Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2023-02-09
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-02-09

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Steer calves sold mostly 6.00-12.00 higher on all weights over 500 lbs. Steers under 500 lbs were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Heifer calves 450 lbs and heavier sold mostly 10.00-15.00 higher. Heifers under 450 lbs were not well compared. Demand was mostly good to very good for all offerings. Order buyers, buying for packers, showed very good demand for attractive, high quality, feed lot ready cattle. Demand for grass cattle was very good with both steers and heifers seeing increased demand from buyers. Several ranchers looking for heifers to spay were very aggressive as they bid on attractive offerings. Heifer demand was very good this sale as a result. Quality today was mixed from plain to very attractive. Package sizes varied greatly this week but there were enough buyers that demand was good for all size packages. Most calves were long weaned from 60-90 days. Market activity was mostly active today as a large crowd of order buyers was on hand for todays sale. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for mostly light to moderate offerings. Packers showed mostly good demand for cows for immediate harvest. Feeding buyers pushed to own as many offerings as possible and were very competitive when bidding on cows. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-4.00 lower on all offerings after last weeks sharply higher market. Feeding cows were too lightly tested last sale to develop any market trend. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $197.86/cwt on 1,220 head.

Average price

$197.86

1,220 head · 594 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,175

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$576

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Small and Medium 1

$61.18/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−1.16

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	618	201.18	1,243	942
Medium 1	444	200.91	891	66
Medium and Large 1-2	544	192.99	1,051	151
Large 1	629	179.33	1,128	12thin
Medium 1-2	459	170.00	780	8thin
Medium and Large 2	556	169.00	940	8thin
Small and Medium 1	476	140.00	666	33

One grade step is worth $61.18/cwt here — about $576 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 sale1,220 hd

197.86

—

MT average3 barns · 1,884 hd

199.03

−1.16

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	1,681	96.73	1,626	40
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,386	79.72	1,105	71
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,633	78.27	1,278	16
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,179	75.96	896	64

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 Heifers	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	(<2 yrs)	1,243	$1,350	2thin
Bred Heifers	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	(<2 yrs)	1,249	$1,300	5

Every lot, as filed

93 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	—	463	204.61/cwt	189.00–208.00	947	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	378	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	832	2
Heifers	Medium 1	—	425	204.74/cwt	193.00–213.00	870	20
Heifers	Medium 1	—	690	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	1,180	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	738	172.34/cwt	171.00–183.00	1,272	52
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	556	169.00/cwt	169.00–169.00	940	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	769	179.14/cwt	171.00–183.00	1,378	32
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	486	197.64/cwt	185.00–212.50	961	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	575	206.59/cwt	200.00–211.00	1,188	119
Heifers	Medium 1	—	398	201.00/cwt	201.00–201.00	800	23
Heifers	Large 1	—	813	166.00/cwt	166.00–166.00	1,350	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	840	174.16/cwt	172.00–176.50	1,463	56
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	459	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	780	8
Heifers	Medium 1	—	500	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	950	2
Steers	Small and Medium 1	—	441	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	666	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	642	194.71/cwt	190.00–201.00	1,250	30
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	619	210.18/cwt	203.00–212.00	1,301	27
Heifers	Small and Medium 1	—	476	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	666	33
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	669	187.15/cwt	181.00–197.00	1,252	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	863	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	1,502	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	521	221.50/cwt	210.00–222.50	1,154	31
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	720	190.61/cwt	186.00–196.00	1,372	118
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	867	160.50/cwt	160.50–160.50	1,392	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	620	202.39/cwt	195.00–206.00	1,255	218
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	720	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	1,296	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	663	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	1,160	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	684	189.36/cwt	188.00–190.00	1,295	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	968	168.61/cwt	164.75–172.00	1,632	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	692	188.00/cwt	188.00–188.00	1,301	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	790	179.28/cwt	178.00–180.00	1,416	28
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	773	182.45/cwt	180.50–185.00	1,410	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	486	252.38/cwt	250.50–260.00	1,227	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	673	202.10/cwt	193.00–210.00	1,360	178
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	385	246.08/cwt	240.00–255.00	947	10
Steers	Medium 1	—	466	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,072	11
Steers	Small and Medium 1	—	532	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	750	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	711	186.33/cwt	185.00–191.00	1,325	95
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	664	208.00/cwt	208.00–208.00	1,381	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	730	168.50/cwt	168.50–168.50	1,230	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	488	222.10/cwt	214.00–227.00	1,084	113
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	521	215.65/cwt	208.00–219.00	1,124	176
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	443	216.19/cwt	215.00–221.00	958	5
Heifers	Large 1	—	592	182.00/cwt	182.00–182.00	1,077	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	625	186.17/cwt	179.50–190.00	1,164	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	670	175.36/cwt	174.50–176.00	1,175	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	435	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	914	28
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	582	187.24/cwt	180.00–196.00	1,090	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	524	191.79/cwt	186.00–197.00	1,005	28
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,243	1,350.00/head	1,350.00–1,350.00	1,350	2
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	778	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	1,105	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,190	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	1,369	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,067	130.14/cwt	120.00–145.00	1,389	20
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	964	104.84/cwt	83.50–118.00	1,011	55
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	875	90.00/cwt	90.00–90.00	788	1
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,249	1,300.00/head	1,300.00–1,300.00	1,300	5
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,343	89.46/cwt	78.00–93.00	1,201	5
Bulls	—	—	1,672	99.32/cwt	97.00–105.00	1,661	20
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,360	78.00/cwt	77.00–81.50	1,061	20
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,209	79.64/cwt	78.50–83.00	963	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,312	86.00/cwt	86.00–86.00	1,128	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,740	83.50/cwt	83.50–83.50	1,453	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,193	73.71/cwt	64.00–77.00	879	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	848	62.50/cwt	62.50–62.50	530	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,399	84.80/cwt	81.00–87.00	1,186	13
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,245	85.50/cwt	85.50–85.50	1,064	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,215	74.06/cwt	69.00–77.50	900	20
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,153	79.97/cwt	78.00–81.50	922	14
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,626	77.92/cwt	74.50–83.00	1,267	15
Bulls	—	—	1,988	108.50/cwt	108.50–108.50	2,157	3
Bulls	—	—	1,738	92.19/cwt	85.00–96.00	1,602	11
Bulls	—	—	2,000	96.00/cwt	96.00–96.00	1,920	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,432	76.15/cwt	73.00–80.00	1,090	24
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,338	82.89/cwt	81.50–83.50	1,109	11
Steers	Medium 1	—	818	178.75/cwt	178.75–178.75	1,462	43
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	583	220.28/cwt	210.00–226.50	1,284	161
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	870	182.60/cwt	179.00–185.00	1,589	157
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	480	234.71/cwt	221.00–256.00	1,127	18
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	545	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	1,022	6
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	729	169.00/cwt	169.00–169.00	1,232	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	446	263.30/cwt	261.00–265.00	1,174	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	527	242.24/cwt	231.00–255.00	1,277	69
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	839	184.56/cwt	180.00–189.50	1,548	128
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	942	167.50/cwt	167.50–167.50	1,578	12
Steers	Medium 1	—	636	202.00/cwt	202.00–202.00	1,285	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	789	173.00/cwt	173.00–173.00	1,365	13
Steers	Large 1	—	1,121	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	1,625	21
Steers	Large 1	—	646	187.00/cwt	187.00–187.00	1,208	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	562	216.53/cwt	214.00–217.00	1,217	19
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	805	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	1,256	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	867	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	1,266	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	785	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	1,232	1
Bulls	Medium 1	—	592	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	947	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	394	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	926	5

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 →