Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2020-03-05

Billings Livestock Commission

Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2020-03-05
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-03-05

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Mar 5

● Final45 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777

← Feb 27Mar 5Mar 12 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

616 head

▼ 1,103 vs last sale 1,719▲ 616 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago

Slaughter Cattle receipts

205 head

▲ 155 vs last sale 50▲ 205 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago

Replacement Cattle receipts

138 head

▼ 147 vs last sale 285▲ 138 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 sale: Feeder steers weighing less than 550 lbs sold mostly 4.00-6.00 higher, 550-749 lbs steers sold steady to weak. Heifer calves were all too lightly tested this week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to lower undertones were noticed. Feeder cattle sold on moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Demand for grass and wheat pasture cattle was mostly good again this week despite lower CME contract prices. Cattle were mostly in light flesh. Market activity this week was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand and offerings. Packers showed lighter demand for all cattle on offer. Feeding demand was mostly light as well and all cow prices slid lower as a result. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested on breaking cows to develop a full market trend however lower to sharply lower undertones were noticed. Boning and lean cows sold mostly 4.00 lower. Feeding cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or re-breed sold mostly 10.00-12.00 lower. Additional pressure on the feeding market caused these offerings to sell lower.

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 $171.28/cwt on 365 head.

Average price

$171.28

365 head · 578 lb average

Value per head Derived

$990

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$69

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

$10.50/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+6.30

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	444	180.50	802	6thin
Medium and Large 1	583	171.15	998	352
Medium and Large 2	431	170.00	733	7thin

One grade step is worth $10.50/cwt here — about $69 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 sale365 hd

171.28

—

MT average3 barns · 843 hd

164.98

+6.30

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	—	Average	1,921	80.34	1,544	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,467	55.68	817	77
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,202	53.03	637	77
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,503	52.17	784	20

Every lot

45 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 · Steers12 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	394	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	739	4
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	431	193.00/cwt	193.00–193.00	832	7
Steers	—	Medium and Large 2	431	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	733	7
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	486	189.49/cwt	188.00–190.00	921	66
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	514	183.88/cwt	175.00–187.00	945	76
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	545	166.50/cwt	166.50–166.50	907	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	584	168.10/cwt	166.00–168.50	982	38
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	619	165.87/cwt	163.50–166.75	1,027	67
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	660	158.21/cwt	155.50–160.00	1,044	64
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	717	143.97/cwt	139.50–147.50	1,032	28
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	788	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	1,040	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	952	119.50/cwt	119.50–119.50	1,138	3
Feeder Cattle · Heifers10 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	397	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	655	8
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	423	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	681	2
Heifers	—	Medium 1-2	435	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	657	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	460	156.38/cwt	153.00–163.00	719	23
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	473	165.33/cwt	165.00–170.00	782	15
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	520	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	806	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	527	162.05/cwt	161.00–163.50	854	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	598	144.50/cwt	144.50–144.50	864	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	605	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	932	21
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	616	144.63/cwt	137.50–148.00	891	28
Feeder Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2	542	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	835	3
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	590	159.50/cwt	159.50–159.50	941	7
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	622	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	964	7
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—	1,785	81.27/cwt	77.00–84.00	1,451	6
Bulls	—	—	1,815	67.24/cwt	67.00–67.50	1,220	2
Bulls	—	—	2,179	85.48/cwt	85.00–86.00	1,863	4
Slaughter Cattle · Cows11 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	850	41.00/cwt	41.00–41.00	349	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	955	51.00/cwt	51.00–51.00	487	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,190	60.00/cwt	60.00–60.00	714	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,214	53.07/cwt	44.50–54.75	644	67
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,279	56.79/cwt	55.50–59.00	726	5
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,406	51.35/cwt	47.00–53.50	722	9
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,463	56.26/cwt	54.75–59.00	823	52
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,467	53.39/cwt	48.50–55.00	783	22
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,525	62.50/cwt	62.50–62.50	953	3
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,555	43.00/cwt	43.00–43.00	669	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,585	53.83/cwt	53.75–54.50	853	10
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows6 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,098	83.36/cwt	75.00–100.00	915	17
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,134	67.93/cwt	58.00–83.50	770	48
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,141	53.00/cwt	53.00–53.00	605	27
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,196	51.40/cwt	50.50–52.50	615	6
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,212	55.30/cwt	50.50–58.00	670	11
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,527	53.28/cwt	52.50–53.75	814	16

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 Mar 5, 2020

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 616Last week 1,719Year ago 0

Slaughter CattleReceipts 205Last week 50Year ago 0

Replacement CattleReceipts 138Last week 285Year ago 0

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	17	—	1,098	75.00–100.00	83.36
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	48	—	1,134	58.00–83.50	67.93
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	16	—	1,527	52.50–53.75	53.28

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	11	—	1,212	50.50–58.00	55.30
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	6	—	1,196	50.50–52.50	51.40
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	27	—	1,141	53.00	53.00

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	394	187.50	187.50
2	—	545	166.50	166.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	431	170.00	170.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	431	193.00	193.00
28	—	717	139.50–147.50	143.97
3	—	788	132.00	132.00
3	—	952	119.50	119.50
76	—	514	175.00–187.00	183.88
67	—	619	163.50–166.75	165.87
66	—	486	188.00–190.00	189.49
38	—	584	166.00–168.50	168.10
64	—	660	155.50–160.00	158.21

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
21	—	605	154.00	154.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	527	161.00–163.50	162.05
3	—	598	144.50	144.50
15	—	473	165.00–170.00	165.33
28	—	616	137.50–148.00	144.63

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	435	151.00	151.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
23	—	460	153.00–163.00	156.38
8	—	397	165.00	165.00
3	—	520	155.00	155.00
2	—	423	161.00	161.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	542	154.00	154.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	622	155.00	155.00
7	—	590	159.50	159.50

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	955	51.00	51.00
2	—	850	41.00	41.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,406	47.00–53.50	51.35
1	—	1,555	43.00	43.00
10	—	1,585	53.75–54.50	53.83

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
52	—	1,463	54.75–59.00	56.26
22	—	1,467	48.50–55.00	53.39
3	—	1,525	62.50	62.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
67	—	1,214	44.50–54.75	53.07
5	—	1,279	55.50–59.00	56.79
1	—	1,190	60.00	60.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,785	77.00–84.00	81.27
4	—	2,179	85.00–86.00	85.48
2	—	1,815	67.00–67.50	67.24

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.