Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2019-04-18

Billings Livestock Commission

Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2019-04-18
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2019-04-18

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Apr 18

● Final57 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777

← Apr 11Apr 18Apr 25 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

430 head

▲ 85 vs last sale 345▲ 430 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago

Slaughter Cattle receipts

1,270 head

▲ 1,110 vs last sale 160▲ 1,270 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago

Replacement Cattle receipts

200 head

▼ 58 vs last sale 258▲ 200 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago

Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026

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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Steers and heifers were too lightly tested this week to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain. Calves were mostly offered in small packages again this week. Demand for feeders was mostly moderate. Offerings this week were light. Market activity was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for mostly moderate offerings. Feeding buyers were the main push this week as they were fully back in the market after being mostly sidelined over the last few weeks due to weather and lot conditions. Packers also purchased cows to send to feed this week as they prepare for increased summer grilling demand. Packers also showed good demand for cows to send to immediate harvest as lightened holiday sale schedules helped fuel demand. All classes of feeding and slaughter cows sold on good demand. Cow quality this week was mostly attractive to very attractive, with many high quality and high dressing cows in the offering. Slaughter cows and feeding cows both sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold on good demand as well as packers showed good demand for lean grinding materials. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-5.00 higher. A strong offering of bred cattle sold on was seen this sale. Most of these cows calve between now and late June. Many buyers were on hand to bid on these offerings. Quality was average to attractive. 2-3 year old cows suitable to re-breed sold on moderate to good demand, these offerings sold higher on moderate supplies.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $145.22/cwt on 142 head.

Average price

$145.22

142 head · 653 lb average

Value per head Derived

$948

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$176

per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 1

$11.58/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−4.09

vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	555	151.83	843	61
Medium and Large 1	726	140.25	1,019	81

One grade step is worth $11.58/cwt here — about −$176 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 sale142 hd

145.22

—

MT average3 barns · 2,820 hd

149.31

−4.09

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.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	Low	1,905	83.01	1,581	89
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,543	64.94	1,002	8thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,454	61.52	894	45
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,176	58.45	687	25

Every lot

57 lots · USDA AMS · Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Thu)

Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.

Class	Weight	Grade / description	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Feeder Cattle · Steers6 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	110	325.00/cwt	300.00–375.00	358	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	479	173.00/cwt	173.00–173.00	829	4
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	487	182.50/cwt	182.50–182.50	889	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	571	172.13/cwt	170.50–172.50	983	16
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	700	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	1,127	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	879	135.38/cwt	135.00–135.50	1,190	4
Feeder Cattle · Heifers11 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	447	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	711	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	455	163.00/cwt	163.00–163.00	742	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	509	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	728	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	515	154.29/cwt	154.00–154.50	795	23
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	578	160.50/cwt	160.50–160.50	928	20
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	581	151.01/cwt	150.50–153.00	877	25
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	638	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	957	9
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	710	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	973	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	721	134.75/cwt	134.50–135.00	972	6
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	813	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,057	9
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	835	129.09/cwt	128.00–129.50	1,078	36
Feeder Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	452	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	746	3
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	739	141.50/cwt	141.50–141.50	1,046	4
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	807	139.50/cwt	139.50–139.50	1,126	8
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	873	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	1,100	4
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2	874	111.00/cwt	111.00–111.00	970	4
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	973	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	1,177	7
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—	1,655	76.95/cwt	71.00–78.00	1,274	16
Bulls	—	—	1,948	83.74/cwt	80.00–90.50	1,631	70
Bulls	—	—	2,235	98.30/cwt	97.00–99.00	2,197	3
Slaughter Cattle · Cows9 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	962	53.24/cwt	53.00–54.00	512	4
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,155	53.00/cwt	53.00–53.00	612	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,214	58.88/cwt	54.50–62.50	715	14
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,247	63.61/cwt	62.00–64.50	793	5
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,404	64.12/cwt	61.50–66.50	900	13
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,416	56.90/cwt	55.50–60.50	806	22
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,460	56.00/cwt	56.00–56.00	818	2
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,571	67.92/cwt	67.50–68.50	1,067	6
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,601	68.30/cwt	67.00–69.50	1,093	10
Replacement Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	1,327	1,814.35/cwt	1,500.00–2,100.00	24,076	13
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	1,495	2,448.81/cwt	2,000.00–2,800.00	36,610	20
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	1,543	83.65/cwt	80.50–88.00	1,291	20
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	1,736	1,675.00/cwt	1,675.00–1,675.00	29,078	19
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows7 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium 1	1,043	1,427.20/cwt	1,425.00–1,450.00	14,886	11
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,146	1,150.00/cwt	1,150.00–1,150.00	13,179	5
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,250	1,613.89/cwt	1,500.00–1,660.00	20,174	240
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,307	1,455.44/cwt	1,450.00–1,475.00	19,023	9
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,362	1,458.05/cwt	1,300.00–1,510.00	19,859	27
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,543	1,185.00/cwt	1,185.00–1,185.00	18,285	5
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	1,548	1,189.53/cwt	1,135.00–1,210.00	18,414	12
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs2 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs	—	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	1,463	1,250.00/cwt	1,250.00–1,250.00	18,288	4
Cow-Calf Pairs	—	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	1,522	1,441.82/cwt	1,425.00–1,450.00	21,945	6
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows6 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	985	103.68/cwt	81.00–122.50	1,021	149
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,099	54.15/cwt	51.00–56.50	595	26
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,114	88.22/cwt	63.00–106.00	983	92
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,314	61.20/cwt	55.00–65.50	804	65
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,367	67.17/cwt	62.00–70.00	918	89
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,434	65.52/cwt	60.00–68.00	940	80
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers2 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers	—	Medium 1-2	918	1,050.00/cwt	1,050.00–1,050.00	9,639	6
Bred Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	1,161	1,575.00/cwt	1,575.00–1,575.00	18,286	4
Replacement Cattle · Heifer Pairs1 lot · lightest first
Heifer Pairs	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,016	1,550.00/cwt	1,550.00–1,550.00	15,748	9

This sale against other markets

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.

Montana feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Thu)

Thu Apr 18, 2019

USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)

Feeder CattleReceipts 430Last week 345Year ago 0

Slaughter CattleReceipts 1,270Last week 160Year ago 0

Replacement CattleReceipts 200Last week 258Year ago 0

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	5	—	1,543	1,185.00	1,185.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	27	—	1,362	1,300.00–1,510.00	1,458.05
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	240	—	1,250	1,500.00–1,660.00	1,613.89
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	9	—	1,307	1,450.00–1,475.00	1,455.44
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	5	—	1,146	1,150.00	1,150.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	11	—	1,043	1,425.00–1,450.00	1,427.20

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	12	—	1,548	1,135.00–1,210.00	1,189.53

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	4	—	1,463	1,250.00	1,250.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	6	—	1,522	1,425.00–1,450.00	1,441.82

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	65	—	1,314	55.00–65.50	61.20
(<2 yrs)	Open	149	—	985	81.00–122.50	103.68
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	92	—	1,114	63.00–106.00	88.22
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	89	—	1,367	62.00–70.00	67.17
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	80	—	1,434	60.00–68.00	65.52

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	26	—	1,099	51.00–56.50	54.15

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	6	—	918	1,050.00	1,050.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	4	—	1,161	1,575.00	1,575.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifer Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	9	—	1,016	1,550.00	1,550.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	N/A	20	—	1,543	80.50–88.00	83.65
(<2 yrs)	N/A	13	—	1,327	1,500.00–2,100.00	1,814.35
Young (2-4 yrs)	N/A	20	—	1,495	2,000.00–2,800.00	2,448.81
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	N/A	19	—	1,736	1,675.00	1,675.00

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	739	141.50	141.50
8	—	807	139.50	139.50
7	—	973	121.00	121.00
4	—	873	126.00	126.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	452	165.00	165.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	874	111.00	111.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	110	300.00–375.00	325.00
4	—	879	135.00–135.50	135.38
2	—	700	161.00	161.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	479	173.00	173.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	571	170.50–172.50	172.13
3	—	487	182.50	182.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	638	150.00	150.00
20	—	578	160.50	160.50
3	—	710	137.00	137.00
9	—	813	130.00	130.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
36	—	835	128.00–129.50	129.09

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	509	143.00	143.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	721	134.50–135.00	134.75
23	—	515	154.00–154.50	154.29
4	—	455	163.00	163.00
3	—	447	159.00	159.00
25	—	581	150.50–153.00	151.01

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	962	53.00–54.00	53.24

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	1,404	61.50–66.50	64.12
10	—	1,601	67.00–69.50	68.30
22	—	1,416	55.50–60.50	56.90

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,247	62.00–64.50	63.61
14	—	1,214	54.50–62.50	58.88
2	—	1,155	53.00	53.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,460	56.00	56.00
6	—	1,571	67.50–68.50	67.92

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	1,655	71.00–78.00	76.95
70	—	1,948	80.00–90.50	83.74
3	—	2,235	97.00–99.00	98.30

Head, weight ranges, average weights and price ranges are exactly as USDA AMS filed them — nothing recomputed, nothing rounded — in USDA's own reporting structure. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of that data, not a copy of USDA's document.