Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2020-10-08

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Oct 8
● Final94 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,990 head
▼ 1,404 vs last sale 3,394▲ 410 vs year ago 1,580 · +25.9%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
240 head
▼ 331 vs last sale 571▲ 170 vs year ago 70 · +242.9%
Replacement Cattle receipts
128 head
▼ 27 vs last sale 155▲ 63 vs year ago 65 · +96.9%
Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling feeder steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Unweaned steer calves 400-549 lbs sold 3.00 to 5.00 lower. 550-649 lbs steers sold 5.00-10.00 lower, all other weights not well compared. Yearling heifers weighing less than 750 lbs sold mostly steady to 4.00 higher, heifers over 750 lbs sold steady to 2.00 higher. Unweaned heifer calves 450-500 lbs sold 6.00-12.00 lower. All other weights were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed with the exception of calves under 350 lbs which sold with higher undertones. Quality this week was plain to average on calves and average to attractive on yearlings. Demand for yearlings was mostly good, while demand for calves was mostly light. Warm, dry and dusty conditions weighed on the market this week as buyers showed reluctance to bid on offerings due to concern over calves health. Additionally many sets of calves had no preconditioning shots which further impaired demand. Market activity this week was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mixed demand for light offerings. A two tier market has developed as packers and feeding buyers both showed good to very good demand for boning and breaking flesh cows and light demand for lean, thin fleshed cows. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher on boning and breaking cows, while lean cows sold 1.00-2.00 lower. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 lower on boning and lean cows. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-3.00 lower. Many cows were coming out of dry country and were very thin. Most cows had freshly weaned calves pulled off them and had heavy bags as a result. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average this week as many cows were very full. Young age re-breed type cows sold steady in a narrow comparison. Quality was mostly plain to average this week.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $135.26/cwt on 992 head.
Average price
$135.26
992 head · 679 lb average
Value per head Derived
$918
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$301
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Small and Medium 2
$55.17/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−1.61
vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2437138.1960441
Medium and Large 1719136.94984840
Medium 1540136.7573827
Medium 1-2400134.1153718thin
Large 1804131.501,0577thin
Medium 2322129.6741727
Medium and Large 2473118.005586thin
Large 1-21,105104.001,1494thin
Small and Medium 236483.0230322
One grade step is worth $55.17/cwt here — about $301 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 sale992 hd
135.26
—
MT average3 barns · 1,648 hd
136.86
−1.61
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—Average1,90172.091,37133
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,57566.601,04940
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,44659.6786355
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,15047.8355079

Every lot

94 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 1Unweaned310200.00/cwt200.00–200.006201
Steers—Small and Medium 2Unweaned32975.00/cwt75.00–75.002477
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned333174.00/cwt174.00–174.005794
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned359200.81/cwt197.50–202.507219
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned370160.00/cwt160.00–160.005923
Steers—Medium 1-2374154.00/cwt154.00–154.005765
Steers—Small and Medium 2Unweaned38072.50/cwt72.50–72.5027610
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned416157.48/cwt155.00–162.006559
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned431169.33/cwt167.00–182.0073022
Steers—Medium 1Unweaned433173.00/cwt173.00–173.0074912
Steers—Medium 1-2Unweaned446142.49/cwt140.00–145.006366
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned481157.16/cwt152.00–169.0075683
Steers—Medium and Large 2Unweaned486132.00/cwt132.00–132.0064213
Steers—Medium and Large 2Unweaned500132.00/cwt132.00–132.006608
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned508152.79/cwt150.00–155.0077669
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2514145.00/cwt145.00–145.0074510
Steers—Medium 1-2Unweaned528124.00/cwt124.00–124.006559
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned574146.81/cwt144.00–149.0084375
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned582140.00/cwt140.00–140.008153
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned619149.39/cwt144.00–151.0092561
Steers—Medium 1660149.00/cwt149.00–149.009833
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned660147.74/cwt142.00–149.7597577
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2739147.00/cwt147.00–147.001,0867
Steers—Medium and Large 1787146.25/cwt146.25–146.251,15110
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2795143.00/cwt143.00–143.001,1372
Steers—Medium and Large 1Full823138.00/cwt138.00–138.001,1362
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2909128.16/cwt128.00–129.001,16513
Steers—Medium and Large 1Full925131.00/cwt131.00–131.001,2122
Feeder Cattle · Heifers33 lots · lightest first
Heifers—Medium 2Unweaned309125.00/cwt125.00–125.0038613
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned320174.26/cwt172.00–178.005589
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2325142.50/cwt142.50–142.504634
Heifers—Medium 2334134.00/cwt134.00–134.0044814
Heifers—Small and Medium 2Unweaned34477.50/cwt77.50–77.502678
Heifers—Small and Medium 2Unweaned37686.18/cwt80.00–92.5032414
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned377152.40/cwt150.00–155.0057512
Heifers—Medium 1-2Unweaned395136.00/cwt136.00–136.0053714
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned397147.00/cwt147.00–147.005849
Heifers—Medium 1Unweaned410137.18/cwt132.00–139.0056212
Heifers—Medium 1-2Unweaned418127.50/cwt127.50–127.505334
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned420149.44/cwt148.00–150.0062817
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned438136.20/cwt131.00–138.0059716
Heifers—Medium and Large 2Unweaned473118.00/cwt118.00–118.005586
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned476136.50/cwt134.00–138.0065099
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned486133.39/cwt131.50–136.006487
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned521133.70/cwt132.00–135.2569771
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned526132.00/cwt132.00–132.006945
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned578131.01/cwt127.50–135.5075753
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned608133.75/cwt133.75–133.7581313
Heifers—Medium 1632136.00/cwt136.00–136.0086012
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fancy676137.00/cwt137.00–137.009268
Heifers—Medium and Large 1679143.09/cwt140.00–144.5097249
Heifers—Medium 1688138.00/cwt138.00–138.009493
Heifers—Medium and Large 1742143.30/cwt140.00–146.751,06349
Heifers—Medium and Large 1788139.91/cwt137.00–144.001,102138
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Full792136.30/cwt136.25–136.501,07914
Heifers—Large 1804131.50/cwt131.50–131.501,0577
Heifers—Medium and Large 1832135.53/cwt135.00–137.001,12853
Heifers—Medium and Large 1864134.81/cwt130.50–135.751,165165
Heifers—Medium and Large 1921130.36/cwt129.00–131.251,20147
Heifers—Medium and Large 1972128.03/cwt127.00–131.001,24443
Heifers—Large 1-21,105104.00/cwt104.00–104.001,1494
Feeder Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned332155.00/cwt155.00–155.005157
Bulls—Large 11,07593.00/cwt93.00–93.001,0002
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,30576.00/cwt76.00–76.009921
Bulls——1,85075.02/cwt72.00–77.001,38810
Bulls——1,90068.17/cwt63.00–73.501,29516
Bulls——Return to Feed1,95064.00/cwt64.00–64.001,2481
Bulls——2,11879.59/cwt78.50–80.501,6865
Slaughter Cattle · Cows16 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight95151.00/cwt51.00–51.004855
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,13149.15/cwt46.00–51.0055621
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,14336.51/cwt34.50–42.0041718
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,16347.02/cwt45.00–48.5054712
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,18753.97/cwt50.00–59.0064113
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,19567.00/cwt67.00–67.008011
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,22654.49/cwt51.50–57.506688
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,26866.23/cwt65.00–67.508402
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,37959.71/cwt56.50–64.0082313
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,41349.81/cwt49.00–51.507046
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,42850.92/cwt48.50–54.0072713
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,50667.84/cwt63.50–68.501,02221
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,54064.16/cwt61.50–66.009888
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,58267.03/cwt65.50–70.501,06030
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,61870.00/cwt70.00–70.001,1332
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,71553.00/cwt53.00–53.009091
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows5 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,04165.84/cwt61.00–72.0068513
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,06355.40/cwt53.00–57.005895
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,08562.00/cwt62.00–62.006734
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,10967.03/cwt59.50–70.5074325
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,17969.49/cwt65.00–95.0081921
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers2 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2728800.00/cwt800.00–800.005,82425
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS833950.00/cwt950.00–950.007,9143
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows3 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,22452.00/cwt52.00–52.006364
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,41257.50/cwt57.50–57.508127
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,452975.00/cwt975.00–975.0014,1578

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.