	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,156	35.42/cwt	32.50–37.50	409	21
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,349	64.51/cwt	64.00–65.00	870	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,049	59.77/cwt	59.00–64.00	627	14
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,633	63.77/cwt	62.00–66.50	1,041	10
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,785	78.04/cwt	77.50–78.50	1,393	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,313	54.92/cwt	52.00–59.00	721	23
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,331	49.17/cwt	48.00–50.00	654	27
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	570	128.97/cwt	128.50–130.00	735	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	618	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	933	108
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	895	79.35/cwt	67.00–82.00	710	47
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	958	60.79/cwt	59.00–67.50	582	16
Heifers	Medium 1-2Unweaned	—	431	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	625	24
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,171	44.99/cwt	41.00–48.50	527	72
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	295	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	531	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	474	159.56/cwt	157.50–163.00	756	36
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	809	119.00/cwt	119.00–119.00	963	4
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	344	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	547	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	783	129.50/cwt	129.50–129.50	1,014	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	902	126.60/cwt	126.00–128.00	1,142	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	719	126.50/cwt	126.50–126.50	910	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	489	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	782	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	524	142.21/cwt	136.00–149.25	745	415
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	667	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	887	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	845	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,056	26
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	710	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	888	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	328	156.97/cwt	151.00–159.00	515	36
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	417	173.15/cwt	170.00–173.50	722	98
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	406	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	585	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	538	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	726	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	486	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	710	24
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	450	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	630	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	378	176.15/cwt	164.00–180.00	666	36
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	582	127.98/cwt	124.00–131.50	745	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	472	137.11/cwt	134.00–144.00	647	43
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	723	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	875	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	778	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	973	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	595	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	845	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	522	149.04/cwt	145.00–153.00	778	22
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	444	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	733	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	635	134.50/cwt	134.50–134.50	854	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,185	53.16/cwt	49.50–56.50	630	25

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 →