Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2021-09-16

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Sep 16
● Final92 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,226 head
▼ 1,143 vs last sale 2,369▲ 660 vs year ago 566 · +116.6%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
996 head
▲ 407 vs last sale 589▲ 668 vs year ago 328 · +203.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
674 head
▲ 416 vs last sale 258▲ 619 vs year ago 55 · +1,125.5%
Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were scarcely traded this week thus no trend is available. Steer calves sold sharply lower on calves under 400 lbs, steer calves over 400 lbs sold steady to 3.00 lower. Yearling heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Heifer calves under 400 lbs sold sharply lower, calves over 400 lbs sold steady to 3.00 lower. Demand was mostly light to moderate for yearlings as very few were seen this week making it difficult to put together loads. Calves sold on light to moderate demand and offerings. Buyer attendance was lighter this week and fewer takers were seen especially on very light calves suitable to develop into yearlings. Both calf and yearling quality was mixed from plain to attractive. Market activity this week was mostly slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for heavy offerings. Packers continue to lower bids on thin lean cows. Feeding buyers were less active this week on thin cow offerings which allowed prices to slide lower. However, packers did show stronger demand for cows with some yield as well as all fleshy cows on offer. Slaughter cows sold mostly unevenly steady on boning and lean cows from 3.00 lower to firm. Breaking cows sold 1.00-3.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. Packers were aggressive as they purchased feeding cows today pushing to own the best end of the cows suitable to feed. A large price gap is starting to be seen between slaughter cows and feeding cows. Slaughter bulls sold steady to weak as feeding buyers continue to force packer buyers to be competitive. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold sharply higher on a very attractive offering. Many sets were one iron and home-raised this week. Demand for rebreed cattle was very good.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $160.26/cwt on 517 head.
Average price
$160.26
517 head · 498 lb average
Value per head Derived
$799
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$199
per head · Medium 1 over Large 1-2
$7.56/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−7.23
vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1476162.2877243
Medium and Large 1520161.92842342
Large 1410158.7265118thin
Medium and Large 1-2546154.7784655
Large 1-2371154.7257459
One grade step is worth $7.56/cwt here — about $199 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 sale517 hd
160.26
—
MT average3 barns · 2,528 hd
167.49
−7.23
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—High1,70481.881,39574
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,67073.971,23520
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,38265.33903305
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,14448.99561316

Every lot

92 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 · Steers19 lots · lightest first
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned277202.50/cwt202.50–202.505617
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned336208.03/cwt201.00–219.0069936
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned384193.13/cwt190.00–200.0074271
Steers—Medium 1Unweaned396176.00/cwt176.00–176.0069739
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned427167.88/cwt161.00–178.0071722
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned432183.66/cwt182.50–184.0079345
Steers—Medium 1Unweaned438177.00/cwt177.00–177.007756
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned469177.25/cwt170.00–183.5083174
Steers—Large 1Unweaned474164.00/cwt164.00–164.007775
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned478165.00/cwt165.00–165.007893
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned522167.21/cwt164.50–169.0087310
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned529162.77/cwt161.00–164.5086114
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned551157.50/cwt157.50–157.5086812
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned565165.05/cwt160.00–167.0093349
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned664150.51/cwt148.00–155.509993
Steers—Medium 1667160.00/cwt160.00–160.001,0673
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2708158.00/cwt158.00–158.001,1199
Steers—Medium and Large 1823146.95/cwt146.50–149.001,20917
Steers—Large 1Fleshy1,291112.00/cwt112.00–112.001,4467
Feeder Cattle · Heifers28 lots · lightest first
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned277174.11/cwt170.00–180.0048210
Heifers—Large 1-2Unweaned316157.95/cwt155.00–159.5049934
Heifers—Medium 1Unweaned320172.00/cwt172.00–172.0055022
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned331180.44/cwt178.00–189.0059733
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned335171.44/cwt171.00–172.0057411
Heifers—Large 1-2Unweaned370153.50/cwt153.50–153.5056822
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned390172.42/cwt167.00–176.50672103
Heifers—Large 1Unweaned390157.27/cwt156.00–158.0061311
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned392163.00/cwt163.00–163.006393
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned419169.49/cwt165.50–172.0071035
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned423159.00/cwt159.00–159.006735
Heifers—Large 1Unweaned442161.00/cwt161.00–161.007127
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned460160.48/cwt157.50–168.0073844
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned471145.00/cwt145.00–145.006834
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned524154.10/cwt150.00–158.5080740
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned557153.29/cwt145.00–155.5085415
Heifers—Medium 1636151.50/cwt151.50–151.5096416
Heifers—Medium 1650154.00/cwt154.00–154.001,0015
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2718144.75/cwt144.00–145.501,0396
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2763142.41/cwt142.00–143.001,0875
Heifers—Medium and Large 1783145.00/cwt145.00–145.001,13510
Heifers—Medium and Large 1830144.44/cwt143.00–145.001,19918
Heifers—Medium and Large 1877142.93/cwt141.00–143.751,25327
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2921132.13/cwt131.00–132.501,2178
Heifers—Medium and Large 1929138.12/cwt137.50–139.001,2838
Heifers—Medium and Large 1965132.55/cwt132.00–133.501,2799
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2978128.00/cwt128.00–128.001,2523
Heifers—Large 1-21,000127.00/cwt127.00–127.001,2703
Feeder Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 1851133.00/cwt133.00–133.001,1328
Bulls—Large 11,015115.00/cwt115.00–115.001,1671
Bulls—Large 11,088113.00/cwt113.00–113.001,2292
Bulls—Large 11,125104.58/cwt100.00–106.001,1775
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,45973.02/cwt64.00–76.501,06512
Bulls——1,60875.17/cwt66.00–78.501,20910
Bulls——Return to Feed1,69582.40/cwt79.50–86.001,39714
Bulls——1,76384.51/cwt79.50–87.001,49029
Bulls——1,96291.85/cwt88.00–94.501,8029
Slaughter Cattle · Cows19 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight85629.27/cwt26.50–46.0025157
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight92647.70/cwt46.00–48.004427
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight97053.50/cwt53.50–53.505191
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,17945.83/cwt42.00–47.0054029
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,18056.97/cwt54.50–60.5067228
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,18750.16/cwt47.00–53.0059586
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,20572.00/cwt72.00–72.008681
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,25758.61/cwt58.00–64.0073770
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,26754.43/cwt53.00–56.5069037
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,37566.95/cwt61.00–70.50921184
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,38061.34/cwt60.00–63.5084621
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,38757.96/cwt51.00–59.0080442
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,39672.77/cwt71.50–76.001,01640
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,40352.10/cwt48.00–55.0073116
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,46369.52/cwt67.00–72.001,0172
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,62563.00/cwt63.00–63.001,0244
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,64272.03/cwt71.00–74.501,1839
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,70684.42/cwt82.50–86.001,4405
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,79378.50/cwt78.50–78.501,4082
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows8 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Large 194358.23/cwt57.00–58.505496
Stock Cows—Large 195580.75/cwt71.00–85.0077132
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 196795.62/cwt68.00–106.25925207
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,00765.21/cwt61.00–74.006577
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,04058.00/cwt58.00–58.006031
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,05855.04/cwt54.00–56.005822
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed1,08055.00/cwt55.00–55.005941
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,10373.76/cwt59.00–88.5081478
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows9 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Small 372042.50/cwt42.50–42.5030637
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,085750.00/cwt750.00–750.008,1382
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1381,196.98/cwt1,060.00–1,310.0013,62261
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS1,1791,185.00/cwt1,185.00–1,185.0013,9715
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,31159.28/cwt56.00–59.5077731
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3121,210.00/cwt1,210.00–1,210.0015,87511
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,336975.11/cwt960.00–1,000.0013,02712
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,34060.74/cwt60.50–62.0081438
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,37362.00/cwt62.00–62.008512

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.