Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2023-08-24

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Aug 24
● Final58 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
303 head
13 vs last sale 316 645 vs year ago 948 · 68.0%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
401 head
93 vs last sale 494 10 vs year ago 411 · 2.4%
Replacement Cattle receipts
28 head
14 vs last sale 42 81 vs year ago 109 · 74.3%
Also sold here(Mon)Thu Apr 16, 2026
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale(8/10/23): The best comparison today was for 800-899 lbs heifers which sold mostly 10.00 higher in a narrow comparison. All other weights of feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality today was mostly plain to average. Most cattle were in light flesh and as they were coming off grass. Cattle were mostly offered in small packages or as singles. Market activity was mostly active this week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for light to moderate offerings. Packers showed very good demand for slaughter cows today and opted to send all cows purchased to immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold steady on breaking cows. Boning cows sold steady to 1.00 higher. Lean cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher as this class saw good demand from feeding cow buyers. Feeding cows sold on very good demand this sale as several order-buyers were very competitive as they bid on attractive offerings. Feeding cows sold mostly steady. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to weak. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average this week. Many cows and bulls were full as warm weather had most offerings pushing heavy amounts of fill. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly average. Demand for young age cows remains good as both feeding and rebreed buyers continue to show good demand for young cows.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $262.39/cwt on 123 head.
Average price
$262.39
123 head · 736 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,931
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$740
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Large 1
$112.67/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 1-2536286.461,53417thin
Medium and Large 1697272.491,89969
Medium 1-2559271.001,5157thin
Medium 1694267.001,85316thin
Large 11,309173.792,27414thin
One grade step is worth $112.67/cwt here — about −$740 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 sale123 hd
262.39
MT average1 barns · 123 hd
262.39
+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
BullsAverage1,719115.861,992118
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,426108.591,549115
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,577106.871,68628
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,193103.651,23784

Every lot, as filed

58 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 and Large 1-2865207.50/cwt207.50–207.501,7952
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned407285.00/cwt285.00–285.001,1607
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned269315.00/cwt315.00–315.008477
BullsLarge 11,060195.00/cwt195.00–195.002,0671
SteersMedium and Large 1-2671271.85/cwt270.00–273.001,8248
HeifersMedium and Large 1969209.85/cwt209.00–210.502,0337
HeifersMedium and Large 1Full894212.00/cwt212.00–212.001,89514
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned388315.00/cwt315.00–315.001,2225
HeifersMedium and Large 1918212.00/cwt212.00–212.001,9464
HeifersMedium and Large 1868223.62/cwt216.00–225.001,94127
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned490285.00/cwt285.00–285.001,3972
HeifersMedium and Large 1810227.47/cwt225.00–228.501,84327
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2990201.00/cwt201.00–201.001,9902
SteersLarge 11,335171.00/cwt171.00–171.002,28312
SteersLarge 11,150190.50/cwt190.50–190.502,1912
SteersMedium and Large 1805252.32/cwt252.00–254.002,03146
SteersMedium and Large 1714267.00/cwt267.00–267.001,9064
SteersMedium 1-2559271.00/cwt271.00–271.001,5157
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned373338.11/cwt325.00–345.001,26113
SteersMedium and Large 1915226.00/cwt226.00–226.002,0682
SteersMedium 1694267.00/cwt267.00–267.001,85316
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned449280.00/cwt280.00–280.001,2574
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned275355.00/cwt355.00–355.009762
BullsLarge 11,320146.00/cwt146.00–146.001,9271
BullsLarge 11,116182.70/cwt177.50–185.002,03910
BullsLarge 11,174178.19/cwt175.00–182.502,0927
BullsLarge 11,008192.50/cwt192.50–192.501,9404
BullsMedium and Large 1938214.98/cwt212.50–217.502,0172
BullsMedium and Large 1855228.00/cwt228.00–228.001,9492
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2943208.00/cwt208.00–208.001,9612
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2845221.32/cwt220.00–224.001,8706
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,129149.60/cwt125.00–200.001,68915
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2930152.50/cwt152.50–152.501,4181
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1973123.76/cwt107.00–135.001,2044
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,070100.00/cwt100.00–100.001,0701
BullsCanadian Origin1,435118.00/cwt118.00–118.001,6931
BullsReturn to Feed1,647116.96/cwt114.50–123.001,92629
BullsReturn to Feed1,478110.89/cwt95.00–114.001,63918
Bulls2,145115.00/cwt115.00–115.002,4671
BullsLight Weight1,337106.13/cwt90.00–111.001,4196
Bulls1,689107.76/cwt95.00–115.001,82017
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,580106.29/cwt101.00–110.501,67920
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,15596.32/cwt93.00–104.001,1125
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,452111.57/cwt107.00–114.001,62031
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight89591.00/cwt91.00–91.008141
CowsBoner 80-85%1,562116.01/cwt115.00–117.001,8125
CowsLean 85-90%1,275116.00/cwt116.00–116.001,4791
CowsLean 85-90%1,204100.58/cwt90.00–104.001,21138
Bulls1,898119.80/cwt115.00–125.002,27438
CowsBoner 80-85%1,42899.69/cwt86.50–105.001,42432
CowsBoner 80-85%1,367109.09/cwt106.00–114.001,49118
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,578112.66/cwt112.00–114.501,7784
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,415102.10/cwt98.00–103.001,4456
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,563104.00/cwt104.00–104.001,6264
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,150107.45/cwt106.00–109.001,23622
Bulls2,010128.70/cwt125.00–132.002,5878
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,410116.63/cwt114.50–122.001,64423
CowsLean 85-90%1,248107.79/cwt104.50–109.001,34517

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.