Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2023-02-02

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Feb 2
● Final55 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
696 head
2,890 vs last sale 3,586 1,540 vs year ago 2,236 · 68.9%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
214 head
293 vs last sale 507 176 vs year ago 390 · 45.1%
Replacement Cattle receipts
88 head
257 vs last sale 345 47 vs year ago 135 · 34.8%
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 today to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noted on steers under 750 lbs and higher undertones were noticed on steers over 750 lbs. Heifer calves sold with higher undertones on all offerings. Quality today was mostly average to attractive. Demand was mostly good for light to moderate offerings. Most calves sold in small to moderate size packages. Most calves were long weaned from 60-90 days. Orderbuyers, buying for packers, continue to show very good demand for high quality heavy weight offerings. Market activity was mostly active today, dispite a lighter offering. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for mostly light offerings. Packers showed mostly very good demand for cows for immidiate harvest as they pushed to own as many offerings as possible. Slaughter cows sold mostly 7.00-10.00 higher on boning and breaking cows, however the largest advance was seen on lean cows which sold sharply higher, with mostly sales 12.00-17.00 higher. Extremely cold weather has limited the availibily of cows as cold weather has kept cows from coming to auction. Slaughter bulls sold 2.00-5.00 higher in a narrow compairson. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Compairsons are difficult as last week had several consignments of fancy one iron, homeraised, ranch tested open, young cows, while quality this week was not as attractive.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $196.82/cwt on 296 head.
Average price
$196.82
296 head · 643 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,265
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$400
per head · Medium 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$31.24/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+22.43
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1409218.2489217thin
Medium and Large 1650197.371,282229
Medium and Large 1-2691186.991,29250
One grade step is worth $31.24/cwt here — about −$400 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 sale296 hd
196.82
MT average2 barns · 383 hd
174.39
+22.43
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
BullsLow1,52798.251,50121
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,53685.921,32010
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,37383.101,14152
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,16182.67960120

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)1,010$1,1502thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,125$1,09111
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,160$1,0506

Every lot, as filed

55 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
HeifersMedium 2493122.50/cwt122.50–122.506042
HeifersMedium 1523171.00/cwt171.00–171.0089419
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2435193.00/cwt190.00–197.0084012
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2618179.00/cwt179.00–179.001,1062
HeifersMedium and Large 1661172.46/cwt166.00–177.001,14013
SteersMedium 1495205.00/cwt205.00–205.001,0152
SteersMedium and Large 1478232.82/cwt230.50–234.001,1133
HeifersMedium 1450181.00/cwt181.00–181.0081510
HeifersMedium and Large 1611186.00/cwt186.00–186.001,1369
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2372199.24/cwt196.00–203.0074136
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2590176.00/cwt176.00–176.001,0387
SteersMedium and Large 1-2560201.00/cwt201.00–201.001,1264
SteersMedium and Large 1519230.88/cwt213.00–233.001,19819
SteersMedium and Large 1-2962149.50/cwt149.50–149.501,43813
SteersMedium and Large 1-2821168.00/cwt168.00–168.001,37913
SteersMedium and Large 1-2665180.00/cwt180.00–180.001,1974
SteersMedium and Large 1782187.00/cwt187.00–187.001,46227
SteersMedium and Large 1-2391235.00/cwt235.00–235.009198
SteersMedium and Large 1625196.34/cwt196.00–196.501,22790
SteersMedium and Large 1687189.54/cwt189.25–191.001,30276
SteersMedium 1397220.00/cwt220.00–220.0087315
HeifersMedium 1681161.00/cwt161.00–161.001,0964
HeifersMedium 2500105.00/cwt105.00–105.005254
BullsMedium and Large 1-2418197.50/cwt197.50–197.508262
BullsMedium and Large 1455237.50/cwt237.50–237.501,0811
BullsMedium and Large 1519195.13/cwt192.50–197.001,0135
BullsLarge 11,045122.00/cwt122.00–122.001,2751
SteersMedium and Large 1-2417227.28/cwt217.50–233.009488
HeifersMedium and Large 1562189.77/cwt185.00–192.001,06724
HeifersMedium and Large 1524203.87/cwt203.00–207.501,06825
HeifersMedium and Large 1473210.50/cwt210.50–210.5099656
HeifersMedium and Large 2301165.00/cwt165.00–165.004975
HeifersMedium 2353155.00/cwt155.00–155.005473
SteersMedium and Large 1562213.43/cwt208.00–219.001,19914
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2905126.16/cwt110.00–141.501,14214
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-296890.00/cwt90.00–90.008712
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1251,091.02/head1,085.00–1,100.001,09111
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,0101,150.00/head1,150.00–1,150.001,1502
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1601,050.00/head1,050.00–1,050.001,0506
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,023134.07/cwt130.00–144.501,3727
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1991100.61/cwt84.00–110.0099736
BullsReturn to Feed1,42094.00/cwt94.00–94.001,3351
BullsReturn to Feed1,237105.00/cwt105.00–105.001,2996
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,71580.00/cwt80.00–80.001,3721
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,51686.58/cwt84.50–89.501,3139
Bulls1,860102.07/cwt101.00–105.001,8994
Bulls1,57993.10/cwt80.00–97.001,47010
CowsBoner 80-85%1,35384.44/cwt83.00–86.001,14234
CowsBoner 80-85%1,41580.42/cwt77.00–82.001,13817
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,18987.50/cwt82.00–89.251,04046
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight95466.42/cwt64.00–74.006349
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,35583.00/cwt83.00–83.001,1251
CowsLean 85-90%1,17084.84/cwt80.00–87.0099344
CowsLean 85-90%1,18676.81/cwt74.00–79.0091118
CowsLean 85-90%1,08760.60/cwt58.00–62.006593

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.