Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2021-01-28
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-01-28

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Demand was moderate to good for light offerings. Quality was mostly average today. A good crowd was on hand for this sale despite light offerings. Most calves on offer were weaned 45-60 days and in light flesh. Market activity was mostly active with bidders quickly bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light to moderate offerings. Packers were quick to bid on cows this sale as they showed strong need for cows for immediate harvest. Packers pushed to own the majority of the cow offering this week pushing cows higher again. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher. Feeding cows sold steady to 3.00 higher. Cow quality was average this week. Cows offered buyers average to below average weigh up conditions. Slaughter bulls mostly steady to 2.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to rebreed sold mostly 5.00 higher on a much higher quality offering compared to last.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $164.72/cwt on 109 head.

Average price

$164.72

109 head · 554 lb average

Value per head Derived

$912

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$69

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2

$3.90/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−6.11

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	558	165.36	923	91
Medium and Large 1-2	529	161.46	854	18thin

One grade step is worth $3.90/cwt here — about $69 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 sale109 hd

164.72

—

MT average4 barns · 2,207 hd

170.83

−6.11

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	1,738	83.43	1,450	33
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,582	59.03	934	11
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,425	56.43	804	62
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,174	52.58	617	165

Every lot, as filed

45 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
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	641	130.50/cwt	130.50–130.50	837	5
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,089	616.96/cwt	600.00–650.00	6,719	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	523	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	832	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	425	172.50/cwt	172.50–172.50	733	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	462	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	578	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	575	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	840	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	640	128.64/cwt	128.00–131.00	823	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	518	175.38/cwt	173.00–180.00	908	42
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	623	155.53/cwt	152.00–159.00	969	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	562	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	804	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	353	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	653	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	671	120.71/cwt	120.50–121.00	810	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	488	171.27/cwt	167.50–175.00	836	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	418	156.63/cwt	152.50–158.00	655	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	469	181.74/cwt	180.00–185.00	852	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	613	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	889	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,462	56.41/cwt	54.50–60.00	825	11
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,457	53.30/cwt	47.00–55.00	777	19
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,387	76.50/cwt	76.50–76.50	1,061	3
Bulls	—	—	1,660	90.00/cwt	90.00–90.00	1,494	1
Bulls	—	—	1,784	84.78/cwt	83.00–89.00	1,512	24
Bulls	—	—	1,743	79.82/cwt	78.00–83.00	1,391	5
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,060	111.50/cwt	111.50–111.50	1,182	8
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,428	61.89/cwt	61.75–62.00	884	11
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,331	54.00/cwt	54.00–54.00	719	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	1,037	48.04/cwt	43.00–52.00	498	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,385	61.50/cwt	61.50–61.50	852	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,551	59.37/cwt	58.00–61.50	921	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	720	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	922	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	455	177.50/cwt	177.50–177.50	808	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	611	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	892	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,193	52.23/cwt	46.00–54.00	623	121
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,213	56.48/cwt	54.00–60.00	685	13
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,723	57.50/cwt	57.50–57.50	991	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	505	166.00/cwt	166.00–166.00	838	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	674	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	957	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	429	177.58/cwt	171.00–181.00	762	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,390	56.53/cwt	55.00–60.50	786	14
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,061	52.82/cwt	51.50–54.00	560	19
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,192	54.95/cwt	54.50–56.00	655	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	409	186.00/cwt	186.00–186.00	761	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	718	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	1,027	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	523	153.88/cwt	145.00–158.00	805	25
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	979	76.42/cwt	53.00–86.00	748	93
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,474	891.18/cwt	775.00–910.00	13,136	34

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 →