Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2019-10-21

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Mon, Oct 21
● Final47 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1775
Feeder Cattle receipts
530 head
25 vs last sale 505 530 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
346 head
81 vs last sale 265 346 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
387 head
105 vs last sale 282 387 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Also sold hereRegular saleThu Aug 13, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend however higher undertones were noticed on steer calves and yearlings and unevenly steady undertones were noticed on heifer calves and yearlings. Quality this sale was average to attractive. Market activity was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light demand for moderate offerings. Packers showed significantly lower demand for cows for immediate harvest as they opted to feed the majority of the offering. Slaughter cows sold mostly 10.00-15.00 lower on all classes. Body condition scores continue to be mostly thin as many cows are freshly off weaning calves . Feeding cows sold sharply lower as well with most sales 6.00-10.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 10.00 lower. Young re-breed cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light offerings. Young age cows were of average quality this week. Offerings sold steady in a narrow comparison.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $130.41/cwt on 156 head.
Average price
$130.41
156 head · 595 lb average
Value per head Derived
$776
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$671
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Large 1
$23.46/cwt at this weight
vs the market
10.25
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2370140.505206thin
Medium 1495132.9365831
Medium and Large 1597130.93782104
Medium and Large 2480119.005714thin
Large 11,018117.041,19111thin
One grade step is worth $23.46/cwt here — about −$671 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 sale156 hd
130.41
MT average5 barns · 3,831 hd
140.66
−10.25
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 · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
BullsHigh1,69170.481,19256
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,65054.008912thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,43944.9864733
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,23743.46538181

Every lot, as filed

47 lots · USDA AMS · Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Mon)
Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Bulls2,02277.65/cwt77.50–78.001,5703
Bulls1,68064.89/cwt61.00–71.501,0907
Bulls1,74070.86/cwt67.75–76.001,23320
CowsBoner 80-85%1,45144.44/cwt41.00–47.0064528
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,40553.00/cwt53.00–53.007451
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,89555.00/cwt55.00–55.001,0421
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,32962.47/cwt62.00–64.5083029
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,38152.33/cwt46.50–60.0072394
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,42258.47/cwt50.00–64.0083181
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,07378.59/cwt69.50–95.0084343
HeifersMedium and Large 1954124.50/cwt124.50–124.501,18816
SteersMedium and Large 1-2927130.50/cwt130.50–130.501,21010
SteersLarge 11,025131.00/cwt131.00–131.001,3439
HeifersMedium 1Unweaned518132.00/cwt132.00–132.006844
SteersMedium and Large 1-2880133.50/cwt133.50–133.501,17510
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,172940.00/cwt940.00–940.0011,01710
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,17669.02/cwt60.00–74.0081244
CowsLean 85-90%1,05234.00/cwt34.00–34.003583
CowsLean 85-90%1,32647.90/cwt47.50–48.006355
CowsBoner 80-85%1,37048.03/cwt47.00–50.006585
CowsLean 85-90%1,23843.50/cwt38.00–47.00539173
HeifersLarge 11,065114.00/cwt114.00–114.001,2142
HeifersLarge 11,007117.72/cwt115.00–118.501,1859
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,31545.35/cwt45.00–48.0059643
SteersMedium and Large 2Unweaned478134.50/cwt134.50–134.5064310
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned476158.39/cwt157.00–161.0075411
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned391177.50/cwt177.50–177.5069410
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned539134.67/cwt131.00–148.007269
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned407166.00/cwt166.00–166.006768
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned561130.26/cwt129.50–130.5073152
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned653144.00/cwt144.00–144.009405
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned501155.00/cwt155.00–155.007774
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned363169.26/cwt169.00–170.0061412
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned318185.00/cwt185.00–185.0058810
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned492148.00/cwt148.00–148.007283
SteersMedium and Large 2Unweaned360146.00/cwt146.00–146.0052613
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned558149.00/cwt149.00–149.0083111
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned347187.00/cwt187.00–187.006493
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned460135.03/cwt135.00–135.5062119
HeifersMedium and Large 2Unweaned480119.00/cwt119.00–119.005714
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned370140.50/cwt140.50–140.505206
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned525134.43/cwt134.00–135.5070617
HeifersMedium 1Unweaned492133.07/cwt133.00–134.0065527
BullsNatural1,64670.56/cwt65.00–72.001,16122
BullsNatural1,47072.50/cwt72.50–72.501,0664
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,16854.98/cwt53.00–59.006424
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,23445.00/cwt45.00–45.005557

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.