Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2022-12-15
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2022-12-15

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. Yearling cattle were mostly plain to average in quality. Steer calves all sold unevenly steady. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold 2.00-5.00 higher, heifers over 500 lbs sold steady to 5.00 lower. Quality this week was mixed and varied greatly, much like last week. Demand for calves mostly moderate. A huge snow storm which hit much of the upper plains and corn belt limited demand this week as some buyers were out of the market due to transportation issues. Most long weaned calves were met with good demand this week. Weaned calf quality was mixed and varied greatly. High quality cattle sold mostly higher, while plain to average quality cattle were met with light demand. A large buyer pool was on hand this sale and market activity was mostly active as a result. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Packers showed stronger demand this week for cows for immediate harvest. The large winter storm that hit the upper plains and corn belt had packers searching for cows for immediate harvest as producers will spend several days if not weeks trying to dig out from the upwards of 2 feet of snow that fell in some locations. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher as a result. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold with lower undertones in a narrow comparison.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $203.92/cwt on 1,345 head.

Average price

$203.92

1,345 head · 577 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,176

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$150

per head · Medium 1 over Large 1

$68.71/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+3.34

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	460	230.30	1,059	103
Medium and Large 1	582	205.75	1,197	1,038
Medium and Large 1-2	573	193.63	1,110	125
Medium and Large 2	530	162.35	861	28
Large 1	748	161.59	1,209	51

One grade step is worth $68.71/cwt here — about −$150 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 sale1,345 hd

203.92

—

MT average4 barns · 2,644 hd

200.58

+3.34

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	1,814	87.25	1,583	78
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,531	64.01	980	19
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,403	62.57	878	200
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,186	56.05	665	82

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/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,478	$975	7

Every lot, as filed

119 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 1-2Unweaned	—	496	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	769	5
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	466	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	816	4
Steers	Medium 1	—	431	256.00/cwt	256.00–256.00	1,103	12
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	642	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	976	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	657	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	1,045	23
Steers	Large 1	—	634	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	1,027	32
Steers	Large 1	—	990	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	1,535	11
Steers	Medium 1	—	337	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	876	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	369	270.46/cwt	260.00–274.00	998	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	486	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	1,021	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	388	215.03/cwt	210.00–215.50	834	33
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	391	202.00/cwt	202.00–202.00	790	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	867	173.38/cwt	170.00–174.75	1,503	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	577	179.17/cwt	177.50–180.00	1,034	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	953	173.69/cwt	169.50–174.50	1,655	69
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	582	201.60/cwt	194.00–207.00	1,173	58
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	693	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	1,074	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	999	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	1,598	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	609	198.00/cwt	198.00–198.00	1,206	13
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	474	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	825	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	583	166.00/cwt	166.00–166.00	968	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	689	169.74/cwt	168.00–170.00	1,170	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	531	177.50/cwt	177.50–177.50	943	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	392	229.00/cwt	229.00–229.00	898	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	414	246.81/cwt	241.00–253.00	1,022	47
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	664	183.44/cwt	177.50–186.50	1,218	79
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	403	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	967	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	623	189.18/cwt	178.00–199.00	1,179	37
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	329	272.83/cwt	262.50–290.00	898	30
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	465	227.85/cwt	220.00–235.00	1,060	83
Steers	Medium 1	—	395	256.50/cwt	256.50–256.50	1,013	31
Steers	Large 1	—	871	169.00/cwt	169.00–169.00	1,472	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	529	214.19/cwt	209.00–222.00	1,133	54
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	837	178.00/cwt	178.00–178.00	1,490	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	277	289.00/cwt	289.00–289.00	801	3
Steers	Medium 1	—	519	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	1,064	41
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	727	170.44/cwt	170.00–171.00	1,239	32
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	600	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	1,020	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	704	176.00/cwt	176.00–176.00	1,239	38
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	456	143.32/cwt	140.00–150.00	654	9
Steers	Medium 1	—	661	167.50/cwt	167.50–167.50	1,107	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	540	182.98/cwt	180.00–191.00	988	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	554	199.62/cwt	183.00–202.00	1,106	115
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	670	175.06/cwt	165.00–178.50	1,173	45
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	781	168.00/cwt	168.00–168.00	1,312	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	493	198.21/cwt	195.00–199.00	977	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	428	227.50/cwt	227.50–227.50	974	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	531	205.59/cwt	193.00–209.00	1,092	34
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	392	248.74/cwt	242.50–252.00	975	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	328	257.50/cwt	257.50–257.50	845	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	481	223.02/cwt	208.00–227.00	1,073	126
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	626	187.77/cwt	177.50–193.00	1,175	88
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	424	241.98/cwt	235.00–250.00	1,026	26
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	617	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	926	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	628	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	961	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	575	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	932	2
Bulls	Medium 2	—	535	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	696	15
Bulls	Medium 2	—	391	212.50/cwt	212.50–212.50	831	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	—	514	147.50/cwt	147.50–147.50	758	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	783	35.49/cwt	34.00–40.00	278	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,247	44.23/cwt	44.00–45.00	552	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	947	51.89/cwt	51.00–54.00	491	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,100	62.94/cwt	59.00–65.00	692	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,170	71.47/cwt	71.00–72.00	836	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,393	68.97/cwt	65.00–75.00	961	80
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,244	54.94/cwt	47.00–59.00	683	16
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,505	62.57/cwt	60.00–67.00	942	16
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,265	55.96/cwt	52.00–59.00	708	25
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,262	60.09/cwt	58.00–61.00	758	12
Bulls	—	—	1,827	91.00/cwt	88.00–95.50	1,663	14
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,406	56.34/cwt	51.00–59.50	792	44
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,669	71.66/cwt	71.00–73.00	1,196	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,411	59.45/cwt	54.00–63.50	839	76
Bulls	—	—	1,859	76.36/cwt	75.00–77.00	1,420	3
Bulls	—	—	2,120	99.44/cwt	99.00–100.00	2,108	2
Bulls	—Natural	—	1,941	92.74/cwt	90.00–94.00	1,800	26
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,654	88.61/cwt	87.50–90.00	1,466	9
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,698	78.96/cwt	75.00–83.00	1,341	24
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	982	99.49/cwt	80.00–115.00	977	76
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	780	72.50/cwt	72.50–72.50	566	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,125	70.33/cwt	7.00–87.50	791	51
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,058	81.00/cwt	81.00–81.00	857	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,478	975.00/head	975.00–975.00	975	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	739	173.00/cwt	173.00–173.00	1,278	73
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	493	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	735	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	375	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	713	2
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	351	145.22/cwt	142.50–167.50	510	46
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,069	141.29/cwt	137.00–144.00	1,510	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	592	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	924	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	493	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	863	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	323	195.00/cwt	195.00–195.00	630	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	528	193.95/cwt	175.00–196.50	1,024	145
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	455	205.90/cwt	192.50–208.00	937	97
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	563	173.21/cwt	168.00–180.50	975	49
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	380	186.04/cwt	185.00–188.00	707	18
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,191	131.39/cwt	131.00–133.00	1,565	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	429	207.02/cwt	204.00–215.00	888	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	630	162.59/cwt	162.00–164.00	1,024	33
Heifers	Medium 1	—	373	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	699	4
Heifers	Medium 1	—	697	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	1,032	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	543	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	880	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	374	199.00/cwt	199.00–199.00	744	13
Heifers	Medium 1	—	454	165.39/cwt	162.50–184.00	751	92
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	448	214.00/cwt	214.00–214.00	959	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	560	178.33/cwt	167.50–185.00	999	69
Heifers	Medium 1	—	428	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	792	16
Heifers	Medium 1	—	349	187.38/cwt	185.00–190.00	654	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	981	151.71/cwt	151.50–152.00	1,488	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	539	185.95/cwt	172.00–194.50	1,002	84
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	679	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	1,086	5
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	667	150.50/cwt	150.50–150.50	1,004	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	460	196.57/cwt	191.00–210.00	904	43
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	894	165.25/cwt	164.00–166.50	1,477	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	520	160.65/cwt	154.00–165.00	835	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	338	195.00/cwt	195.00–195.00	659	5
Heifers	Large 1-2	—	1,044	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	1,482	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	621	168.41/cwt	162.50–170.00	1,046	87
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	455	162.20/cwt	159.00–180.00	738	28
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	422	176.54/cwt	165.00–182.50	745	15

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 →