Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2022-05-12
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2022-05-12

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, lower undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly plain and lower than last weeks offering. Many consignments were cutback cattle off video or country sales this week. Most consignments were small packages or singles this week. A few packages of replacement quality heifers were seen and these offerings were met with moderate to good demand. Market activity was mostly slow. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for mostly moderate offerings. Demand for cows was mixed today as the sale started with light to moderate demand and ended the sale with moderate to good demand as buyers pushed to fill loads to get out for the week. Slaughter cows sold steady to 3.00 lower on breakers, boning and lean cows sold steady to firm. Feeding cow demand from private buyers was lighter today as the Dakotas got or expect rain. Fleshy feeding cows sold with the lightest demand, selling steady to 3.00 lower. Boning and lean cows sold fully steady with last weeks sale. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady. Weigh up conditions we mixed today, from below average to above average. Weigh up conditions improved as the sale progressed. Young age cows sold on mostly good to very good demand today. Young, replacement type cows sold mostly 5.00-7.00 higher. Quality this week was average to very attractive.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $160.42/cwt on 393 head.

Average price

$160.42

393 head · 637 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,022

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$69

per head · Medium and Large 2 over Medium 1-2

$45.11/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+1.71

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 2	403	170.11	686	22
Medium and Large 1	660	160.86	1,062	328
Medium and Large 1-2	595	157.37	936	36
Medium 1-2	494	125.00	618	7thin

One grade step is worth $45.11/cwt here — about $69 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 sale393 hd

160.42

—

MT average3 barns · 608 hd

158.71

+1.71

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.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	Low	1,672	96.02	1,605	44
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,414	77.19	1,091	98
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,676	76.28	1,278	33
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,175	72.06	847	186

Every lot, as filed

91 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.

Class	Grade / description	Weight	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	—	422	171.50/cwt	171.50–171.50	724	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	566	167.67/cwt	163.50–172.00	949	86
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	742	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	1,158	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	779	150.01/cwt	147.00–157.00	1,169	39
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	810	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	1,231	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	539	166.22/cwt	165.00–167.00	896	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	840	1,250.00/cwt	1,250.00–1,250.00	10,500	72
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	488	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	756	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	562	183.50/cwt	183.50–183.50	1,031	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	482	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	819	7
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	494	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	618	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	624	163.50/cwt	163.50–163.50	1,020	46
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	728	154.14/cwt	154.00–154.50	1,122	27
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	699	159.25/cwt	159.25–159.25	1,113	77
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	436	178.07/cwt	175.00–185.00	776	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	612	156.31/cwt	154.00–160.00	957	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	717	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	1,004	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	685	156.20/cwt	152.00–163.00	1,070	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	390	172.50/cwt	172.50–172.50	673	19
Steers	Medium 2	—	471	138.44/cwt	134.00–141.00	652	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	725	159.12/cwt	155.00–162.00	1,154	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	708	167.50/cwt	167.50–167.50	1,186	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	386	189.00/cwt	189.00–189.00	730	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	504	174.34/cwt	171.00–176.00	879	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	877	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	1,228	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	823	149.58/cwt	146.00–153.00	1,231	14
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	589	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	1,001	11
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	341	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	597	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	583	180.00/cwt	175.00–181.00	1,049	6
Steers	Medium 1-2	—	421	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	632	7
Steers	Medium 1	—	569	173.00/cwt	173.00–173.00	984	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	688	168.33/cwt	168.00–170.00	1,158	6
Steers	Medium 1	—	503	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	905	23
Steers	Medium 1	—	436	189.00/cwt	189.00–189.00	824	8
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	470	175.28/cwt	170.00–176.00	824	32
Steers	Medium 2	—	593	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	806	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	604	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	1,087	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	579	187.00/cwt	187.00–187.00	1,083	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	455	193.63/cwt	185.00–194.50	881	22
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	—	580	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	899	2
Bulls	Large 1-2	—	1,085	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	1,139	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	562	176.00/cwt	176.00–176.00	989	22
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,133	110.00/cwt	110.00–110.00	1,246	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	668	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	1,116	14
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	538	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	942	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,612	76.27/cwt	75.00–80.00	1,229	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,512	73.17/cwt	71.00–73.50	1,106	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,209	82.03/cwt	80.00–86.00	992	14
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,201	73.28/cwt	70.00–78.00	880	42
Bulls	—	—	1,559	86.75/cwt	85.00–88.00	1,352	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,705	75.00/cwt	75.00–75.00	1,279	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,629	77.78/cwt	75.00–80.50	1,267	9
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,413	81.66/cwt	80.00–83.00	1,154	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,383	73.60/cwt	72.00–75.00	1,018	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,167	73.74/cwt	72.00–79.50	861	56
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	945	67.33/cwt	64.00–69.00	636	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,500	84.00/cwt	84.00–84.00	1,260	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	975	71.00/cwt	71.00–71.00	692	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,155	69.14/cwt	67.00–72.50	799	32
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,065	53.00/cwt	53.00–53.00	564	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,189	66.04/cwt	62.00–72.50	785	31
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,230	81.60/cwt	79.50–86.00	1,004	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,809	74.29/cwt	68.50–75.50	1,344	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,437	67.34/cwt	62.00–70.50	968	9
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,442	84.52/cwt	82.50–86.50	1,219	15
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,394	77.35/cwt	74.00–82.00	1,078	53
Bulls	—	—	1,768	97.15/cwt	92.00–103.00	1,718	21
Bulls	—	—	1,923	106.58/cwt	104.50–110.50	2,050	9
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,395	93.00/cwt	93.00–93.00	1,297	1
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,300	72.00/cwt	72.00–72.00	936	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,268	97.69/cwt	89.50–100.00	1,239	5
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,285	75.00/cwt	75.00–75.00	964	3
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,174	92.00/cwt	92.00–92.00	1,080	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	963	115.25/cwt	91.00–127.00	1,110	171
Stock Cows	Medium 1Thin Fleshed	—	685	90.00/cwt	90.00–90.00	617	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,093	87.32/cwt	78.50–105.50	954	57
Bred Cows	Large 1-2	—	1,109	1,025.00/cwt	1,025.00–1,025.00	11,367	10
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,186	1,265.14/cwt	1,210.00–1,310.00	15,005	19
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	990	75.31/cwt	71.00–77.00	746	8
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	944	82.87/cwt	82.50–83.00	782	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,190	1,174.43/cwt	1,125.00–1,200.00	13,976	8
Bred Cows	Large 1-2	—	1,349	1,050.00/cwt	1,050.00–1,050.00	14,165	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,353	1,050.00/cwt	1,050.00–1,050.00	14,207	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,091	73.02/cwt	69.00–75.00	797	9
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	980	116.00/cwt	116.00–116.00	1,137	12
Heifer Pairs	Medium 1Thin Fleshed	—	895	1,150.00/cwt	1,150.00–1,150.00	10,293	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	560	171.98/cwt	170.00–173.00	963	6
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,019	116.00/cwt	116.00–116.00	1,182	5
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,065	113.00/cwt	113.00–113.00	1,203	1
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,255	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	1,318	1
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,150	109.00/cwt	109.00–109.00	1,254	1

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.

Montana feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →