Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2020-11-23

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Mon, Nov 23
● Final51 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1775
Feeder Cattle receipts
50 head
1,225 vs last sale 1,275 821 vs year ago 871 · 94.3%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
1,237 head
48 vs last sale 1,189 1,102 vs year ago 135 · +816.3%
Replacement Cattle receipts
1,675 head
1,510 vs last sale 165 925 vs year ago 2,600 · 35.6%
Also sold hereRegular saleThu Aug 13, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Monday: Feeder cattle were not tested today due to the bred cow special. A few open heifers sold off the bred offerings. These offerings sold on mostly moderate demand. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand and heavy offerings. Over 1,300 weigh up cows and bulls sold this sale. Cows started the sale on mostly light demand, however demand increased drastically as the sale progressed. Packers showed mostly light demand for cows until midway through the sale. Feeding cows sold steady to 3.00 higher on fleshy cows. All other feeding cows sold steady to 3.00 lower. Slaughter cows sold steady to 1.00 lower on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows all returned to feed. Cow quality was mostly average this sale. A heavy offering of bred cows was seen this week as this was the annual Thanksgiving bred cow special. Quality was mostly average overall. Demand was mostly moderate with a good crowd on hand. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however firm undertones were noticed as packers and feeding buyers competed over offerings. Young 2-3 year olds suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady. Demand for these offerings remains mostly good.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $124.41/cwt on 34 head.
Average price
$124.41
34 head · 831 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,033
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$227
per head · Medium 1-2 over Medium and Large 1
$0.80/cwt at this weight
vs the market
20.79
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1-2693125.008669thin
Medium and Large 1880124.201,09325
One grade step is worth $0.80/cwt here — about −$227 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 sale34 hd
124.41
MT average5 barns · 5,322 hd
145.20
−20.79
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
BullsAverage1,65376.841,27029
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,54466.991,03531
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,36455.62759270
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,16145.68530547

Every lot, as filed

51 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
Bulls1,87379.42/cwt77.50–82.001,4883
Bulls1,70971.00/cwt61.00–78.501,2137
CowsBoner 80-85%Light Weight94545.00/cwt45.00–45.004251
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,55466.92/cwt63.00–68.501,04020
CowsLean 85-90%1,30448.35/cwt48.00–51.006308
CowsLean 85-90%1,07637.32/cwt33.00–40.0040266
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,2181,019.73/cwt1,000.00–1,035.0012,4206
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,375800.00/cwt800.00–800.0011,0008
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,230708.72/cwt650.00–710.008,717101
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,282739.55/cwt650.00–835.009,481296
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,225910.00/cwt910.00–910.0011,1486
HeifersMedium and Large 1954120.10/cwt118.00–121.501,1465
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2821,017.62/cwt950.00–1,110.0013,04644
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,123610.00/cwt610.00–610.006,8503
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,0171,264.59/cwt1,200.00–1,350.0012,86185
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1881,228.21/cwt1,085.00–1,325.0014,59184
HeifersMedium and Large 1932121.05/cwt119.50–122.001,1288
HeifersMedium and Large 1815128.00/cwt128.00–128.001,04312
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,02064.45/cwt54.00–76.00657203
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,03550.00/cwt50.00–50.005181
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS1,394910.00/cwt910.00–910.0012,6854
HeifersMedium 1-2693125.00/cwt125.00–125.008669
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2291,075.00/cwt1,075.00–1,075.0013,21212
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,280790.95/cwt700.00–975.0010,1249
Stock CowsMedium and Large 189984.30/cwt62.00–89.50758154
Stock CowsMedium and Large 190055.00/cwt55.00–55.004951
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1407937.04/cwt925.00–975.003,81440
BullsReturn to Feed1,54475.00/cwt75.00–75.001,1584
BullsReturn to Feed1,61179.54/cwt79.50–80.001,28115
CowsLean 85-90%1,16742.76/cwt39.00–48.5049977
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,157700.00/cwt700.00–700.008,09930
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,235650.00/cwt650.00–650.008,02810
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,191605.32/cwt600.00–610.007,20923
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,17048.94/cwt47.50–56.00573229
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,24062.66/cwt57.00–65.0077714
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,39146.08/cwt42.00–49.0064148
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 19091,385.00/cwt1,385.00–1,385.0012,59049
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 19711,010.25/cwt1,000.00–1,050.009,8105
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,307838.46/cwt750.00–950.0010,959145
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,01037.00/cwt37.00–37.003743
CowsBoner 80-85%1,59052.00/cwt52.00–52.008271
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,33454.67/cwt49.00–61.00729106
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight97340.02/cwt39.00–41.003892
Bred CowsMedium 1921935.00/cwt935.00–935.008,6117
Bred HeifersMedium 1856985.00/cwt985.00–985.008,4326
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,38264.06/cwt60.00–68.0088593
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight89435.24/cwt34.00–36.003155
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,18144.69/cwt41.00–47.50528143
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,57860.66/cwt60.00–62.009573
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,50869.54/cwt69.00–72.001,0498
CowsBoner 80-85%1,38545.46/cwt44.00–48.0063021

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.