Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2022-09-01
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2022-09-01

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale(8-18-22): Feeder steers were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. The best test for for feeder heifers was 750-799 lbs which sold mostly 3.00 lower. All other weights of heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed on heifers 800-999 lbs, while steady undertones were noticed on heifers under 750 lbs and over 1000 lbs. Demand today was mostly light to moderate. Quality was mixed from plain to attractive. Package sizes were small to medium today with many singles in the mix. Higher corn prices over the past two weeks put a damper on demand as buyers adjusted prices lower to reflect higher feed costs. Market activity was mostly moderate this sale. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for moderate offerings. Western packer buyers continue to show the best demand for cows this week. Eastern packers took a step back and allowed prices to slide lower. Most cows were purchased to send to immediate harvest this sale, however a few set of cows were purchased to feed. Slaughter cows sold mostly 5.00-8.00 lower than two weeks ago. Feeding cows were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average today as temperatures warmed into the mid to upper 90s and most cows and bulls tanked up on water. Slaughter bulls sold 1.00-3.00 lower. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on mostly moderate to good demand for light offerings. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive and overall higher than last week. Offerings were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $163.52/cwt on 332 head.

Average price

$163.52

332 head · 855 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,397

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$420

per head · Medium 1 over Large 1-2

$44.50/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−3.55

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	675	175.00	1,181	1thin
Medium and Large 1	806	171.25	1,380	199
Medium and Large 1-2	711	161.59	1,149	47
Large 1	1,069	147.53	1,578	75
Medium and Large 2	715	145.00	1,037	2thin
Medium 1-2	782	139.00	1,087	5thin
Large 1-2	1,227	130.50	1,601	3thin

One grade step is worth $44.50/cwt here — about −$420 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 sale332 hd

163.52

—

MT average2 barns · 572 hd

167.08

−3.55

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	1,693	99.81	1,690	124
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,601	83.49	1,337	30
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,455	82.61	1,202	158
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,198	76.24	913	58

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	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,165	$1,261	10

Every lot, as filed

76 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	—	975	157.17/cwt	152.00–162.50	1,532	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	955	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	1,490	3
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,055	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	1,614	7
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,156	145.50/cwt	145.50–145.50	1,682	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	872	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	1,369	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	817	156.78/cwt	148.50–163.00	1,281	7
Heifers	Large 1Fleshy	—	1,183	140.50/cwt	140.50–140.50	1,662	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	830	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	1,411	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	774	173.95/cwt	168.50–177.00	1,346	93
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	435	167.50/cwt	167.50–167.50	729	3
Heifers	Medium 1	—	675	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	1,181	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	658	177.00/cwt	177.00–177.00	1,165	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	715	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	1,037	2
Heifers	Large 1	—	999	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	1,469	12
Steers	Medium 1-2	—	808	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	1,131	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	930	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	1,535	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	449	195.00/cwt	195.00–195.00	876	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	907	168.75/cwt	168.00–169.50	1,531	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	938	162.65/cwt	159.50–165.00	1,526	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	476	166.00/cwt	166.00–166.00	790	7
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	385	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	635	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	480	185.23/cwt	181.00–188.00	889	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	899	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	1,501	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	248	257.50/cwt	257.50–257.50	639	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	763	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	1,221	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	645	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	1,290	4
Dairy Steers	Large 3-4	—	363	67.50/cwt	67.50–67.50	245	6
Dairy Steers	Large 3-4	—	459	65.00/cwt	65.00–65.00	298	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	318	244.19/cwt	232.50–255.00	777	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	568	186.50/cwt	186.50–186.50	1,059	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	588	157.50/cwt	157.50–157.50	926	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	650	179.00/cwt	179.00–179.00	1,164	2
Bulls	Large 1-2	—	1,130	119.55/cwt	116.00–123.00	1,351	2
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,170	125.96/cwt	123.00–129.00	1,474	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	840	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,260	1
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,061	128.09/cwt	126.00–135.00	1,359	5
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,280	111.00/cwt	111.00–111.00	1,421	1
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,002	140.02/cwt	135.00–160.00	1,403	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,658	87.50/cwt	87.00–88.00	1,451	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	830	59.00/cwt	59.00–59.00	490	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,236	81.36/cwt	81.00–84.00	1,006	8
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,431	77.32/cwt	75.00–78.00	1,106	11
Bulls	—	—	2,024	110.34/cwt	108.00–114.00	2,233	10
Bulls	—	—	2,420	96.00/cwt	96.00–96.00	2,323	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,365	93.68/cwt	89.50–96.00	1,279	15
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,477	84.50/cwt	79.00–87.50	1,248	71
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,600	82.10/cwt	81.00–86.00	1,314	23
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,604	88.07/cwt	87.00–91.00	1,413	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,415	74.54/cwt	67.00–78.50	1,055	30
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,486	82.25/cwt	78.50–86.00	1,222	29
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,088	63.23/cwt	61.00–65.00	688	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,204	75.24/cwt	72.00–77.00	906	27
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,216	79.30/cwt	78.00–82.00	964	18
Bulls	—	—	1,604	88.73/cwt	81.00–93.00	1,423	17
Bulls	—	—	1,865	103.42/cwt	96.00–108.00	1,929	41
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,250	83.00/cwt	83.00–83.00	1,038	2
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,531	101.61/cwt	97.00–106.00	1,556	37
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,610	109.00/cwt	109.00–109.00	1,755	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,522	92.91/cwt	88.00–95.00	1,414	15
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,127	91.03/cwt	78.00–104.00	1,026	29
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,028	88.17/cwt	80.00–113.00	906	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,095	109.64/cwt	89.00–114.50	1,201	65
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,032	76.00/cwt	76.00–76.00	784	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	985	82.00/cwt	82.00–82.00	808	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,165	1,261.46/head	1,200.00–1,300.00	1,261	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	882	166.62/cwt	166.00–168.50	1,470	26
Heifers	Large 1Full	—	1,133	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	1,609	6
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,215	118.42/cwt	116.00–119.00	1,439	14
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	858	158.00/cwt	158.00–158.00	1,356	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,130	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	1,356	2
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,130	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	1,424	1
Heifers	Large 1-2	—	1,227	130.50/cwt	130.50–130.50	1,601	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	718	178.01/cwt	177.50–178.50	1,278	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	680	168.50/cwt	168.50–168.50	1,146	9
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	782	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	1,087	5
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,040	150.01/cwt	148.00–159.50	1,560	35

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 →