Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2021-02-18
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-02-18

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 undertones were noticed on feeders under 650 and weak undertones were noticed on cattle over 650 lbs. Demand was moderate to good for mostly light to moderate offerings. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. A single load lot of steers was seen this week and sold on good demand. Packages of calves sold on mostly moderate demand. Good buyer participation this sale with many order buyers actively bidding on offerings. Market activity was mostly moderate to active as a result. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Slaughter cows sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Packers continue to buy for the storm market as extreme cold has slowed cattle being delivered to the plant. Feeding cow buyers showed moderate to good demand for cows today however most feeding buyers purchased cows that were young and of higher quality. No comparisons can be made for feeding cows as all cows last week were destined for immediate harvest. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Young age cows suitable to rebreed sold on mostly moderate to good demand this week. Most of these offerings were average to attractive in quality and many had freshly lost calves. None of these offerings were seen last week so no comparison can be made.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $144.81/cwt on 334 head.

Average price

$144.81

334 head · 596 lb average

Value per head Derived

$862

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$142

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

$0.24/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+0.30

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	503	145.03	729	21
Medium and Large 1	602	144.79	871	313

One grade step is worth $0.24/cwt here — about −$142 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 sale334 hd

144.81

—

MT average3 barns · 784 hd

144.51

+0.30

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	—	Average	2,100	88.76	1,864	8thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,516	63.21	958	44
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,394	62.02	864	187
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,216	59.69	726	163

Every lot, as filed

59 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	—	378	186.10/cwt	185.00–188.00	703	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	418	182.50/cwt	182.50–182.50	763	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	791	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	973	24
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,273	1,025.00/cwt	1,025.00–1,025.00	13,048	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	817	133.23/cwt	132.00–133.50	1,088	31
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	987	80.93/cwt	61.00–90.00	799	114
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	866	131.63/cwt	129.50–132.00	1,140	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	463	188.00/cwt	188.00–188.00	870	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	418	186.00/cwt	186.00–186.00	777	30
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,410	59.73/cwt	58.50–61.00	842	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	592	131.50/cwt	130.00–134.00	778	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	900	59.00/cwt	59.00–59.00	531	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,420	59.50/cwt	59.50–59.50	845	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,317	60.00/cwt	60.00–60.00	790	9
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,319	1,150.00/cwt	1,150.00–1,150.00	15,169	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,168	67.78/cwt	65.00–68.00	792	14
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	851	94.99/cwt	91.00–99.50	808	12
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,045	48.00/cwt	48.00–48.00	502	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,165	71.00/cwt	71.00–71.00	827	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,570	61.50/cwt	61.50–61.50	966	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,353	65.65/cwt	63.50–67.50	888	34
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,247	61.37/cwt	60.50–64.00	765	52
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,212	57.37/cwt	53.50–61.00	695	68
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,225	57.79/cwt	56.50–61.00	708	24
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,868	65.34/cwt	64.00–66.50	1,221	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	965	52.00/cwt	52.00–52.00	502	1
Bulls	—	—	1,983	89.85/cwt	86.00–92.00	1,782	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,555	48.00/cwt	48.00–48.00	746	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,390	64.36/cwt	64.25–65.00	895	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	463	179.00/cwt	179.00–179.00	829	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	559	178.68/cwt	170.00–180.50	999	31
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	488	158.91/cwt	156.00–165.00	775	51
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	574	148.53/cwt	145.00–151.50	853	67
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	427	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	683	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	466	147.67/cwt	146.00–150.00	688	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	516	157.47/cwt	155.00–160.00	813	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	902	112.00/cwt	112.00–112.00	1,010	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	708	131.32/cwt	128.50–135.00	930	28
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,024	96.97/cwt	89.00–108.50	993	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	701	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	1,002	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	620	141.49/cwt	139.00–144.00	877	49
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	689	145.65/cwt	138.50–147.50	1,004	113
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,170	975.00/cwt	975.00–975.00	11,408	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	535	181.07/cwt	177.00–188.00	969	22
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,289	1,075.00/cwt	1,075.00–1,075.00	13,857	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	626	157.00/cwt	154.00–161.00	983	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	662	135.87/cwt	134.00–136.00	899	51
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	399	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	678	11
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	418	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	773	14
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,318	800.00/cwt	800.00–800.00	10,544	8
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,393	900.52/cwt	850.00–910.00	12,544	52
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	975	63.00/cwt	63.00–63.00	614	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,496	59.00/cwt	59.00–59.00	883	7
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,610	61.58/cwt	59.00–63.75	991	17
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,685	67.50/cwt	67.50–67.50	1,137	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,404	63.71/cwt	61.00–68.50	894	64
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,397	59.51/cwt	55.00–61.50	831	69
Bulls	—	—	2,475	85.00/cwt	85.00–85.00	2,104	1
Bulls	—Heavy Weight	—	2,425	86.00/cwt	86.00–86.00	2,086	1

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 →