Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2022-06-02
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2022-06-02

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were all too lightly tested either this week or last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Quality was mixed from plain to attractive with consigned cattle and load lots offering the best quality. Demand for grass cattle was very good this week as recent rains and sharply higher CME positions help bolster demand. Market activity today was mostly active. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Packers showed stronger demand for slaughter cows today pushing all offerings higher. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher on all offerings. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. Quality today was average to attractive and overall better than last week. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average today, however weigh conditions were better overall compared to last week. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 1.00-2.00 higher. Bull quality was mostly attractive this week. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady to weak. Quality was mostly average to attractive today.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $179.01/cwt on 396 head.

Average price

$179.01

396 head · 734 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,313

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$40

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$51.13/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+1.48

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	712	188.13	1,340	255
Medium and Large 1-2	669	177.45	1,188	89
Large 1	949	137.00	1,300	52

One grade step is worth $51.13/cwt here — about $40 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 sale396 hd

179.01

—

MT average3 barns · 437 hd

177.54

+1.48

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	—	High	1,785	102.79	1,835	62
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,611	77.55	1,249	11
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,402	77.21	1,082	226
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,179	70.28	828	187

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age

Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.

Class	Stage	Age	Avg wt	$/head	Head
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,388	$1,272	6
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,433	$1,050	2thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,473	$1,335	5
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,610	$1,325	2thin

Every lot, as filed

70 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
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,388	1,271.78/head	1,200.00–1,285.00	1,272	6
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,433	1,050.00/head	1,050.00–1,050.00	1,050	2
Heifers	Large 1	—	754	130.52/cwt	130.00–135.00	984	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	674	164.71/cwt	164.50–165.00	1,110	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	607	147.82/cwt	146.00–155.00	897	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	520	166.00/cwt	166.00–166.00	863	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	814	135.34/cwt	134.00–139.00	1,102	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	708	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	963	4
Heifers	Large 1	—	688	133.29/cwt	133.00–134.00	917	7
Steers	Large 1Fleshy	—	692	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	1,073	13
Steers	Large 1Fleshy	—	1,082	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	1,396	8
Steers	Large 1Fleshy	—	831	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	1,138	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	611	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	990	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	702	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	1,088	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	866	133.50/cwt	133.50–133.50	1,156	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	680	198.50/cwt	198.50–198.50	1,350	32
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	555	184.00/cwt	184.00–184.00	1,021	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	472	194.00/cwt	194.00–194.00	916	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	649	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	1,233	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	681	144.49/cwt	144.00–145.00	984	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	724	184.88/cwt	178.00–185.50	1,339	203
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	692	176.93/cwt	175.00–177.00	1,224	57
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	878	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	1,282	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	748	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	1,234	2
Steers	Large 1	—	1,147	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	1,457	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	543	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	929	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	973	132.39/cwt	131.50–133.00	1,288	5
Steers	Large 1	—	811	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	1,152	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	616	211.00/cwt	211.00–211.00	1,300	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	473	177.00/cwt	177.00–177.00	837	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	784	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	1,082	5
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,009	120.42/cwt	113.00–122.00	1,215	7
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,125	107.66/cwt	106.00–111.00	1,211	3
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,175	106.00/cwt	106.00–106.00	1,246	4
Bulls	Large 1Fancy	—	1,150	116.00/cwt	116.00–116.00	1,334	2
Bulls	—	—	2,002	111.89/cwt	108.00–118.00	2,240	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,241	81.76/cwt	79.00–84.50	1,015	4
Bulls	—	—	2,370	111.00/cwt	111.00–111.00	2,631	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,424	82.88/cwt	80.50–86.50	1,180	29
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,388	77.12/cwt	75.00–80.50	1,070	119
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,212	70.34/cwt	69.00–71.50	853	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,590	80.00/cwt	80.00–80.00	1,272	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,306	79.47/cwt	79.00–81.00	1,038	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,235	74.22/cwt	72.00–78.00	917	45
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,203	73.98/cwt	72.00–78.50	890	34
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,056	54.38/cwt	53.50–59.00	574	13
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,603	76.86/cwt	74.00–77.50	1,232	7
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,608	79.00/cwt	79.00–79.00	1,270	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,451	82.60/cwt	81.00–85.00	1,199	15
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,384	71.30/cwt	66.00–73.50	987	23
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	880	52.00/cwt	52.00–52.00	458	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	915	62.49/cwt	62.00–63.00	572	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	963	71.51/cwt	70.00–73.00	689	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,690	77.00/cwt	77.00–77.00	1,301	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,429	76.04/cwt	74.50–78.50	1,087	25
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,402	72.59/cwt	67.00–82.00	1,018	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,151	67.49/cwt	61.50–71.50	777	70
Bulls	—	—	1,851	102.10/cwt	94.50–106.50	1,890	23
Bulls	—	—	1,713	88.48/cwt	82.00–93.00	1,516	8
Bulls	—Natural	—	1,983	113.00/cwt	113.00–113.00	2,241	5
Bulls	—Heavy Weight	—	2,510	99.00/cwt	99.00–99.00	2,485	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,354	100.87/cwt	93.00–105.00	1,366	13
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,610	1,325.00/head	1,325.00–1,325.00	1,325	2
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,473	1,335.00/head	1,335.00–1,335.00	1,335	5
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	780	100.00/cwt	100.00–100.00	780	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,026	103.13/cwt	89.00–120.00	1,058	57
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,223	75.21/cwt	72.00–79.00	920	27
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	996	82.96/cwt	72.00–93.00	826	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,121	88.75/cwt	75.00–107.00	995	129
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	935	94.00/cwt	94.00–94.00	879	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 →