Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2021-10-18

Billings Livestock Commission

Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Mon, Oct 18
● Final28 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1775
Slaughter Cattle receipts
1,487 head
188 vs last sale 1,299 1,230 vs year ago 257 · +478.6%
Replacement Cattle receipts
505 head
202 vs last sale 303 357 vs year ago 148 · +241.2%
Also sold hereRegular saleThu Aug 13, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Mondays sale: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Most offerings were offered in small groups or as singles. Quality was plain to average. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand today. An additional packer buyer was on hand today and demand for cows increased as more competition was seen. Slaughter cows sold steady on breaking cows in a narrow comparison; boning cows sold 3.00-5.00 higher; lean cows sold 2.00-3.00 higher. Feeding cows sold 2.00-4.00 higher. Cow quality this week was average to attractive. While receipts remain heavy packers were not willing to give up market share as the cutter cow cutout remains fully steady despite heavy cow offerings. The cutter cow cutout as of this afternoons close was 233.55, 1.86 higher than Friday. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average this sale as most cows were very full. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 5.00 to 7.00 lower. Many sets of attractive rebreed type cows were seen this sale, however fewer takers were seen for this class of cows.

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
BullsLow1,55077.471,20125
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,54164.2399061
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,38056.93786302
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,22248.96598281

Every lot, as filed

28 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
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,50864.50/cwt64.50–64.509738
Stock CowsMedium and Large 194297.86/cwt73.50–111.75922273
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,13768.13/cwt54.50–82.50775145
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,09564.42/cwt48.00–72.007059
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed77081.00/cwt81.00–81.006241
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,22144.50/cwt44.50–44.505435
Bulls1,51872.89/cwt70.00–76.001,1064
Bulls1,62981.19/cwt79.50–85.001,3237
BullsReturn to Feed1,49579.50/cwt79.50–79.501,1891
BullsReturn to Feed1,48475.62/cwt75.00–76.501,12212
Bulls1,98090.00/cwt90.00–90.001,7821
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,53764.31/cwt63.00–66.0098854
CowsLean 85-90%1,21248.40/cwt46.00–51.5058710
CowsLean 85-90%1,17342.06/cwt37.50–47.0049338
CowsBoner 80-85%1,36458.78/cwt53.50–61.008027
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,63759.12/cwt55.00–66.009683
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,36560.91/cwt55.00–64.50831186
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,36866.72/cwt65.50–69.0091313
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,20345.57/cwt43.00–46.5054845
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,27252.35/cwt47.00–56.50666121
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,52467.00/cwt67.00–67.001,0214
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight94932.13/cwt31.00–34.003057
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,20658.54/cwt57.50–64.0070640
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight92840.82/cwt35.00–45.003793
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,40748.15/cwt42.00–54.5067767
CowsLean 85-90%1,23135.45/cwt31.00–37.5043617
CowsBoner 80-85%1,54065.00/cwt65.00–65.001,0011
CowsBoner 80-85%1,42046.16/cwt44.00–52.5065528

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.