Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2021-11-04
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-11-04

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested either this week or last to develop any accurate market trend. Demand for yearlings was mostly moderate to good. Yearling quality was average to attractive. Steer calves under 450 lbs were too lightly tested either this week or last to develop an accurate market trend, steady to higher undertones were noticed. Steers 450-599 lbs sold unevenly steady from 3.00 lower to 5.00 higher; steers over 600 lbs sold mostly 7.00-10.00 lower. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher, while heifers over 500 lbs sold steady to frim. Calf quality this week was mostly average, with a few consignments of attractive cattle. Calves were offered in mostly small packages today with no load lots on offer. Demand remains limited due to limited trucks. Several buyers filled loads and exited the market. Calf prices declined as the sale progressed. Wide price spreads continue to be seen as buyers continue to focus on buying front end calves and calves with two rounds of vaccinations. Market activity this week was moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Packer and feeder buyers both showed good demand for cows this week which helped improve prices. The majority of cows this week were purchased for feed. Only very lame or severely blemished cows were purchased for immediate harvest. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend. Higher undertones were noticed on breaking cows, while steady to weak undertones were noticed on boning and lean cows. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold 3.00-6.00 lower. Demand was mostly light. Quality for this class of cows was plain to average this week.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $159.57/cwt on 1,593 head.

Average price

$159.57

1,593 head · 554 lb average

Value per head Derived

$885

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$250

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

$35.20/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−5.99

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	564	165.00	931	1,168
Medium and Large 1-2	530	149.60	793	249
Medium 1	474	147.67	700	75
Medium 1-2	446	135.00	602	5thin
Large 1	639	130.00	831	39
Medium and Large 2	524	129.80	680	57

One grade step is worth $35.20/cwt here — about $250 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 sale1,593 hd

159.57

—

MT average3 barns · 3,047 hd

165.56

−5.99

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	2,238	84.00	1,880	2thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,725	62.79	1,083	19
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,388	51.10	709	128
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,201	42.08	505	111

Every lot, as filed

102 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 1Full	—	510	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	750	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	725	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	1,044	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	603	163.00/cwt	163.00–163.00	983	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	482	149.92/cwt	148.00–168.50	723	81
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	609	137.95/cwt	133.00–142.00	840	42
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	440	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	625	3
Steers	Large 1	—	665	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	811	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	588	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	782	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	493	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	769	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	653	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	875	3
Steers	Medium 1	—	556	141.45/cwt	137.00–148.50	786	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	500	137.50/cwt	137.50–137.50	688	3
Steers	Medium 1	—	474	164.50/cwt	164.50–164.50	780	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	533	162.04/cwt	155.00–166.50	864	141
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	353	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	653	4
Steers	Medium 1-2	—	446	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	602	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	745	163.50/cwt	163.50–163.50	1,218	67
Steers	Large 1	—	622	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	827	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	312	207.22/cwt	205.00–212.50	647	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	478	176.90/cwt	164.00–189.50	846	226
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	605	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	793	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	670	150.66/cwt	143.50–153.00	1,009	38
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	939	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	1,362	10
Steers	Medium 1	—	425	152.50/cwt	152.50–152.50	648	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	626	138.41/cwt	127.00–143.00	866	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	437	162.19/cwt	152.00–165.00	709	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	481	155.56/cwt	146.50–163.00	748	26
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	379	180.71/cwt	180.00–181.50	685	20
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	521	149.16/cwt	148.00–150.00	777	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	753	152.50/cwt	152.50–152.50	1,148	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	383	197.46/cwt	189.00–209.50	756	117
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	327	187.71/cwt	180.00–200.00	614	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	588	139.33/cwt	134.50–145.00	819	76
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	507	129.54/cwt	110.00–138.00	657	47
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	627	147.81/cwt	143.00–152.50	927	200
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	805	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	1,071	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	425	194.60/cwt	189.00–197.50	827	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	711	148.90/cwt	136.50–153.00	1,059	58
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	658	149.76/cwt	145.50–150.50	985	41
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	523	148.77/cwt	140.00–156.00	778	55
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	668	140.51/cwt	138.00–143.00	939	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	277	203.48/cwt	200.00–210.00	564	11
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	439	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	637	35
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	575	160.09/cwt	150.75–164.50	921	166
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	672	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	927	3
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	370	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	592	24
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,010	130.19/cwt	125.00–131.50	1,315	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	483	173.00/cwt	173.00–173.00	836	20
Bulls	Medium 1	—	369	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	572	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	595	118.50/cwt	118.50–118.50	705	6
Bulls	Medium 1	—	492	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	635	9
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,723	69.50/cwt	69.50–69.50	1,197	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,565	67.50/cwt	67.50–67.50	1,056	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,440	58.00/cwt	58.00–58.00	835	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,197	35.81/cwt	33.00–37.00	429	16
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,200	43.87/cwt	40.50–48.50	526	72
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,204	51.06/cwt	50.00–53.00	615	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,223	38.55/cwt	37.50–39.50	471	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,762	60.69/cwt	59.00–63.00	1,069	13
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,433	46.72/cwt	40.50–53.50	669	24
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	868	36.50/cwt	36.50–36.50	317	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,395	65.50/cwt	65.50–65.50	914	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,353	49.00/cwt	44.50–57.00	663	71
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,254	38.15/cwt	37.50–38.50	478	14
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,760	65.50/cwt	65.50–65.50	1,153	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,550	66.00/cwt	66.00–66.00	1,023	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,432	58.63/cwt	57.50–62.00	840	31
Bulls	—	—	2,370	75.50/cwt	75.50–75.50	1,789	1
Bulls	—	—	2,105	92.50/cwt	92.50–92.50	1,947	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,056	67.40/cwt	50.50–82.00	712	89
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	950	65.00/cwt	65.00–65.00	618	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	963	86.83/cwt	66.00–96.00	836	54
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	970	46.00/cwt	46.00–46.00	446	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,109	1,063.44/cwt	1,060.00–1,075.00	11,794	9
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,364	788.90/cwt	760.00–800.00	10,761	18
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,265	1,075.00/cwt	1,075.00–1,075.00	13,599	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,315	775.00/cwt	775.00–775.00	10,191	12
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,259	625.00/cwt	625.00–625.00	7,869	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	517	144.34/cwt	140.00–150.00	746	55
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	606	135.50/cwt	135.50–135.50	821	25
Heifers	Medium 1	—	420	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	605	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	929	139.50/cwt	139.50–139.50	1,296	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	421	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	695	10
Heifers	Large 1-2	—	1,000	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	1,200	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	509	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	534	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	335	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	549	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	400	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	588	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	428	165.00/cwt	150.00–170.50	706	92
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	514	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	617	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	572	142.76/cwt	140.00–145.25	817	65
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	540	132.02/cwt	131.00–139.50	713	63
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	319	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	555	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	483	140.87/cwt	139.00–142.00	680	44
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	431	147.50/cwt	147.50–147.50	636	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	490	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	608	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	383	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	536	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	519	144.55/cwt	136.50–148.50	750	300
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	660	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	838	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	387	172.09/cwt	169.00–176.00	666	36
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	576	141.56/cwt	137.00–146.00	815	185
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	276	192.72/cwt	175.00–197.50	532	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	564	130.63/cwt	118.00–134.00	737	44

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 →