Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2021-02-04
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-02-04

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were all too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Demand was moderate to good for mostly heavy offerings. Quality this week was mostly average to very attractive. Many load lots were seen this sale and demand for load lots was mostly very good. Many sets of heavyweight cattle were seen this week and most were out of backgrounding lots. Despite this, most backgrounded offerings were in mostly moderate flesh, with very few fleshy offerings seen. Light weight cattle were in mostly light flesh this week with many sets were developed and marketed as grass cattle. Almost all cattle on offer were weaned 60-120 days. A large crowd was on hand for todays sale with many order buyers actively bidding on offerings. Market activity was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for moderate offerings. Packers were very active in procuring offerings this sale. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher. Feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher. The cutter cow cutout as of todays close was 179.70, 0.34 higher than yesterdays close. Cow quality was average to attractive this week. Cows and bulls offered buyers mostly average to below average weigh up conditions. Slaughter bulls mostly steady firm in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to rebreed sold generally steady.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $161.08/cwt on 2,319 head.

Average price

$161.08

2,319 head · 622 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,001

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$88

per head · Large 1 over Medium and Large 2

$42.90/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−1.70

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Large 1	472	184.40	870	35
Medium and Large 1-2	551	164.02	905	312
Medium and Large 1	636	160.32	1,019	1,960
Medium and Large 2	553	141.50	782	12thin

One grade step is worth $42.90/cwt here — about $88 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 sale2,319 hd

161.08

—

MT average3 barns · 3,162 hd

162.78

−1.70

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	1,810	80.78	1,462	23
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,352	60.41	817	118
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,452	55.16	801	16
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,149	53.77	618	259

Every lot, as filed

88 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 1-2	—	634	143.50/cwt	143.50–143.50	910	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	431	181.28/cwt	179.50–188.00	781	38
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	383	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	628	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	521	140.75/cwt	137.00–141.50	733	59
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	620	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	880	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	722	131.21/cwt	130.00–132.00	947	131
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	714	122.42/cwt	120.50–123.50	874	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	615	130.83/cwt	127.00–135.00	805	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	582	156.73/cwt	154.00–158.00	912	70
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	378	167.01/cwt	164.00–170.00	631	48
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	424	168.35/cwt	162.00–178.00	714	178
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	768	126.96/cwt	123.75–129.50	975	39
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	679	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	862	11
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	400	188.00/cwt	188.00–188.00	752	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	633	139.73/cwt	136.50–142.50	884	88
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	559	139.75/cwt	139.75–139.75	781	69
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	816	121.01/cwt	120.50–122.00	987	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	887	127.33/cwt	125.00–132.50	1,129	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	469	164.25/cwt	158.50–169.50	770	160
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	678	136.09/cwt	133.75–141.50	923	68
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	512	158.03/cwt	152.50–160.50	809	120
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	524	180.72/cwt	175.50–188.25	947	339
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	392	203.00/cwt	203.00–203.00	796	37
Steers	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	556	179.00/cwt	179.00–179.00	995	39
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	620	132.72/cwt	128.00–134.00	823	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	571	149.00/cwt	142.00–153.50	851	99
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	943	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,226	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	631	150.73/cwt	147.00–156.00	951	92
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	477	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	830	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	461	194.56/cwt	192.00–198.00	897	113
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	673	149.20/cwt	142.00–155.00	1,004	462
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	586	165.74/cwt	160.00–174.00	971	278
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	422	201.91/cwt	190.00–206.00	852	87
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	759	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	1,116	26
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	719	141.58/cwt	138.50–144.50	1,018	133
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	984	125.14/cwt	122.00–125.50	1,231	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	668	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	888	57
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	657	142.50/cwt	142.50–142.50	936	11
Bulls	—	—	1,730	75.44/cwt	71.00–81.00	1,305	13
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,127	52.75/cwt	48.00–55.50	594	85
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,155	65.00/cwt	65.00–65.00	751	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,398	60.72/cwt	58.00–64.00	849	37
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,312	56.28/cwt	55.75–58.00	738	14
Bulls	—	—	2,167	94.00/cwt	94.00–94.00	2,037	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,128	55.66/cwt	55.00–57.00	628	23
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,295	72.00/cwt	72.00–72.00	932	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	925	41.00/cwt	41.00–41.00	379	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,435	53.91/cwt	53.50–54.00	774	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	976	51.14/cwt	49.50–52.00	499	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,307	64.95/cwt	64.00–67.00	849	42
Steers	Large 1	—	392	196.00/cwt	196.00–196.00	768	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,140	44.00/cwt	44.00–44.00	502	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,330	52.93/cwt	50.00–56.00	704	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,418	69.00/cwt	69.00–69.00	978	2
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,215	85.00/cwt	85.00–85.00	1,033	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,189	52.33/cwt	45.00–55.00	622	103
Heifers	Medium 1	—	476	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	657	6
Heifers	Medium 1	—	406	147.50/cwt	147.50–147.50	599	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,562	52.86/cwt	52.50–56.00	826	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,128	58.99/cwt	55.00–62.50	665	41
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,128	98.27/cwt	98.00–99.00	1,108	11
Heifers	Large 1	—	529	151.25/cwt	151.25–151.25	800	28
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	770	136.84/cwt	135.00–137.50	1,054	51
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	554	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	886	88
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,269	59.00/cwt	59.00–59.00	749	6
Bulls	—	—	1,989	86.03/cwt	83.50–90.50	1,711	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,013	73.10/cwt	61.00–85.00	741	122
Heifers	Medium 1	—	364	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	582	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	719	134.44/cwt	132.00–137.00	967	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	472	179.19/cwt	172.50–182.00	846	67
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,012	106.00/cwt	106.00–106.00	1,073	3
Steers	Large 1	—	492	181.50/cwt	181.50–181.50	893	28
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	503	145.50/cwt	145.50–145.50	732	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	825	133.13/cwt	129.50–136.00	1,098	149
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	642	120.50/cwt	120.50–120.50	774	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	752	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	978	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	955	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	1,270	61
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	827	73.00/cwt	73.00–73.00	604	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	826	127.86/cwt	125.00–130.00	1,056	34
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	444	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	639	7
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	653	133.50/cwt	133.50–133.50	872	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	574	137.70/cwt	133.00–140.00	790	37
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	323	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	530	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	471	154.77/cwt	152.00–156.00	729	26
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	438	159.38/cwt	156.00–161.50	698	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	537	165.81/cwt	164.00–167.00	890	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	378	191.19/cwt	188.00–192.00	723	43
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	595	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	797	20

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 →