Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2021-09-30
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-09-30

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and all calves were scarcely traded this week thus no trend is available. Yearling heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Demand for yearlings was mostly light for very light offerings. Market activity was slow. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for heavy offerings. Todays sale was comprised mostly of cows, with around 3,000 on offer. A large portion of the cows on offer were bred today. Many were tested at the yards with some selling as ranch tested bred. Cow quality this sale was mixed from plain to very attractive. Demand for cows was mixed today. Packers showed stronger demand for slaughter cows to start the sale, however demand diminished as heavy offerings were seen. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 lower on boning and lean cows, breaking cows sold steady to firm. Feeding cows sold very uneven today as buyers filled orders and traded loads as the sale progressed. Feeding cows sold uneven from 2.00 higher to 4.00 lower, however the bulk of the trade was steady to 3.00 lower. A large portion of the cow offering was destined for feed today as packers and other feeding buyers put many bred or exposed cows on feed. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Bred cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand. Demand for young cows was very good this sale and most of these offerings were purchased by buyers out of the state. All cows were very full this sale as many filled up on fresh, clean water and good hay while in the yards. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average today. Many cows continue to sell in very thin body condition as drought conditions are widespread. Young age cows sold on good to very good demand today. Several buyers were looking for this class of cow. Young age open cows sold mostly 2.00-5.00 higher on a very attractive offering.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $145.30/cwt on 105 head.

Average price

$145.30

105 head · 736 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,069

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$139

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

$22.00/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−12.84

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	744	147.50	1,097	71
Medium 1-2	673	143.31	964	29
Medium and Large 1-2	985	125.50	1,236	5thin

One grade step is worth $22.00/cwt here — about −$139 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 sale105 hd

145.30

—

MT average3 barns · 1,680 hd

158.14

−12.84

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	—	Low	1,751	81.68	1,430	50
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,681	73.20	1,231	24
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,414	60.37	853	495
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,201	51.57	619	690

Every lot, as filed

61 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
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,383	55.00/cwt	55.00–55.00	761	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,055	1,107.84/cwt	985.00–1,175.00	11,688	18
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,179	1,554.24/cwt	1,275.00–1,610.00	18,324	144
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,218	1,394.02/cwt	1,100.00–1,500.00	16,979	85
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,035	86.00/cwt	86.00–86.00	890	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,385	900.00/cwt	900.00–900.00	12,465	14
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,102	69.00/cwt	69.00–69.00	760	15
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,067	80.92/cwt	56.00–95.00	863	126
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,170	55.00/cwt	55.00–55.00	644	1
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,047	1,385.00/cwt	1,385.00–1,385.00	14,501	13
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,103	74.29/cwt	68.00–79.00	819	5
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,008	1,333.56/cwt	1,160.00–1,385.00	13,442	44
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	973	96.08/cwt	76.50–109.00	935	161
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,419	55.50/cwt	55.50–55.50	788	12
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,214	685.00/cwt	685.00–685.00	8,316	40
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,207	51.17/cwt	50.00–52.00	618	27
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,259	742.35/cwt	700.00–775.00	9,346	61
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,298	800.00/cwt	800.00–800.00	10,384	8
Bred Cows	Medium 1	—	956	1,156.64/cwt	1,150.00–1,160.00	11,057	9
Steers	Medium 1	—	835	144.50/cwt	144.50–144.50	1,207	5
Steers	Medium 1	—	716	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	1,110	35
Steers	Large 1Full	—	1,060	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	1,410	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	961	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	1,297	5
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	644	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	940	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	985	125.50/cwt	125.50–125.50	1,236	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	723	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	1,077	65
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	969	131.30/cwt	128.00–133.00	1,272	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	780	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	1,131	11
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	783	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	1,041	6
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,173	101.67/cwt	99.00–103.00	1,193	9
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,565	80.00/cwt	80.00–80.00	1,252	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,470	74.00/cwt	74.00–74.00	1,088	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,379	55.25/cwt	53.00–58.00	762	171
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,487	74.20/cwt	73.00–78.00	1,103	76
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,229	52.89/cwt	51.00–54.50	650	124
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,405	52.92/cwt	50.50–57.00	744	61
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,394	59.53/cwt	57.00–64.00	830	34
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,590	71.00/cwt	71.00–71.00	1,129	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,305	47.00/cwt	47.00–47.00	613	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,160	43.15/cwt	41.00–47.00	501	96
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,263	54.73/cwt	54.00–57.00	691	48
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,423	62.47/cwt	58.00–69.50	889	149
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,700	75.50/cwt	74.00–78.00	1,284	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	919	49.79/cwt	44.00–52.00	458	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	872	38.80/cwt	33.00–41.00	338	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,211	68.13/cwt	67.50–70.00	825	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,692	68.72/cwt	64.00–71.00	1,163	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,698	80.26/cwt	79.50–81.00	1,363	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,192	51.56/cwt	47.50–53.50	615	331
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,264	59.22/cwt	56.00–63.00	749	72
Bulls	—	—	1,627	75.83/cwt	69.00–79.50	1,234	7
Bulls	—	—	1,919	90.08/cwt	88.50–93.00	1,729	10
Bulls	—	—	1,874	83.74/cwt	80.00–88.00	1,569	13
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,620	81.01/cwt	79.50–81.50	1,312	6
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,635	76.99/cwt	72.00–79.50	1,259	14
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,428	1,175.00/cwt	1,175.00–1,175.00	16,779	13
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,261	1,054.49/cwt	875.00–1,175.00	13,297	93
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,294	881.87/cwt	825.00–950.00	11,411	139
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,096	1,000.00/cwt	1,000.00–1,000.00	10,960	6
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,015	1,225.00/cwt	1,225.00–1,225.00	12,434	7
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,281	55.07/cwt	54.50–56.00	705	34

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 →