Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2022-05-19

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, May 19
● Final67 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
167 head
740 vs last sale 907 147 vs year ago 314 · 46.8%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
799 head
378 vs last sale 421 240 vs year ago 559 · +42.9%
Replacement Cattle receipts
454 head
57 vs last sale 397 51 vs year ago 505 · 10.1%
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 all too lightly tested today to develop any market trend. Quality was mostly plain to average. Demand for feeders was mostly moderate for todays very light offering. Several ranchers were in the stands bidding on grass cattle. Rain continues to be in the forecast and temperatures remain unseasonably cool. However grass has greened and many ranchers are in need of feeders to fill summer pastures. A good crowd was on hand for todays sale. Market activity was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows comprised most of the offering this week. Packers showed slightly stronger demand for cows this week. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were mostly purchased to return to feed this week. Feeding cows sold fully steady this week on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows returning to feed sold 2.00-3.00 higher. Cow quality was average to attractive this week with many sets of high quality cows on offer. Slaughter bulls sold steady to firm. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average this sale with many full cows on offer. Weigh up conditions were poorer this week than last. Young age cows sold on mostly good to very good demand today. Young replacement type cows sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower. Quality this week was average to attractive.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $171.84/cwt on 31 head.
Average price
$171.84
31 head · 650 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,117
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$26
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2
$8.56/cwt at this weight
vs the market
7.28
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2565173.569819thin
Medium and Large 1708172.491,22118thin
Medium and Large 2579165.009554thin
One grade step is worth $8.56/cwt here — about $26 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 sale31 hd
171.84
MT average3 barns · 851 hd
179.12
−7.28
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
BullsAverage1,74995.611,67280
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,63777.501,26940
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,42275.341,071264
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,16872.26844225

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
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,036107.90/cwt91.00–126.001,118179
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-291077.73/cwt74.00–84.007075
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,4581,435.00/cwt1,435.00–1,435.0020,9223
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,7051,400.00/cwt1,400.00–1,400.0023,8701
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,16072.00/cwt72.00–72.008351
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-21,2621,350.00/cwt1,350.00–1,350.0017,0377
BullsMedium and Large 1-21,033124.00/cwt124.00–124.001,2812
BullsMedium and Large 11,208123.13/cwt102.50–140.001,4875
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2489161.50/cwt161.50–161.507904
HeifersMedium and Large 1569150.79/cwt150.00–154.008585
SteersMedium and Large 1-2555182.00/cwt182.00–182.001,0103
HeifersMedium and Large 1693153.00/cwt153.00–153.001,0602
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2385170.00/cwt170.00–170.006552
HeifersMedium and Large 1645152.50/cwt152.50–152.509844
SteersMedium and Large 1660189.00/cwt189.00–189.001,2479
SteersMedium and Large 1731159.98/cwt157.00–162.001,1695
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2613137.00/cwt137.00–137.008402
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2545155.00/cwt155.00–155.008452
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2653137.00/cwt137.00–137.008952
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2770132.00/cwt132.00–132.001,0162
Dairy HeifersLarge 389845.00/cwt45.00–45.0040413
SteersMedium and Large 1770154.00/cwt154.00–154.001,1862
SteersMedium and Large 2579165.00/cwt165.00–165.009554
SteersMedium and Large 1-2448184.00/cwt184.00–184.008244
SteersMedium and Large 1803148.00/cwt148.00–148.001,1882
SteersMedium and Large 1-2815140.00/cwt140.00–140.001,1412
Dairy SteersLarge 31,08356.50/cwt56.50–56.506126
BullsLarge 11,028120.00/cwt120.00–120.001,2348
BullsMedium and Large 2665145.00/cwt145.00–145.009644
BullsMedium and Large 1-2890119.00/cwt119.00–119.001,0591
BullsMedium and Large 1470179.00/cwt179.00–179.008412
BullsMedium and Large 1930121.00/cwt121.00–121.001,1251
BullsLarge 11,270112.00/cwt112.00–112.001,4222
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight92851.00/cwt51.00–51.004733
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,38583.79/cwt82.50–84.501,16015
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,45278.23/cwt75.00–82.001,13695
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,16777.84/cwt74.00–80.5090848
Bulls1,89197.97/cwt94.00–103.001,85327
CowsBoner 80-85%1,36676.31/cwt73.50–79.001,04238
CowsLean 85-90%1,39882.11/cwt80.00–84.501,1482
CowsLean 85-90%1,05556.00/cwt56.00–56.005911
CowsLean 85-90%1,16868.98/cwt62.00–73.5080699
CowsLean 85-90%1,24075.65/cwt73.00–79.0093847
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,15584.00/cwt84.00–84.009701
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,63375.07/cwt74.00–79.001,22620
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,44171.59/cwt69.00–74.001,03246
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight94373.00/cwt73.00–73.006882
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,13771.63/cwt70.50–72.5081413
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,87080.00/cwt80.00–80.001,4961
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,68678.50/cwt78.50–78.501,3246
CowsBoner 80-85%1,40671.23/cwt65.50–73.501,00168
CowsBoner 80-85%1,43582.00/cwt82.00–82.001,1772
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight94766.94/cwt62.00–69.506349
Bulls2,048105.43/cwt104.00–109.002,15915
Bulls1,59488.19/cwt80.00–93.501,40630
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,60480.58/cwt79.50–83.001,29313
BullsReturn to Feed1,260101.52/cwt98.50–104.501,2792
BullsReturn to Feed1,225107.00/cwt107.00–107.001,3113
BullsReturn to Feed1,36384.25/cwt76.50–87.501,1483
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,22772.82/cwt72.00–75.0089415
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3781,035.00/cwt1,035.00–1,035.0014,2623
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3241,224.70/cwt1,100.00–1,250.0016,2157
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1931,085.00/cwt1,085.00–1,085.0012,9442
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS1,2001,185.00/cwt1,185.00–1,185.0014,2208
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed921935.00/cwt935.00–935.008,6115
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,08189.48/cwt73.00–107.00967164
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,00294.55/cwt82.00–98.509478

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.