Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2022-10-31

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Mon, Oct 31
● Final75 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1775
Feeder Cattle receipts
458 head
▲ 322 vs last sale 136▲ 163 vs year ago 295 · +55.3%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
927 head
▲ 599 vs last sale 328▼ 901 vs year ago 1,828 · −49.3%
Replacement Cattle receipts
405 head
▲ 334 vs last sale 71▼ 306 vs year ago 711 · −43.0%
Also sold hereRegular saleThu Sep 24, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Demand was mostly light to moderate for light offerings. Quality today was plain to average, but better compared to last weeks light offering. Market activity was mostly slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for heavy offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 lower. Packers opted to start feeding very thin cows to hold for the upcoming holidays. Many sets of cows that would normally go directly to slaughter were purchased to feed for a few weeks. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, higher undertones were noticed.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $202.22/cwt on 140 head.
Average price
$202.22
140 head · 520 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,051
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$286
per head · Medium 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$12.34/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−7.97
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1384209.008037thin
Medium and Large 1523202.581,060117
Medium and Large 1-2553196.661,08816thin
One grade step is worth $12.34/cwt here — about −$286 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 sale140 hd
202.22
—
MT average5 barns · 3,295 hd
210.20
−7.97
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
Bulls—High1,72089.761,54433
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,64978.941,30213
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,37474.081,018104
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,22961.86760203

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 Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,051$1,28718
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,241$1,21416
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,328$1,2102thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,320$1,08542
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,366$1,02517
Stock CowsOpen(<2 yrs)958$1011thin

Every lot, as filed

75 lots · USDA AMS · Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Mon)
Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned—380205.00/cwt205.00–205.007791
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned—467198.00/cwt198.00–198.009253
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned—469181.86/cwt180.00–183.0085311
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned—263230.00/cwt230.00–230.006052
HeifersMedium 1—667164.00/cwt164.00–164.001,0946
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned—740156.00/cwt156.00–156.001,1544
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned—312230.00/cwt230.00–230.007183
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned—437199.70/cwt195.00–201.0087323
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned—577162.07/cwt161.00–167.0093516
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned—618159.10/cwt157.00–161.0098313
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned—538163.00/cwt163.00–163.008773
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned—405185.00/cwt185.00–185.007491
HeifersMedium and Large 1—790166.50/cwt166.50–166.501,3151
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—710169.00/cwt169.00–169.001,2005
SteersMedium 1Unweaned—384209.00/cwt209.00–209.008037
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned—530191.00/cwt191.00–191.001,0121
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—765176.00/cwt176.00–176.001,3461
SteersMedium and Large 1—827172.49/cwt172.00–173.001,4264
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned—585157.57/cwt154.00–160.009229
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned—355245.00/cwt245.00–245.008703
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned—615179.93/cwt175.00–186.001,10724
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned—697169.00/cwt169.00–169.001,1783
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned—583190.34/cwt189.00–191.001,11018
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned—365242.50/cwt235.00–246.0088510
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned—513195.00/cwt195.00–195.001,0005
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned—444221.35/cwt221.00–225.0098321
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned—482206.40/cwt202.00–209.0099530
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned—550186.00/cwt186.00–186.001,0231
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned—278260.00/cwt260.00–260.007232
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned—490199.00/cwt199.00–199.009754
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned—435217.50/cwt217.50–217.509461
BullsMedium and Large 1—930119.00/cwt119.00–119.001,1072
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned—530180.00/cwt180.00–180.009541
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned—418208.00/cwt208.00–208.008693
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned—663155.00/cwt155.00–155.001,0284
BullsLarge 1—1,142110.00/cwt110.00–110.001,2563
BullsMedium and Large 1—960118.00/cwt118.00–118.001,1331
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed—1,45378.50/cwt78.50–78.501,1412
Bulls——1,984100.13/cwt98.50–103.001,9878
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight—91040.00/cwt40.00–40.003641
CowsBreaker 75-80%—1,81586.27/cwt85.00–87.501,5662
CowsBreaker 75-80%—1,71079.73/cwt79.50–80.001,3632
Bulls——1,53682.25/cwt71.00–87.001,2638
CowsBoner 80-85%—1,37659.04/cwt54.00–64.0081216
CowsBoner 80-85%—1,42074.17/cwt73.50–76.001,0534
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed—1,37080.94/cwt79.50–84.001,10946
CowsLean 85-90%—1,23962.81/cwt61.00–64.007786
CowsLean 85-90%—1,19752.87/cwt49.00–58.0063316
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed—1,25967.09/cwt64.00–73.00845109
CowsLean 85-90%—1,25444.19/cwt44.00–45.005545
CowsBreaker 75-80%—1,64176.74/cwt74.50–77.501,2597
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight—94047.26/cwt41.00–53.004442
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed—1,37673.64/cwt70.00–79.501,01333
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed—1,35462.00/cwt62.00–62.008395
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed—1,19857.29/cwt51.50–63.0068664
Bulls——1,90593.53/cwt90.50–97.001,7828
Bulls—Return to Feed—1,32979.96/cwt74.00–82.001,0636
Bulls—Return to Feed—1,79491.65/cwt91.50–92.001,6443
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2—958101.00/head101.00–101.001011
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2—906104.10/cwt92.00–115.009437
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1—968116.61/cwt86.00–130.001,12933
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth—1,3661,025.00/head1,025.00–1,025.001,02517
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth—1,28773.00/cwt73.00–73.0094020
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1—1,269185.69/cwt75.50–1,000.002,35616
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1—1,34076.51/cwt74.50–77.001,02525
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2—1,0411,200.00/head1,200.00–1,200.001,2005
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1—1,0551,321.08/head1,275.00–1,375.001,32113
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1—1,07593.82/cwt60.00–105.001,00938
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1—1,3281,210.00/head1,210.00–1,210.001,2102
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1—1,2631,275.00/head1,275.00–1,275.001,2759
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2—1,2131,135.00/head1,135.00–1,135.001,1357
Bred CowsLarge 1—1,22876.00/cwt76.00–76.009338
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1—1,3201,085.00/head1,085.00–1,085.001,08542
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned—359220.90/cwt218.00–223.0079317
HeifersMedium and Large 2Unweaned—470154.27/cwt150.00–157.007255

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.