Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2020-05-28

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, May 28
● Final101 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,510 head
▲ 1,318 vs last sale 192▲ 64 vs year ago 1,446 · +4.4%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
190 head
▲ 58 vs last sale 132▲ 5 vs year ago 185 · +2.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
1,356 head
▲ 636 vs last sale 720▲ 513 vs year ago 843 · +60.9%
Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Calves were mostly offered in small to moderate size packages this sale. Demand was mostly good to very good on all weights of feeders. Active to very active market activity was seen this week with many bidders and buyers actively bidding on offerings. Many buyers showed good to very good demand for middle weight calves suitable to turn out on grass. Many lightweight sets of calves are destined for export this week. Corporate packers showed good demand for heavyweight calves as they pushed high quality feeding steers and heifers sharply higher. CME positions finished the day sharply higher with triple digit gains seen in both the August and September contract. From last Thursday through today's close the August contract has gained 6.625. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Feeding buyers and packer buyers both showed good demand for cows this week. Cow quality was mostly average to attractive with many high quality cows suitable to feed in the offering this week. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher on lean and boning cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested to trend as most of these offerings are destined to feed, however higher undertones were noticed on this class of cows. Feeding cows sold mostly 3.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold steady to firm. Weigh up conditions were mostly average this week and overall better than last week. Young age cows suitable to feed or re-breed sold generally steady. Quality this week was mostly average.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $135.44/cwt on 794 head.
Average price
$135.44
794 head · 674 lb average
Value per head Derived
$913
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$105
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2
$13.71/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+0.00
vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2585140.71823153
Medium and Large 1716135.01967566
Medium 1530128.1567964
Medium and Large 2566127.0071811thin
One grade step is worth $13.71/cwt here — about $105 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 sale794 hd
135.44
—
MT average1 barns · 794 hd
135.44
+0.00
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—Low1,75186.051,50653
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,45558.3084843
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,21757.3669879
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,49556.008372thin

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.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Steers20 lots · lightest first
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2419162.50/cwt162.50–162.506814
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2487169.49/cwt169.00–170.008256
Steers—Medium and Large 1494178.00/cwt178.00–178.008794
Steers—Medium and Large 2496134.00/cwt134.00–134.006655
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2500161.00/cwt161.00–161.008052
Steers—Medium and Large 1511180.09/cwt177.00–183.0092025
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2550159.00/cwt159.00–159.008752
Steers—Medium and Large 2563139.00/cwt139.00–139.0078322
Steers—Medium and Large 1579170.00/cwt164.00–171.0098446
Steers—Medium 1613154.00/cwt154.00–154.0094416
Steers—Medium and Large 1617160.68/cwt159.00–162.0099163
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2649139.00/cwt139.00–139.009028
Steers—Medium 1668143.50/cwt143.50–143.5095911
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2679138.72/cwt130.00–142.009428
Steers—Medium and Large 1715147.37/cwt146.00–148.001,05441
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2738138.66/cwt136.00–140.001,0236
Steers—Medium and Large 1764141.46/cwt137.00–144.001,08141
Steers—Medium and Large 1836131.79/cwt127.50–136.501,10236
Steers—Medium and Large 1887127.84/cwt127.50–128.001,13412
Steers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy893120.00/cwt120.00–120.001,07219
Feeder Cattle · Heifers29 lots · lightest first
Heifers—Medium and Large 2450135.00/cwt135.00–135.006083
Heifers—Medium 1463139.87/cwt139.00–142.0064825
Heifers—Medium and Large 1481152.11/cwt150.00–153.0073227
Heifers—Medium 1Fleshy483130.00/cwt130.00–130.0062810
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2495148.50/cwt148.50–148.5073516
Heifers—Medium and Large 1503150.32/cwt150.00–151.0075616
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2539144.50/cwt140.00–146.0077932
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2564144.40/cwt142.00–145.0081457
Heifers—Medium 1Fleshy575125.00/cwt125.00–125.0071918
Heifers—Medium and Large 1580150.19/cwt146.00–154.5087152
Heifers—Medium and Large 2609124.00/cwt124.00–124.007558
Heifers—Medium and Large 1624146.07/cwt143.00–149.00911100
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2631133.05/cwt132.00–139.0084021
Heifers—Medium 1Fleshy649105.00/cwt105.00–105.0068111
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2669135.97/cwt132.00–137.5091015
Heifers—Medium and Large 1680145.49/cwt142.00–146.5098982
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy688133.06/cwt132.00–135.0091523
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy706124.00/cwt124.00–124.008754
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2725132.55/cwt129.00–136.009618
Heifers—Medium and Large 1746140.05/cwt138.00–140.501,04511
Heifers—Medium and Large 1775135.93/cwt130.00–140.001,05388
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy780101.00/cwt101.00–101.007884
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy808114.02/cwt109.00–116.0092145
Heifers—Medium and Large 1814117.61/cwt117.00–118.7595720
Heifers—Medium and Large 1869116.24/cwt115.00–119.001,01030
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Replacement886120.00/cwt120.00–120.001,06310
Heifers—Medium and Large 1910112.50/cwt112.50–112.501,02442
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy936104.99/cwt103.50–106.509838
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy96395.00/cwt95.00–95.009158
Feeder Cattle · Bulls13 lots · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-285275.00/cwt275.00–275.002342
Bulls—Medium and Large 190300.00/cwt300.00–300.002703
Bulls—Medium and Large 1112316.25/cwt300.00–335.0035410
Bulls—Medium and Large 1214325.00/cwt325.00–325.006966
Bulls—Medium and Large 2386125.00/cwt125.00–125.004834
Bulls—Medium and Large 1414160.00/cwt160.00–160.006628
Bulls—Medium and Large 2433127.50/cwt127.50–127.505524
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-2478151.00/cwt151.00–151.007223
Bulls—Medium and Large 1492152.50/cwt152.50–152.5075020
Bulls—Medium and Large 1577146.50/cwt146.50–146.5084539
Bulls—Medium and Large 1756128.00/cwt128.00–128.009684
Bulls—Large 11,03388.50/cwt88.50–88.509142
Bulls—Large 1-21,06576.00/cwt76.00–76.008091
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Natural1,46174.76/cwt70.00–81.001,09211
Bulls——Natural1,67087.07/cwt84.00–96.001,45410
Bulls——1,80179.39/cwt79.00–80.001,4308
Bulls——Natural1,83797.50/cwt97.50–97.501,79111
Bulls——1,87587.40/cwt84.00–91.001,63910
Bulls——2,21795.30/cwt92.50–100.502,1133
Slaughter Cattle · Cows10 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight94537.50/cwt37.50–37.503541
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight96554.00/cwt53.00–55.005212
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,20545.00/cwt45.00–45.005421
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,20954.67/cwt48.00–56.5066132
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,23959.83/cwt57.50–62.5074138
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,25763.60/cwt63.50–64.007995
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,37754.77/cwt54.00–56.0075417
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,45463.92/cwt63.00–67.009298
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,49556.00/cwt56.00–56.008372
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,52859.14/cwt57.50–62.5090418
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs11 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,1751,425.00/cwt1,425.00–1,425.0016,74410
Cow-Calf Pairs—Large 1-21,284950.00/cwt950.00–950.0012,1985
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,2981,800.00/cwt1,800.00–1,800.0023,36410
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,3551,591.68/cwt1,550.00–1,725.0021,56717
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,3601,035.00/cwt1,035.00–1,035.0014,0765
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,3631,762.11/cwt1,585.00–1,825.0024,01823
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,4081,225.00/cwt1,225.00–1,225.0017,2485
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,4421,034.31/cwt1,025.00–1,050.0014,9158
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,5131,110.00/cwt1,110.00–1,110.0016,79410
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,5331,750.69/cwt1,700.00–1,810.0026,83814
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,5831,487.73/cwt1,360.00–1,575.0023,55133
Replacement Cattle · Heifer Pairs2 lots · lightest first
Heifer Pairs—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed9481,325.00/cwt1,325.00–1,325.0012,56119
Heifer Pairs—Medium and Large 11,1581,848.53/cwt1,675.00–1,900.0021,40625
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows6 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed86068.26/cwt67.50–69.005872
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-286065.00/cwt65.00–65.005592
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,00387.36/cwt67.00–97.00876212
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,20667.30/cwt59.00–80.0081293
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,32862.14/cwt56.00–62.5082528
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,40464.58/cwt58.00–69.5090764
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows4 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1531,150.91/cwt1,100.00–1,200.0013,27034
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,240760.00/cwt760.00–760.009,4245
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3141,075.00/cwt1,075.00–1,075.0014,1265
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3831,050.00/cwt1,050.00–1,050.0014,5222

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.