Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2021-10-28
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-10-28

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearlings were all too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Demand for yearlings was mostly good. Steer calves under 400 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, lower undertones were noticed. 400-599 lbs steers sold steady to 5.00 higher, steer calves over 600 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher. Heifer calves under 400 lbs sold mostly 10.00 lower, 400-549 lbs heifers sold steady to 8.00 lower, heifers over 550 lbs sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher. Quality this week was average to attractive. Demand for calves remains uneven. Transportation remains the biggest factor limiting demand as buyers continue to struggle to find trucks. Much like last week buyers focused on buying front end calves, especially ones with two rounds of vaccinations and passed or discounted average quality calves or calves with only spring shots. After buyers exhausted the trucks they had available many exited the market. Prices declined as buyers filled trucks, as many of these offerings would have to remain in the yards until buyers can find transportation. Weaned calves have started to sell at a premium as some buyers have reported some health issues with un-weaned calves as nights are getting colder and days remain unseasonably warm. Market activity this week was moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for light offerings. The additional packer buyer seen last week was not at the sale this week. All cows sold lower as less buying power was on hand for todays sale. Feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower. Weigh up conditions this week were below average with many very full cows on offer. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on boning and lean cows, breaking cows sold with lower undertones. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Demand was mostly light to moderate. Quality for this class of cows was average this week.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $163.68/cwt on 2,234 head.

Average price

$163.68

2,234 head · 547 lb average

Value per head Derived

$895

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$46

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 1

$8.99/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−5.02

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	557	164.93	918	1,872
Medium and Large 2	388	160.36	623	50
Medium 1-2	403	158.00	637	25
Medium and Large 1-2	503	156.95	790	184
Medium 1	559	155.94	872	103

One grade step is worth $8.99/cwt here — about $46 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 sale2,234 hd

163.68

—

MT average4 barns · 5,900 hd

168.70

−5.02

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	—	Average	1,818	75.57	1,374	6thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,599	55.83	893	6thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,405	50.14	705	58
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,211	43.14	522	70

Every lot, as filed

106 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
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	365	166.50/cwt	166.50–166.50	608	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	541	148.32/cwt	140.00–155.00	802	36
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	430	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	658	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	442	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	712	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	433	177.56/cwt	168.00–180.00	769	46
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	745	149.25/cwt	144.00–150.50	1,112	26
Steers	Medium 1	—	398	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	677	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	693	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	1,019	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	594	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	855	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	517	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	724	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	753	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	1,084	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	602	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	915	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	484	183.67/cwt	179.00–193.00	889	45
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	864	156.50/cwt	156.50–156.50	1,352	30
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	664	146.50/cwt	146.50–146.50	973	12
Steers	Medium 1	—	687	152.50/cwt	152.50–152.50	1,048	33
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	755	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	1,117	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	337	197.50/cwt	197.50–197.50	666	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	840	159.50/cwt	159.50–159.50	1,340	20
Steers	Medium 1	—	540	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	842	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	481	152.01/cwt	145.00–164.50	731	331
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	616	138.33/cwt	132.50–141.75	852	75
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	511	163.68/cwt	163.00–165.00	836	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	569	166.97/cwt	166.50–167.00	950	65
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	454	196.42/cwt	196.00–197.00	892	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	730	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	1,044	3
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	519	156.50/cwt	154.00–158.00	812	31
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	804	141.50/cwt	141.50–141.50	1,138	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	338	197.83/cwt	187.50–210.00	669	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	425	189.09/cwt	182.00–195.00	804	118
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	374	172.93/cwt	167.50–180.00	647	11
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	515	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	670	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	728	158.33/cwt	157.00–159.00	1,153	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	374	202.46/cwt	197.00–212.00	757	15
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	293	172.50/cwt	172.50–172.50	505	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	571	140.32/cwt	135.00–150.00	801	41
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	660	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	957	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	495	160.75/cwt	160.00–161.00	796	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	622	155.35/cwt	150.00–164.00	966	229
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	524	162.40/cwt	155.00–171.00	851	371
Steers	Medium 1-2Unweaned	—	403	158.00/cwt	158.00–158.00	637	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	280	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	574	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	470	173.07/cwt	167.00–189.00	813	157
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	668	158.86/cwt	144.00–163.50	1,061	119
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	604	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	761	4
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	373	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	604	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	575	154.48/cwt	148.50–163.00	888	476
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	—	400	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	516	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	552	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	811	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	353	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	635	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	491	149.52/cwt	147.00–158.00	734	22
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	625	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	906	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	407	168.00/cwt	168.00–168.00	684	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,461	45.62/cwt	43.00–49.00	667	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,535	56.00/cwt	56.00–56.00	860	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,525	64.00/cwt	64.00–64.00	976	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,435	39.50/cwt	39.50–39.50	567	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,194	41.62/cwt	39.00–45.00	497	9
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,428	65.00/cwt	65.00–65.00	928	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,667	53.00/cwt	53.00–53.00	884	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,412	47.20/cwt	44.00–49.00	666	34
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,113	32.91/cwt	32.00–34.00	366	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,339	56.50/cwt	56.50–56.50	757	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,076	36.85/cwt	36.00–39.00	397	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,375	55.96/cwt	55.00–59.50	769	17
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,241	45.05/cwt	40.50–47.00	559	38
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,175	48.00/cwt	48.00–48.00	564	1
Bulls	—	—	1,948	76.90/cwt	76.00–78.00	1,498	2
Bulls	—	—	1,859	73.04/cwt	72.00–75.00	1,358	3
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,435	80.50/cwt	80.50–80.50	1,155	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	966	93.54/cwt	70.00–99.50	904	74
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,028	70.25/cwt	55.00–93.00	722	52
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	929	73.18/cwt	71.00–75.00	680	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	940	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,222	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	966	134.81/cwt	128.50–137.00	1,302	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	436	170.50/cwt	170.50–170.50	743	58
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	453	159.56/cwt	148.00–160.50	723	28
Bulls	Large 1	—	592	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	770	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	500	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	740	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	872	146.66/cwt	142.00–149.00	1,279	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Full	—	445	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	627	26
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	739	128.50/cwt	128.50–128.50	950	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	343	186.00/cwt	186.00–186.00	638	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	536	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	777	56
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	650	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	904	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	541	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	763	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	900	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	1,233	2
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	384	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	499	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	393	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	566	44
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	776	151.82/cwt	149.00–153.50	1,178	62
Heifers	Small and Medium 1Unweaned	—	496	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	600	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	289	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	491	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	516	154.50/cwt	154.50–154.50	797	90
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	390	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	679	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	591	129.61/cwt	129.50–130.00	766	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	378	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	624	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	303	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	427	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	376	166.62/cwt	158.00–175.00	626	54
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	331	167.50/cwt	167.50–167.50	554	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	469	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	638	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	662	139.73/cwt	127.00–142.00	925	34
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	324	173.58/cwt	170.00–180.00	562	41
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	432	159.87/cwt	150.00–165.00	691	208
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	408	214.37/cwt	195.00–215.00	875	66
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	525	143.60/cwt	139.00–150.00	754	438
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	571	140.61/cwt	131.00–144.00	803	265

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 →