Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2022-10-27
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2022-10-27

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifer were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed on steers and lower undertones were noticed on heifers on a lower quality offering. Steer calves under 500 lbs sold sharply higher, mostly 20.00-30.00 higher with instances of up to 40.00 higher. Steer calves over 500 lbs sold mostly 8.00-12.00 higher. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold 10.00-15.00 higher, heifer calves over 450 lbs sold 5.00-10.00 higher. Demand was mostly good to very good on all offerings. The best demand was for lightweight calves suitable to develop into yearlings, with several packages of steer calves topping 300.00. Rain has fallen in the southern plains over the last two weeks and buyers were very aggressive as they pushed to fill loads of very attractive, green, light weight calves. With higher prices seen for fat cattle over the last couple weeks additional support was seen for heavier weight cattle as well. Cooperate buyers were particularly aggressive on attractive cattle of both sexes over 600 lbs. Quality this week was mostly average to very attractive. Market activity was mostly very active this week with the most buyer participation seen this fall. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for moderate offerings. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 lower on boning and lean cows, breaking cows were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Feeding cows sold steady to 3.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, steady to higher undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold unevenly steady. With higher prices seen on rebreed type cattle and weaker prices seen on feeding type.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $215.23/cwt on 1,497 head.

Average price

$215.23

1,497 head · 558 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,200

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$2

per head · Medium 1 over Medium 1-2

$56.50/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+6.54

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	452	217.50	983	14thin
Medium and Large 1	560	216.52	1,213	1,367
Medium and Large 1-2	531	202.88	1,077	106
Large 1	607	181.00	1,099	3thin
Medium 1-2	612	161.00	985	7thin

One grade step is worth $56.50/cwt here — about −$2 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 sale1,497 hd

215.23

—

MT average5 barns · 3,293 hd

208.69

+6.54

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	1,611	90.97	1,465	29
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Very Low	1,623	73.58	1,194	11
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,424	71.61	1,020	98
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,177	52.26	615	133

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	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,539	$1,285	7
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,256	$1,271	7
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,112	$1,150	3thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,347	$1,029	19

Every lot, as filed

92 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	—	974	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	1,471	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	936	157.23/cwt	155.00–158.50	1,472	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	326	225.16/cwt	215.00–231.00	734	44
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	674	170.00/cwt	161.00–175.50	1,146	31
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	625	195.00/cwt	195.00–195.00	1,219	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	909	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	1,682	28
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	419	216.25/cwt	205.00–225.00	906	150
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	432	169.00/cwt	169.00–169.00	730	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	580	178.89/cwt	172.00–184.00	1,038	130
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	483	182.88/cwt	173.00–186.00	883	49
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	712	179.00/cwt	179.00–179.00	1,274	9
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	502	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	1,029	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	370	208.26/cwt	204.00–211.50	771	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	416	194.70/cwt	192.00–200.00	810	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	755	180.50/cwt	180.50–180.50	1,363	7
Steers	Medium 1-2	—	612	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	985	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	492	209.46/cwt	202.00–217.00	1,031	38
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	362	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	869	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	351	319.00/cwt	319.00–319.00	1,120	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	342	210.83/cwt	207.50–212.50	721	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	522	198.86/cwt	185.00–208.00	1,038	28
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	574	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	1,205	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	416	256.45/cwt	243.00–262.50	1,067	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	621	170.95/cwt	161.00–178.00	1,062	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	624	191.88/cwt	186.00–196.00	1,197	241
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	396	267.00/cwt	267.00–267.00	1,057	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	341	305.36/cwt	292.50–315.00	1,041	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	773	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	1,345	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	423	278.79/cwt	265.00–289.00	1,179	133
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	481	236.19/cwt	221.00–261.00	1,136	210
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	370	290.12/cwt	279.00–300.00	1,073	46
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	568	204.36/cwt	189.00–214.50	1,161	251
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	722	175.09/cwt	170.00–179.00	1,264	49
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	670	183.87/cwt	175.00–189.00	1,232	114
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	829	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	1,277	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	764	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	1,177	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	320	253.00/cwt	253.00–253.00	810	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	585	184.00/cwt	184.00–184.00	1,076	5
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	607	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	1,099	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	522	215.57/cwt	210.00–224.00	1,125	200
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	538	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	1,076	46
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	430	251.16/cwt	229.00–254.00	1,080	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	525	192.50/cwt	192.50–192.50	1,011	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	484	222.36/cwt	212.50–225.00	1,076	19
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	660	156.50/cwt	156.50–156.50	1,033	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	613	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	993	8
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,424	75.76/cwt	69.00–77.50	1,079	65
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,438	64.62/cwt	58.00–67.00	929	21
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,133	44.78/cwt	41.00–48.00	507	48
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,266	63.60/cwt	63.50–65.00	805	13
Bulls	—	—	1,759	82.23/cwt	72.00–90.00	1,446	10
Bulls	—	—	1,944	94.25/cwt	91.50–95.50	1,832	7
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,790	62.00/cwt	62.00–62.00	1,110	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,641	69.98/cwt	67.00–74.00	1,148	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,563	84.50/cwt	84.50–84.50	1,321	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,409	55.19/cwt	54.00–58.00	778	9
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,220	62.50/cwt	62.50–62.50	763	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,585	72.00/cwt	72.00–72.00	1,141	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	893	45.58/cwt	44.50–50.00	407	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,225	54.91/cwt	51.00–58.50	673	48
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,382	80.00/cwt	80.00–80.00	1,106	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,182	58.24/cwt	50.00–60.00	688	18
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,495	81.00/cwt	81.00–81.00	1,211	3
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,225	101.44/cwt	101.00–102.00	1,243	9
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,290	69.00/cwt	69.00–69.00	890	12
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,112	1,150.00/head	1,150.00–1,150.00	1,150	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,347	1,028.92/head	1,000.00–1,050.00	1,029	19
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,256	1,271.03/head	1,200.00–1,285.00	1,271	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,082	81.80/cwt	71.00–95.00	885	33
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	627	174.26/cwt	166.00–177.00	1,093	94
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	386	222.91/cwt	217.00–230.00	860	96
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	653	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	1,019	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	555	166.00/cwt	166.00–166.00	921	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	786	164.43/cwt	164.00–164.50	1,292	21
Heifers	Medium 1	—	665	161.37/cwt	160.00–162.50	1,073	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	522	189.17/cwt	180.00–195.50	987	168
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	472	195.63/cwt	186.00–210.50	923	236
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	514	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	848	6
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	675	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	1,033	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	869	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	1,382	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	726	166.00/cwt	166.00–166.00	1,205	8
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	570	166.55/cwt	165.00–169.00	949	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	529	170.30/cwt	160.00–175.00	901	27
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	553	187.00/cwt	187.00–187.00	1,034	9
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,073	148.50/cwt	148.50–148.50	1,593	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,463	69.40/cwt	67.00–71.00	1,015	19
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,539	1,285.00/head	1,285.00–1,285.00	1,285	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,139	65.33/cwt	65.00–71.00	744	18
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,186	68.97/cwt	68.00–70.00	818	29
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,379	64.00/cwt	64.00–64.00	883	5
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,417	61.77/cwt	59.00–65.00	875	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	944	113.01/cwt	96.00–126.50	1,067	26

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 →