Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2021-12-09

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Dec 9
● Final110 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
3,607 head
▼ 316 vs last sale 3,923▼ 342 vs year ago 3,949 · −8.7%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
588 head
▲ 396 vs last sale 192▼ 244 vs year ago 832 · −29.3%
Replacement Cattle receipts
297 head
▲ 198 vs last sale 99▼ 42 vs year ago 339 · −12.4%
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 sold with steady undertones in a narrow comparison. Quality this week was average to attractive and similar to last week. Demand for yearlings remains good to very good. Feeder steers less than 500 lbs sold generally steady. Steer calves over 500 lbs sold mostly 5.00 higher. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold generally steady heifers over 450 lbs sold 3.00-6.00 higher. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Calves varied more in quality this week and buyers were more selective due to large quality variation. Demand for calves was mostly moderate to good. The best demand continues to be seen for light weight calves suitable to develop into yearlings. Calves were offered in a variety of package sizes this week with several load lots of calves on offer as well. Market activity this week was mostly active with a big buyer pool actively bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Packers were less aggressive in buying slaughter cows this week, opting to send most cows to feed. Slaughter cows sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Demand for feeding cows was mostly good this week as a large pool of feeding buyers were active in buying cows. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher, with the biggest increase in price coming from boning flesh cows which buyers were purchasing to feed to premium white. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. 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 $160.04/cwt on 1,599 head.
Average price
$160.04
1,599 head · 513 lb average
Value per head Derived
$821
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$448
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1-2
$37.25/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−2.67
vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1520162.258431,337
Medium and Large 1-2485153.43744139
Medium 1446148.7366494
Medium 1-2358126.6745421
Large 1-21,033125.001,2918thin
One grade step is worth $37.25/cwt here — about −$448 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 sale1,599 hd
160.04
—
MT average4 barns · 3,458 hd
162.71
−2.67
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 · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Bulls—Low1,75684.831,49015
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,67960.861,02211
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,39658.56818108
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,16745.33529189

Every lot

110 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 · Steers36 lots · lightest first
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned314208.14/cwt200.00–213.5065427
Steers—Medium 1Unweaned321216.72/cwt216.00–217.5069621
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2349212.00/cwt212.00–212.0074018
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned378227.51/cwt220.00–229.5086040
Steers—Medium and Large 1388221.97/cwt221.50–224.0086115
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2408203.00/cwt203.00–203.008283
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned421219.46/cwt209.00–225.0092496
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned424203.89/cwt197.00–208.5086434
Steers—Medium and Large 1438207.04/cwt203.50–210.0090722
Steers—Medium 1451174.00/cwt174.00–174.0078510
Steers—Medium 1-2462155.00/cwt155.00–155.007169
Steers—Medium and Large 1473206.46/cwt195.00–220.0097754
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned480201.81/cwt199.00–205.0096964
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2486191.00/cwt191.00–191.009284
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned489187.00/cwt187.00–187.0091410
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned508200.99/cwt186.00–204.001,021233
Steers—Medium 1508179.74/cwt178.00–183.0091323
Steers—Medium and Large 1519191.18/cwt183.00–198.5099273
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned528172.99/cwt170.00–176.009132
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2540172.79/cwt164.00–179.0093330
Steers—Medium 1562165.23/cwt159.00–170.5092955
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2565160.50/cwt160.50–160.5090710
Steers—Medium and Large 1567174.00/cwt174.00–174.0098710
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned584176.92/cwt171.00–181.001,033294
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned587151.90/cwt148.00–155.008929
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned607174.80/cwt164.00–176.001,06162
Steers—Medium and Large 1624167.27/cwt163.00–170.001,04460
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2670151.00/cwt151.00–151.001,0123
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned680162.99/cwt157.00–166.501,10824
Steers—Medium and Large 1680162.34/cwt160.00–163.501,10412
Steers—Medium and Large 1715160.00/cwt160.00–160.001,1448
Steers—Medium and Large 1769164.50/cwt164.50–164.501,2654
Steers—Medium and Large 1836162.45/cwt162.00–170.001,35853
Steers—Medium and Large 1857167.48/cwt165.00–168.001,43512
Steers—Large 11,042139.50/cwt139.50–139.501,4543
Steers—Large 11,144132.00/cwt132.00–132.001,5105
Feeder Cattle · Heifers39 lots · lightest first
Heifers—Medium 1-2Unweaned304130.00/cwt130.00–130.0039514
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned311160.00/cwt160.00–160.0049810
Heifers—Medium 1333153.33/cwt152.50–155.0051114
Heifers—Medium and Large 1349177.00/cwt177.00–177.006186
Heifers—Medium 1352163.00/cwt163.00–163.005746
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned375184.68/cwt181.00–189.0069347
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned379166.08/cwt162.00–170.0062923
Heifers—Medium and Large 1384176.20/cwt172.00–181.0067747
Heifers—Medium 1Unweaned395152.50/cwt152.50–152.506023
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fancy417190.00/cwt190.00–190.0079237
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned419152.99/cwt152.00–160.0064133
Heifers—Medium 1421152.00/cwt152.00–152.0064019
Heifers—Medium and Large 1435171.15/cwt168.00–183.0074563
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2435161.83/cwt161.00–162.0070424
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned436179.00/cwt179.00–179.0078052
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned466148.90/cwt148.00–151.0069410
Heifers—Medium 1-2Unweaned467120.00/cwt120.00–120.005607
Heifers—Medium and Large 1480163.08/cwt152.00–169.00783181
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned484164.10/cwt153.00–170.00794161
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2485149.50/cwt149.50–149.507253
Heifers—Medium 1494151.00/cwt151.00–151.0074635
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2506139.00/cwt139.00–139.007035
Heifers—Medium 1Unweaned512130.93/cwt130.00–132.0067017
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fancy526170.00/cwt170.00–170.008944
Heifers—Medium and Large 1531157.91/cwt151.50–166.00839244
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned531157.53/cwt155.50–158.50836112
Heifers—Medium and Large 1559155.07/cwt146.00–158.7586758
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned560156.13/cwt146.00–158.25874204
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2584140.00/cwt140.00–140.0081813
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fancy601156.50/cwt156.50–156.5094117
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned626146.88/cwt144.00–150.0091926
Heifers—Medium and Large 1630147.00/cwt147.00–147.0092629
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2717145.00/cwt145.00–145.001,04010
Heifers—Medium and Large 1762158.00/cwt158.00–158.001,2046
Heifers—Medium and Large 1851155.50/cwt155.50–155.501,32318
Heifers—Medium and Large 1948145.50/cwt145.50–145.501,37914
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2989134.00/cwt134.00–134.001,3258
Heifers—Medium and Large 1997147.50/cwt147.50–147.501,47111
Heifers—Large 1-21,033125.00/cwt125.00–125.001,2918
Feeder Cattle · Bulls8 lots · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-2343180.00/cwt180.00–180.0061711
Bulls—Medium and Large 1Unweaned345228.00/cwt228.00–228.007871
Bulls—Medium and Large 1435201.00/cwt201.00–201.0087469
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned564147.00/cwt147.00–147.008294
Bulls—Medium and Large 1Unweaned598151.00/cwt151.00–151.0090313
Bulls—Medium and Large 1654137.00/cwt137.00–137.008967
Bulls—Medium and Large 1Unweaned805133.00/cwt133.00–133.001,0713
Bulls—Large 11,132100.00/cwt100.00–100.001,13210
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,52885.35/cwt84.00–87.501,3048
Bulls——1,76384.93/cwt84.00–87.001,4974
Bulls——2,24576.00/cwt76.00–76.001,7061
Bulls——2,32594.00/cwt94.00–94.002,1861
Bulls——Heavy Weight2,50080.00/cwt80.00–80.002,0001
Slaughter Cattle · Cows14 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight87729.34/cwt27.00–31.002573
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight90340.57/cwt38.50–42.003663
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,13839.71/cwt36.25–44.5045277
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,15945.04/cwt41.00–47.0052223
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,17546.00/cwt46.00–46.005413
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,21751.57/cwt48.00–55.0062880
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,37967.26/cwt65.00–70.0092824
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,39157.41/cwt54.50–62.5079967
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,42552.12/cwt50.75–53.5074312
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,48447.77/cwt44.00–52.507095
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,59064.50/cwt64.50–64.501,0261
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,60358.00/cwt58.00–58.009303
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,66854.25/cwt54.00–54.509052
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,74664.50/cwt64.50–64.501,1265
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows5 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-288751.00/cwt51.00–51.004523
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 189985.95/cwt61.00–95.0077385
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed98343.00/cwt43.00–43.004233
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,03570.40/cwt51.00–84.0072964
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,07445.85/cwt44.00–50.004927
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows3 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,0291,020.26/cwt1,000.00–1,050.0010,49814
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,073821.18/cwt800.00–850.008,81110
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1431,112.21/cwt1,100.00–1,125.0012,71328

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.