Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2022-12-05

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Mon, Dec 5
● Final50 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1775
Feeder Cattle receipts
199 head
150 vs last sale 349 102 vs year ago 301 · 33.9%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
532 head
132 vs last sale 664 221 vs year ago 753 · 29.3%
Replacement Cattle receipts
255 head
16 vs last sale 239 144 vs year ago 399 · 36.1%
Also sold hereRegular saleThu Aug 13, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. Calves were mostly offered in small groups or as singles. Demand for calves was mostly light. Market activity was slow as a small buyer pool was on hand for todays light offering. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand and offerings. Packers showed light to moderate demand for cows to feed and mostly light demand for slaughter cows. Feeding cows and slaughter cows sold fully steady on all classes. Quality this week was mostly average. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average this week as most cows were pushing heavy amounts of fill. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, steady undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher. Quality was mostly average this week. More takers were seen for rebreed type young cattle this week.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $158.35/cwt on 98 head.
Average price
$158.35
98 head · 784 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,242
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$540
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Large 1
$20.85/cwt at this weight
vs the market
26.73
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2516170.1087821
Medium and Large 2448165.007392thin
Medium and Large 1843156.671,32157
Large 1950149.251,41718thin
One grade step is worth $20.85/cwt here — about −$540 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 sale98 hd
158.35
MT average5 barns · 3,357 hd
185.08
−26.73
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
BullsAverage1,69186.281,45929
CowsBreaker 75-80%Very Low1,69668.051,15423
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,38964.65898157
CowsLean 85-90%High1,17254.93644268

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 Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,083$1,1753thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,339$94110
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,290$87756
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,305$8754thin
Bred Heifers1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)(<2 yrs)847$1,11012

Every lot, as filed

50 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 1-2Unweaned428162.50/cwt162.50–162.506962
BullsMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned500152.50/cwt152.50–152.507637
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2424185.00/cwt185.00–185.007844
HeifersMedium and Large 2Unweaned448165.00/cwt165.00–165.007392
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned788139.50/cwt139.50–139.501,0997
HeifersLarge 1Unweaned608143.00/cwt143.00–143.008693
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned507174.00/cwt174.00–174.008823
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2542160.00/cwt160.00–160.008673
SteersMedium and Large 1597183.00/cwt183.00–183.001,09311
SteersLarge 1Unweaned795144.00/cwt144.00–144.001,1452
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned668167.00/cwt167.00–167.001,1162
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned532176.00/cwt176.00–176.009365
HeifersLarge 11,018150.50/cwt150.50–150.501,53215
HeifersMedium and Large 1889158.92/cwt156.00–160.001,41343
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2499175.00/cwt175.00–175.0087310
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned460187.50/cwt187.50–187.508631
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned696149.50/cwt149.50–149.501,0414
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned631150.50/cwt150.50–150.509504
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,309911.19/head775.00–935.0091142
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 18471,110.00/head1,110.00–1,110.001,11012
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,09775.85/cwt61.00–103.0083252
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1988103.11/cwt75.00–120.001,01972
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-298554.46/cwt52.00–57.005362
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,231775.00/head775.00–775.0077514
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,339941.11/head900.00–960.0094110
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,39660.27/cwt56.00–66.0084147
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,39070.08/cwt66.50–75.0097480
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,29578.00/cwt78.00–78.001,0101
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,14771.41/cwt70.00–72.008193
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,61055.50/cwt55.50–55.508941
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,71966.06/cwt63.00–71.501,13611
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,66575.99/cwt74.00–78.001,2654
CowsBoner 80-85%1,55567.50/cwt67.50–67.501,0502
CowsBoner 80-85%1,44548.00/cwt48.00–48.006941
CowsLean 85-90%1,20358.04/cwt57.00–59.506985
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight98439.00/cwt39.00–39.003848
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight93546.87/cwt44.00–50.004382
CowsBoner 80-85%1,36455.75/cwt52.00–61.0076026
CowsBreaker 75-80%Heavy Weight2,05857.00/cwt57.00–57.001,1732
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed82346.50/cwt46.50–46.5038312
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,16653.23/cwt47.00–56.5062174
CowsLean 85-90%1,19451.50/cwt45.00–56.0061535
CowsLean 85-90%1,18141.25/cwt36.00–45.0048712
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,54373.00/cwt73.00–73.001,1265
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,22159.96/cwt57.00–64.50732117
Bulls1,82193.43/cwt88.50–99.001,7019
Bulls1,60480.61/cwt76.50–83.501,2937
BullsReturn to Feed1,64884.38/cwt81.00–85.501,39113
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,0831,175.00/head1,175.00–1,175.001,1753
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,305875.00/head875.00–875.008754

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.