Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2019-12-12

Billings Livestock Commission

Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2019-12-12
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2019-12-12

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Dec 12

● Final101 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777

← Dec 5Dec 12Dec 19 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

6,378 head

▲ 505 vs last sale 5,873▲ 6,378 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago

Slaughter Cattle receipts

105 head

▲ 11 vs last sale 94▲ 105 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago

Replacement Cattle receipts

205 head

▲ 76 vs last sale 129▲ 205 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: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand for yearlings was mostly good on light offerings. Steer calves 400-499 lbs sold 5.00-10.00 lower; 500-699 lbs sold mostly 2.00-4.00 lower; steers over 700 lbs sold steady to weak. Heifer calves under 550 lbs sold mostly 2.00-4.00 lower; heifer calves over 550 lbs sold steady to 2.00 higher on stronger demand for weaned calves. Quality this week was average to attractive, however quality overall was not as attractive as last week. A very heavy offering of weaned calves were on offer this week. Last weeks sale was mostly comprised of un-weaned calves, this made comparisons difficult in places. Demand overall was light to moderate on heavy offerings. Market activity this week was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for mostly light offerings. Packers purchased slaughter cows on mostly light demand this sale opting to only purchase cows not suitable to feed. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-2.00 lower on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were not tested as these cows were all purchased to feed. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 4.00 lower. Packers showed significantly lower demand for feeding cows this week. Feeding buyers purchased cows on moderate demand this week. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to re-breed sold steady to 5.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Quality was mostly average.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $158.60/cwt on 2,775 head.

Average price

$158.60

2,775 head · 580 lb average

Value per head Derived

$919

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$620

per head · Medium 1 over Large 1

$36.04/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−0.20

vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	436	170.35	743	66
Medium and Large 1-2	522	159.29	831	293
Medium and Large 1	585	158.66	928	2,361
Medium 1-2	436	154.00	671	10thin
Medium and Large 2	605	136.00	823	8thin
Large 1	1,015	134.31	1,363	37

One grade step is worth $36.04/cwt here — about −$620 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 sale2,775 hd

158.60

—

MT average4 barns · 5,472 hd

158.80

−0.20

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	—	High	1,734	75.96	1,317	15
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,488	48.00	714	2thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,203	42.88	516	27

Every lot

101 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 · Steers42 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium 1	366	182.07/cwt	175.00–187.00	666	14
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	377	197.00/cwt	197.00–197.00	743	28
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	377	188.72/cwt	177.00–195.00	711	17
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	399	206.00/cwt	206.00–206.00	822	59
Steers	—	Medium 1	406	174.38/cwt	172.50–177.00	708	17
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Full	410	177.00/cwt	177.00–177.00	726	5
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	432	182.09/cwt	178.00–192.00	787	60
Steers	—	Medium 1-2	436	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	671	10
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	438	173.90/cwt	170.00–179.00	762	7
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	441	166.00/cwt	166.00–166.00	732	17
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	454	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	749	5
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	467	179.58/cwt	168.50–184.50	839	311
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	479	167.13/cwt	163.00–173.00	801	31
Steers	—	Medium 1	479	163.71/cwt	156.00–165.00	784	35
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	487	162.84/cwt	153.00–168.00	793	88
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	513	163.84/cwt	155.00–168.25	840	44
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Full	517	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	812	6
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	528	161.88/cwt	157.00–170.00	855	253
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	528	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	787	5
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	533	154.96/cwt	151.00–157.00	826	36
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	571	153.75/cwt	152.00–155.00	878	46
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	572	156.45/cwt	153.00–160.25	895	415
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	580	145.20/cwt	141.00–150.00	842	30
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	594	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	796	10
Steers	—	Medium and Large 2	605	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	823	8
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	624	152.32/cwt	149.00–155.00	950	447
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	625	147.04/cwt	141.00–154.50	919	119
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	639	140.95/cwt	132.00–148.00	901	35
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	653	143.10/cwt	141.50–144.00	934	75
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	665	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	911	5
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	666	148.58/cwt	145.50–151.75	990	279
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	666	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	892	8
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	712	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	1,011	10
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	718	148.19/cwt	147.00–150.00	1,064	123
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Full	722	134.50/cwt	134.50–134.50	971	8
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	728	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	1,019	5
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	763	135.45/cwt	135.00–138.00	1,033	7
Steers	—	Large 1	790	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	1,114	4
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	831	139.62/cwt	137.00–140.00	1,160	39
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	878	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	1,229	4
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	920	141.25/cwt	141.25–141.25	1,300	17
Steers	—	Large 1	1,042	133.50/cwt	133.50–133.50	1,391	33
Feeder Cattle · Heifers40 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	381	170.42/cwt	159.00–172.00	649	51
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	386	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	583	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	389	151.23/cwt	150.00–153.00	588	12
Heifers	—	Medium 1	396	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	594	8
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	431	143.78/cwt	135.00–147.50	620	68
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	432	155.32/cwt	150.00–161.00	671	170
Heifers	—	Medium 1	437	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	594	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	448	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	717	50
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	449	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	611	14
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	599	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	465	148.56/cwt	142.50–153.00	691	24
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	481	147.27/cwt	144.50–154.00	708	280
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	481	126.70/cwt	124.00–127.50	609	17
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Fancy	487	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	804	10
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	494	140.88/cwt	138.00–143.00	696	47
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Fancy	503	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	755	72
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	528	136.45/cwt	136.00–137.00	720	50
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	528	136.28/cwt	133.00–137.00	720	94
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	529	141.27/cwt	138.50–146.00	747	403
Heifers	—	Large 1	538	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	748	12
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Full	560	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	706	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	570	134.97/cwt	130.00–139.50	769	70
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	573	138.31/cwt	130.50–142.00	793	408
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	591	128.28/cwt	126.00–129.50	758	26
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	605	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	774	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	605	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	738	9
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	615	131.50/cwt	131.50–131.50	809	38
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	630	135.24/cwt	130.00–137.00	852	209
Heifers	—	Medium 1-2	649	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	863	6
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	655	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	858	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	660	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	865	6
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	672	132.70/cwt	129.50–136.50	892	57
Heifers	—	Medium 1-2	688	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	922	21
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	701	130.54/cwt	130.00–134.00	915	15
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	723	124.50/cwt	124.50–124.50	900	6
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Fancy	756	139.75/cwt	139.75–139.75	1,057	30
Heifers	—	Medium 1-2	798	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	1,021	13
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	933	132.50/cwt	132.50–132.50	1,236	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	962	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	1,279	21
Heifers	—	Large 1	1,047	124.56/cwt	124.00–128.00	1,304	7
Feeder Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	473	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	752	2
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	636	132.93/cwt	132.50–136.00	845	8
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	655	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	838	13
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	755	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	1,042	3
Bulls	—	Large 1	1,118	91.00/cwt	91.00–91.00	1,017	3
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—	1,598	65.77/cwt	64.00–71.00	1,051	5
Bulls	—	—	1,735	78.71/cwt	73.00–80.50	1,366	7
Bulls	—	—	1,960	86.54/cwt	84.50–87.50	1,696	3
Slaughter Cattle · Cows4 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,178	37.89/cwt	37.00–38.00	446	10
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,213	45.13/cwt	42.00–48.00	547	15
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,258	51.00/cwt	51.00–51.00	642	2
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,488	48.00/cwt	48.00–48.00	714	2
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows7 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	986	68.60/cwt	63.00–90.00	676	10
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,088	64.76/cwt	56.00–73.00	705	34
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,091	51.97/cwt	49.00–54.50	567	9
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,198	44.77/cwt	44.00–45.00	536	9
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,210	47.97/cwt	47.00–49.00	580	10
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,288	55.42/cwt	50.00–64.00	714	45
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,487	54.89/cwt	48.00–59.00	816	13

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 Dec 12, 2019

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 6,378Last week 5,873Year ago 0

Slaughter CattleReceipts 105Last week 94Year ago 0

Replacement CattleReceipts 205Last week 129Year ago 0

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	655	128.00	128.00
2	—	473	159.00	159.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	755	138.00	138.00
8	—	636	132.50–136.00	132.93

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,118	91.00	91.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
28	—	377	197.00	197.00
17	—	441	166.00	166.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
44	—	513	155.00–168.25	163.84
46	—	571	152.00–155.00	153.75
119	—	625	141.00–154.50	147.04
10	—	712	142.00	142.00
7	—	763	135.00–138.00	135.45
75	—	653	141.50–144.00	143.10
31	—	479	163.00–173.00	167.13
7	—	438	170.00–179.00	173.90

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	454	165.00	165.00
8	—	666	134.00	134.00
5	—	528	149.00	149.00
10	—	594	134.00	134.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	410	177.00	177.00
6	—	517	157.00	157.00
8	—	722	134.50	134.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	920	141.25	141.25
447	—	624	149.00–155.00	152.32
39	—	831	137.00–140.00	139.62
415	—	572	153.00–160.25	156.45
59	—	399	206.00	206.00
311	—	467	168.50–184.50	179.58
279	—	666	145.50–151.75	148.58
253	—	528	157.00–170.00	161.88
60	—	432	178.00–192.00	182.09
123	—	718	147.00–150.00	148.19

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
36	—	533	151.00–157.00	154.96
88	—	487	153.00–168.00	162.84
5	—	665	137.00	137.00
4	—	878	140.00	140.00
5	—	728	140.00	140.00
35	—	639	132.00–148.00	140.95
30	—	580	141.00–150.00	145.20
17	—	377	177.00–195.00	188.72

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	605	136.00	136.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	790	141.00	141.00
33	—	1,042	133.50	133.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	436	154.00	154.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
35	—	479	156.00–165.00	163.71
17	—	406	172.50–177.00	174.38
14	—	366	175.00–187.00	182.07

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	933	132.50	132.50
94	—	528	133.00–137.00	136.28
68	—	431	135.00–147.50	143.78
47	—	494	138.00–143.00	140.88
26	—	591	126.00–129.50	128.28
6	—	723	124.50	124.50
4	—	655	131.00	131.00
4	—	386	151.00	151.00
2	—	605	128.00	128.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	481	124.00–127.50	126.70
9	—	605	122.00	122.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	798	128.00	128.00
21	—	688	134.00	134.00
6	—	649	133.00	133.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
57	—	672	129.50–136.50	132.70
408	—	573	130.50–142.00	138.31
403	—	529	138.50–146.00	141.27
280	—	481	144.50–154.00	147.27
51	—	381	159.00–172.00	170.42
209	—	630	130.00–137.00	135.24
170	—	432	150.00–161.00	155.32
21	—	962	133.00	133.00
15	—	701	130.00–134.00	130.54

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	450	133.00	133.00
14	—	449	136.00	136.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	660	131.00	131.00
12	—	389	150.00–153.00	151.23
70	—	570	130.00–139.50	134.97
24	—	465	142.50–153.00	148.56
38	—	615	131.50	131.50
50	—	448	160.00	160.00
50	—	528	136.00–137.00	136.45

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
30	—	756	139.75	139.75
10	—	487	165.00	165.00
72	—	503	150.00	150.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	560	126.00	126.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	396	150.00	150.00
7	—	437	136.00	136.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	538	139.00	139.00
7	—	1,047	124.00–128.00	124.56

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	9	—	1,091	49.00–54.50	51.97
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	9	—	1,198	44.00–45.00	44.77
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	10	—	1,210	47.00–49.00	47.97

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	13	—	1,487	48.00–59.00	54.89
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	45	—	1,288	50.00–64.00	55.42
(<2 yrs)	Open	10	—	986	63.00–90.00	68.60
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	34	—	1,088	56.00–73.00	64.76

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	1,213	42.00–48.00	45.13
10	—	1,178	37.00–38.00	37.89
2	—	1,258	51.00	51.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,488	48.00	48.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,960	84.50–87.50	86.54
7	—	1,735	73.00–80.50	78.71
5	—	1,598	64.00–71.00	65.77

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.