Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2021-02-11

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Feb 11
● Final16 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
70 head
4,669 vs last sale 4,739 1,277 vs year ago 1,347 · 94.8%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
108 head
414 vs last sale 522 95 vs year ago 203 · 46.8%
Replacement Cattle receipts
55 head
158 vs last sale 213 330 vs year ago 385 · 85.7%
Also sold here(Mon)Thu Apr 16, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: All steers and heifers were scarcely tested this week thus no trend is available. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly light. Extreme, bitter cold was seen throughout the week and expected to continue through the weekend. Temperatures are 2 to 5 degrees below zero for highs and near 20 below for overnight lows. This has slowed the volume of cattle coming to town. Market activity was slow. Weigh up cows and bulls sold on very good demand for light offerings. Packers showed mostly very good demand for slaughter cows as cold and snowy conditions have slowed the volume of cattle being delivered to the plant. Slaughter cows sold mostly 4.00-8.00 higher. Feeding cows were too lightly tested as most cows sold to slaughter this week. Slaughter bulls were scarcely tested. Young age cows suitable to rebreed sold on mostly moderate demand for light offerings. These offerings sold with steady undertones.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $148.61/cwt on 52 head.
Average price
$148.61
52 head · 516 lb average
Value per head Derived
$767
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$353
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1
$49.46/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+1.62
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1483151.4673149
Large 11,063102.001,0843thin
One grade step is worth $49.46/cwt here — about −$353 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 sale52 hd
148.61
MT average2 barns · 251 hd
146.99
+1.62
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 · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
BullsAverage2,00092.001,8401thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,67965.191,0949thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,41862.1888254
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,14557.9266326

Every lot, as filed

16 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.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
HeifersMedium and Large 1475153.50/cwt153.50–153.5072925
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,03591.34/cwt91.00–92.009453
HeifersMedium and Large 1528147.00/cwt147.00–147.0077617
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,05174.50/cwt70.00–79.0078347
HeifersMedium and Large 1401155.00/cwt155.00–155.006227
HeifersLarge 11,063102.00/cwt102.00–102.001,0843
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight88052.00/cwt52.00–52.004581
CowsBoner 80-85%1,41757.16/cwt54.00–62.5081020
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,60562.00/cwt62.00–62.009951
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight97341.00/cwt41.00–41.003992
Bulls2,00092.00/cwt92.00–92.001,8401
CowsBoner 80-85%1,41564.83/cwt62.50–65.5091732
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,68865.59/cwt64.50–66.001,1078
CowsLean 85-90%1,19362.10/cwt61.00–65.5074112
CowsBoner 80-85%1,48070.00/cwt70.00–70.001,0362
CowsLean 85-90%1,14956.98/cwt53.00–60.0065511

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.