Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2022-04-07

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Apr 7
● Final61 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
374 head
4,829 vs last sale 5,203 102 vs year ago 476 · 21.4%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
509 head
265 vs last sale 244 179 vs year ago 688 · 26.0%
Replacement Cattle receipts
282 head
443 vs last sale 725 40 vs year ago 322 · 12.4%
Also sold here(Mon)Thu Apr 16, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested this week to develop an accurate market trend, lower undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly plain to average and significantly lower than last weeks very attractive offerings. Buyers all showed lighter demand for feeders as quality was lower. Buyers all showed a desire to buy everything lower as higher input costs are weighing on buyers. CME positions have also taken a hit from last week which put additional pressure on the market. Market activity was mostly slow to moderate this week. Fewer buyers were on hand this week compared to last. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for moderate offerings. Packers showed a desire to buy cows lower, but feeding buyers helped support the market. Slaughter cows sold steady on breaking cows, while boning and lean cows sold steady to 2.00 lower. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 lower. High quality front end cows sold with the best demand and traded mostly steady, while plain or lower quality feeding cows sold mostly 2.00 lower. Cows were very full this sale with most cows offering buyers below average weigh up conditions. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady to weak. These offerings started the sale lower but as buyers started loads demand increased quickly. Quality this week was average to attractive.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $158.86/cwt on 141 head.
Average price
$158.86
141 head · 607 lb average
Value per head Derived
$964
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$184
per head · Medium 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$7.85/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+1.47
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1414165.006839thin
Medium and Large 1666159.121,05983
Medium and Large 2425159.006764thin
Medium and Large 1-2552157.1586745
One grade step is worth $7.85/cwt here — about −$184 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 sale141 hd
158.86
MT average3 barns · 546 hd
157.40
+1.47
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
BullsLow1,914104.341,99727
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,59385.001,35430
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,43479.891,145178
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,19075.68900233

Every lot, as filed

61 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
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1451,200.00/cwt1,200.00–1,200.0013,7401
HeifersMedium and Large 1509179.01/cwt175.00–185.0091116
HeifersMedium 1414165.00/cwt165.00–165.006839
HeifersMedium and Large 1837143.00/cwt143.00–143.001,1979
BullsMedium and Large 1-2100175.00/cwt175.00–175.001757
BullsLarge 1-21,065104.00/cwt104.00–104.001,1081
BullsMedium and Large 1110338.64/cwt325.00–350.003732
HeifersMedium and Large 2425159.00/cwt159.00–159.006764
HeifersMedium and Large 1150250.00/cwt250.00–250.003751
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2539169.39/cwt166.00–171.009136
SteersMedium and Large 1555195.91/cwt188.00–197.501,08747
HeifersMedium and Large 1573171.46/cwt164.00–174.0098212
HeifersMedium and Large 1625158.00/cwt158.00–158.009882
SteersMedium and Large 1486202.38/cwt201.00–206.0098418
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2386170.00/cwt170.00–170.006565
HeifersMedium and Large 1715151.87/cwt145.00–155.501,08644
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2432169.19/cwt162.50–172.0073113
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2773135.00/cwt135.00–135.001,0442
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2658144.00/cwt144.00–144.0094819
SteersMedium and Large 1-2706154.00/cwt154.00–154.001,0874
SteersMedium and Large 1-2423198.00/cwt196.00–200.008384
SteersMedium and Large 1-2478190.00/cwt190.00–190.009082
SteersMedium and Large 1-2811139.00/cwt139.00–139.001,12714
SteersMedium and Large 1-2532189.00/cwt189.00–189.001,0059
BullsMedium and Large 1-2941119.00/cwt119.00–119.001,1205
BullsMedium and Large 1-2590164.00/cwt164.00–164.009681
BullsMedium and Large 1898126.00/cwt126.00–126.001,1312
BullsMedium and Large 1618160.00/cwt160.00–160.009893
BullsLarge 11,070111.66/cwt111.00–113.001,19515
BullsMedium and Large 1772134.00/cwt134.00–134.001,0345
CowsBoner 80-85%1,46780.65/cwt78.00–84.501,18328
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight98575.66/cwt75.50–76.007453
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,68087.40/cwt85.50–88.501,4685
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,46776.13/cwt73.50–78.001,11712
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,35887.04/cwt86.50–87.501,1824
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,40382.84/cwt80.00–86.501,16272
CowsBoner 80-85%1,44275.34/cwt72.00–77.001,08657
CowsLean 85-90%1,29086.00/cwt86.00–86.001,1091
CowsLean 85-90%1,19062.27/cwt60.50–63.007413
CowsLean 85-90%1,18673.89/cwt64.50–76.5087661
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,55185.81/cwt84.50–87.501,33113
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,84088.00/cwt88.00–88.001,6191
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,58082.67/cwt82.50–84.001,30611
CowsBoner 80-85%1,57788.16/cwt85.50–89.501,3905
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight90768.55/cwt65.00–72.006226
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight86058.14/cwt56.00–60.005002
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,27585.85/cwt85.00–86.501,0953
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,17872.38/cwt67.00–78.0085340
CowsLean 85-90%1,21978.18/cwt76.50–80.5095362
Bulls1,62693.50/cwt88.00–96.001,5204
Bulls2,204112.54/cwt109.50–115.002,4806
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,21878.82/cwt77.00–83.0096052
Bulls1,880104.00/cwt99.00–108.001,95517
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,03883.33/cwt78.00–90.0086545
Stock CowsLarge 11,27585.00/cwt85.00–85.001,0841
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,33177.00/cwt77.00–77.001,0256
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,14376.26/cwt71.00–84.008723
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,3641,300.00/cwt1,300.00–1,300.0017,7324
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-289597.70/cwt92.00–105.008743
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3281,235.00/cwt1,235.00–1,235.0016,4012
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1991114.70/cwt91.00–129.001,137177

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.