Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2023-07-06

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Jul 6
● Final64 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
165 head
17 vs last sale 182 54 vs year ago 111 · +48.6%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
140 head
328 vs last sale 468 481 vs year ago 621 · 77.5%
Replacement Cattle receipts
436 head
172 vs last sale 264 281 vs year ago 155 · +181.3%
Also sold here(Mon)Thu Apr 16, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Steers and heifers were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Quality this sale was mostly plain to average. No load lots were seen today. Cattle were mostly offered in small packages or as singles. Demand for limited feeder cattle remains good to very good. CME positions have pushed higher over the last week as corn has weakened. Market activity was mostly active this week, with buyers aggressively bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for moderate offerings. Packers showed very good demand for slaughter cows today. Slaughter cows sold 3.00-6.00 higher on breaking and lean cows. Boning cows sold 5.00-8.00 higher. Feeding cows sold 4.00-8.00 higher. The push for feeding cows pushed boning cows higher. Slaughter bulls sold sharply higher, with most sales 15.00-25.00 higher. Weigh up conditions were average to above average. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend. Quality this week was mostly average.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $238.54/cwt on 61 head.
Average price
$238.54
61 head · 774 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,846
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$301
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Large 1
$52.05/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+0.00
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2685253.391,73733
Medium and Large 1841226.411,90522
Large 11,012201.342,0386thin
One grade step is worth $52.05/cwt here — about −$301 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 sale61 hd
238.54
MT average1 barns · 61 hd
238.54
+0.00
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
BullsAverage1,747136.302,381110
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,527110.141,68175
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,361108.241,473197
CowsLean 85-90%High1,17799.371,17049

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 Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,259$1,4006
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,088$1,3507

Every lot, as filed

64 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
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2591,400.00/head1,400.00–1,400.001,4006
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,346106.00/cwt106.00–106.001,4274
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,363107.00/cwt107.00–107.001,4584
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,0881,350.00/head1,350.00–1,350.001,3507
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,470109.00/cwt109.00–109.001,6021
SteersMedium and Large 1905214.00/cwt214.00–214.001,9372
HeifersMedium and Large 1908198.00/cwt198.00–198.001,7987
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2470240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,1282
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2665215.00/cwt215.00–215.001,4301
HeifersMedium and Large 1857200.00/cwt200.00–200.001,7145
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2505241.97/cwt230.00–245.001,2225
HeifersMedium and Large 1801208.00/cwt208.00–208.001,6665
SteersMedium and Large 1165510.00/head510.00–510.005102
SteersMedium and Large 1230625.00/head625.00–625.006251
SteersMedium and Large 1-2433282.46/cwt280.00–285.001,2232
SteersMedium and Large 1956205.00/cwt205.00–205.001,9607
SteersMedium and Large 1851218.00/cwt218.00–218.001,8554
SteersMedium and Large 1750247.00/cwt247.00–247.001,8538
SteersMedium and Large 1-2600255.00/cwt255.00–255.001,5301
SteersMedium and Large 1-2683249.57/cwt242.50–255.001,7057
SteersMedium and Large 1-2586279.00/cwt279.00–279.001,6359
SteersMedium and Large 1-2905206.00/cwt206.00–206.001,8641
HeifersMedium and Large 1607240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,4573
SteersMedium and Large 1-2784236.76/cwt233.00–240.001,85613
SteersLarge 11,012201.34/cwt201.00–202.002,0386
SteersMedium and Large 1605270.00/cwt270.00–270.001,6341
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2748208.00/cwt208.00–208.001,5562
BullsMedium and Large 1-2735233.78/cwt230.00–236.001,71811
BullsLarge 1-21,043166.00/cwt166.00–166.001,7315
BullsMedium and Large 1-2578255.00/cwt255.00–255.001,4744
BullsLarge 11,148156.00/cwt156.00–156.001,7913
BullsMedium and Large 1915202.50/cwt202.50–202.501,8532
CowsLean 85-90%1,155107.08/cwt105.00–110.001,2376
Bulls2,310133.00/cwt133.00–133.003,0721
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,595100.00/cwt100.00–100.001,5951
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,153107.92/cwt105.00–109.001,24412
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,082101.69/cwt100.00–103.001,1005
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,683106.82/cwt105.00–107.501,7985
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,410108.69/cwt107.00–117.001,53325
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,536111.58/cwt111.50–112.001,71414
Bulls1,617115.52/cwt100.00–121.501,86812
CowsBoner 80-85%1,45098.95/cwt98.00–100.001,4353
CowsLean 85-90%1,184100.02/cwt96.00–102.001,18413
CowsLean 85-90%1,27286.93/cwt82.00–93.001,10611
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,663103.01/cwt102.00–104.001,7133
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,320110.00/cwt110.00–110.001,4522
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,508105.39/cwt104.00–107.501,5896
CowsBoner 80-85%1,337105.64/cwt102.00–107.001,41256
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight95087.50/cwt87.50–87.508311
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,456108.80/cwt108.00–110.501,58421
CowsLean 85-90%1,17079.00/cwt79.00–79.009241
CowsBoner 80-85%1,349110.01/cwt107.50–112.001,484106
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,546111.67/cwt110.00–112.001,72630
Bulls1,895148.57/cwt140.00–160.002,81554
Bulls1,720133.23/cwt124.00–138.502,29226
BullsReturn to Feed1,680135.00/cwt135.00–135.002,2681
BullsLight Weight1,268112.68/cwt111.00–113.501,4293
BullsReturn to Feed1,340131.26/cwt129.00–134.001,7592
BullsReturn to Feed1,382113.80/cwt109.00–116.001,57311
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,268106.00/cwt106.00–106.001,3446
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,335108.00/cwt108.00–108.001,44211
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1977148.12/cwt145.00–176.001,44711
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,141119.70/cwt105.00–152.001,36631
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,254114.00/cwt114.00–114.001,43027

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.