Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2021-06-17

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Jun 17
● Final70 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
614 head
801 vs last sale 1,415 441 vs year ago 173 · +254.9%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
501 head
616 vs last sale 1,117 194 vs year ago 307 · +63.2%
Replacement Cattle receipts
198 head
700 vs last sale 898 57 vs year ago 255 · 22.4%
Also sold here(Mon)Thu Apr 16, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Several sets of light fleshed cattle were on offer this week. Many of these offerings ran out of grass due to drought. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly moderate to good on light offerings. Market activity was mostly moderate to active. Weight up cows comprised the majority of the sale this week. Packers opted to sent the majority of the cows to feed this week. Many very attractive cows were seen this week off reputation ranches. Packers purchased these high quality offerings on very good demand. Feeding cows sold a full 5.00 higher. Slaughter cows sold on light to moderate demand and sold generally steady on breaking and boning cows, lean cows sold 2.00-3.00 higher. Only lame or blemished cows not suitable to feed sold as slaughter cows this week. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady. Several ranchers were in the market for rebreed type cows this week. This helped provide some support to this class of cattle.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $140.06/cwt on 232 head.
Average price
$140.06
232 head · 687 lb average
Value per head Derived
$962
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$122
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1
$34.89/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+0.08
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1687142.89982189
Medium and Large 1-2603138.6283718thin
Medium 1-2593126.2574816thin
Large 11,022108.001,1049thin
One grade step is worth $34.89/cwt here — about −$122 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 sale232 hd
140.06
MT average3 barns · 335 hd
139.98
+0.08
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
BullsAverage1,70490.691,54684
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,59572.741,16027
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,42769.90997265
CowsLean 85-90%High1,18163.6975299

Every lot, as filed

70 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
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,49861.14/cwt56.00–62.5091614
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,42576.32/cwt71.00–80.501,088106
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,53470.57/cwt70.00–71.001,0837
BullsMedium and Large 1890117.00/cwt117.00–117.001,0411
BullsMedium and Large 1544174.00/cwt174.00–174.009474
HeifersMedium and Large 195325.00/cwt325.00–325.003091
SteersMedium and Large 1-2685151.00/cwt151.00–151.001,0342
SteersMedium and Large 1-2475167.51/cwt165.00–171.007969
BullsMedium and Large 11,140111.00/cwt111.00–111.001,2653
HeifersMedium and Large 1681144.00/cwt144.00–144.009814
HeifersMedium and Large 1858124.50/cwt124.00–126.001,06810
BullsMedium and Large 1658133.00/cwt133.00–133.008752
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2645124.00/cwt124.00–124.008002
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2542148.00/cwt145.00–149.008024
HeifersMedium and Large 1700144.50/cwt144.50–144.501,01217
HeifersMedium and Large 1930117.00/cwt117.00–117.001,08811
HeifersMedium and Large 1509161.21/cwt154.00–163.0082148
HeifersMedium and Large 1818127.50/cwt127.50–127.501,04310
HeifersMedium and Large 1240385.00/cwt385.00–385.009241
BullsMedium and Large 190325.00/cwt325.00–325.002931
HeifersMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed558164.00/cwt164.00–164.0091519
SteersMedium and Large 1723162.00/cwt162.00–162.001,17129
SteersMedium and Large 1957128.00/cwt128.00–128.001,2253
SteersMedium and Large 1563185.00/cwt185.00–185.001,04212
BullsMedium and Large 1988116.75/cwt116.00–117.001,1534
HeifersMedium and Large 1615153.03/cwt151.50–155.0094121
BullsMedium and Large 1900121.00/cwt121.00–121.001,0891
HeifersMedium and Large 1Full888116.00/cwt116.00–116.001,03022
SteersMedium and Large 1613178.10/cwt168.00–180.001,09276
SteersMedium and Large 1761157.00/cwt157.00–157.001,1957
SteersMedium and Large 1536194.00/cwt194.00–194.001,04016
HeifersMedium and Large 1769131.38/cwt128.00–135.001,01027
CowsBoner 80-85%1,42563.73/cwt62.00–68.0090823
Bulls1,68989.77/cwt84.50–94.001,51638
Bulls1,56582.69/cwt81.00–84.001,2945
BullsReturn to Feed1,29485.00/cwt85.00–85.001,1006
BullsReturn to Feed1,40476.55/cwt69.00–78.501,07510
Bulls1,974100.72/cwt96.50–108.501,98825
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,64064.64/cwt64.00–66.001,0603
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,21373.88/cwt71.50–77.5089612
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,54676.00/cwt76.00–76.001,1759
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,18064.97/cwt62.00–67.5076728
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,23360.19/cwt55.00–61.007429
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,67177.12/cwt76.00–77.501,2894
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,70070.89/cwt69.00–73.501,2054
CowsBoner 80-85%1,48458.16/cwt55.00–62.0086317
CowsLean 85-90%1,13967.10/cwt65.00–71.007645
SteersMedium 1544177.00/cwt177.00–177.009637
Dairy SteersLarge 31,02360.00/cwt60.00–60.006142
CowsLean 85-90%1,15963.00/cwt60.50–66.5073023
CowsLean 85-90%1,21658.40/cwt56.00–60.0071019
BullsLarge 11,139115.50/cwt115.00–116.001,3164
HeifersLarge 1Fleshy1,022108.00/cwt108.00–108.001,1049
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-284378.02/cwt76.00–80.006582
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-294563.00/cwt63.00–63.005951
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight91554.43/cwt52.00–57.504983
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,41067.84/cwt62.00–72.00957105
HeifersMedium 1-2618126.00/cwt126.00–126.0077912
HeifersMedium 1-2516127.00/cwt127.00–127.006554
SteersMedium and Large 1-2832133.00/cwt133.00–133.001,1073
SteersMedium and Large 1-2627162.64/cwt162.00–164.001,0203
BullsLarge 11,250100.00/cwt100.00–100.001,2501
BullsLarge 11,070113.00/cwt113.00–113.001,2091
SteersMedium and Large 1Fleshy1,070114.00/cwt114.00–114.001,2201
SteersMedium and Large 1Fleshy995120.00/cwt120.00–120.001,1943
SteersMedium and Large 1-2591171.00/cwt171.00–171.001,0117
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2483150.00/cwt150.00–150.007254
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,08074.97/cwt68.00–88.0081047
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,07693.15/cwt74.50–104.501,002119
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2684131.90/cwt125.00–136.009028

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.