Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2022-06-16
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2022-06-16

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 any market trend. Quality was mostly plain to average this week. Cattle were offered in mostly small size packages with many singles on offer as well. One consignment of beef on dairy steers and heifers sold today and these offerings were very attractive and sold on good to very good demand. Several sets of fall calves continue to be seen and most of these offerings were met with light to moderate demand. Demand overall was mostly moderate for light offerings. Market activity this week was mostly moderate to active. Market activity today was mostly active. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for light to moderate offerings. Packers showed stronger demand for slaughter cows again today pushing all offerings higher. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher on all classes. Demand from western packers continues to drive cow prices higher as western packers are short cows for immediate harvest. Feeding cows sold steady to 3.00 higher. Packers purchased a few sets of cows to put on short term feed for the upcoming 4th of July holiday. Most of these offerings were of plain to average quality. Quality today was mostly average to attractive. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher. Bull quality was mostly attractive again this week. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average today and significantly lower than last weeks offering. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold 5.00 lower on a lower quality offering. Demand for high quality offerings remains good to very good, however high quality offerings were limited this week.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $160.36/cwt on 162 head.

Average price

$160.36

162 head · 662 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,062

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$21

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

$20.73/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+0.22

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	576	161.73	931	37
Medium and Large 1	689	160.58	1,106	121
Medium and Large 2	675	141.00	952	4thin

One grade step is worth $20.73/cwt here — about −$21 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 sale162 hd

160.36

—

MT average2 barns · 197 hd

160.14

+0.22

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	—	Average	1,855	107.91	2,001	67
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,619	82.74	1,339	53
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,371	82.09	1,126	190
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,167	77.60	906	116

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)	1,275	$1,200	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,245	$1,050	3thin

Every lot, as filed

68 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
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	665	166.17/cwt	163.50–172.00	1,105	49
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	488	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	830	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	760	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	1,094	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	675	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	952	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	608	161.50/cwt	161.50–161.50	982	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	448	177.50/cwt	177.50–177.50	795	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	578	174.00/cwt	171.00–175.00	1,006	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	541	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	817	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	583	163.69/cwt	162.50–169.00	954	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	758	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	1,122	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	685	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	1,021	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	499	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	948	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	527	185.66/cwt	185.00–186.00	978	6
Dairy Heifers	Large 1-2	—	885	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	1,221	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	632	187.00/cwt	187.00–187.00	1,182	10
Dairy Heifers	Large 1-2	—	835	137.75/cwt	137.75–137.75	1,150	35
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	770	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	1,147	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	663	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	941	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	564	185.50/cwt	185.50–185.50	1,046	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	823	153.22/cwt	147.00–154.50	1,261	7
Dairy Heifers	Large 1-2	—	715	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	1,008	6
Dairy Steers	Large 1-2	—	851	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	1,268	30
Dairy Steers	Large 1-2	—	978	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	1,340	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	607	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	1,093	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	434	191.00/cwt	191.00–191.00	829	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	816	142.50/cwt	142.50–142.50	1,163	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	710	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	1,072	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	850	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	1,241	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	521	173.33/cwt	173.00–174.00	903	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	935	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,216	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	690	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	1,097	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	925	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	1,323	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	865	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	1,280	12
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	779	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	1,176	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,140	84.50/cwt	84.50–84.50	963	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,722	87.95/cwt	87.00–88.50	1,514	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,665	83.95/cwt	82.00–86.50	1,398	19
Bulls	—	—	1,785	104.22/cwt	97.00–109.00	1,860	19
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,649	82.00/cwt	82.00–82.00	1,352	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,534	87.25/cwt	86.50–89.00	1,338	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,140	72.38/cwt	63.00–75.00	825	26
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,356	79.58/cwt	77.00–84.50	1,079	52
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	911	66.12/cwt	62.00–73.00	602	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,401	80.64/cwt	75.00–83.00	1,130	40
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,396	86.42/cwt	84.00–88.50	1,206	37
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,275	68.12/cwt	68.00–69.00	869	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	925	78.50/cwt	78.50–78.50	726	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,198	82.18/cwt	81.00–83.00	985	12
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,583	79.37/cwt	76.00–79.75	1,256	20
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,357	74.21/cwt	68.00–76.00	1,007	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,227	83.73/cwt	83.00–86.00	1,027	20
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,174	79.27/cwt	75.00–83.00	931	41
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,347	85.26/cwt	83.00–88.00	1,148	46
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	948	85.00/cwt	85.00–85.00	806	2
Bulls	—	—	1,993	113.72/cwt	108.00–122.00	2,266	35
Bulls	—	—	1,399	91.64/cwt	87.00–95.00	1,282	8
Bulls	—Heavy Weight	—	2,520	111.00/cwt	111.00–111.00	2,797	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,360	96.50/cwt	96.50–96.50	1,312	1
Bulls	—Natural	—	2,050	117.24/cwt	115.00–120.00	2,403	2
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,420	94.50/cwt	94.50–94.50	1,342	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,071	109.22/cwt	90.00–123.00	1,170	41
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,117	90.32/cwt	80.00–107.00	1,009	51
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	973	86.85/cwt	80.00–92.00	845	10
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,275	1,200.00/head	1,200.00–1,200.00	1,200	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,245	1,050.00/head	1,050.00–1,050.00	1,050	3
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,088	111.00/cwt	111.00–111.00	1,208	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,224	89.54/cwt	89.50–90.00	1,096	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	901	135.25/cwt	135.25–135.25	1,219	17

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 →