Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2022-12-08
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2022-12-08

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifer were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand for yearlings was mostly moderate to good. Yearling cattle were mostly average to attractive in quality. Steer calves under 400 lbs were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. 400-449 lbs steers sold mostly steady to 10.00 higher, steer calves over 450 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher. Heifer calves under 550 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher, heifers over 550 lbs sold steady to 5.00 lower on a lower quality offering. Demand for light weight calves did diminish as the sale progressed and buyers filled loads. Quality this week was mixed and varied greatly, much like last week. Demand for calves was mostly moderate to good. Many sets of weaned calves were seen this week. Weaned calves showed the greatest variation in quality as some were weaned very well, while others were still full bellied and rough haired. Market activity was mostly moderate to active this week with good participation seen from both order buyers and farmer feeders. Weigh up cows and bulls were too lightly tested last sale to develop a full market trend, however lower undertones were noticed on both feeding and slaughter cows. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested last week to develop a full market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Demand for young cows suitable to rebreed was stronger again this sale.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $204.14/cwt on 2,103 head.

Average price

$204.14

2,103 head · 577 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,179

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$691

per head · Medium 1 over Large 1

$88.89/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−2.34

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	434	212.89	924	19thin
Medium and Large 1	577	205.65	1,186	1,831
Medium and Large 1-2	525	202.84	1,066	216
Medium and Large 2	876	150.00	1,314	8thin
Small and Medium 2-3	466	135.00	629	10thin
Large 1	1,302	124.00	1,614	19thin

One grade step is worth $88.89/cwt here — about −$691 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 sale2,103 hd

204.14

—

MT average4 barns · 4,219 hd

206.48

−2.34

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	—	Average	1,794	84.74	1,520	8thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,416	59.36	841	76
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,725	58.50	1,009	8thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,200	52.90	635	141

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)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,278	$1,250	4thin
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,183	$1,196	4thin
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,032	$985	2thin

Every lot, as filed

133 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
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	427	226.26/cwt	220.00–240.00	966	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	856	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	1,455	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	763	171.31/cwt	170.00–177.00	1,307	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	510	195.89/cwt	187.50–213.00	999	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	773	168.00/cwt	168.00–168.00	1,299	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	706	173.33/cwt	171.00–174.50	1,224	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	719	178.80/cwt	178.50–180.00	1,286	73
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	376	237.34/cwt	232.50–247.50	892	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	526	217.57/cwt	202.00–234.00	1,144	188
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	563	185.81/cwt	177.00–189.50	1,046	50
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	410	229.43/cwt	222.50–240.00	941	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	988	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	1,531	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	668	183.10/cwt	177.50–189.00	1,223	81
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	839	168.50/cwt	168.50–168.50	1,414	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	575	199.66/cwt	191.00–205.50	1,148	217
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	625	165.71/cwt	164.00–172.00	1,036	131
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	737	171.75/cwt	171.00–172.00	1,266	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Full	—	360	227.50/cwt	227.50–227.50	819	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	933	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	1,558	7
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	876	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,314	8
Steers	Small and Medium 2-3	—	466	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	629	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	576	187.57/cwt	186.50–189.50	1,080	39
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	473	162.50/cwt	162.50–162.50	769	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	479	199.03/cwt	186.50–205.00	953	96
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	481	214.36/cwt	207.00–218.50	1,031	11
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	304	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	623	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	381	210.65/cwt	206.00–211.00	803	29
Heifers	Large 1	—	597	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	896	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	515	178.32/cwt	172.00–184.00	918	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	396	197.78/cwt	195.00–199.00	783	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Full	—	489	193.00/cwt	193.00–193.00	944	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	636	158.00/cwt	158.00–158.00	1,005	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	517	197.94/cwt	189.50–205.00	1,023	61
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	433	246.22/cwt	239.00–258.00	1,066	31
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	476	229.54/cwt	224.00–242.00	1,093	157
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	618	194.13/cwt	187.50–204.00	1,200	215
Steers	Medium 1	—	408	222.50/cwt	222.50–222.50	908	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	385	253.18/cwt	250.00–272.50	975	35
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	538	195.52/cwt	193.00–197.00	1,052	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	812	171.10/cwt	165.00–177.00	1,389	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	613	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	1,110	2
Steers	Medium 1	—	598	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	987	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	395	233.27/cwt	230.00–234.00	921	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	663	172.42/cwt	168.00–176.00	1,143	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	574	201.37/cwt	187.00–206.75	1,156	202
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	631	177.74/cwt	176.00–179.00	1,122	7
Steers	Medium 1	—	391	222.50/cwt	222.50–222.50	870	4
Steers	Large 1	—	1,302	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	1,614	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	461	230.41/cwt	225.00–245.00	1,062	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	633	190.68/cwt	183.50–197.00	1,207	165
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	386	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	1,062	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	341	257.50/cwt	257.50–257.50	878	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	341	265.15/cwt	260.00–268.00	904	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	485	216.05/cwt	214.00–217.50	1,048	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	413	257.97/cwt	245.00–264.00	1,065	102
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	718	184.31/cwt	183.00–186.00	1,323	33
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	405	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	891	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	760	177.19/cwt	175.00–178.00	1,347	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	523	212.66/cwt	203.00–226.00	1,112	120
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	665	181.29/cwt	177.00–182.50	1,206	98
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	936	161.50/cwt	161.50–161.50	1,512	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	614	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	952	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	541	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	925	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	567	173.41/cwt	171.00–175.00	983	26
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	673	169.00/cwt	169.00–169.00	1,137	12
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	412	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	968	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,175	69.00/cwt	69.00–69.00	811	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,323	56.49/cwt	56.00–57.00	747	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,211	50.84/cwt	46.00–54.00	616	20
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,179	58.61/cwt	56.00–65.50	691	26
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,365	78.00/cwt	78.00–78.00	1,065	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,398	58.31/cwt	54.00–64.50	815	36
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,360	39.00/cwt	39.00–39.00	530	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,465	57.68/cwt	51.00–60.50	845	29
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,397	63.60/cwt	63.00–64.00	888	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,770	57.00/cwt	57.00–57.00	1,009	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,320	71.95/cwt	67.00–74.00	950	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,204	53.91/cwt	51.00–73.00	649	80
Bulls	—	—	1,965	94.00/cwt	94.00–94.00	1,847	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,178	35.25/cwt	32.00–40.00	415	12
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,590	63.00/cwt	63.00–63.00	1,002	2
Bulls	—	—	1,769	83.42/cwt	72.00–88.00	1,476	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	923	111.08/cwt	81.00–130.50	1,025	67
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,072	59.86/cwt	57.00–60.50	642	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,293	56.76/cwt	53.00–57.00	734	15
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	860	92.50/cwt	92.50–92.50	796	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,278	1,250.00/head	1,250.00–1,250.00	1,250	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,070	72.70/cwt	59.00–81.00	778	29
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,183	1,196.04/head	1,185.00–1,200.00	1,196	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	979	72.16/cwt	72.00–72.50	706	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,032	985.00/head	985.00–985.00	985	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	343	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	600	6
Heifers	Large 1	—	523	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	863	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	534	165.92/cwt	164.00–172.50	886	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	378	208.00/cwt	208.00–208.00	786	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	575	166.91/cwt	160.50–169.00	960	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	575	160.63/cwt	158.00–169.00	924	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	390	204.00/cwt	204.00–204.00	796	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	409	185.10/cwt	180.00–190.00	757	14
Heifers	Medium 1	—	508	175.38/cwt	175.00–175.50	891	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	656	159.50/cwt	159.50–159.50	1,046	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	316	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	679	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	915	170.50/cwt	170.50–170.50	1,560	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	432	204.85/cwt	201.00–210.00	885	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	448	163.15/cwt	160.00–177.50	731	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	884	172.64/cwt	168.50–177.50	1,526	41
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	612	176.50/cwt	176.50–176.50	1,080	24
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	532	199.42/cwt	190.00–201.00	1,061	50
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	573	159.29/cwt	150.00–172.00	913	9
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	508	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	833	3
Heifers	Medium 1	—	586	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	902	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	536	192.56/cwt	188.00–197.50	1,032	100
Heifers	Medium 1	—	495	188.50/cwt	188.50–188.50	933	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	473	203.86/cwt	194.00–208.50	964	103
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	487	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	881	7
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,155	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	1,790	1
Heifers	Medium 1	—	337	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	623	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	432	208.24/cwt	202.00–213.00	900	159
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	579	185.99/cwt	173.00–195.00	1,077	75
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	837	181.01/cwt	176.00–182.50	1,515	47
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	570	190.25/cwt	187.00–196.50	1,084	64
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	742	160.39/cwt	153.50–161.00	1,190	37
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	613	169.92/cwt	161.00–174.00	1,042	44
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	393	177.23/cwt	175.00–180.00	697	9
Heifers	Large 1-2	—	670	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	945	6
Heifers	Large 1-2	—	501	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	721	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	650	170.50/cwt	170.50–170.50	1,108	25
Heifers	Large 1-2	—	1,022	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	1,502	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	483	189.31/cwt	178.00–191.50	914	6
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,059	151.21/cwt	150.50–156.50	1,601	17
Heifers	Medium 1	—	378	196.00/cwt	196.00–196.00	741	2
Heifers	Large 1	—	483	188.00/cwt	188.00–188.00	908	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	960	156.98/cwt	155.00–158.00	1,507	27

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 →