Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2022-04-14

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Apr 14
● Final42 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
414 head
40 vs last sale 374 160 vs year ago 254 · +63.0%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
122 head
387 vs last sale 509 225 vs year ago 347 · 64.8%
Replacement Cattle receipts
105 head
177 vs last sale 282 224 vs year ago 329 · 68.1%
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 and lower than last week. Most consignments were comprised of small lots or singles. Consigners offered mostly cutback cattle off earlier video sales today, with very few front end offerings seen. Buyers showed mostly light demand for todays offering. A light crowd was on hand for todays sale. Market activity was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on very good demand today. Packer buyers were aggressive as they bid on todays limited offering. Snow and blizzard conditions were seen across southern Montana and locations east earlier in the week which limited the volume of cattle available to packers as several sales were cancelled as a result of the spring storm. Slaughter cows sold on very good demand today. Breaking cows sold generally steady, boning and lean cows sold 2.00-3.00 higher. Feeding cow buyers showed very good demand for thin offerings which caused thin and lower yielding cows to see the greatest increase in price. Feeding cows sold steady to 4.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, higher undertones were noticed. Cows and bulls were very full this sale with most consignments offering buyers below average weigh up conditions. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady. Quality was mostly average this week.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $148.06/cwt on 195 head.
Average price
$148.06
195 head · 663 lb average
Value per head Derived
$981
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$182
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 1
$28.82/cwt at this weight
vs the market
22.53
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2584160.4093783
Medium and Large 2501153.5476912thin
Medium 1598145.1986941
Medium and Large 1851131.581,11959
One grade step is worth $28.82/cwt here — about −$182 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 sale195 hd
148.06
MT average2 barns · 2,803 hd
170.59
−22.53
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
BullsLow1,78299.131,76612
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,67181.821,3676thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,38681.601,13160
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,18679.7494634

Every lot, as filed

42 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
BullsMedium and Large 1705138.00/cwt138.00–138.009732
BullsLarge 11,120108.00/cwt108.00–108.001,2104
BullsLarge 11,177107.01/cwt104.00–111.001,2607
BullsMedium and Large 190250.00/cwt250.00–250.002251
BullsMedium and Large 1-295175.00/cwt175.00–175.001661
HeifersMedium and Large 1Fleshy904125.00/cwt125.00–125.001,13018
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2626153.10/cwt148.00–154.0095820
SteersMedium and Large 1-2585173.00/cwt173.00–173.001,0125
SteersMedium and Large 2387175.00/cwt175.00–175.006773
SteersMedium and Large 1625180.00/cwt180.00–180.001,12513
SteersMedium and Large 1-2508180.00/cwt180.00–180.009143
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2521170.50/cwt170.50–170.5088822
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2693149.50/cwt149.50–149.501,0366
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2710141.72/cwt140.00–146.001,00614
HeifersMedium 1409161.00/cwt161.00–161.0065815
HeifersMedium and Large 2443165.00/cwt165.00–165.007317
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2487173.85/cwt172.00–175.5084719
HeifersMedium and Large 1Fleshy818130.55/cwt129.50–132.001,06812
HeifersMedium 1Fleshy679138.63/cwt137.00–139.0094122
HeifersMedium 1Fleshy866122.00/cwt122.00–122.001,0574
HeifersMedium and Large 1831136.09/cwt136.00–136.501,13129
HeifersMedium and Large 2582137.50/cwt137.50–137.508005
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2575158.00/cwt158.00–158.009092
Stock CowsMedium 1-279080.00/cwt80.00–80.006321
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,071106.95/cwt93.00–119.001,14555
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,12584.00/cwt84.00–84.009451
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,04389.99/cwt77.00–100.0093942
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,00375.45/cwt74.00–77.007572
Stock CowsLarge 11,29084.00/cwt84.00–84.001,0841
BullsReturn to Feed1,34085.00/cwt85.00–85.001,1391
Bulls1,760103.38/cwt102.00–106.001,8193
Bulls2,354116.33/cwt115.00–117.002,7383
Bulls1,54089.09/cwt81.00–94.001,3725
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,38782.05/cwt81.00–83.501,13832
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,43778.79/cwt78.00–79.001,1325
CowsLean 85-90%1,19881.64/cwt79.00–83.009786
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,17982.31/cwt79.50–85.0097011
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,12278.11/cwt77.00–78.508765
CowsBoner 80-85%1,48376.53/cwt76.00–77.001,1352
CowsLean 85-90%1,21377.10/cwt76.00–78.0093512
CowsBoner 80-85%1,36482.07/cwt80.50–84.001,11921
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,67181.82/cwt81.00–82.751,3676

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.