Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2021-05-13

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, May 13
● Final64 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
510 head
317 vs last sale 827 157 vs year ago 353 · +44.5%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
806 head
382 vs last sale 424 631 vs year ago 175 · +360.6%
Replacement Cattle receipts
344 head
31 vs last sale 313 261 vs year ago 605 · 43.1%
Also sold here(Mon)Thu Apr 16, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on both steers and heifers. Demand was mixed. Good demand was seen for high quality, thin fleshed offerings, while light demand was seen for plain or crossbred offerings. Quality was mixed as well from plain to attractive. CME positions traded mixed as well with the nearby May contract closing 0.70 higher at 137.45, while the August closed 0.025 lower at 150.50.Market activity this week was mostly slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Packers buyers didn't seem want to push the market higher but showed need for cows both for immediate slaughter as well as to feed. Slaughter and feeding cows sold steady to 1.00 higher on all classes. Drought conditions continues to push cows to market and packers continue to gather supplies as the cutter cow cutout continues to inch higher. As of todays close the cutter cow cutout was 205.53, 1.37 higher than Wednesdays close. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher. Several very high dressing bulls sold today and these offerings were met with good demand. Weigh up conditions started the sale above average, however weigh conditions deteriorated as the sale pushed into the afternoon. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold unevenly steady. Good demand was seen for high quality offerings, however plain to average quality offerings were met with mostly light demand and created uneven prices. Quality this week was mixed.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $134.57/cwt on 175 head.
Average price
$134.57
175 head · 634 lb average
Value per head Derived
$853
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$280
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Large 1
$44.00/cwt at this weight
vs the market
8.74
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2556143.0079520
Medium and Large 1636140.94896112
Medium and Large 2641121.0077613thin
Medium 2-3466116.005419thin
Medium 1-2668112.0074816thin
Large 11,08699.001,0755thin
One grade step is worth $44.00/cwt here — about −$280 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 sale175 hd
134.57
MT average3 barns · 1,778 hd
143.31
−8.74
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
BullsLow1,73786.041,49598
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,41565.12922214
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,58964.001,01718
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,18560.55718314

Every lot, as filed

64 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
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,5521,475.00/cwt1,475.00–1,475.0022,8926
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-296660.25/cwt55.00–71.0058210
SteersMedium and Large 1765136.00/cwt136.00–136.001,0402
HeifersMedium and Large 1Replacement704137.00/cwt137.00–137.0096418
SteersMedium and Large 1627160.13/cwt157.00–169.001,00411
BullsMedium and Large 1844115.50/cwt115.50–115.509754
SteersMedium and Large 1-2630153.15/cwt152.00–155.009655
SteersMedium and Large 1-2775127.51/cwt126.00–129.009884
SteersMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed535190.50/cwt190.50–190.501,01914
HeifersMedium and Large 1825114.54/cwt112.00–115.0094520
HeifersMedium and Large 1516158.58/cwt152.00–163.0081854
HeifersMedium and Large 1668136.00/cwt136.00–136.009083
HeifersMedium and Large 1782121.00/cwt121.00–121.009467
HeifersMedium and Large 1588149.00/cwt149.00–149.008762
BullsMedium and Large 1989101.00/cwt101.00–101.009996
BullsMedium and Large 1910104.00/cwt104.00–104.009462
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed80371.00/cwt71.00–71.005702
Stock CowsMedium and Large 196792.41/cwt72.00–103.00894134
HeifersMedium and Large 1165200.00/cwt200.00–200.003302
SteersMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed553190.50/cwt190.50–190.501,05336
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,01164.30/cwt64.00–65.006504
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,04075.48/cwt65.00–95.0078575
SteersMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed607178.00/cwt178.00–178.001,08043
HeifersMedium and Large 1200350.00/cwt350.00–350.007001
HeifersMedium and Large 1Fleshy690114.00/cwt114.00–114.007878
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,2411,800.00/cwt1,800.00–1,800.0022,33812
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,44961.47/cwt60.50–62.0089124
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,35872.29/cwt69.00–74.0098242
BullsReturn to Feed1,34975.59/cwt70.50–81.001,02017
BullsReturn to Feed1,84587.23/cwt84.00–90.001,6096
Bulls1,63180.04/cwt70.00–83.501,30523
Bulls2,09099.75/cwt94.50–110.002,08518
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,20663.34/cwt61.00–68.5076491
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,13160.02/cwt55.00–61.5067946
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,59767.66/cwt66.50–68.001,0817
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,45465.97/cwt62.00–68.5095975
CowsBoner 80-85%1,39358.17/cwt55.00–61.5081034
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,16571.57/cwt70.50–73.258345
HeifersLarge 1Fleshy1,08699.00/cwt99.00–99.001,0755
CowsBoner 80-85%1,40164.09/cwt62.00–67.0089839
CowsLean 85-90%1,19057.36/cwt50.50–60.50683112
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,55262.29/cwt61.00–64.509675
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,68157.50/cwt57.50–57.509674
CowsLean 85-90%1,21562.50/cwt60.50–65.0075951
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2481,038.77/cwt1,025.00–1,050.0012,96414
HeifersMedium 2-3466116.00/cwt116.00–116.005419
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight95254.49/cwt51.00–56.005197
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,46868.50/cwt68.50–68.501,0062
BullsMedium 1-2438135.00/cwt135.00–135.005915
BullsLarge 11,04498.50/cwt98.50–98.501,0287
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2580138.00/cwt138.00–138.0080010
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,4791,205.52/cwt1,175.00–1,225.0017,8306
Bulls1,79887.86/cwt84.00–93.001,58034
CowsLean 85-90%1,29069.00/cwt69.00–69.008902
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed1,10561.00/cwt61.00–61.006741
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-291681.36/cwt79.00–89.007458
HeifersMedium and Large 2607128.00/cwt128.00–128.007776
HeifersMedium and Large 2671115.00/cwt115.00–115.007727
HeifersMedium 1-2668112.00/cwt112.00–112.0074816
SteersMedium 1-2561127.50/cwt127.50–127.507158
SteersMedium and Large 1664160.20/cwt148.00–167.001,0648
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2532148.00/cwt148.00–148.0078710
SteersMedium and Large 1-2690139.00/cwt139.00–139.009592
BullsMedium and Large 1-294490.00/cwt90.00–90.008505

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.