Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2022-05-05

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, May 5
● Final71 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
468 head
2,650 vs last sale 3,118 359 vs year ago 827 · 43.4%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
292 head
81 vs last sale 373 132 vs year ago 424 · 31.1%
Replacement Cattle receipts
188 head
137 vs last sale 325 125 vs year ago 313 · 39.9%
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 all too lightly tested this week to develop an accurate market trend, higher undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. Most consignments were small packages, with no load lots seen this week. Despite light offerings demand for feeder cattle was mostly good. Most buyers were short loaded and needed weight to load out for the week. This helped create good demand as buyers competed over todays light offering. Market activity was mostly activity with buyers rapidly bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand and offerings. Packers showed light demand for slaughter cows this sale. Heavy supplies have been available to the packer following the snow storms in recent weeks, as ranchers sell off cows which lost calves. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-2.00 lower on all classes. Feeding cow demand remains strong as both packers and independent feeders showed strong demand for cows as many feel the uptick in supplies will be short lived. Feeding cows sold steady to firm. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on good demand as buyers continue to look for cows to rebreed. These offerings sold generally steady in a narrow comparison.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $174.51/cwt on 197 head.
Average price
$174.51
197 head · 516 lb average
Value per head Derived
$900
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$199
per head · Medium 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$15.13/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+11.79
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1374182.8668425
Medium and Large 1544177.30965100
Medium and Large 1-2526167.7388272
One grade step is worth $15.13/cwt here — about −$199 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 sale197 hd
174.51
MT average3 barns · 783 hd
162.72
+11.79
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
BullsAverage1,84792.971,71758
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,66175.841,25915
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,39274.961,04395
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,17468.4380397

Every lot, as filed

71 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 1-284125.00/cwt125.00–125.001053
HeifersMedium and Large 1759154.00/cwt154.00–154.001,1695
HeifersMedium and Large 1670163.00/cwt163.00–163.001,0922
HeifersMedium 1342187.50/cwt187.50–187.5064117
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2694147.00/cwt147.00–147.001,0209
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2437179.00/cwt179.00–179.007827
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2479174.49/cwt173.50–180.0083635
SteersMedium and Large 1470206.00/cwt206.00–206.009685
HeifersMedium and Large 1722155.24/cwt153.00–156.001,1214
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2514162.20/cwt160.00–166.008348
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2609160.28/cwt158.00–164.009768
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned474178.00/cwt178.00–178.008445
HeifersMedium and Large 1540184.70/cwt179.00–187.0099710
SteersMedium and Large 1-2668170.11/cwt169.50–173.501,13613
SteersMedium and Large 1759161.65/cwt159.00–163.001,2273
HeifersMedium and Large 1403189.00/cwt189.00–189.0076227
SteersMedium and Large 1602192.00/cwt192.00–192.001,1563
SteersMedium and Large 1565199.63/cwt193.00–207.001,12827
SteersMedium and Large 1872151.28/cwt146.00–157.001,3196
SteersMedium 1426200.00/cwt200.00–200.008526
SteersMedium 1389210.00/cwt210.00–210.0081720
HeifersMedium 1442173.00/cwt173.00–173.007658
SteersMedium and Large 1-2518185.00/cwt185.00–185.009582
SteersMedium and Large 1812157.61/cwt155.00–158.501,2804
SteersMedium and Large 1739170.20/cwt170.00–171.001,2585
SteersMedium and Large 1-2582185.50/cwt185.50–185.501,0807
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned476195.00/cwt195.00–195.009287
SteersMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed659188.00/cwt188.00–188.001,23920
SteersMedium and Large 1513212.41/cwt208.00–218.001,09023
BullsMedium and Large 1120300.00/cwt300.00–300.003601
BullsMedium and Large 180235.00/cwt235.00–235.001881
BullsMedium and Large 1672157.00/cwt157.00–157.001,0556
BullsLarge 11,212106.33/cwt106.00–107.001,2893
BullsLarge 11,118109.00/cwt109.00–109.001,2192
BullsLarge 1Fancy1,103115.50/cwt115.50–115.501,27415
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,19269.14/cwt64.00–72.0082425
Bulls2,14489.08/cwt88.00–91.001,9106
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,24473.32/cwt72.00–75.0091211
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,55280.54/cwt75.00–83.001,2505
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,47870.68/cwt69.00–72.001,0455
Bulls1,79795.90/cwt91.00–104.001,72324
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,36583.26/cwt83.00–83.501,1364
CowsLean 85-90%1,16066.67/cwt62.00–70.0077331
CowsLean 85-90%1,01552.00/cwt52.00–52.005281
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,61978.66/cwt77.00–79.501,2743
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,75671.27/cwt65.00–73.001,2527
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight95955.66/cwt55.00–56.005343
CowsLean 85-90%1,14577.48/cwt77.00–78.008872
CowsBoner 80-85%1,41974.05/cwt72.00–79.001,05119
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,15578.00/cwt78.00–78.009011
CowsBoner 80-85%1,47168.15/cwt61.00–71.001,00219
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight92161.00/cwt61.00–61.005626
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,34377.77/cwt74.00–83.501,04448
CowsLean 85-90%1,26871.62/cwt69.50–75.0090817
Bulls1,57884.72/cwt80.00–89.001,33711
Bulls2,230106.18/cwt104.00–110.502,3688
Bulls2,16599.50/cwt99.50–99.502,1543
BullsLight Weight1,34075.05/cwt70.00–85.001,0063
BullsHeavy Weight2,91561.00/cwt61.00–61.001,7781
BullsReturn to Feed1,25595.00/cwt95.00–95.001,1922
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,23277.47/cwt74.00–82.009543
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,11082.01/cwt79.50–90.0091026
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,011103.80/cwt83.00–121.501,04958
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,14276.00/cwt76.00–76.008683
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2681,335.00/cwt1,335.00–1,335.0016,9285
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-21,0831,450.00/cwt1,450.00–1,450.0015,7047
HeifersMedium and Large 1580175.50/cwt175.50–175.501,01835
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2565162.75/cwt161.00–164.009205
HeifersMedium and Large 165125.00/cwt125.00–125.00811
HeifersMedium and Large 1165335.00/cwt335.00–335.005531
HeifersMedium and Large 1619169.21/cwt160.00–174.001,04712

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.