Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2021-04-15

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Apr 15
● Final68 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
254 head
222 vs last sale 476 28 vs year ago 226 · +12.4%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
347 head
341 vs last sale 688 232 vs year ago 115 · +201.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
329 head
7 vs last sale 322 262 vs year ago 67 · +391.0%
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 average, and offered in mostly small packages or as singles. Demand was light to moderate this sale. Most buyers were buying cattle to square up loads from yesterdays big sale. Market activity was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Packers showed lighter demand for slaughter cows this sale. Feeding cow demand was good to very good. Packers opted to put most high quality young cows on feed this sale. Feeding buyers were not as aggressive in bidding on thin or older cows this sale. This allowed packers to buy slaughter cows lower. Feeding cows sold fully steady, while slaughter cows sold 1.00-2.00 lower on all classes. Slaughter bulls sold steady on a lower quality offering. Young age cows suitable to feed or re-breed sold fully steady. Quality was average to attractive this week.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $142.93/cwt on 72 head.
Average price
$142.93
72 head · 614 lb average
Value per head Derived
$878
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$397
per head · Medium and Large 2 over Medium and Large 1-2
$2.53/cwt at this weight
vs the market
5.05
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 2309145.004484thin
Medium and Large 1657143.0193942
Medium and Large 1-2593142.4784526
One grade step is worth $2.53/cwt here — about −$397 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 sale72 hd
142.93
MT average3 barns · 3,994 hd
147.98
−5.05
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
BullsLow1,63287.961,43542
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,67870.301,18025
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,42068.73976114
CowsPremium White 65-75%Low1,78567.001,1961thin
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,16564.20748116

Every lot, as filed

68 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
BullsLarge 1-21,13090.00/cwt90.00–90.001,0173
BullsLarge 11,028114.71/cwt112.50–116.001,17911
HeifersMedium and Large 1582149.75/cwt149.00–150.0087212
SteersMedium and Large 1509187.99/cwt185.00–190.009575
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2505153.01/cwt152.00–154.007732
SteersMedium and Large 1586175.00/cwt175.00–175.001,0268
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-289389.38/cwt82.00–93.007987
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,05283.71/cwt67.00–99.5088186
SteersMedium and Large 1-2487184.00/cwt184.00–184.008963
SteersMedium and Large 1-2646151.50/cwt151.50–151.509797
HeifersMedium and Large 1611148.27/cwt147.00–149.0090611
HeifersMedium and Large 1788130.50/cwt130.50–130.501,0287
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2799127.00/cwt127.00–127.001,0154
SteersMedium and Large 1-2904120.00/cwt120.00–120.001,0854
SteersMedium and Large 1-2715145.56/cwt140.00–147.501,0414
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2626132.60/cwt131.00–135.008307
HeifersMedium and Large 1664144.02/cwt143.00–145.509565
BullsMedium and Large 1482175.00/cwt175.00–175.008443
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2588143.63/cwt143.00–147.008456
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2482157.22/cwt156.00–158.007585
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2445157.00/cwt157.00–157.006992
HeifersMedium and Large 1721135.00/cwt135.00–135.009737
BullsMedium and Large 1848127.00/cwt127.00–127.001,0772
BullsMedium and Large 1530168.00/cwt168.00–168.008901
BullsMedium and Large 1908114.00/cwt114.00–114.001,0353
BullsMedium and Large 1667142.00/cwt142.00–142.009476
SteersMedium and Large 1714151.58/cwt148.50–154.001,08222
BullsMedium and Large 1792126.79/cwt125.00–128.001,00410
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,81870.43/cwt70.00–71.501,2803
BullsReturn to Feed1,16382.00/cwt82.00–82.009543
BullsReturn to Feed1,30593.00/cwt93.00–93.001,2141
BullsReturn to Feed1,25486.68/cwt85.00–91.001,0879
BullsLight Weight1,31573.00/cwt73.00–73.009601
Bulls1,87290.35/cwt85.00–93.501,69117
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,71765.56/cwt64.50–68.001,1267
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight93460.83/cwt59.00–62.505684
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,40373.32/cwt72.00–74.501,02920
Bulls1,63183.10/cwt80.00–84.001,3557
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,27371.74/cwt71.00–72.509132
CowsLean 85-90%1,17262.04/cwt57.00–64.5072736
CowsBoner 80-85%1,55571.50/cwt71.00–72.501,1123
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,63273.17/cwt72.75–74.501,1948
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,21467.44/cwt66.00–70.5081919
CowsBoner 80-85%1,38567.50/cwt65.50–69.009357
CowsLean 85-90%1,20970.53/cwt70.00–72.508537
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,67871.26/cwt70.00–72.001,1964
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,42363.14/cwt58.00–65.008986
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight91551.00/cwt51.00–51.004671
BullsLarge 1810127.00/cwt127.00–127.001,0292
CowsLean 85-90%1,19765.75/cwt55.00–69.5078722
Bulls1,97696.09/cwt94.00–101.001,8994
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,42669.22/cwt67.00–72.0098763
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,76068.00/cwt68.00–68.001,1971
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,47374.50/cwt74.50–74.501,0972
BullsLarge 11,222100.00/cwt100.00–100.001,2223
SteersLarge 1-21,068113.00/cwt113.00–113.001,2072
CowsBoner 80-85%1,40562.77/cwt60.00–65.5088215
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,11763.76/cwt62.00–66.0071222
BullsLarge 11,26790.67/cwt90.50–91.001,1493
BullsLarge 11,055116.00/cwt116.00–116.001,2242
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2881,035.00/cwt1,035.00–1,035.0013,33114
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,03697.77/cwt79.50–117.001,013139
CowsLean 85-90%1,11250.68/cwt50.00–51.005643
CowsPremium White 65-75%1,78567.00/cwt67.00–67.001,1961
SteersMedium 1435179.00/cwt179.00–179.007793
BullsLarge 11,163109.00/cwt109.00–109.001,2684
HeifersMedium and Large 2309145.00/cwt145.00–145.004484
SteersMedium and Large 2490161.00/cwt161.00–161.007894

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.