Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2021-12-02
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-12-02

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to two weeks ago: Yearling steers were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers sold mostly 5.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Demand however remains very good for all yearlings on offer. Steer calves under 400 lbs sold sharply higher, steers over 400 lbs sold mostly 5.00-8.00 higher. Heifer calves under 400 lbs sold sharply higher, 400-599 lbs heifers sold steady to 3.00 higher. Heifer calves over 600 lbs sold 2.00-5.00 higher. Quality this week was average to very attractive for both calves and yearlings. Demand for calves was mostly moderate to good. The best demand continues to be for light weight calves suitable to develop into yearlings. CME positions have continued to inch higher since the last sale. Today, higher bids were seen on finished cattle which added additional fundamental support to the market. Calves were offered in mostly moderate size packages this week with a few light load lots seen. Market activity this sale was mostly active with a large buyer pool actively biding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand this sale. Packer buyers showed slightly stronger demand for cows for immediate harvest. Feeding cow buyers were active as well, bidding aggressively on todays light offering. Slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher on all classes in a narrow comparison. Feeding cows were too lightly tested to trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop any market trend.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $151.76/cwt on 1,652 head.

Average price

$151.76

1,652 head · 603 lb average

Value per head Derived

$916

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$12

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$22.93/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−1.65

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	627	153.38	962	1,307
Medium 1	476	152.74	727	184
Medium and Large 1-2	543	140.63	763	104
Medium 1-2	429	137.50	590	11thin
Medium and Large 2	507	130.47	662	27
Large 1	747	130.45	974	19thin

One grade step is worth $22.93/cwt here — about −$12 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 sale1,652 hd

151.76

—

MT average4 barns · 2,552 hd

153.41

−1.65

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	1,652	77.67	1,283	30
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,635	64.69	1,058	5thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,426	54.41	776	26
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,186	44.27	525	84

Every lot, as filed

124 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 1-2	—	404	162.50/cwt	162.50–162.50	657	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	912	168.75/cwt	168.75–168.75	1,539	126
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	660	148.25/cwt	145.00–154.00	978	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	534	176.63/cwt	165.00–179.00	943	36
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	564	168.33/cwt	165.50–174.50	949	124
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	641	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	904	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	310	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	713	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	488	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	854	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	412	176.34/cwt	172.00–180.00	727	20
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	539	142.50/cwt	142.50–142.50	768	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	629	164.29/cwt	163.00–174.50	1,033	70
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	334	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	635	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	691	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,037	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	671	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	980	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	679	142.45/cwt	137.00–145.00	967	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	579	136.50/cwt	135.00–140.00	790	30
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	567	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	873	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	575	148.43/cwt	142.00–155.00	853	137
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	524	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	760	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	711	138.38/cwt	135.00–139.00	984	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	779	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	1,059	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	475	143.14/cwt	139.00–152.00	680	26
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	511	150.90/cwt	150.50–151.00	771	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	622	146.65/cwt	140.00–152.00	912	94
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	373	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	653	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	470	160.10/cwt	155.00–168.00	752	146
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	575	151.57/cwt	147.00–153.00	872	137
Heifers	Medium 1	—	493	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	700	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	381	189.33/cwt	186.00–190.00	721	34
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	419	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	658	15
Heifers	Medium 1	—	692	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	1,045	30
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	853	164.67/cwt	163.50–165.50	1,405	41
Steers	Large 1	—	690	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	1,042	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	674	161.21/cwt	159.00–163.00	1,087	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	517	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	982	10
Steers	Medium 1	—	478	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	741	10
Steers	Large 1	—	1,068	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	1,431	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	730	161.93/cwt	156.00–166.00	1,182	44
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	466	191.89/cwt	187.50–192.50	894	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	413	206.36/cwt	202.00–214.00	852	30
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	389	228.06/cwt	227.50–229.00	887	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	436	196.00/cwt	190.00–197.50	855	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	381	223.04/cwt	210.00–233.00	850	37
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	427	210.17/cwt	205.00–225.00	897	47
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	630	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	951	1
Steers	Medium 1	—	544	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	870	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	718	159.19/cwt	152.00–164.50	1,143	41
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	623	150.31/cwt	149.50–159.00	936	40
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	536	168.90/cwt	149.50–179.00	905	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	824	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,236	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	473	196.29/cwt	191.00–204.00	928	59
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	517	189.54/cwt	181.00–195.00	980	242
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	618	167.62/cwt	163.00–170.00	1,036	157
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	679	161.46/cwt	154.00–168.00	1,096	41
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	586	170.51/cwt	162.00–181.00	999	174
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	463	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	695	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	916	100.00/cwt	100.00–100.00	916	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	462	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	855	9
Bulls	Medium 1Unweaned	—	339	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	610	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	393	212.50/cwt	212.50–212.50	835	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	432	194.13/cwt	192.50–208.00	839	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	585	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	913	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,204	42.36/cwt	38.00–50.00	510	27
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,217	47.35/cwt	45.50–50.50	576	16
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,461	46.11/cwt	42.00–49.00	674	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,404	56.23/cwt	53.00–61.50	789	13
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,450	52.50/cwt	52.50–52.50	761	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,133	34.00/cwt	34.00–34.00	385	14
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,650	63.00/cwt	63.00–63.00	1,040	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,440	53.34/cwt	53.00–54.00	768	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,190	53.17/cwt	52.50–55.00	633	22
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,625	65.82/cwt	65.00–67.50	1,070	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,123	34.36/cwt	34.00–35.00	386	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,425	64.86/cwt	63.00–66.00	924	3
Bulls	—	—	1,727	82.75/cwt	80.50–87.00	1,429	6
Bulls	—	—	1,835	90.50/cwt	90.50–90.50	1,661	1
Bulls	—	—	1,734	71.43/cwt	62.00–77.00	1,239	12
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,423	80.00/cwt	80.00–80.00	1,138	8
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,722	82.00/cwt	82.00–82.00	1,412	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,026	47.77/cwt	44.50–61.00	490	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,023	62.22/cwt	51.00–80.00	637	38
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	911	93.77/cwt	85.00–99.00	854	20
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,188	1,085.00/cwt	1,085.00–1,085.00	12,890	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	975	775.00/cwt	775.00–775.00	7,556	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	986	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	1,331	22
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,096	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	1,337	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	666	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	886	24
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	761	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	997	10
Bulls	Medium 1-2	—	548	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	729	12
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	718	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	883	6
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,099	129.50/cwt	129.50–129.50	1,423	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	385	181.21/cwt	179.00–188.00	698	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	491	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	648	15
Heifers	Medium 1	—	409	156.28/cwt	154.00–160.00	639	94
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,004	135.50/cwt	135.50–135.50	1,360	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	871	148.49/cwt	146.00–149.00	1,293	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	519	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	670	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	810	151.56/cwt	146.00–155.00	1,228	101
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	327	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	613	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	910	151.35/cwt	145.00–153.00	1,377	97
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	656	140.04/cwt	137.00–146.00	919	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	770	150.74/cwt	131.00–156.00	1,161	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	613	143.66/cwt	137.00–147.50	881	82
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	553	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	747	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	479	158.23/cwt	149.00–165.00	758	31
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	418	167.34/cwt	165.00–171.00	699	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	460	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	667	11
Heifers	Medium 1	—	320	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	496	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	711	148.52/cwt	135.00–154.50	1,056	54
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	374	152.50/cwt	152.50–152.50	570	5
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	475	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	594	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	769	136.50/cwt	136.50–136.50	1,050	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	534	153.02/cwt	149.50–154.00	817	26
Heifers	Large 1	—	541	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	709	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	618	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	834	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	536	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	777	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	559	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	699	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	479	133.55/cwt	129.00–137.00	640	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	524	166.25/cwt	166.25–166.25	871	66
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	855	156.50/cwt	156.50–156.50	1,338	52
Heifers	Medium 1	—	583	142.50/cwt	142.50–142.50	831	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	552	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	867	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	688	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	901	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	589	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	801	17

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 →