Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2021-03-04
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-03-04

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to two weeks ago: No sale was held last week so all comparisons are to two weeks ago. The best test for steers was for 650-699 lbs which sold mostly 5.00 higher. All other weights of steers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Feeder heifers under 650 lbs sold mostly 3.00-6.00 higher, heifers over 650 lbs sold generally steady. Quality this week was average to attractive. Demand was mostly good to very good for cattle suitable to go to grass and moderate for cattle destined for feed lots. CME feeder cattle contracts traded sharply lower today, however demand continues to be be strong. Canadian buyers competing with local ranchers continues to be the driving force behind the higher grass cattle market. Cattle continue to be very green with several consignments of calves selling with a premium for condition. Market activity this week was mostly active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. The last sale occurred in the heart of the storm market and cow prices for all other sales adjusted lower last week. Slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00-4.00 lower compared to two weeks ago. Feeding cows were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Packers opted to send the majority of the cow offering to feed this week as they only sent cows to slaughter that were not suitable to feed. A few sets of thin cows were purchased by feeding buyers this week. Feeding buyers pushed thin cows well beyond where packers were willing to purchase them for harvest. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to weak undertones were noticed. 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.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $151.21/cwt on 1,011 head.

Average price

$151.21

1,011 head · 570 lb average

Value per head Derived

$861

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$240

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

$11.67/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−2.66

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	574	152.17	873	874
Medium 1	534	149.60	798	56
Large 1	614	143.79	883	7thin
Medium and Large 1-2	571	142.07	811	60
Medium and Large 2	450	140.50	632	14thin

One grade step is worth $11.67/cwt here — about $240 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 sale1,011 hd

151.21

—

MT average4 barns · 3,769 hd

153.86

−2.66

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	1,901	81.71	1,554	30
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,667	61.31	1,022	32
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,405	59.48	836	84
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,152	53.58	617	292

Every lot, as filed

93 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
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,443	56.86/cwt	54.00–57.00	820	32
Steers	Large 1	—	608	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	955	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	988	123.50/cwt	123.50–123.50	1,220	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	526	175.62/cwt	173.00–180.00	924	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	768	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	960	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	675	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	918	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	569	155.01/cwt	153.00–159.00	882	136
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	920	116.50/cwt	116.50–116.50	1,072	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	390	199.00/cwt	199.00–199.00	776	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	336	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	538	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	668	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	875	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	721	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	894	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	776	126.31/cwt	126.00–128.00	980	32
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	519	162.52/cwt	155.00–166.50	843	150
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	690	134.26/cwt	132.00–136.00	926	41
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,396	62.00/cwt	62.00–62.00	866	5
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,229	54.00/cwt	54.00–54.00	664	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	993	103.73/cwt	91.00–115.00	1,030	52
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	613	153.48/cwt	148.50–159.50	941	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	467	180.42/cwt	179.00–182.00	843	30
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	560	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	890	2
Heifers	Medium 1	—	716	127.50/cwt	127.50–127.50	913	9
Heifers	Medium 1	—	421	164.11/cwt	162.00–165.00	691	17
Heifers	Medium 1	—	543	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	804	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	409	160.35/cwt	155.00–164.00	656	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	581	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	831	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	350	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	634	13
Steers	Large 1-2	—	556	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	778	29
Steers	Large 1-2	—	502	168.00/cwt	168.00–168.00	843	3
Steers	Large 1-2	—	616	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	832	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	427	184.33/cwt	183.00–186.00	787	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	420	143.50/cwt	143.50–143.50	603	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	480	137.50/cwt	137.50–137.50	660	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	947	46.00/cwt	46.00–46.00	436	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,113	72.33/cwt	61.00–90.00	805	28
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	843	74.86/cwt	61.00–79.00	631	23
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	923	87.43/cwt	82.00–90.00	807	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,645	58.73/cwt	57.00–59.50	966	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	728	145.51/cwt	145.00–148.00	1,059	34
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	815	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	1,043	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	642	136.63/cwt	131.00–137.00	877	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	564	164.15/cwt	154.00–171.00	926	26
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	724	129.95/cwt	129.00–132.00	941	33
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	600	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	912	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	624	163.97/cwt	157.00–168.00	1,023	112
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	843	135.50/cwt	135.50–135.50	1,142	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	695	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	890	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	510	162.50/cwt	162.50–162.50	829	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	480	152.38/cwt	149.00–156.00	731	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	584	172.49/cwt	169.00–174.00	1,007	88
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	536	185.30/cwt	178.00–187.00	993	42
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	494	194.00/cwt	194.00–194.00	958	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	430	165.63/cwt	165.00–167.00	712	66
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	485	164.63/cwt	159.00–166.75	798	108
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	830	123.50/cwt	123.50–123.50	1,025	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	424	198.29/cwt	195.00–200.00	841	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	878	121.34/cwt	121.00–122.00	1,065	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	656	136.80/cwt	130.00–140.00	897	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	397	167.08/cwt	167.00–167.50	663	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	624	144.74/cwt	139.00–146.50	903	249
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	457	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	736	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	638	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	868	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	607	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	1,038	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	904	134.90/cwt	134.50–136.00	1,219	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	857	131.88/cwt	130.00–132.00	1,130	35
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	404	201.88/cwt	201.00–202.00	816	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	671	150.74/cwt	147.50–154.00	1,011	115
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	764	140.16/cwt	137.00–141.00	1,071	29
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	532	163.15/cwt	162.00–165.00	868	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	610	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	866	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,205	57.16/cwt	57.00–63.00	689	50
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	976	40.75/cwt	40.75–40.75	398	17
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,253	58.30/cwt	56.75–62.50	730	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,407	59.11/cwt	57.00–60.00	832	9
Bulls	—	—	2,000	84.00/cwt	84.00–84.00	1,680	1
Bulls	—	—	1,847	86.37/cwt	84.00–88.50	1,595	5
Bulls	—	—	2,129	92.91/cwt	90.50–94.50	1,978	9
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,619	62.68/cwt	61.00–64.50	1,015	14
Steers	Large 2	—	478	152.50/cwt	152.50–152.50	729	10
Steers	Medium 1	—	432	184.00/cwt	184.00–184.00	795	5
Steers	Medium 1	—	530	172.20/cwt	171.00–173.00	913	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,377	61.41/cwt	57.00–65.00	846	42
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,755	61.80/cwt	60.00–63.75	1,085	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,162	52.71/cwt	49.50–56.50	612	101
Heifers	Large 1	—	514	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	802	4
Heifers	Large 1	—	747	127.50/cwt	127.50–127.50	952	3
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,053	113.00/cwt	113.00–113.00	1,190	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,105	44.39/cwt	43.00–46.00	491	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,635	57.00/cwt	57.00–57.00	932	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,142	54.60/cwt	54.50–56.50	624	108
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,330	66.00/cwt	66.00–66.00	878	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,210	64.50/cwt	64.50–64.50	780	1
Bulls	—	—	1,776	73.29/cwt	65.00–82.00	1,302	15

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 →