Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2022-11-28

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Mon, Nov 28
● Final48 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1775
Feeder Cattle receipts
349 head
349 vs last sale 0 140 vs year ago 209 · +67.0%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
664 head
43 vs last sale 621 9 vs year ago 655 · +1.4%
Replacement Cattle receipts
239 head
1,198 vs last sale 1,437 20 vs year ago 259 · 7.7%
Also sold hereRegular saleThu Aug 13, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were not tested last week due to the bred cow sale, thus no trend is available. Quality was mostly plain to average for todays sale. Demand for feeder was light as quality limited demand. Market activity was mostly slow with a limited buyer pool on hand for todays sale. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand and offerings. Packers showed mostly light demand for slaughter cows this week. Cold weather has started to make an impact on cows as flesh conditions this week were lighter than the last couple weeks. Packers continue to put cows away on feed both for the upcoming holiday break and to feed to premium white. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-2.00 lower on all classes. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 lower on high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white. Short term feeding cows sold mostly 2.00 lower. Cow quality today was mostly plain to average. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 4.00-6.00 lower. Quality was mostly plain to average this week.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $181.51/cwt on 95 head.
Average price
$181.51
95 head · 571 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,036
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$145
per head · Medium 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$20.79/cwt at this weight
vs the market
22.16
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1433200.008666thin
Medium and Large 1588180.801,06459
Medium and Large 1-2564179.211,01130
One grade step is worth $20.79/cwt here — about −$145 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 sale95 hd
181.51
MT average3 barns · 1,109 hd
203.68
−22.16
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 · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
BullsLow1,70184.131,4319thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,62076.661,24229
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,38067.78935134
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,19655.73666182

Every lot, as filed

48 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
BullsLarge 11,080119.00/cwt119.00–119.001,2851
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned623173.00/cwt173.00–173.001,0784
BullsMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned418196.70/cwt190.00–205.0082211
HeifersMedium and Large 1601160.50/cwt160.50–160.509657
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned415176.72/cwt176.00–177.5073315
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned617157.08/cwt151.00–158.0096916
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned675170.00/cwt170.00–170.001,1481
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned513190.77/cwt189.00–193.0097918
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned614176.35/cwt175.00–176.501,08310
SteersMedium and Large 1-2592175.50/cwt175.00–177.001,03912
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned460193.43/cwt190.00–198.008905
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned687161.00/cwt161.00–161.001,1063
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned540182.83/cwt182.00–188.009877
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned562180.14/cwt178.50–181.001,0123
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned477171.32/cwt170.00–175.0081711
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned517145.94/cwt145.00–147.5075514
SteersMedium and Large 1Full714168.00/cwt168.00–168.001,2008
SteersMedium and Large 1621175.50/cwt175.50–175.501,0907
SteersMedium and Large 1574181.83/cwt180.50–184.501,04415
SteersMedium 1433200.00/cwt200.00–200.008666
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2503166.00/cwt166.00–166.008354
HeifersMedium and Large 2475161.00/cwt161.00–161.007653
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned564160.55/cwt157.00–162.009065
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned393176.00/cwt176.00–176.006922
CowsBoner 80-85%1,49262.41/cwt56.50–64.009316
CowsLean 85-90%1,15352.05/cwt45.00–55.5060025
CowsLean 85-90%1,09239.39/cwt27.50–42.0043010
CowsLean 85-90%1,22358.04/cwt57.00–60.507106
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight95344.87/cwt42.00–48.004282
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,20554.02/cwt50.00–55.5065160
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,60277.17/cwt77.00–77.501,23626
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,72366.56/cwt66.00–67.001,1472
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,87083.50/cwt83.50–83.501,5611
CowsBoner 80-85%1,53074.50/cwt74.50–74.501,1401
CowsBoner 80-85%1,58848.00/cwt48.00–48.007622
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,26470.48/cwt67.50–71.508914
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,21759.81/cwt56.50–65.0072875
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,38257.68/cwt50.50–66.5079733
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,36672.11/cwt69.75–77.5098592
Bulls1,66181.07/cwt71.00–87.001,3477
Bulls1,84094.84/cwt92.50–97.501,7452
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,06971.63/cwt59.50–82.0076657
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-297473.69/cwt71.00–79.507183
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,04986.01/cwt71.00–102.0090237
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,14058.00/cwt58.00–58.006611
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed81856.93/cwt52.50–61.004663
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned647145.38/cwt145.00–145.509414
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned563154.00/cwt154.00–154.008672

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.