Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2022-07-21
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2022-07-21

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were all too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed. Quality was mostly plain to average this week. Most offerings were sold in small packages. Todays sale featured feeder cattle and a good crowd was on hand bidding on offerings. Several farmer feeders were in the stands as well as several bidders on the internet, both parties showed good to very good demand for offerings. Market activity was mostly active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Packers showed slightly lighter demand for slaughter cows this week. The cutter cow cutout has lost value over the last week or two as the drought in the southern Plaines continues to worsen. This has put pressure on the lean meat as unseasonably high supplies are being harvested. The cutter cow cutout closed at 214.30 as of today, 4.55 lower than yesterday. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 lower on all classes. Boning cows sold with the best demand as feeding cow buyers were the most competitive for this class of cows. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-5.00 lower. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on mostly moderate demand. Quality this week was plain to average. Offerings were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady undertones were noticed.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $159.47/cwt on 302 head.

Average price

$159.47

302 head · 711 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,134

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$498

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

$25.86/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+0.00

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	748	167.86	1,256	164
Medium 2	483	156.00	753	16thin
Medium and Large 1-2	759	154.81	1,175	41
Medium 1	606	151.80	919	20
Large 1	1,092	144.00	1,572	10thin
Medium 1-2	601	143.61	863	44
Small and Medium 2	534	142.00	758	7thin

One grade step is worth $25.86/cwt here — about $498 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 sale302 hd

159.47

—

MT average1 barns · 302 hd

159.47

+0.00

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	1,706	103.37	1,764	57
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,410	81.75	1,152	204
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,693	80.73	1,367	22
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,196	74.73	894	32

Every lot, as filed

61 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	—	811	158.38/cwt	156.00–160.00	1,284	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	905	161.43/cwt	161.00–163.00	1,461	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	643	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	971	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	383	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	689	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	814	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	1,254	14
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	608	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	869	38
Heifers	Medium 1	—	596	153.43/cwt	153.00–154.00	914	14
Steers	Medium 1-2	—	698	169.00/cwt	169.00–169.00	1,180	7
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	820	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	1,287	5
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	890	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	1,353	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	555	192.00/cwt	192.00–192.00	1,066	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	993	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	1,430	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	891	183.20/cwt	182.00–185.00	1,632	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	788	172.61/cwt	170.00–173.00	1,360	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	939	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	1,399	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	832	174.63/cwt	165.00–177.00	1,453	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	610	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	1,043	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	611	186.00/cwt	186.00–186.00	1,136	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	773	179.00/cwt	179.00–179.00	1,384	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	666	183.00/cwt	183.00–183.00	1,219	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	683	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	1,168	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	885	163.00/cwt	163.00–163.00	1,443	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	833	184.66/cwt	180.00–186.00	1,538	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	714	177.14/cwt	174.00–179.00	1,265	11
Heifers	Medium 2	—	483	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	753	16
Heifers	Large 1Fancy	—	1,092	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	1,572	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	937	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	1,359	3
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,133	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	1,360	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	408	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	755	2
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,046	148.45/cwt	148.00–152.50	1,553	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	945	65.00/cwt	65.00–65.00	614	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,605	85.00/cwt	85.00–85.00	1,364	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,381	80.62/cwt	78.00–85.50	1,113	56
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,456	76.99/cwt	75.00–79.50	1,121	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,215	84.75/cwt	84.50–85.00	1,030	2
Bulls	—	—	1,611	89.89/cwt	85.00–93.00	1,448	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,122	68.78/cwt	64.00–73.00	772	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,246	77.32/cwt	76.75–82.00	963	19
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,684	77.09/cwt	73.00–81.50	1,298	12
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,718	86.96/cwt	86.50–87.50	1,494	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,714	84.19/cwt	83.00–86.50	1,443	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,353	75.47/cwt	70.00–77.50	1,021	9
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,539	89.06/cwt	86.50–89.50	1,371	12
Bulls	—	—	2,063	107.88/cwt	106.50–112.00	2,226	16
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,412	82.11/cwt	80.00–84.50	1,159	121
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,443	85.75/cwt	85.50–86.00	1,237	2
Bulls	—	—	1,768	101.34/cwt	97.00–106.00	1,792	18
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,415	92.00/cwt	92.00–92.00	1,302	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,316	108.05/cwt	95.00–113.00	1,422	15
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,099	92.34/cwt	89.50–100.00	1,015	8
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,030	109.12/cwt	101.00–121.00	1,124	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	661	160.50/cwt	153.00–165.00	1,061	8
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	558	147.50/cwt	147.50–147.50	823	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	712	169.50/cwt	169.50–169.50	1,207	85
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	780	165.25/cwt	163.00–169.00	1,289	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	893	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	1,491	29
Heifers	Medium 1	—	628	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	929	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	650	168.50/cwt	168.50–168.50	1,095	17
Heifers	Small and Medium 2	—	534	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	758	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	874	152.16/cwt	150.00–153.00	1,330	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	763	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	1,198	5

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 →