Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2021-10-04

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Mon, Oct 4
● Final50 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1775
Feeder Cattle receipts
291 head
291 vs last sale 0 291 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
1,156 head
666 vs last sale 490 1,156 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
302 head
2,786 vs last sale 3,088 302 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

This is the first Monday sale of the fall run so this weeks comparisons are to last Thursdays sale. Feeder cattle were too lightly tested today and last Thursday to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed on both steers and heifers. Demand was light for light offerings. Quality this week was mostly average. Market activity was slow. Farmers in the Midwest continue to be very busy with harvest and unwilling to take unweaned calves. Additionally many feeders in the state refuse to feed calves as feed cost are inflated due to drought conditions which has limited availability. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Feeding buyers showed the best demand for cows this sale. Buyers were mostly looking for cows in boning flesh or young age cows. Packers also opted to feed some thin cows to hold for the upcoming holidays as we are less than 60 days from the start of the holiday season. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 lower, with steady prices seen on cows suitable to feed to premium white and mostly lower prices seen on thin cows. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 lower on boning and lean cows. Breaking flesh cows sold generally steady. Weigh up conditions were average to below average this sale. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $152.39/cwt on 65 head.
Average price
$152.39
65 head · 504 lb average
Value per head Derived
$768
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$207
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium 2
$46.89/cwt at this weight
vs the market
25.22
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2428164.3970427
Medium and Large 1594149.1988626
Large 1525147.507742thin
Medium 1533147.007844thin
Medium 2423117.504976thin
One grade step is worth $46.89/cwt here — about $207 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 sale65 hd
152.39
MT average5 barns · 3,776 hd
177.61
−25.22
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
BullsLow1,76583.391,47232
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,66973.571,2285thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,36462.08847180
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,19750.51604357

Every lot, as filed

50 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
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight96346.49/cwt46.00–49.004486
CowsBoner 80-85%1,57357.00/cwt57.00–57.008972
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,83079.50/cwt79.50–79.501,4551
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned655143.00/cwt143.00–143.009371
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned575147.50/cwt147.50–147.5084813
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned474149.00/cwt149.00–149.007063
BullsLarge 11,26893.00/cwt93.00–93.001,1792
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned488141.00/cwt141.00–141.006882
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned552139.50/cwt139.50–139.5077013
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned358175.76/cwt170.00–178.0062911
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned325180.00/cwt180.00–180.005853
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned664143.00/cwt143.00–143.009508
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned512151.16/cwt151.00–151.5077413
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned578149.64/cwt149.50–149.7586514
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned327164.00/cwt164.00–164.005365
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned484146.63/cwt145.00–150.0071012
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned441143.00/cwt143.00–143.006317
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned619127.00/cwt127.00–127.007864
SteersMedium 2423117.50/cwt117.50–117.504976
SteersLarge 1525147.50/cwt147.50–147.507742
SteersMedium 1533147.00/cwt147.00–147.007844
HeifersMedium and Large 1813138.50/cwt138.50–138.501,1267
HeifersMedium and Large 1948135.00/cwt135.00–135.001,2804
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2551136.50/cwt136.50–136.507528
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned511160.00/cwt160.00–160.008184
Stock CowsMedium and Large 192999.02/cwt78.50–109.0092071
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,01571.94/cwt71.00–73.007302
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,04875.22/cwt54.00–95.0078865
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed84078.00/cwt78.00–78.006551
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,1581,029.48/cwt950.00–1,050.0011,9216
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,0731,000.00/cwt1,000.00–1,000.0010,7308
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,04258.37/cwt54.50–70.006086
BullsReturn to Feed1,37873.00/cwt73.00–73.001,0062
BullsReturn to Feed1,59782.50/cwt82.50–82.501,3183
Bulls2,22092.69/cwt91.50–94.002,0582
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,18573.00/cwt73.00–73.0086513
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,39674.66/cwt73.50–77.501,04212
CowsLean 85-90%1,18854.00/cwt54.00–54.006423
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,36051.25/cwt51.25–51.2569738
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,35666.20/cwt60.00–70.00898109
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,31956.80/cwt55.00–61.5074945
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,71869.18/cwt66.00–72.501,1892
CowsLean 85-90%1,10637.60/cwt31.00–45.0041645
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight77042.00/cwt42.00–42.003238
CowsLean 85-90%1,22950.61/cwt46.00–53.50622137
Bulls1,66567.00/cwt67.00–67.001,1161
Bulls1,78484.28/cwt80.00–87.001,50424
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,18851.24/cwt50.00–54.00609100
CowsBoner 80-85%1,37552.72/cwt50.00–55.0072519
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,54075.00/cwt75.00–75.001,1552

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.