Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2020-09-17

Billings Livestock Commission

Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2020-09-17
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-09-17

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Sep 17

● Final61 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777

← Sep 10Sep 17Sep 24 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

566 head

▼ 1,153 vs last sale 1,719▼ 222 vs year ago 788 · −28.2%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

328 head

▲ 220 vs last sale 108▲ 93 vs year ago 235 · +39.6%

Replacement Cattle receipts

55 head

▼ 45 vs last sale 100▼ 10 vs year ago 65 · −15.4%

Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026

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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers were all too lightly tested this week to develop an accurate however steady to lower undertones were noticed on both yearlings and unweaned calves. The best test for yearling heifers was 700-799 lbs which sold steady to 2.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Heifers over 800 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly average. Cattle were offered in mostly small packages. Buyers showed mostly light demand as light offerings made it difficult to put together loads. CME positions posted lower values today which weighed on the market as well. Market activity this week was slow to moderate with fewer participants seen this week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light demand for light offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-2.00 lower. Feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold steady to firm. Cows and bulls were very full throughout today's sale offering buyers mostly below average weigh up conditions. Cow quality this week was mostly plain to average and similar compared to last week. Young age cows were lightly traded again this week. Steady to higher undertones were noticed in a narrow comparison. Quality was better this week than last.

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 $136.58/cwt on 270 head.

Average price

$136.58

270 head · 708 lb average

Value per head Derived

$967

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$170

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

$32.87/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+2.52

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	475	151.37	719	31
Medium and Large 1	725	136.46	989	206
Medium 1-2	671	128.00	859	15thin
Large 1	1,031	119.93	1,236	13thin
Medium 1	750	118.50	889	5thin

One grade step is worth $32.87/cwt here — about −$170 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 sale270 hd

136.58

—

MT average3 barns · 1,706 hd

134.05

+2.52

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	1,888	79.78	1,506	89
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,578	59.40	937	37
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,417	56.20	796	96
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,189	53.25	633	68

Every lot

61 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 · Steers13 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	247	172.50/cwt	172.50–172.50	426	6
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	328	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	623	17
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	393	184.40/cwt	175.00–185.00	725	28
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	416	183.00/cwt	183.00–183.00	761	5
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	503	165.86/cwt	165.00–168.00	834	7
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	513	152.93/cwt	152.00–153.50	785	8
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	560	142.50/cwt	142.50–142.50	798	13
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	595	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	887	7
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	759	142.50/cwt	142.50–142.50	1,082	5
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	788	136.50/cwt	136.50–136.50	1,076	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	840	141.19/cwt	137.00–141.75	1,186	17
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Full	893	131.18/cwt	130.50–132.00	1,171	11
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	986	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,233	9
Feeder Cattle · Heifers21 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	228	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	399	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	298	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	477	13
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	310	177.00/cwt	177.00–177.00	549	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	357	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	571	21
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	452	157.50/cwt	157.50–157.50	712	17
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	567	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	771	6
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	648	133.50/cwt	133.50–133.50	865	6
Heifers	—	Medium 1-2	671	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	859	15
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	680	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	911	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	727	138.30/cwt	138.00–139.00	1,005	37
Heifers	—	Medium 1	750	118.50/cwt	118.50–118.50	889	5
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	760	136.35/cwt	132.00–139.00	1,036	38
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	837	125.59/cwt	124.00–130.00	1,051	24
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Full	878	122.29/cwt	122.00–123.00	1,074	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	886	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	1,099	6
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	898	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	1,096	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	918	124.88/cwt	124.75–125.00	1,146	12
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Full	926	122.50/cwt	122.50–122.50	1,134	18
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	948	121.50/cwt	121.50–121.50	1,152	5
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Full	985	119.09/cwt	118.50–120.50	1,173	11
Heifers	—	Large 1	1,031	119.93/cwt	119.50–121.25	1,236	13
Feeder Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	323	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	614	5
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	868	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	1,068	2
Bulls	—	Large 1	1,015	109.00/cwt	109.00–109.00	1,106	4
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,395	80.00/cwt	80.00–80.00	1,116	1
Bulls	—	—	1,793	74.74/cwt	65.00–78.50	1,340	35
Bulls	—	—	1,913	82.51/cwt	79.00–85.50	1,578	38
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,923	69.00/cwt	69.00–69.00	1,327	2
Bulls	—	—	2,065	87.44/cwt	86.00–88.50	1,806	12
Bulls	—	—Heavy Weight	2,520	82.00/cwt	82.00–82.00	2,066	1
Slaughter Cattle · Cows15 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,040	43.00/cwt	43.00–43.00	447	3
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,126	45.05/cwt	44.00–47.00	507	6
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,154	58.98/cwt	58.00–60.50	681	7
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,191	53.95/cwt	48.50–56.75	643	41
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,228	65.78/cwt	64.50–67.00	808	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,245	52.99/cwt	50.50–56.25	660	8
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,363	57.68/cwt	57.00–59.00	786	3
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,387	58.72/cwt	57.00–61.00	814	14
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,394	58.43/cwt	57.00–59.50	815	10
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,411	69.25/cwt	69.25–69.25	977	9
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,411	54.26/cwt	50.00–57.00	766	43
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,454	56.20/cwt	54.00–57.00	817	26
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,586	56.97/cwt	54.00–58.50	904	21
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,715	63.00/cwt	63.00–63.00	1,080	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,767	54.00/cwt	53.00–54.50	954	7
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows3 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	809	78.00/cwt	78.00–78.00	631	17
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	985	77.52/cwt	66.00–92.50	764	10
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,142	66.93/cwt	64.00–68.00	764	12

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 Sep 17, 2020

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 566Last week 1,719Year ago 788

Slaughter CattleReceipts 328Last week 108Year ago 235

Replacement CattleReceipts 55Last week 100Year ago 65

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	886	124.00	124.00
12	—	918	124.75–125.00	124.88
24	—	837	124.00–130.00	125.59
37	—	727	138.00–139.00	138.30
38	—	760	132.00–139.00	136.35

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
18	—	926	122.50	122.50
11	—	985	118.50–120.50	119.09
7	—	878	122.00–123.00	122.29

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	310	177.00	177.00
21	—	357	160.00	160.00
17	—	452	157.50	157.50
6	—	648	133.50	133.50
6	—	567	136.00	136.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	228	175.00	175.00
13	—	298	160.00	160.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	948	121.50	121.50
4	—	680	134.00	134.00
2	—	898	122.00	122.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	671	128.00	128.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	750	118.50	118.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	1,031	119.50–121.25	119.93

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	595	149.00	149.00
7	—	503	165.00–168.00	165.86
5	—	416	183.00	183.00
28	—	393	175.00–185.00	184.40
17	—	328	190.00	190.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	788	136.50	136.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	247	172.50	172.50
8	—	513	152.00–153.50	152.93
13	—	560	142.50	142.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	840	137.00–141.75	141.19
9	—	986	125.00	125.00
5	—	759	142.50	142.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	893	130.50–132.00	131.18

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,015	109.00	109.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	868	123.00	123.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	323	190.00	190.00

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	10	—	985	66.00–92.50	77.52
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	12	—	1,142	64.00–68.00	66.93

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	17	—	809	78.00	78.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,363	57.00–59.00	57.68
8	—	1,245	50.50–56.25	52.99
3	—	1,040	43.00	43.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,126	44.00–47.00	45.05
7	—	1,154	58.00–60.50	58.98
41	—	1,191	48.50–56.75	53.95

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	1,394	57.00–59.50	58.43
26	—	1,454	54.00–57.00	56.20
1	—	1,715	63.00	63.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,228	64.50–67.00	65.78
43	—	1,411	50.00–57.00	54.26
14	—	1,387	57.00–61.00	58.72

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
21	—	1,586	54.00–58.50	56.97
9	—	1,411	69.25	69.25

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,767	53.00–54.50	54.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	2,065	86.00–88.50	87.44
35	—	1,793	65.00–78.50	74.74
38	—	1,913	79.00–85.50	82.51

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,923	69.00	69.00
1	—	1,395	80.00	80.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,520	82.00	82.00

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.