Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2021-11-18
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-11-18

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested last to develop any accurate market trend. Steer calves under 500lbs sold 5.00-10.00 higher with moderate to good demand; Steers 450-599 lbs sold 5.00; steers over 600 lbs

sold mostly steady to 6.00 higher. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold 5.00 to 8.00 higher, while heifers over 500 lbs sold 3.00-8.00 higher. Calf quality this week was average to attractive, with a few consignments of attractive cattle. Calves were offered in mostly small to medium packages today that sold with moderate demand, with a few load lots on offer that sold with good demand for both steers and heifers. Demand remains limited due to limited trucks. 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 with moderate to heavy receipts of feeder cattle. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. The majority of cows recorded this week were purchased for feed. Primarily very lame or severely blemished cows were purchased for immediate harvest. Lower undertones were noticed on all classes of slaughter cows on a light test this and last week. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold steady on a light comparison, with no comparison for bred replacement cows or heifers. Demand was mostly light. Quality for this class of cows was plain to average this week.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $153.15/cwt on 2,045 head.

Average price

$153.15

2,045 head · 571 lb average

Value per head Derived

$875

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$237

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 1

$29.04/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+2.09

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	589	156.38	920	1,628
Medium and Large 1-2	482	143.45	692	290
Large 1	564	139.10	784	70
Medium 1	537	127.34	683	57

One grade step is worth $29.04/cwt here — about $237 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 sale2,045 hd

153.15

—

MT average5 barns · 4,608 hd

151.05

+2.09

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	1,511	83.03	1,255	20
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,600	52.71	843	7thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,328	46.57	619	28
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,164	36.88	429	63

Every lot, as filed

136 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 1	—	698	158.00/cwt	158.00–158.00	1,103	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,064	136.50/cwt	136.50–136.50	1,452	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	633	152.93/cwt	145.00–165.50	968	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	600	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	834	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	528	171.30/cwt	167.50–173.00	904	77
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	657	137.46/cwt	135.50–144.00	903	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	862	151.50/cwt	151.50–151.50	1,306	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	480	181.74/cwt	161.00–186.50	872	48
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	355	202.61/cwt	194.00–205.00	719	28
Steers	Medium 1	—	493	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	813	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Full	—	553	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	691	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	425	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	850	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	590	148.49/cwt	145.00–149.00	876	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	916	144.01/cwt	139.00–152.00	1,319	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	733	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,100	3
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	335	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	523	2
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	620	121.21/cwt	118.00–132.00	752	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	864	134.50/cwt	134.50–134.50	1,162	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	314	179.30/cwt	175.00–190.00	563	15
Steers	Medium 1Full	—	545	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	709	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	783	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	1,065	2
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	700	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	805	3
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	555	122.50/cwt	122.50–122.50	680	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Full	—	426	132.50/cwt	132.50–132.50	564	10
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	434	128.23/cwt	126.00–130.00	557	10
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	374	133.64/cwt	130.00–135.00	500	7
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	574	148.83/cwt	146.50–150.00	854	43
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	526	137.39/cwt	125.00–145.00	723	42
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	280	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	532	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	697	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,046	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	370	163.03/cwt	160.00–180.00	603	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	566	152.70/cwt	147.50–158.50	864	146
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	1,001	133.50/cwt	133.50–133.50	1,336	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	481	144.70/cwt	142.00–151.00	696	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	373	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	612	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	831	143.19/cwt	134.00–152.00	1,190	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	977	152.50/cwt	152.50–152.50	1,490	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	276	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	511	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	476	166.82/cwt	150.00–176.00	794	31
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	436	178.00/cwt	178.00–178.00	776	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	377	212.58/cwt	200.00–219.00	801	44
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	541	145.98/cwt	140.00–159.00	790	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	327	186.00/cwt	186.00–186.00	608	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	773	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	1,090	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	587	149.85/cwt	141.00–158.50	880	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	711	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	967	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	712	153.37/cwt	147.00–155.50	1,092	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	758	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	1,023	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	848	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	1,357	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	667	161.80/cwt	136.00–165.50	1,079	81
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	433	200.28/cwt	189.00–213.00	867	180
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	465	196.26/cwt	185.50–203.00	913	168
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	634	155.50/cwt	155.50–155.50	986	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	623	158.03/cwt	148.00–165.00	985	91
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	620	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	899	3
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	617	137.50/cwt	137.50–137.50	848	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	286	219.41/cwt	200.00–222.50	628	9
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	652	132.50/cwt	132.50–132.50	864	3
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	507	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	831	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	325	206.31/cwt	205.00–208.00	671	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	578	168.78/cwt	159.00–172.00	976	261
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	524	176.03/cwt	164.00–183.50	922	364
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	695	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	931	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	925	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	1,082	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	524	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	749	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	298	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	626	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	599	135.50/cwt	135.50–135.50	812	23
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	627	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	897	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,142	30.15/cwt	25.50–37.00	344	26
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,825	55.00/cwt	55.00–55.00	1,004	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,600	51.00/cwt	51.00–51.00	816	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,437	39.24/cwt	39.00–39.50	564	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,356	42.53/cwt	40.00–47.00	577	16
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,218	58.32/cwt	57.50–59.00	710	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,422	41.81/cwt	40.50–45.00	595	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,455	59.00/cwt	59.00–59.00	858	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,095	31.19/cwt	31.00–31.50	342	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,127	47.89/cwt	45.00–50.00	540	18
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,560	51.00/cwt	51.00–51.00	796	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,075	26.43/cwt	23.50–29.50	284	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,244	36.87/cwt	35.50–40.00	459	11
Bulls	—	—	2,055	82.31/cwt	81.00–83.00	1,691	3
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,845	76.00/cwt	76.00–76.00	1,402	2
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,704	70.65/cwt	66.00–72.00	1,204	4
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,232	89.00/cwt	89.00–89.00	1,096	11
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	874	66.65/cwt	53.00–75.00	583	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	976	87.04/cwt	68.00–97.00	850	36
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,065	55.00/cwt	55.00–55.00	586	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	955	50.00/cwt	50.00–50.00	478	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	943	78.13/cwt	51.00–88.00	737	109
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	1,075	49.00/cwt	49.00–49.00	527	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	820	750.00/cwt	750.00–750.00	6,150	1
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,010	116.00/cwt	116.00–116.00	1,172	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	616	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	776	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	810	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	972	2
Heifers	Large 1Full	—	455	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	523	11
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	784	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	1,082	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	389	213.00/cwt	213.00–213.00	829	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	371	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	631	23
Heifers	Medium 1Full	—	707	110.00/cwt	110.00–110.00	778	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	720	130.32/cwt	123.00–135.50	938	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	561	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	701	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	613	136.65/cwt	136.00–140.00	838	13
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	435	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	670	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	657	134.49/cwt	133.00–135.00	884	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	155	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	240	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	525	149.70/cwt	140.00–156.50	786	361
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	522	137.73/cwt	131.00–146.00	719	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	558	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	742	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	705	149.70/cwt	144.00–150.50	1,055	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	335	157.97/cwt	152.50–165.00	529	24
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	366	154.18/cwt	147.50–156.00	564	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	720	129.50/cwt	129.50–129.50	932	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	484	158.24/cwt	142.00–162.00	766	52
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	474	157.02/cwt	148.00–167.00	744	242
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	425	148.73/cwt	130.00–159.00	632	77
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	418	173.03/cwt	165.00–181.50	723	142
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	624	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	792	7
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	503	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	654	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	979	131.71/cwt	128.00–133.50	1,289	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	754	161.50/cwt	161.50–161.50	1,218	63
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	290	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	493	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	837	162.50/cwt	162.50–162.50	1,360	252
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	535	146.09/cwt	140.00–152.00	782	40
Heifers	Medium 1	—	535	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	733	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	484	140.01/cwt	135.00–145.00	678	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	534	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	753	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	620	145.28/cwt	133.00–149.00	901	42
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	718	160.50/cwt	160.50–160.50	1,152	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	942	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	1,338	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	550	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	847	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	639	138.77/cwt	134.00–142.50	887	38
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	859	155.85/cwt	152.00–158.50	1,339	64
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	412	163.34/cwt	161.00–168.00	673	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	516	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	728	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Full	—	488	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	644	3

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 →