Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2021-04-08

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Apr 8
● Final66 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
476 head
6,864 vs last sale 7,340 155 vs year ago 321 · +48.3%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
688 head
610 vs last sale 78 602 vs year ago 86 · +700.0%
Replacement Cattle receipts
322 head
257 vs last sale 65 609 vs year ago 931 · 65.4%
Also sold here(Mon)Thu Apr 16, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: All feeder cattle were too lightly tested this sale to develop any market trend. Quality was mostly plain to average, and offered in mostly small packages or as singles. Quality this week was significantly lower than last weeks offering. Demand was limited due to todays light offering. Market activity was mostly slow today. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand. Offerings were moderate to heavy. Packers continue to show good demand for cows for immediate harvest and to feed. Packers purchased mostly high quality, young cows to feed. Feeding buyers were active this week as well actively bidding on thin cows and cows which might be bred. Slaughter cows were lightly tested last week so all comparisons are narrow. Slaughter and feeding cows sold 1.00-3.00 higher on boning and breaking cows. Lean cows showed the greatest advance pushing mostly 3.00-5.00 higher. Feeing cows sold 1.00-3.00 higher on all classes. Slaughter bulls sold 1.00-2.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Bull quality today was mostly attractive. Young age cows sold on mostly good demand again this week. This class of cows sold mostly 5.00-8.00 higher than last week. Quality was average to attractive and better overall than last week.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $175.81/cwt on 148 head.
Average price
$175.81
148 head · 533 lb average
Value per head Derived
$937
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$7
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2
$62.26/cwt at this weight
vs the market
9.36
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2462177.2881951
Medium and Large 1566176.951,00294
Medium and Large 2718115.028263thin
One grade step is worth $62.26/cwt here — about −$7 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 sale148 hd
175.81
MT average3 barns · 352 hd
185.17
−9.36
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
BullsLow1,75388.571,55363
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,40770.31990153
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,60568.931,10623
CowsLean 85-90%High1,13766.75759271

Every lot, as filed

66 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 1-2802109.50/cwt109.50–109.508785
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2463161.48/cwt160.00–162.0074815
SteersMedium and Large 1-2521166.21/cwt163.00–176.008668
HeifersMedium and Large 1508167.06/cwt160.00–168.5084933
SteersMedium and Large 1-2373193.00/cwt193.00–193.007203
BullsMedium and Large 1-2872128.00/cwt128.00–128.001,1163
SteersMedium and Large 1-2342188.00/cwt188.00–188.0064317
BullsMedium and Large 1-295150.00/cwt150.00–150.001432
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2582147.95/cwt146.00–150.008614
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned405186.00/cwt186.00–186.007534
BullsMedium and Large 1-2405162.50/cwt162.50–162.506582
SteersMedium and Large 1624164.24/cwt162.00–165.001,0254
SteersMedium and Large 1658160.99/cwt159.00–162.501,05921
HeifersMedium and Large 1685142.42/cwt136.00–146.0097614
HeifersMedium and Large 1572157.68/cwt154.00–160.5090219
BullsMedium and Large 1920127.00/cwt127.00–127.001,1681
SteersMedium and Large 1469196.64/cwt191.00–203.0092230
SteersMedium and Large 1898132.50/cwt132.50–132.501,1905
SteersMedium and Large 1557176.33/cwt173.00–177.0098230
HeifersMedium and Large 1741129.00/cwt129.00–129.009564
HeifersMedium and Large 1473166.50/cwt166.50–166.507883
HeifersMedium and Large 1616147.39/cwt144.00–151.509086
HeifersMedium and Large 1768132.00/cwt132.00–132.001,0142
BullsMedium and Large 1721136.00/cwt136.00–136.0098111
BullsMedium and Large 1413177.50/cwt177.50–177.507335
BullsMedium and Large 1491165.00/cwt165.00–165.008104
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,25375.50/cwt75.50–75.5094650
CowsBoner 80-85%1,44365.52/cwt64.00–67.5094512
CowsBoner 80-85%1,49769.37/cwt68.00–71.001,03828
BullsReturn to Feed1,38279.00/cwt79.00–79.001,0923
BullsReturn to Feed1,31087.50/cwt87.50–87.501,1461
Bulls1,64281.55/cwt74.00–83.501,33918
Bulls2,081101.62/cwt98.00–104.002,11510
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,58770.70/cwt70.00–72.501,12211
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,39365.00/cwt65.00–65.009052
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,23873.00/cwt73.00–73.009042
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight96067.00/cwt67.00–67.006431
Bulls1,76289.40/cwt86.00–94.001,57531
CowsLean 85-90%1,31555.00/cwt55.00–55.007231
CowsLean 85-90%1,20269.01/cwt67.00–71.0083040
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,36868.96/cwt67.50–71.5094362
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,58873.00/cwt73.00–73.001,1593
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,38574.00/cwt72.50–76.001,02546
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,63365.41/cwt64.00–67.501,0689
CowsBoner 80-85%1,59073.30/cwt72.50–74.001,1653
BullsLarge 1600131.00/cwt131.00–131.007863
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,11464.73/cwt56.00–68.00721117
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,14269.77/cwt67.00–71.0079766
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight95363.00/cwt63.00–63.006002
CowsLean 85-90%1,13565.44/cwt63.50–68.0074341
CowsLean 85-90%1,13574.50/cwt74.50–74.508461
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-289270.05/cwt66.00–71.006256
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-288590.01/cwt86.00–94.507974
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,4571,285.00/cwt1,285.00–1,285.0018,7225
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,06587.34/cwt63.00–100.0093069
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed95089.00/cwt89.00–89.008467
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1971102.94/cwt80.00–115.501,000129
SteersMedium and Large 1-2407191.29/cwt190.00–195.007794
HeifersMedium and Large 2427154.00/cwt154.00–154.006584
HeifersMedium and Large 2339163.00/cwt163.00–163.005539
SteersMedium and Large 2718115.02/cwt114.00–117.008263
SteersMedium and Large 1-2583171.86/cwt171.50–174.001,00213
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned460167.50/cwt167.50–167.507713
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2366158.19/cwt156.00–159.0057912
SteersMedium and Large 1-2623145.00/cwt145.00–145.009033
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2661128.44/cwt125.00–131.008497

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.