Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2019-05-02

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, May 2
● Final99 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
3,548 head
▲ 2,680 vs last sale 868▲ 3,548 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
180 head
▼ 73 vs last sale 253▲ 180 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
1,662 head
▲ 1,134 vs last sale 528▲ 1,662 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: Feeder steers 500-749 lbs sold steady to 3.00 lower. Feeder heifer under 550 lbs sold steady to weak, 550-699 lbs sold mostly 5.00-8.00 lower, heifers over 700 lbs sold mostly steady to 2.00 lower. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Many load lots of cattle were offered this week. Buyers were able to put together loads of cattle as many long strings of weaned yearlings were on offer. Flesh varied this week from very light to moderate plus. CME feeder contracts have posted losses 9 days in a row as of today's close. Despite lower CME feeder contract prices buyers showed good demand for high quality offerings. Demand was mostly moderate for all cattle on offer. Market activity was mostly active with a good crowd of buyers on hand. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for heavy offerings. Slaughter cows sold generally steady to weak on a fuller lower quality offering this week. Feeding cows sold weak as buyers discounted cows for fill, much like packers. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Young age 2-3 year olds sold steady to firm. A large portion of the supply was made up of open heifers which sold at a 5.00-8.00 premium to offerings which calved. Demand for wet bagged cows remains very good. Quality this week was mostly attractive.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $142.63/cwt on 1,470 head.
Average price
$142.63
1,470 head · 640 lb average
Value per head Derived
$913
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$22
per head · Medium 1-2 over Medium and Large 2
$13.36/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−0.38
vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1-2519150.3678080
Medium and Large 1-2563146.87826188
Medium and Large 1662141.569371,176
Medium and Large 2585137.0080126
One grade step is worth $13.36/cwt here — about −$22 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 sale1,470 hd
142.63
—
MT average3 barns · 1,789 hd
143.01
−0.38
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
Bulls—High1,98691.171,8114thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,43562.5889824
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,61261.079857thin
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,21059.4371956

Every lot

99 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.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Steers28 lots · lightest first
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned392195.74/cwt194.00–200.007677
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned407180.00/cwt180.00–180.007333
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2480178.86/cwt172.00–183.0085913
Steers—Medium and Large 1483187.56/cwt187.00–190.0090626
Steers—Medium 1506178.00/cwt178.00–178.009017
Steers—Medium and Large 1514183.38/cwt183.00–183.5094339
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2550172.00/cwt172.00–172.0094610
Steers—Medium 1-2Value Added551171.00/cwt171.00–171.0094255
Steers—Medium and Large 1576177.74/cwt174.00–180.501,024200
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned587171.50/cwt171.50–171.501,00724
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2623150.62/cwt149.00–165.0093839
Steers—Medium and Large 1633172.80/cwt171.00–175.251,09487
Steers—Medium and Large 2639135.00/cwt135.00–135.008634
Steers—Medium and Large 1Fancy656174.50/cwt174.50–174.501,1458
Steers—Medium 1-2Value Added657153.00/cwt153.00–153.001,0056
Steers—Medium and Large 1676161.86/cwt155.00–173.001,09458
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2684149.84/cwt143.00–153.001,02580
Steers—Medium and Large 1726150.42/cwt146.50–157.001,092109
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2741144.89/cwt136.00–145.001,07480
Steers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy763141.00/cwt141.00–141.001,0767
Steers—Medium and Large 1773143.97/cwt141.50–145.751,113165
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2831130.45/cwt130.00–130.501,08422
Steers—Medium and Large 1832138.30/cwt132.00–142.501,151220
Steers—Medium and Large 1880129.64/cwt128.50–132.001,14130
Steers—Medium and Large 1916128.00/cwt128.00–128.001,1727
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2918124.00/cwt124.00–124.001,1383
Steers—Medium and Large 1989123.14/cwt123.00–123.501,21814
Steers—Large 11,013118.00/cwt118.00–118.001,1953
Feeder Cattle · Heifers26 lots · lightest first
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned331172.29/cwt172.00–172.5057010
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned395165.00/cwt165.00–165.006524
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned436160.00/cwt160.00–160.006987
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned441156.97/cwt155.00–159.0069220
Heifers—Medium 1-2Value Added469161.75/cwt160.00–162.0075925
Heifers—Medium and Large 1472165.76/cwt162.00–168.5078251
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned481154.00/cwt154.00–154.007418
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2488154.90/cwt153.00–156.5075638
Heifers—Medium and Large 1517156.56/cwt153.00–161.0080998
Heifers—Medium 1-2Value Added531146.00/cwt146.00–146.0077550
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2541148.39/cwt145.00–150.5080330
Heifers—Medium and Large 1585147.90/cwt145.50–151.00865159
Heifers—Medium and Large 2585137.00/cwt137.00–137.0080126
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2588144.45/cwt142.00–145.0084958
Heifers—Medium and Large 1621144.94/cwt142.50–147.75900267
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy623141.00/cwt141.00–141.0087812
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2630140.08/cwt137.00–142.0088347
Heifers—Medium 1-2Value Added642137.00/cwt137.00–137.008805
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Full659135.00/cwt135.00–135.0089010
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2661133.00/cwt133.00–133.008794
Heifers—Medium and Large 1681143.01/cwt142.50–143.2597478
Heifers—Medium and Large 1727132.55/cwt131.00–138.00964138
Heifers—Medium and Large 1774130.50/cwt129.00–132.251,010158
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Replacement7981,100.00/cwt1,100.00–1,100.008,77873
Heifers—Medium and Large 1813128.98/cwt124.50–129.751,049107
Heifers—Medium and Large 1873124.27/cwt120.00–124.501,08560
Feeder Cattle · Bulls9 lots · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 1Natural302195.00/cwt195.00–195.005898
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-2Natural423173.00/cwt173.00–173.0073216
Bulls—Medium and Large 1492177.50/cwt177.50–177.508736
Bulls—Medium and Large 1Natural509171.00/cwt171.00–171.0087045
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-2568159.00/cwt159.00–159.009032
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-2632146.00/cwt146.00–146.009233
Bulls—Medium and Large 1720140.00/cwt140.00–140.001,0085
Bulls—Medium and Large 1962118.00/cwt118.00–118.001,1352
Bulls—Large 11,072107.85/cwt105.00–109.501,15613
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,74584.50/cwt84.50–84.501,4751
Bulls——1,83082.50/cwt82.50–82.501,5101
Bulls——2,18598.84/cwt97.50–100.002,1602
Slaughter Cattle · Cows9 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight94553.24/cwt52.00–54.505032
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,15765.15/cwt63.50–65.507545
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,19852.01/cwt51.00–53.006232
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,22558.99/cwt55.00–62.0072345
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,29368.77/cwt67.00–70.508892
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,42264.69/cwt63.50–67.0092014
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,45459.63/cwt55.00–61.0086710
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,55567.50/cwt67.50–67.501,0501
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,62260.00/cwt60.00–60.009736
Replacement Cattle · Bulls1 lot · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 11,1171,579.85/cwt1,400.00–1,700.0017,6473
Replacement Cattle · Heifer Pairs3 lots · lightest first
Heifer Pairs—Medium 19291,639.68/cwt1,500.00–1,700.0015,23325
Heifer Pairs—Medium and Large 11,0571,993.03/cwt1,800.00–2,150.0021,06668
Heifer Pairs—Medium and Large 11,0782,100.00/cwt2,100.00–2,100.0022,63817
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs11 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,2641,846.07/cwt1,800.00–1,900.0023,33414
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,2931,181.49/cwt1,100.00–1,250.0015,27713
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,3291,575.00/cwt1,575.00–1,575.0020,93210
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,3902,242.37/cwt2,100.00–2,260.0031,16947
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,4221,650.00/cwt1,650.00–1,650.0023,4633
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,4251,450.00/cwt1,450.00–1,450.0020,6639
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,4331,050.00/cwt1,050.00–1,050.0015,0476
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,4611,508.85/cwt1,450.00–1,550.0022,0448
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,4621,307.83/cwt1,250.00–1,350.0019,12046
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,4871,350.00/cwt1,350.00–1,350.0020,07510
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,8431,475.00/cwt1,475.00–1,475.0027,18411
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows5 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1909109.00/cwt76.00–126.50991158
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,05383.38/cwt65.00–100.0087826
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,28166.52/cwt64.00–71.5085211
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,47865.27/cwt60.00–68.5096516
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,53063.89/cwt61.50–66.5097822
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 11,2501,425.00/cwt1,425.00–1,425.0017,8132
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows3 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,4301,488.93/cwt1,450.00–1,525.0021,29211
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,4801,178.58/cwt1,125.00–1,200.0017,4436
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,5901,366.04/cwt1,350.00–1,400.0021,72015

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.