Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2023-09-21

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Sep 21
● Final62 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
242 head
275 vs last sale 517 223 vs year ago 465 · 48.0%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
273 head
28 vs last sale 245 110 vs year ago 383 · 28.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
70 head
18 vs last sale 88 10 vs year ago 60 · +16.7%
Also sold here(Mon)Thu Apr 16, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: The majority of feeder offerings sold unevenly steady, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Demand for all feeder offerings was mostly good. Quality this week was average to attractive, with market activity being mostly active this week. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand. Slaughter cows sold 2.00 to 3.00 lower and feeding cows sold 3.00 to 6.00 lower. Slaughter bulls and feeding bulls sold both 1.00 to 3.00 lower. Quality today was mostly average to attractive. Several packages of young cows sold this week. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly on good demand today as rebreed buyers and feeding buyers both competed over offerings.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $228.25/cwt on 118 head.
Average price
$228.25
118 head · 819 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,870
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$199
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2
$24.44/cwt at this weight
vs the market
17.82
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2780234.561,82974
Medium and Large 1944221.532,09029
Medium and Large 2776210.111,63015thin
One grade step is worth $24.44/cwt here — about $199 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 sale118 hd
228.25
MT average3 barns · 1,154 hd
246.07
−17.82
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
BullsLow1,774114.052,02360
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,679110.251,85110
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,316102.621,350156
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,13489.701,01737

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 (2-4 yrs)1,187$1,4439

Every lot, as filed

62 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 1-2975234.00/cwt234.00–234.002,2821
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2882222.72/cwt220.00–224.001,9647
HeifersMedium and Large 2763210.00/cwt210.00–210.001,6022
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2720240.74/cwt230.00–242.501,73319
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2939216.34/cwt212.00–217.002,03115
SteersMedium and Large 1-2935233.00/cwt233.00–233.002,1791
SteersMedium and Large 1-2715258.00/cwt258.00–258.001,8455
SteersMedium and Large 2925203.00/cwt203.00–203.001,8781
SteersMedium and Large 1836253.00/cwt253.00–253.002,1155
SteersMedium and Large 1974241.00/cwt240.00–242.002,3474
SteersMedium and Large 1854246.50/cwt246.00–247.002,1052
SteersMedium and Large 1-2618262.55/cwt260.00–265.001,6232
SteersMedium and Large 1-2780247.50/cwt247.50–247.501,9311
SteersMedium and Large 2525260.00/cwt260.00–260.001,3653
SteersMedium and Large 1-2815242.50/cwt242.50–242.501,9761
SteersMedium and Large 1-2501287.50/cwt287.50–287.501,4407
SteersMedium and Large 1701275.00/cwt275.00–275.001,9288
SteersMedium and Large 1-21,040220.00/cwt220.00–220.002,2881
SteersMedium and Large 1773263.00/cwt263.00–263.002,0332
SteersMedium and Large 1-2425319.00/cwt319.00–319.001,3562
BullsMedium and Large 1-21,000197.00/cwt197.00–197.001,9701
BullsMedium and Large 2745225.00/cwt225.00–225.001,6761
BullsMedium and Large 2570240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,3681
BullsMedium and Large 1-2811237.50/cwt237.50–237.501,92611
BullsMedium and Large 1-2982210.00/cwt210.00–210.002,0623
BullsMedium and Large 1-2763238.61/cwt237.50–242.501,8219
CowsLean 85-90%1,23581.00/cwt81.00–81.001,0004
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,284104.91/cwt102.00–110.001,34741
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,30496.50/cwt96.50–96.501,25823
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,540120.00/cwt120.00–120.001,8481
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,706108.81/cwt107.00–112.001,8568
Bulls1,561105.23/cwt103.00–106.001,6435
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,605112.00/cwt112.00–112.001,7981
CowsBoner 80-85%1,29395.67/cwt92.50–98.501,23735
CowsBoner 80-85%1,311105.35/cwt100.00–110.001,38139
CowsLean 85-90%1,12290.76/cwt87.50–94.001,01833
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,460112.79/cwt112.00–114.001,64718
Bulls1,952118.43/cwt111.00–122.002,31215
Bulls2,069123.84/cwt123.00–125.502,5624
BullsReturn to Feed1,263106.29/cwt102.50–110.001,3422
BullsReturn to Feed1,722112.72/cwt109.00–120.001,94134
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,038162.19/cwt132.50–191.001,6848
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,142113.27/cwt102.00–130.001,29439
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,1871,442.69/head1,375.00–1,500.001,4439
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2543265.00/cwt265.00–265.001,43912
HeifersMedium and Large 2821207.94/cwt200.00–210.001,7075
HeifersMedium and Large 2930200.00/cwt200.00–200.001,8601
HeifersMedium and Large 1983217.05/cwt215.00–217.502,13420
HeifersMedium and Large 11,035209.50/cwt209.50–209.502,1682
BullsMedium and Large 2619235.00/cwt235.00–235.001,4554
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2968211.45/cwt205.00–212.502,04710
HeifersMedium and Large 2655227.50/cwt227.50–227.501,4901
HeifersMedium and Large 2885202.00/cwt202.00–202.001,7881
HeifersMedium and Large 2707212.50/cwt212.50–212.501,5025
HeifersMedium and Large 1855229.00/cwt229.00–229.001,9583
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2788230.82/cwt227.50–232.501,8193
SteersMedium and Large 1-2880235.79/cwt232.50–239.002,0752
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2833226.50/cwt225.00–228.001,8872
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2475275.00/cwt275.00–275.001,3064
HeifersMedium and Large 1-21,025194.00/cwt194.00–194.001,9891
HeifersMedium and Large 1767244.31/cwt240.00–250.001,8744
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2600245.00/cwt245.00–245.001,4701

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.