Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2021-11-11

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Nov 11
● Final112 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
5,127 head
▲ 1,720 vs last sale 3,407▲ 517 vs year ago 4,610 · +11.2%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
328 head
▼ 46 vs last sale 374▲ 149 vs year ago 179 · +83.2%
Replacement Cattle receipts
114 head
▼ 138 vs last sale 252▲ 57 vs year ago 57 · +100.0%
Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested either this week or last to develop any accurate market trend. Steer calves under 500lbs sold 3.00-5.00 higher with moderate to good demand; Steers 450-599 lbs sold 5.00 to sharply higher; steers over 600 lbs sold mostly 3.00-4.00 higher. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold 3.00 to 5.00 higher, while heifers over 500 lbs sold 3.00 to sharply higher. Calf quality this week was average to attractive, with a few consignments of attractive cattle. Calves were offered in mostly small to medium packages today that sold with moderate demand, with a few load lots on offer that sold with good demand for both steers and heifers. Demand remains limited due to limited trucks. Several buyers filled loads and exited the market. Calf prices declined as the sale progressed. Wide price spreads continue to be seen as buyers continue to focus on buying front end calves and calves with two rounds of vaccinations. Market activity this week was moderate to active with moderate to heavy receipts of feeder cattle. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Packer and feeder buyers both showed good demand for cows this week which helped improve prices. The majority of cows this week were purchased for feed. Primarily very lame or severely blemished cows were purchased for immediate harvest. Lower undertones were noticed on breaking cows, while steady to firm undertones were noticed on boning and lean cows. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold firm on a light comparison, with bred cows selling weak on a light test this week. Demand was mostly light. Quality for this class of cows was plain to average this week.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $176.05/cwt on 2,467 head.
Average price
$176.05
2,467 head · 504 lb average
Value per head Derived
$888
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$116
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 1
$36.34/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+3.83
vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1492182.068951,937
Medium and Large 1-2544155.99849418
Large 1625149.1793246
Medium 1535145.7277966
One grade step is worth $36.34/cwt here — about $116 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 sale2,467 hd
176.05
—
MT average5 barns · 4,841 hd
172.23
+3.83
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—Low1,92276.161,4647thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,69756.879658thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Very Low1,43245.6265334
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,19140.73485130

Every lot

112 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 · Steers47 lots · lightest first
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned235180.00/cwt180.00–180.0042313
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned265200.00/cwt200.00–200.005303
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned287155.00/cwt155.00–155.004456
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned312212.88/cwt190.00–221.0066458
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned340184.56/cwt175.00–187.0062821
Steers—Medium 1Unweaned343151.15/cwt135.00–155.0051810
Steers—Medium and Large 1370191.00/cwt191.00–191.0070716
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned374210.46/cwt186.00–214.50787286
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned380167.92/cwt165.00–170.0063817
Steers—Medium 1Unweaned394164.00/cwt164.00–164.0064614
Steers—Medium 1Full405152.00/cwt152.00–152.006163
Steers—Medium and Large 1412199.61/cwt181.00–200.5082244
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned424166.51/cwt159.00–175.0070625
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2426167.50/cwt167.50–167.507145
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned434186.77/cwt181.00–196.0081197
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned461189.42/cwt176.00–192.00873567
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned468170.16/cwt161.00–173.5079659
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Full472145.87/cwt145.00–151.006897
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2478166.00/cwt166.00–166.007932
Steers—Medium and Large 1488179.06/cwt175.00–193.5087448
Steers—Medium and Large 1Full508145.00/cwt145.00–145.007376
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned530167.69/cwt162.00–179.00889217
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned534152.41/cwt143.00–156.0081466
Steers—Medium and Large 1535174.00/cwt174.00–174.0093194
Steers—Large 1541154.00/cwt154.00–154.008335
Steers—Medium and Large 1Full561140.50/cwt140.50–140.507887
Steers—Medium and Large 1567163.88/cwt162.00–165.5092922
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Full568138.00/cwt138.00–138.007845
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned571147.18/cwt137.00–153.0084035
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned575161.33/cwt150.00–170.0092854
Steers—Medium 1Unweaned586142.20/cwt132.00–147.008336
Steers—Large 1Unweaned591149.01/cwt144.00–150.0088123
Steers—Medium 1Unweaned617139.91/cwt134.00–148.0086314
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned619159.10/cwt156.50–164.00985232
Steers—Medium and Large 1620164.23/cwt154.00–167.001,01890
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned621146.45/cwt135.00–155.0090998
Steers—Medium 1635137.00/cwt137.00–137.008703
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned655155.00/cwt155.00–155.001,01538
Steers—Large 1Unweaned665144.89/cwt140.00–149.009648
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2668152.93/cwt142.50–154.001,02243
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned681151.30/cwt141.00–153.501,03026
Steers—Medium 1Unweaned686131.00/cwt131.00–131.008999
Steers—Medium 1700136.00/cwt136.00–136.009527
Steers—Large 1Unweaned712150.56/cwt141.00–153.001,07210
Steers—Medium and Large 1713154.00/cwt154.00–154.001,09827
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned723130.00/cwt130.00–130.009403
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned740142.07/cwt135.00–149.001,05118
Feeder Cattle · Heifers40 lots · lightest first
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned258179.34/cwt170.00–180.0046315
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned286154.06/cwt150.00–155.0044110
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned332180.10/cwt167.00–184.5059897
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned338150.88/cwt140.00–155.0051040
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned359180.35/cwt164.00–190.00647131
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2372145.00/cwt145.00–145.005393
Heifers—Medium 1Unweaned387141.00/cwt141.00–141.005466
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned395160.00/cwt160.00–160.006325
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned414143.72/cwt137.00–153.0059566
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned417172.02/cwt155.00–178.75717311
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2424147.99/cwt135.00–152.00627103
Heifers—Medium and Large 1438157.50/cwt157.50–157.506906
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2459139.00/cwt139.00–139.006386
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned473151.22/cwt147.00–160.00715197
Heifers—Medium 1Unweaned473139.00/cwt139.00–139.006573
Heifers—Medium and Large 1485149.60/cwt147.00–151.5072628
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Full485143.00/cwt143.00–143.006945
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned487139.59/cwt138.00–143.0068063
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Full503139.00/cwt139.00–139.006995
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned529136.51/cwt125.00–140.5072268
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned530149.30/cwt144.00–156.50791198
Heifers—Medium and Large 1530142.75/cwt139.00–148.0075730
Heifers—Large 1530134.50/cwt134.50–134.507138
Heifers—Large 1Unweaned545130.00/cwt130.00–130.007093
Heifers—Medium 1Unweaned555133.00/cwt133.00–133.007385
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2557131.45/cwt131.00–132.007329
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned569137.15/cwt132.00–140.75780140
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned572155.86/cwt143.00–161.00892120
Heifers—Large 1584140.00/cwt140.00–140.0081828
Heifers—Large 1Unweaned606123.85/cwt123.00–133.0075112
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned615137.76/cwt135.00–138.0084726
Heifers—Medium 1Unweaned627134.36/cwt132.00–135.5084212
Heifers—Medium and Large 1628137.18/cwt135.50–152.0086159
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned636135.00/cwt135.00–135.008598
Heifers—Medium and Large 1663142.46/cwt133.00–143.5094561
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned680140.98/cwt138.00–142.5095942
Heifers—Medium 1Unweaned700136.00/cwt136.00–136.009527
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned700131.00/cwt131.00–131.009174
Heifers—Medium and Large 1730148.00/cwt148.00–148.001,0804
Heifers—Medium and Large 1759155.00/cwt155.00–155.001,176147
Feeder Cattle · Bulls7 lots · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 1Unweaned442158.56/cwt152.50–166.0070111
Bulls—Medium and Large 1Unweaned533136.00/cwt136.00–136.007255
Bulls—Medium and Large 1Unweaned568135.46/cwt133.00–137.0076913
Bulls—Medium and Large 1575125.00/cwt125.00–125.007195
Bulls—Medium and Large 1Unweaned672134.11/cwt132.00–135.009017
Bulls—Medium and Large 1Unweaned709129.00/cwt129.00–129.009155
Bulls—Medium and Large 1Unweaned905112.00/cwt112.00–112.001,0144
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,73575.00/cwt75.00–75.001,3012
Bulls——1,98883.48/cwt83.00–84.501,6603
Bulls——2,01066.35/cwt60.50–72.001,3342
Slaughter Cattle · Cows10 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,08552.64/cwt50.00–61.0057138
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,13730.21/cwt28.00–32.5034333
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,26838.86/cwt34.00–41.5049352
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,36546.93/cwt40.50–55.006417
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,39463.75/cwt63.50–64.008894
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,42039.00/cwt39.00–39.0055415
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,44139.59/cwt35.50–41.005707
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,53247.84/cwt45.00–54.007338
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,66751.64/cwt51.00–52.008613
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,71560.00/cwt60.00–60.001,0295
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows1 lot · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 185897.64/cwt72.00–99.0083826
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows4 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,361865.31/cwt725.00–1,100.0011,77721
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,406900.00/cwt900.00–900.0012,6544
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,433750.00/cwt750.00–750.0010,7485
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,514875.00/cwt875.00–875.0013,2489

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.