Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2022-10-20
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2022-10-20

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Yearling heifers under 950 lbs sold steady to firm, heifers over 950 lbs were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed on a lower quality offering. Steer calves under 450 lbs sold sharply higher, with most sales 20.00-25.00 higher, 450-549 lbs steers sold mostly 8.00-10.00 higher, 550-599 lbs steers sold unevenly steady, steers over 600 lbs sold 4.00-6.00 lower. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold steady to firm, heifer calves over 500 lbs sold steady to 5.00 lower. Demand for all feeders was moderate to good this sale. Overall, quality was mostly average to attractive. The best demand was for light calves suitable to develop into yearlings. Buyers were willing to buy steers up to 560 lbs and heifers up to 500 lbs for that purpose. Package sizes were mostly medium this week with a couple of load lots on offer. Calves with two rounds of vaccinations sold with the best demand today and brought a strong premium to cattle with only one round of vaccinations. Cold and wet conditions are expected this weekend for cattle which sold locally and cattle destined for the corn belt expect a few more days in the 80s before cold and wet conditions arrive. Market activity was mostly moderate to active this week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for moderate offerings. Weigh up conditions were the limiting factor affecting demand today as all cows and bulls were full to extremely full as temperatures reached the low 80s and cows and bulls tanked up on water. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold 1.00-4.00 lower. Feeding cows sold generally steady. Demand for feeding cows was mostly good as several private buyers as well as packers were actively purchasing cows to feed. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 5.00 higher. Quality was average to attractive this week.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $205.35/cwt on 1,584 head.

Average price

$205.35

1,584 head · 530 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,088

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$603

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$40.82/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+2.50

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	530	206.32	1,094	1,419
Medium 1	471	203.83	960	24
Medium and Large 1-2	518	197.14	1,021	135
Large 1	1,025	165.50	1,696	6thin

One grade step is worth $40.82/cwt here — about −$603 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 sale1,584 hd

205.35

—

MT average5 barns · 3,888 hd

202.85

+2.50

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	1,702	83.78	1,426	16
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,608	75.92	1,221	11
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Very Low	1,438	63.64	915	92
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,283	54.21	695	68

Every lot, as filed

78 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 1Unweaned	—	417	203.69/cwt	196.00–210.00	849	113
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	548	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	899	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	364	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	728	5
Steers	Large 1	—	1,025	165.50/cwt	165.50–165.50	1,696	6
Steers	Medium 1	—	591	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	1,011	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	282	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	592	3
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	294	202.50/cwt	202.50–202.50	595	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	561	172.07/cwt	164.00–175.50	965	117
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	334	212.05/cwt	210.00–216.00	708	61
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	368	226.53/cwt	214.00–235.00	834	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	431	222.52/cwt	219.00–224.00	959	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	843	170.50/cwt	170.50–170.50	1,437	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	763	170.50/cwt	170.50–170.50	1,301	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	466	204.00/cwt	204.00–204.00	951	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	938	174.50/cwt	174.50–174.50	1,637	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	627	173.50/cwt	173.50–173.50	1,088	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	251	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	615	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	331	257.50/cwt	257.50–257.50	852	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	768	166.25/cwt	162.00–171.00	1,277	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	576	190.74/cwt	182.50–202.00	1,099	248
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	768	175.50/cwt	175.50–175.50	1,348	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	425	236.98/cwt	231.00–247.00	1,007	153
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	486	212.48/cwt	206.00–239.00	1,033	348
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	531	203.38/cwt	194.00–212.50	1,080	343
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	621	183.64/cwt	176.00–188.50	1,140	128
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	529	189.59/cwt	180.00–191.00	1,003	60
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	593	174.60/cwt	166.00–181.00	1,035	10
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	299	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	748	5
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	546	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	1,010	6
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	400	222.50/cwt	222.50–222.50	890	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	664	175.43/cwt	170.00–181.00	1,165	62
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	370	256.19/cwt	244.00–263.00	948	75
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	738	173.00/cwt	173.00–173.00	1,277	3
Heifers	Large 1Full	—	1,005	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	1,497	12
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	850	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	1,114	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	478	190.80/cwt	190.00–200.00	912	12
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	368	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	883	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	722	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	1,134	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	560	163.00/cwt	163.00–163.00	913	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,319	54.59/cwt	50.50–58.50	720	37
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,060	62.00/cwt	62.00–62.00	657	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,670	75.50/cwt	75.50–75.50	1,261	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,545	81.50/cwt	81.50–81.50	1,259	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,218	58.91/cwt	53.00–63.00	718	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,243	69.97/cwt	65.00–73.00	870	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,530	54.00/cwt	54.00–54.00	826	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,428	57.60/cwt	52.50–67.50	823	18
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,253	48.01/cwt	41.00–49.00	602	20
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,608	75.35/cwt	73.00–77.50	1,212	9
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,448	61.74/cwt	56.50–67.00	894	49
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,423	72.44/cwt	69.00–78.50	1,031	24
Bulls	—	—	1,676	82.77/cwt	72.00–92.00	1,387	13
Bulls	—	—	2,030	93.50/cwt	93.50–93.50	1,898	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,710	85.50/cwt	85.50–85.50	1,462	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	946	114.94/cwt	102.00–123.50	1,087	39
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,099	86.36/cwt	75.00–93.00	949	42
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,058	83.99/cwt	82.00–92.50	889	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	744	167.50/cwt	167.50–167.50	1,246	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	883	162.89/cwt	162.00–167.00	1,438	45
Heifers	Medium 1	—	723	166.50/cwt	166.50–166.50	1,204	6
Heifers	Medium 1	—	795	150.50/cwt	150.50–150.50	1,196	17
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,018	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	1,568	5
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,126	142.50/cwt	142.50–142.50	1,605	10
Heifers	Medium 1	—	643	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	1,035	6
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	575	158.50/cwt	158.50–158.50	911	13
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	616	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	930	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	521	180.83/cwt	169.50–186.00	942	356
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	484	187.38/cwt	181.00–193.00	907	148
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	817	169.32/cwt	167.00–170.00	1,383	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	434	190.12/cwt	181.00–193.00	825	118
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	452	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	814	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	492	176.75/cwt	174.00–179.50	870	31
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	581	154.78/cwt	152.00–157.00	899	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	960	156.93/cwt	156.00–159.50	1,507	33
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	925	164.31/cwt	162.00–168.00	1,520	51
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	613	164.67/cwt	155.00–170.00	1,009	55
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	381	207.97/cwt	205.00–214.00	792	52
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	765	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	1,239	3

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 →