Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2023-01-19

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Jan 19
● Final68 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
498 head
248 vs last sale 746 2,399 vs year ago 2,897 · 82.8%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
307 head
198 vs last sale 505 106 vs year ago 201 · +52.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
101 head
111 vs last sale 212 29 vs year ago 130 · 22.3%
Also sold here(Mon)Thu Apr 16, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: All feeder cattle were too lighly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noted on all steer calves. Heifer calves sold with steady to weak undertones on calves under 550 lbs, heifers over 550 lbs sold sold with higher undertones. Quality today was plain to average, with a limited offering of attravtive cattle on offer. Demand was mostly moderate for light to moderate offerings. Package sizes were mostly small this week, with lots of singles in the offering. Most calves were long weaned from 50-90 days. A small buyer pool was on hand this sale. Market activity was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for light offerings. Slaughter cows sold on moderate to good demand as competition between eastern and western packers was strong this week. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-2.00 higher on all offerings. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand for bulls was mostly good for very light offerings. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady in a very narrow compairson.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $197.55/cwt on 219 head.
Average price
$197.55
219 head · 615 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,216
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$224
per head · Medium 1 over Large 1
$55.84/cwt at this weight
vs the market
19.90
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1468221.141,03414thin
Medium and Large 1629198.701,249150
Medium and Large 1-2563197.101,11040
Large 1761165.301,25715thin
One grade step is worth $55.84/cwt here — about −$224 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 sale219 hd
197.55
MT average4 barns · 3,573 hd
217.46
−19.90
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 · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
BullsAverage1,91094.131,7984thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,65671.741,18810
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,41667.1795157
CowsLean 85-90%High1,16060.4070185

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 $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,276$1,4004thin
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,158$1,2003thin
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,515$1,1352thin
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,319$82614

Every lot, as filed

68 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.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
SteersMedium and Large 1-2669170.73/cwt169.00–173.501,1428
SteersMedium and Large 1-2515212.77/cwt202.00–214.001,09615
SteersMedium and Large 1705180.00/cwt180.00–180.001,26916
SteersLarge 1Unweaned756162.50/cwt162.50–162.501,2298
SteersMedium and Large 1824169.00/cwt169.00–169.001,3939
SteersLarge 1766168.50/cwt168.50–168.501,2917
HeifersMedium and Large 1614178.25/cwt178.00–179.001,09425
HeifersMedium 1452193.20/cwt187.00–195.5087337
BullsMedium and Large 1-2960115.00/cwt115.00–115.001,1042
BullsMedium and Large 1482192.50/cwt192.50–192.509283
BullsMedium and Large 1-2572150.00/cwt150.00–150.008586
BullsMedium and Large 11,105106.00/cwt106.00–106.001,1711
SteersMedium and Large 1-2453229.32/cwt220.00–232.501,0394
SteersMedium and Large 1581198.73/cwt197.00–201.001,15527
SteersMedium and Large 1-2383252.50/cwt252.50–252.509672
SteersMedium 1453223.00/cwt223.00–223.001,0103
HeifersMedium and Large 1766159.95/cwt157.50–161.001,22517
SteersMedium and Large 1610194.17/cwt191.00–195.501,18413
SteersMedium and Large 1660191.00/cwt191.00–191.001,26120
SteersMedium 1424240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,0188
SteersMedium 1598169.00/cwt169.00–169.001,0113
SteersMedium and Large 1-2625173.12/cwt168.00–187.001,08211
HeifersMedium and Large 1568184.02/cwt183.00–184.501,04522
HeifersMedium and Large 1546187.34/cwt187.00–191.001,02328
HeifersMedium and Large 1490196.00/cwt196.00–196.009604
SteersMedium and Large 1767170.80/cwt170.50–171.501,31010
SteersMedium and Large 1858168.50/cwt168.50–168.501,4469
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned438194.00/cwt194.00–194.008502
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2578174.75/cwt174.00–175.501,01010
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2465190.78/cwt190.00–191.008879
HeifersMedium 1448194.00/cwt194.00–194.0086923
SteersMedium and Large 1537221.48/cwt214.00–226.001,18927
SteersMedium and Large 1467236.27/cwt233.00–254.001,10319
HeifersMedium and Large 1713163.00/cwt163.00–163.001,1629
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,63573.00/cwt73.00–73.001,1942
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,09573.20/cwt71.50–77.008025
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,48462.96/cwt59.50–67.5093412
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,18365.05/cwt63.00–68.0077013
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,21354.50/cwt54.50–54.506612
Bulls1,99597.00/cwt97.00–97.001,9352
CowsBoner 80-85%1,39961.32/cwt57.00–63.0085813
CowsBoner 80-85%1,43773.14/cwt68.50–73.751,0519
CowsLean 85-90%1,18857.83/cwt54.00–62.5068749
CowsBreaker 75-80%Heavy Weight2,01070.50/cwt70.50–70.501,4171
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,68169.73/cwt66.50–73.501,1724
CowsLean 85-90%1,14664.39/cwt62.00–68.0073812
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight83951.79/cwt45.50–58.004354
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,52074.00/cwt74.00–74.001,1253
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,38270.33/cwt67.50–75.0097223
BullsReturn to Feed1,67099.50/cwt99.50–99.501,6621
BullsReturn to Feed1,98083.00/cwt83.00–83.001,6431
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2761,400.00/head1,400.00–1,400.001,4004
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,235800.00/head800.00–800.008002
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,267810.00/head810.00–810.008103
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,4831,010.00/head1,010.00–1,010.001,0104
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,15585.91/cwt73.00–90.009926
Stock CowsMedium and Large 198288.74/cwt69.00–123.0087129
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed1,253700.00/head700.00–700.007005
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2740127.00/cwt127.00–127.009401
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1916143.07/cwt127.00–153.001,31111
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS1,5151,135.00/head1,135.00–1,135.001,1352
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS1,1581,200.00/head1,200.00–1,200.001,2003
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2524175.00/cwt175.00–175.009174
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned543191.50/cwt191.50–191.501,0404
HeifersLarge 1Unweaned583173.00/cwt173.00–173.001,0092
HeifersLarge 1540178.33/cwt177.00–179.009633
HeifersMedium and Large 1689168.66/cwt168.50–170.001,1629
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2444195.50/cwt195.50–195.508684

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.