Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2020-12-17

Billings Livestock Commission

Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2020-12-17
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-12-17

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

● Final95 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777

← Dec 10Dec 17Jan 7 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

2,355 head

▼ 1,594 vs last sale 3,949▲ 534 vs year ago 1,821 · +29.3%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

933 head

▲ 101 vs last sale 832▲ 773 vs year ago 160 · +483.1%

Replacement Cattle receipts

181 head

▼ 158 vs last sale 339▼ 585 vs year ago 766 · −76.4%

Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Unweaned steer calves under 600 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher; steers 600 lbs and heaiver sold unevenly steady. Unweaned heifers sold steady to weak on all weights. Quality this week was not as attractive as last week. Quality overall was plain to average. Many odds and ends cattle sold this week as ranchers cleaned out pens and pastures for the last sale of the year. Many buyers were on hand this sale. Market activity was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for moderate offerings. Packers opted to send a large portion of the offering to slaughter this week. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00 higher. Feeding buyers and packer buyers competed over high quality offerings to feed to premium white. These offerings sold steady to firm. Cow and bull quality this week was mostly average. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average this sale, overall weigh conditions were better this week compared to last. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher. Several sets of Natural bulls sold this sale and these offerings were met with mostly good demand and offered a 6.00-8.00 premium. 2 year old to young age cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand. These cows were of mostly plain to average quality and sold mostly steady to 3.00 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 $167.78/cwt on 838 head.

Average price

$167.78

838 head · 529 lb average

Value per head Derived

$887

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$243

per head · Medium 1 over Medium 2

$80.25/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+0.67

vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	407	180.25	733	24
Medium and Large 1	535	168.87	903	741
Medium and Large 1-2	505	160.29	809	62
Large 1	510	152.00	775	2thin
Medium 2	490	100.00	490	9thin

One grade step is worth $80.25/cwt here — about $243 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 sale838 hd

167.78

—

MT average4 barns · 3,280 hd

167.11

+0.67

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	1,722	83.88	1,444	66
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,686	58.91	993	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,388	52.88	734	102
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,161	45.13	524	349

Every lot

95 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 · Steers24 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	300	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	600	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	326	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	611	5
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	335	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	637	7
Steers	—	Medium 1	342	187.00/cwt	187.00–187.00	640	6
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	375	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	675	1
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	376	193.95/cwt	188.00–210.75	729	77
Steers	—	Medium 1	428	178.00/cwt	178.00–178.00	762	18
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	434	187.44/cwt	182.00–201.00	813	82
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	448	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	762	16
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	463	181.67/cwt	175.00–191.00	841	89
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	466	188.50/cwt	188.50–188.50	878	14
Steers	—	Medium 2	490	100.00/cwt	100.00–100.00	490	9
Steers	—	Large 1	510	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	775	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	524	173.30/cwt	166.00–180.00	908	83
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	543	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	923	54
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	545	163.00/cwt	163.00–163.00	888	1
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	569	147.84/cwt	145.00–149.00	841	14
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	577	161.38/cwt	158.00–165.00	931	129
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	599	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	869	10
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	619	143.53/cwt	142.00–149.00	888	43
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	626	151.49/cwt	144.00–160.00	948	89
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	658	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	895	8
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	667	151.77/cwt	141.00–156.00	1,012	53
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	716	136.11/cwt	131.00–138.50	975	26
Feeder Cattle · Heifers27 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium 1	322	172.50/cwt	172.50–172.50	555	13
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	330	174.84/cwt	170.00–183.00	577	24
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	382	174.27/cwt	170.00–187.50	666	74
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	391	160.27/cwt	157.00–165.00	627	48
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	412	160.91/cwt	158.50–166.50	663	24
Heifers	—	Medium 1	425	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	646	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	426	162.06/cwt	158.00–175.00	690	52
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	429	152.57/cwt	132.00–158.00	655	10
Heifers	—	Large 1	431	152.30/cwt	151.50–153.00	656	19
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	442	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	645	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	467	155.89/cwt	145.00–165.00	728	154
Heifers	—	Medium 1	467	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	621	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	489	157.16/cwt	155.00–157.50	769	49
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	492	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	699	8
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	503	148.50/cwt	148.50–148.50	747	8
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	507	140.11/cwt	137.00–144.00	710	16
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	523	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	706	9
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	525	147.22/cwt	140.00–157.00	773	153
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Replacement	555	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	805	16
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	567	136.75/cwt	136.00–137.50	775	12
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	569	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	762	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	592	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	734	8
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	594	128.64/cwt	128.00–129.50	764	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	641	134.45/cwt	129.00–135.25	862	29
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	670	133.32/cwt	131.00–134.00	893	37
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	671	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	825	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	674	120.50/cwt	120.50–120.50	812	17
Feeder Cattle · Bulls13 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	391	177.20/cwt	147.00–180.00	693	22
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	406	178.00/cwt	178.00–178.00	723	5
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	477	163.65/cwt	159.00–164.00	781	41
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2	496	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	645	9
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	529	158.00/cwt	158.00–158.00	836	5
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	560	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	846	7
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	631	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	883	5
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2	632	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	796	5
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	680	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	843	2
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	751	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	946	5
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	801	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	969	7
Bulls	—	Large 1	1,194	89.00/cwt	89.00–89.00	1,063	4
Bulls	—	Large 1	1,210	87.00/cwt	87.00–87.00	1,053	2
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls9 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,317	84.50/cwt	84.50–84.50	1,113	3
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,441	72.18/cwt	71.00–75.00	1,040	7
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,589	82.36/cwt	82.00–82.50	1,309	8
Bulls	—	—Natural	1,693	84.96/cwt	84.00–88.00	1,438	16
Bulls	—	—	1,795	82.13/cwt	80.00–83.00	1,474	3
Bulls	—	—Natural	1,810	81.00/cwt	81.00–81.00	1,466	1
Bulls	—	—Natural	1,839	91.35/cwt	90.00–91.50	1,680	19
Bulls	—	—	1,895	74.33/cwt	73.00–76.00	1,409	7
Bulls	—	—	2,200	88.00/cwt	88.00–88.00	1,936	2
Slaughter Cattle · Cows18 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	938	42.47/cwt	40.00–48.00	398	5
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	973	35.27/cwt	35.00–39.00	343	43
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,042	34.81/cwt	33.00–40.00	363	19
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,178	45.93/cwt	42.00–49.00	541	92
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,205	58.00/cwt	58.00–58.00	699	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,207	46.68/cwt	41.00–50.00	563	132
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,222	50.99/cwt	49.50–55.00	623	47
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,249	51.76/cwt	50.00–53.00	646	10
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,300	62.00/cwt	62.00–62.00	806	1
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,330	45.37/cwt	43.50–46.50	603	6
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,372	55.61/cwt	51.50–60.00	763	58
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,375	62.17/cwt	62.00–62.50	855	3
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,421	46.86/cwt	42.00–49.00	666	20
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,441	50.72/cwt	49.50–56.00	731	14
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,560	63.50/cwt	63.50–63.50	991	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,695	59.82/cwt	57.00–61.00	1,014	4
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,695	57.50/cwt	57.50–57.50	975	2
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,710	57.12/cwt	55.00–58.00	977	3
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows1 lot · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,237	625.00/cwt	625.00–625.00	7,731	14
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows3 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	798	56.90/cwt	42.50–70.00	454	2
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	994	73.70/cwt	63.00–84.00	733	62
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,093	62.56/cwt	51.00–74.00	684	33

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 17, 2020

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 2,355Last week 3,949Year ago 1,821

Slaughter CattleReceipts 933Last week 832Year ago 160

Replacement CattleReceipts 181Last week 339Year ago 766

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	529	158.00	158.00
5	—	751	126.00	126.00
2	—	680	124.00	124.00
22	—	391	147.00–180.00	177.20
7	—	560	151.00	151.00
7	—	801	121.00	121.00
41	—	477	159.00–164.00	163.65
5	—	406	178.00	178.00
5	—	631	140.00	140.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,194	89.00	89.00
2	—	1,210	87.00	87.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	632	126.00	126.00
9	—	496	130.00	130.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	569	145.00–149.00	147.84
1	—	375	180.00	180.00
5	—	326	187.50	187.50
16	—	448	170.00	170.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	300	200.00	200.00
77	—	376	188.00–210.75	193.95
53	—	667	141.00–156.00	151.77
89	—	463	175.00–191.00	181.67
26	—	716	131.00–138.50	136.11
89	—	626	144.00–160.00	151.49
82	—	434	182.00–201.00	187.44
83	—	524	166.00–180.00	173.30
129	—	577	158.00–165.00	161.38

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	545	163.00	163.00
8	—	658	136.00	136.00
7	—	335	190.00	190.00
10	—	599	145.00	145.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	466	188.50	188.50
43	—	619	142.00–149.00	143.53
54	—	543	170.00	170.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	342	187.00	187.00
18	—	428	178.00	178.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	510	152.00	152.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	490	100.00	100.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	523	135.00	135.00
3	—	442	146.00	146.00
8	—	592	124.00	124.00
8	—	492	142.00	142.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	507	137.00–144.00	140.11
7	—	594	128.00–129.50	128.64
10	—	429	132.00–158.00	152.57
17	—	674	120.50	120.50
48	—	391	157.00–165.00	160.27

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
153	—	525	140.00–157.00	147.22
52	—	426	158.00–175.00	162.06
37	—	670	131.00–134.00	133.32
24	—	330	170.00–183.00	174.84
29	—	641	129.00–135.25	134.45
12	—	567	136.00–137.50	136.75
154	—	467	145.00–165.00	155.89
74	—	382	170.00–187.50	174.27

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	569	134.00	134.00
49	—	489	155.00–157.50	157.16
8	—	503	148.50	148.50
24	—	412	158.50–166.50	160.91
4	—	671	123.00	123.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	555	145.00	145.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
19	—	431	151.50–153.00	152.30

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	467	133.00	133.00
4	—	425	152.00	152.00
13	—	322	172.50	172.50

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Natural$ per cwt · actual wt
19	—	1,839	90.00–91.50	91.35
16	—	1,693	84.00–88.00	84.96
1	—	1,810	81.00	81.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,895	73.00–76.00	74.33
3	—	1,795	80.00–83.00	82.13
2	—	2,200	88.00	88.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	1,589	82.00–82.50	82.36
7	—	1,441	71.00–75.00	72.18
3	—	1,317	84.50	84.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
58	—	1,372	51.50–60.00	55.61
3	—	1,375	62.00–62.50	62.17
6	—	1,330	43.50–46.50	45.37

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,695	57.50	57.50
4	—	1,695	57.00–61.00	59.82

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
132	—	1,207	41.00–50.00	46.68
10	—	1,249	50.00–53.00	51.76
19	—	1,042	33.00–40.00	34.81

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
20	—	1,421	42.00–49.00	46.86
14	—	1,441	49.50–56.00	50.72
1	—	1,300	62.00	62.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,710	55.00–58.00	57.12
1	—	1,560	63.50	63.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
92	—	1,178	42.00–49.00	45.93
47	—	1,222	49.50–55.00	50.99
1	—	1,205	58.00	58.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	938	40.00–48.00	42.47
43	—	973	35.00–39.00	35.27

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	14	—	1,237	625.00	625.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	33	—	1,093	51.00–74.00	62.56
(<2 yrs)	Open	62	—	994	63.00–84.00	73.70

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	2	—	798	42.50–70.00	56.90

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.