Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2022-03-10

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Mar 10
● Final67 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,005 head
693 vs last sale 1,698 1,500 vs year ago 2,505 · 59.9%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
141 head
595 vs last sale 736 204 vs year ago 345 · 59.1%
Replacement Cattle receipts
168 head
431 vs last sale 599 1,336 vs year ago 1,504 · 88.8%
Also sold here(Mon)Thu Apr 16, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers all sold steady to 5.00 lower on all weights in a narrow comparison. Heifers sold generally steady on all weights. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Outside of the consigned groups of cattle quality was mostly plain this week. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly moderate to good today despite light offerings. Grass cattle buyers continue to show good demand for cattle suitable to run as yearlings. Recent snowfall has moisture totals on par with historical averages which has created some optimism for yearlings. Bigger feedlot ready cattle sold with the lightest demand this week as grain prices have seen huge price increases in the last 3 weeks. Market activity was mostly moderate to active this week with a strong pool of buyers actively bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand. Packer buyers showed very good demand for cows for immediate harvest. Lean cows sold with the strongest demand as packers are searching for lean product to blend down all the fed cows currently hitting the market. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher on all classes of cows. Feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-4.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Packers purchased mostly very high quality cows to feed this week. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Young age cows sold on good to very good demand. These offerings were purchased for both feeding and rebreeding purposes. Steady undertones were noticed on all offerings.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $173.76/cwt on 445 head.
Average price
$173.76
445 head · 546 lb average
Value per head Derived
$949
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$179
per head · Medium 1 over Medium and Large 2
$30.45/cwt at this weight
vs the market
0.52
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1475180.4585722
Medium and Large 1570176.381,006322
Medium and Large 1-2509167.9885670
Medium 1-2403162.5065512thin
Medium and Large 2452150.0067819thin
One grade step is worth $30.45/cwt here — about $179 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 sale445 hd
173.76
MT average3 barns · 522 hd
174.28
−0.52
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
BullsLow1,62794.421,53611
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,74583.001,4482thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,47379.261,16829
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,18072.9986174

Every lot, as filed

67 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.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,42080.69/cwt77.50–83.001,1465
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,36179.00/cwt79.00–79.001,0759
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3191,038.90/cwt935.00–1,075.0013,70329
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,58078.00/cwt78.00–78.001,2322
HeifersMedium and Large 1621161.56/cwt161.00–162.001,00329
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2570161.00/cwt161.00–161.009182
HeifersMedium and Large 1578170.63/cwt167.00–175.509869
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2753142.00/cwt142.00–142.001,0693
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2728142.50/cwt142.50–142.501,0373
SteersMedium and Large 1-2796145.00/cwt145.00–145.001,1544
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2431178.12/cwt170.00–180.0076831
HeifersMedium 1427185.50/cwt185.50–185.507929
HeifersMedium 1546169.00/cwt169.00–169.009234
HeifersMedium and Large 1528184.06/cwt180.00–186.0097299
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2482172.77/cwt170.00–180.0083310
SteersMedium and Large 1684166.60/cwt165.00–167.001,14015
SteersMedium and Large 1374217.41/cwt215.00–221.008135
HeifersMedium 1491180.50/cwt180.50–180.508869
HeifersMedium and Large 1716154.50/cwt154.50–154.501,10654
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2386182.00/cwt182.00–182.007037
HeifersMedium and Large 1664159.09/cwt152.00–165.501,05615
SteersMedium and Large 1-2603170.00/cwt170.00–170.001,0253
SteersMedium and Large 1-2381207.93/cwt202.00–214.0079222
SteersMedium and Large 1-2690160.00/cwt160.00–160.001,1044
SteersMedium and Large 1-2523186.68/cwt184.00–195.009764
SteersMedium and Large 1783149.37/cwt149.00–149.501,17011
SteersMedium and Large 1568192.57/cwt184.00–194.001,0947
SteersMedium and Large 1539206.74/cwt200.00–207.501,11489
SteersMedium and Large 1634179.43/cwt175.00–180.501,138175
SteersMedium and Large 1480212.47/cwt211.00–213.001,02054
SteersMedium and Large 1729159.73/cwt158.00–163.001,16414
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2696142.00/cwt142.00–142.009888
HeifersMedium and Large 1453194.97/cwt186.00–196.5088394
BullsLarge 11,190109.00/cwt109.00–109.001,2971
BullsLarge 11,207101.80/cwt101.00–102.001,2295
BullsMedium and Large 1933133.50/cwt133.50–133.501,2462
BullsMedium and Large 1848134.00/cwt134.00–134.001,1363
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,22580.04/cwt79.00–81.009802
CowsLean 85-90%1,22959.13/cwt58.00–60.007277
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,45571.00/cwt71.00–71.001,0331
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,18871.45/cwt68.00–72.008497
Bulls1,49392.50/cwt89.00–96.001,3813
CowsBoner 80-85%1,51379.08/cwt77.00–83.501,19614
CowsBoner 80-85%1,50972.78/cwt70.50–74.501,0984
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight92078.00/cwt78.00–78.007181
CowsLean 85-90%1,16669.51/cwt63.00–74.0081019
CowsLean 85-90%1,20581.00/cwt81.00–81.009762
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight96572.00/cwt72.00–72.006951
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,74583.00/cwt82.00–84.001,4482
CowsBoner 80-85%1,40085.23/cwt85.00–85.501,1934
Bulls1,911100.63/cwt97.00–102.001,9235
CowsLean 85-90%1,18576.98/cwt75.00–79.5091235
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,34585.00/cwt85.00–85.001,1431
BullsLight Weight1,23580.00/cwt80.00–80.009881
BullsReturn to Feed1,29094.00/cwt94.00–94.001,2131
BullsReturn to Feed1,34084.00/cwt84.00–84.001,1261
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,065125.90/cwt117.00–136.001,34146
Bred CowsMedium and Large 19671,035.00/cwt1,035.00–1,035.0010,00814
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,06393.88/cwt77.00–115.0099838
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2885115.51/cwt113.00–120.001,0228
HeifersMedium and Large 1813145.00/cwt145.00–145.001,17917
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2603154.00/cwt154.00–154.009296
HeifersMedium 1-2403162.50/cwt162.50–162.5065512
HeifersMedium and Large 2452150.00/cwt150.00–150.0067819
HeifersMedium and Large 1412187.00/cwt187.00–187.007703
HeifersMedium and Large 1913135.00/cwt135.00–135.001,2332
SteersMedium and Large 1431217.50/cwt217.50–217.509378

How this sale compares

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.