Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2020-10-12

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Mon, Oct 12
● Final58 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1775
Feeder Cattle receipts
424 head
424 vs last sale 0 244 vs year ago 180 · +135.6%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
459 head
334 vs last sale 125 208 vs year ago 251 · +82.9%
Replacement Cattle receipts
80 head
2,526 vs last sale 2,606 70 vs year ago 150 · 46.7%
Also sold hereRegular saleThu Aug 13, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Today was the first Monday sale of the fall run. All Monday sale comparisons will be Monday to Monday. Demand and offerings were light to moderate this week. Quality was mostly average. Demand for yearlings was mostly moderate while demand for calves was mostly light to moderate. CME positions saw triple digit losses seen during the day, however prices rebounded before the close to settle near steady. Market activity today was mostly moderate. Weigh up cow sold on mostly moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Packers showed mostly good demand for feeding cows this week as they put mostly boning and breaking flesh cows away on feed. A two tier market continues to be seen as packers showed mostly light demand for thin cows to feed or to slaughter. Both slaughter and feeding cows sold steady to firm with Thursdays sale. Quality was average this week. Weigh up conditions were average to below average. Both Slaughter bulls as well as young age replacement cows were too lightly tested to develop any market trend.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $155.45/cwt on 173 head.
Average price
$155.45
173 head · 593 lb average
Value per head Derived
$922
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$8
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 1
$16.49/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+1.88
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1603156.49943152
Medium and Large 1-2486149.7672917thin
Medium 1668140.009354thin
One grade step is worth $16.49/cwt here — about $8 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 sale173 hd
155.45
MT average5 barns · 2,372 hd
153.57
+1.88
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
BullsLow1,52567.541,0307thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,53267.281,03131
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,40259.4683479
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,19047.42564133

Every lot, as filed

58 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
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned460160.41/cwt154.00–162.0073822
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,357860.00/cwt860.00–860.0011,6703
Stock CowsMedium and Large 194385.14/cwt78.00–93.5080327
SteersMedium and Large 1-2722135.31/cwt134.00–138.009773
BullsMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned425145.00/cwt145.00–145.006163
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned300150.00/cwt150.00–150.004503
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned610130.50/cwt130.50–130.507964
SteersMedium 1668140.00/cwt140.00–140.009354
HeifersMedium 1694131.00/cwt131.00–131.009097
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned577129.00/cwt129.00–129.007445
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned485131.49/cwt131.00–132.006388
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,47962.53/cwt60.00–65.009254
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,334760.00/cwt760.00–760.0010,13811
Bulls1,55866.73/cwt61.50–72.001,0404
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,38967.36/cwt64.50–68.5093621
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned403167.00/cwt167.00–167.006735
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned301165.00/cwt165.00–165.004974
HeifersLarge 11,003124.00/cwt124.00–124.001,2448
HeifersMedium 1646131.50/cwt131.50–131.508495
CowsLean 85-90%1,24250.57/cwt49.50–52.5062825
BullsReturn to Feed1,27864.94/cwt64.00–66.008302
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2001,060.00/cwt1,060.00–1,060.0012,7202
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,11973.01/cwt56.00–81.0081715
CowsLean 85-90%1,18040.34/cwt32.00–44.0047624
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,12641.64/cwt41.25–42.5046910
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,65072.00/cwt72.00–72.001,1881
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,20952.54/cwt51.00–59.0063526
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,50968.17/cwt66.00–70.001,02927
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,70457.65/cwt57.00–58.009823
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned439173.50/cwt173.50–173.5076213
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned579138.98/cwt138.00–141.008056
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned336192.82/cwt192.50–195.006487
SteersMedium and Large 1903137.00/cwt137.00–137.001,2374
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned518147.88/cwt142.50–150.0076611
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned590126.00/cwt126.00–126.007432
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned660122.00/cwt122.00–122.008053
SteersMedium and Large 1761145.18/cwt144.75–145.501,10528
HeifersMedium and Large 1Full818123.00/cwt123.00–123.001,0064
HeifersMedium and Large 1892131.50/cwt131.50–131.501,1739
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned527130.00/cwt130.00–130.006859
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned608129.55/cwt129.50–130.0078810
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned575125.22/cwt124.00–126.5072010
SteersMedium and Large 1822142.50/cwt142.50–142.501,17117
SteersMedium and Large 1Full674144.50/cwt144.50–144.509744
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned610141.28/cwt139.50–142.5086210
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned521148.61/cwt146.50–152.007745
SteersMedium and Large 1Full742142.00/cwt142.00–142.001,05410
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,1291,175.00/cwt1,175.00–1,175.0013,2665
SteersMedium and Large 1Full981129.50/cwt129.50–129.501,2704
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned379186.89/cwt185.00–190.0070822
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned476134.49/cwt132.00–139.0064019
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned400140.00/cwt140.00–140.0056013
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,15748.09/cwt45.00–50.5055637
CowsLean 85-90%1,21446.65/cwt44.50–49.5056611
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,40658.52/cwt54.00–63.0082337
CowsBoner 80-85%1,33049.50/cwt49.00–50.506583
CowsBoner 80-85%1,42353.85/cwt53.00–58.0076618
Bulls1,88576.00/cwt76.00–76.001,4331

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.