Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2022-09-15
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2022-09-15

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested today to develop any market trend. Yearling heifers were too lightly tested to develop a full market comparison, however steady undertones were noticed. Steer and heifer calves were too lightly tested either this week or last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on steers and lower undertones were noticed on heifers. Demand for yearlings was mostly moderate, while demand for calves was mostly light to moderate. Yearling quality was mixed from plain to attractive. Calf quality was mostly average to attractive. Package sizes for yearlings were mostly small this week, with many singles in the offering. Calves were offered in mostly small to moderate size packages. Several packages of fall born or very early born spring calves sold this week. These calves were weaned and were left untagged in the report below. Market activity was mostly moderate this week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand and offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was much lighter this week. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 lower on lean and boning cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however weak undertones were noticed. Feeding cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 lower. Fewer feeding cow buyers were seen this week and with lighter demand seen from packers all cow prices softened. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 4.00-6.00 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, however offerings were limited. Steady undertones were noticed.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $168.32/cwt on 225 head.

Average price

$168.32

225 head · 722 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,215

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$618

per head · Medium 1 over Large 1

$19.51/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+0.03

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	544	173.77	945	15thin
Medium and Large 1	690	170.44	1,177	177
Medium and Large 1-2	810	155.29	1,258	7thin
Large 1	1,013	154.25	1,563	26

One grade step is worth $19.51/cwt here — about −$618 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 sale225 hd

168.32

—

MT average3 barns · 1,058 hd

168.29

+0.03

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	1,771	97.00	1,718	72
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,566	87.33	1,368	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,438	81.76	1,176	93
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,162	73.01	849	33

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)	1,192	$1,242	7
Bred Heifers	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	(<2 yrs)	1,018	$1,450	2thin

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 1Full	—	881	155.76/cwt	151.00–161.00	1,372	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	937	163.89/cwt	162.00–164.50	1,536	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	565	168.00/cwt	168.00–168.00	949	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	897	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	1,354	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	788	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	1,221	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	708	179.50/cwt	179.50–179.50	1,271	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	816	168.17/cwt	165.00–169.00	1,372	5
Heifers	Large 1	—	843	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	1,366	4
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,097	151.50/cwt	151.50–151.50	1,662	3
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	350	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	630	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	430	182.23/cwt	176.00–191.00	784	23
Heifers	Large 1	—	936	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	1,441	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	680	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	1,034	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	628	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	961	3
Heifers	Large 1Replacement	—	1,013	158.26/cwt	157.50–160.50	1,603	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	799	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	1,438	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	513	202.65/cwt	189.00–206.00	1,040	36
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	463	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	718	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	374	191.46/cwt	180.00–195.00	716	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	517	165.45/cwt	160.00–166.00	855	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	551	158.43/cwt	155.00–161.00	873	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	345	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	742	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	445	204.00/cwt	204.00–204.00	908	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	315	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	756	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	700	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	1,148	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	393	223.45/cwt	220.00–224.00	878	7
Dairy Heifers	Large 2	—	510	147.50/cwt	147.50–147.50	752	4
Dairy Heifers	Large 2	—	724	137.50/cwt	137.50–137.50	996	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	477	222.00/cwt	222.00–222.00	1,059	8
Steers	Large 1	—	1,158	146.50/cwt	146.50–146.50	1,696	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	609	171.01/cwt	170.00–172.00	1,041	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	566	184.00/cwt	184.00–184.00	1,041	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	584	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	946	4
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,231	109.75/cwt	108.50–113.00	1,351	7
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,068	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	1,250	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	298	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	700	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	535	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	824	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	965	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	1,428	1
Bulls	—	—	2,228	103.72/cwt	103.50–104.00	2,311	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,361	78.61/cwt	78.50–79.00	1,070	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,144	73.05/cwt	70.00–78.50	836	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,025	81.00/cwt	81.00–81.00	830	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,515	85.00/cwt	85.00–85.00	1,288	1
Bulls	—	—	1,917	106.11/cwt	104.00–114.00	2,034	13
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,173	72.48/cwt	64.00–77.00	850	20
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,403	83.84/cwt	80.00–88.00	1,176	21
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,658	82.96/cwt	82.00–85.50	1,375	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,453	78.11/cwt	72.00–80.00	1,135	25
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,482	88.14/cwt	87.00–89.00	1,306	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,000	56.00/cwt	56.00–56.00	560	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,475	93.00/cwt	93.00–93.00	1,372	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,539	89.29/cwt	88.00–90.50	1,374	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,215	77.88/cwt	77.50–78.00	946	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,451	82.45/cwt	80.00–86.50	1,196	36
Bulls	—	—	1,505	84.67/cwt	78.00–90.00	1,274	11
Bulls	—	—	2,403	96.29/cwt	94.00–98.00	2,314	3
Bulls	—	—	1,755	96.77/cwt	92.00–102.00	1,698	38
Bulls	—Heavy Weight	—	2,600	90.00/cwt	90.00–90.00	2,340	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,252	105.99/cwt	104.00–107.00	1,327	3
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,345	92.00/cwt	92.00–92.00	1,237	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,114	94.00/cwt	89.00–100.00	1,047	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,163	100.33/cwt	94.00–104.00	1,167	15
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,218	95.50/cwt	95.50–95.50	1,163	2
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,018	1,450.00/head	1,450.00–1,450.00	1,450	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,192	1,242.31/head	1,225.00–1,250.00	1,242	7
Heifers	Large 1Fleshy	—	1,260	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	1,651	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	648	158.63/cwt	150.00–160.00	1,028	51
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	945	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	1,314	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	873	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,310	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	755	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	1,185	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	507	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	821	3
Heifers	Medium 1	—	685	174.56/cwt	174.00–175.50	1,196	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	859	169.77/cwt	169.50–170.00	1,458	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	779	174.89/cwt	170.50–175.00	1,362	41
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	703	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	1,139	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	985	152.50/cwt	152.50–152.50	1,502	8

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 →