Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2019-12-09

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Mon, Dec 9
● Final63 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1775
Feeder Cattle receipts
551 head
381 vs last sale 170 551 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
245 head
154 vs last sale 91 245 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
613 head
491 vs last sale 122 613 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 calves were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Feeder calves sold on mostly moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Calves were of average to attractive quality this sale. One load lot of calves was on offer this sale and these cattle were met with mostly good demand. Market activity this week was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand, with moderate to good demand seen at times. Demand did improve as the sale progressed. Slaughter cows sold generally steady to weak in a narrow comparison. Cows offered buyers noticeably poorer weigh up conditions this week compared to last as most cows were very full. Feeding cows were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 higher. Young re-breed cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light offerings. Young age cows were too lightly tested last sale to develop any market trend.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $138.81/cwt on 259 head.
Average price
$138.81
259 head · 633 lb average
Value per head Derived
$878
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$488
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1
$22.64/cwt at this weight
vs the market
2.95
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1598140.64841227
Medium 1656136.068928thin
Medium and Large 1-2616131.258088thin
Large 11,126118.001,32816thin
One grade step is worth $22.64/cwt here — about −$488 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 sale259 hd
138.81
MT average5 barns · 3,431 hd
141.77
−2.95
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
BullsHigh1,79379.151,41971
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,67861.791,0374thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,48852.9878847
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,19145.5154279

Every lot, as filed

63 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
BullsLarge 1-21,06277.00/cwt77.00–77.008183
BullsMedium and Large 1802133.00/cwt133.00–133.001,0673
Bulls1,94687.73/cwt87.00–91.001,70716
Bulls1,61370.62/cwt62.00–75.001,13925
Bulls1,86181.68/cwt76.00–86.001,52030
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,58565.27/cwt64.00–66.501,0352
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,00275.32/cwt60.00–86.0075566
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,27246.06/cwt41.00–49.5058631
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,10944.78/cwt38.00–52.0049732
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,17051.24/cwt45.00–55.5060023
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,395725.00/cwt725.00–725.0010,11412
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight86335.79/cwt31.00–41.003097
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight83032.00/cwt32.00–32.002661
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight92247.00/cwt47.00–47.004333
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned577137.00/cwt137.00–137.0079013
BullsMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned423157.00/cwt157.00–157.006642
BullsMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned476148.00/cwt148.00–148.007045
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned733125.00/cwt125.00–125.009165
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned503148.00/cwt148.00–148.007446
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned638133.00/cwt133.00–133.008496
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned520156.71/cwt155.00–160.008153
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned621139.76/cwt137.50–145.0086830
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned526141.06/cwt136.00–141.75742112
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned425172.20/cwt172.00–172.507325
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned650134.00/cwt134.00–134.008713
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned480165.24/cwt161.00–167.007934
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned584143.93/cwt142.00–152.0084115
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned414185.99/cwt180.00–189.007703
HeifersMedium 1Unweaned437142.50/cwt142.50–142.506233
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned618134.00/cwt134.00–134.0082815
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned415146.98/cwt145.00–148.0061032
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned540132.00/cwt132.00–132.007136
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned461146.00/cwt146.00–146.0067314
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned579131.17/cwt130.00–132.007596
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed83568.86/cwt68.00–70.005754
CowsLean 85-90%1,13336.88/cwt32.00–41.004187
CowsBoner 80-85%1,49854.41/cwt51.50–58.0081535
CowsBoner 80-85%1,45347.60/cwt44.00–50.0069211
CowsBoner 80-85%1,52062.00/cwt62.00–62.009421
CowsLean 85-90%1,14557.00/cwt57.00–57.006532
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,77058.31/cwt56.50–60.501,0322
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2843129.00/cwt129.00–129.001,0872
HeifersLarge 11,055124.61/cwt123.00–127.001,3155
HeifersMedium and Large 1873139.00/cwt139.00–139.001,21319
HeifersMedium and Large 1918140.00/cwt140.00–140.001,2858
CowsLean 85-90%1,26046.20/cwt42.00–50.0058247
CowsLean 85-90%1,24852.37/cwt51.00–54.0065412
SteersMedium and Large 1387192.50/cwt192.50–192.507457
SteersMedium and Large 1311201.00/cwt201.00–201.006256
SteersMedium and Large 1-2922137.50/cwt137.50–137.501,2683
HeifersMedium and Large 1970134.38/cwt129.00–135.001,30321
HeifersMedium 1787132.19/cwt129.00–133.001,0405
HeifersLarge 11,158115.00/cwt115.00–115.001,33211
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1151,000.00/cwt1,000.00–1,000.0011,1503
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1051,000.00/cwt1,000.00–1,000.0011,0507
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,467875.00/cwt875.00–875.0012,8363
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,39452.00/cwt52.00–52.007256
SteersMedium and Large 1571149.50/cwt149.50–149.508547
SteersLarge 1-21,058130.50/cwt130.50–130.501,38126
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,35456.50/cwt51.00–64.00765103
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,30853.43/cwt50.00–59.0069955
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,22659.79/cwt53.50–64.0073352
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,08866.19/cwt53.00–75.00720114

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.