Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2021-01-28

Billings Livestock Commission

Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2021-01-28
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-01-28

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Jan 28

● Final45 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777

← Jan 21Jan 28Feb 4 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

262 head

▼ 466 vs last sale 728▼ 3,888 vs year ago 4,150 · −93.7%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

335 head

▼ 59 vs last sale 394▲ 280 vs year ago 55 · +509.1%

Replacement Cattle receipts

190 head

▼ 16 vs last sale 206▼ 2 vs year ago 192 · −1.0%

Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026

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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Demand was moderate to good for light offerings. Quality was mostly average today. A good crowd was on hand for this sale despite light offerings. Most calves on offer were weaned 45-60 days and in light flesh. Market activity was mostly active with bidders quickly bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light to moderate offerings. Packers were quick to bid on cows this sale as they showed strong need for cows for immediate harvest. Packers pushed to own the majority of the cow offering this week pushing cows higher again. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher. Feeding cows sold steady to 3.00 higher. Cow quality was average this week. Cows offered buyers average to below average weigh up conditions. Slaughter bulls mostly steady to 2.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to rebreed sold mostly 5.00 higher on a much higher quality offering compared to last.

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 $164.72/cwt on 109 head.

Average price

$164.72

109 head · 554 lb average

Value per head Derived

$912

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$69

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

$3.90/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−6.11

vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	558	165.36	923	91
Medium and Large 1-2	529	161.46	854	18thin

One grade step is worth $3.90/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 sale109 hd

164.72

—

MT average4 barns · 2,207 hd

170.83

−6.11

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	—	Low	1,738	83.43	1,450	33
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,582	59.03	934	11
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,425	56.43	804	62
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,174	52.58	617	165

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	353	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	653	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	409	186.00/cwt	186.00–186.00	761	7
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	429	177.58/cwt	171.00–181.00	762	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	469	181.74/cwt	180.00–185.00	852	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	488	171.27/cwt	167.50–175.00	836	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	505	166.00/cwt	166.00–166.00	838	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	518	175.38/cwt	173.00–180.00	908	42
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	575	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	840	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Full	611	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	892	15
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	623	155.53/cwt	152.00–159.00	969	17
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	674	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	957	6
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	718	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	1,027	7
Feeder Cattle · Heifers8 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	418	156.63/cwt	152.50–158.00	655	8
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	462	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	578	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	523	153.88/cwt	145.00–158.00	805	25
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	562	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	804	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	640	128.64/cwt	128.00–131.00	823	9
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	641	130.50/cwt	130.50–130.50	837	5
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	671	120.71/cwt	120.50–121.00	810	7
Heifers	—	Large 1	1,060	111.50/cwt	111.50–111.50	1,182	8
Feeder Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	425	172.50/cwt	172.50–172.50	733	2
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	455	177.50/cwt	177.50–177.50	808	1
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	523	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	832	2
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	613	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	889	3
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	720	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	922	1
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,387	76.50/cwt	76.50–76.50	1,061	3
Bulls	—	—	1,660	90.00/cwt	90.00–90.00	1,494	1
Bulls	—	—	1,743	79.82/cwt	78.00–83.00	1,391	5
Bulls	—	—	1,784	84.78/cwt	83.00–89.00	1,512	24
Slaughter Cattle · Cows13 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	1,037	48.04/cwt	43.00–52.00	498	6
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,061	52.82/cwt	51.50–54.00	560	19
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,192	54.95/cwt	54.50–56.00	655	6
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,193	52.23/cwt	46.00–54.00	623	121
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,213	56.48/cwt	54.00–60.00	685	13
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,331	54.00/cwt	54.00–54.00	719	5
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,385	61.50/cwt	61.50–61.50	852	2
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,390	56.53/cwt	55.00–60.50	786	14
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,428	61.89/cwt	61.75–62.00	884	11
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,457	53.30/cwt	47.00–55.00	777	19
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,462	56.41/cwt	54.50–60.00	825	11
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,551	59.37/cwt	58.00–61.50	921	9
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,723	57.50/cwt	57.50–57.50	991	2
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows2 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,089	616.96/cwt	600.00–650.00	6,719	6
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	1,474	891.18/cwt	775.00–910.00	13,136	34
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows1 lot · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	979	76.42/cwt	53.00–86.00	748	93

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 Jan 28, 2021

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 262Last week 728Year ago 4,150

Slaughter CattleReceipts 335Last week 394Year ago 55

Replacement CattleReceipts 190Last week 206Year ago 192

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	641	130.50	130.50
3	—	562	143.00	143.00
25	—	523	145.00–158.00	153.88

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	462	125.00	125.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	640	128.00–131.00	128.64
7	—	671	120.50–121.00	120.71
8	—	418	152.50–158.00	156.63

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	1,060	111.50	111.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	523	159.00	159.00
2	—	425	172.50	172.50
3	—	613	145.00	145.00
1	—	720	128.00	128.00
1	—	455	177.50	177.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	575	146.00	146.00
3	—	353	185.00	185.00
2	—	488	167.50–175.00	171.27
2	—	505	166.00	166.00
6	—	674	142.00	142.00
3	—	429	171.00–181.00	177.58

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
42	—	518	173.00–180.00	175.38
17	—	623	152.00–159.00	155.53
3	—	469	180.00–185.00	181.74
7	—	409	186.00	186.00
7	—	718	143.00	143.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	611	146.00	146.00

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/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	6	—	1,089	600.00–650.00	616.96

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	34	—	1,474	775.00–910.00	891.18

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	93	—	979	53.00–86.00	76.42

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	1,462	54.50–60.00	56.41
19	—	1,457	47.00–55.00	53.30
2	—	1,385	61.50	61.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	1,428	61.75–62.00	61.89
5	—	1,331	54.00	54.00
14	—	1,390	55.00–60.50	56.53

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,037	43.00–52.00	48.04

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,551	58.00–61.50	59.37
2	—	1,723	57.50	57.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
121	—	1,193	46.00–54.00	52.23
13	—	1,213	54.00–60.00	56.48

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
19	—	1,061	51.50–54.00	52.82
6	—	1,192	54.50–56.00	54.95

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,387	76.50	76.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,660	90.00	90.00
24	—	1,784	83.00–89.00	84.78
5	—	1,743	78.00–83.00	79.82

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.