Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2022-03-03

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Mar 3
● Final84 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,698 head
▲ 1,339 vs last sale 359▼ 408 vs year ago 2,106 · −19.4%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
736 head
▲ 443 vs last sale 293▲ 176 vs year ago 560 · +31.4%
Replacement Cattle receipts
599 head
▲ 311 vs last sale 288▲ 446 vs year ago 153 · +291.5%
Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to two weeks ago(2/17/22): All feeder cattle were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, steady to lower undertones were noticed on steers under 700 lbs, steers over 700 lbs were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Heifers under 600 lbs sold with steady to lower undertones, heifers over 600 lbs were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive, mostly plain to average. Demand for high quality cattle remains good, and prices for these offerings are fully steady. Buyers expressed some concern in current market conditions this week. Feeding cost have risen sharply in the last couple weeks following unrest in Europe. Corn and soybean prices have skyrocketed since the last sale two weeks ago. May corn closed at 6.4925 on 2-17-22, todays closing price was 7.4775, 0.985 cents higher in two weeks. Soybeans closed at 15.7975 on 2-17-22 and 16.6775 today, 0.88 higher than two weeks ago. Buyers are attempting to buy cattle lower to offset rising feeding costs. A large crowd was on hand for todays sale and buyer participation was moderate. Market activity was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for heavy offerings. Packer buyers showed moderate to good demand for cattle for immediate harvest, and mostly good to very good demand for feeding cows this sale. Slaughter cows sold mostly 6.00-7.00 higher than 2 weeks ago, however prices are lower than comparable markets last week. Feeding cows sold mostly 7.00-8.00 higher than 2 weeks ago and steady to 2.00 higher with comparable markets last week. Cow quality this week was average to very attractive. Slaughter bulls sold 3.00-6.00 higher. Cows and bulls were pushing heavy amounts of fill this sale as they offered buyers mostly below average weigh conditions. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were not well compared. A large offering of open one iron replacement type cows were seen this week all off 2 ranches. These offerings were met with very good demand as buyers purchased these offerings to mostly rebreed. Quality was mostly very attractive.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $165.91/cwt on 738 head.
Average price
$165.91
738 head · 606 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,005
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$264
per head · Medium 1 over Large 1-2
$33.58/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−2.06
vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1294180.0052912thin
Medium and Large 2484171.008285thin
Medium and Large 1618167.801,038616
Medium and Large 1-2583155.3990677
Large 1-2542146.4279428
One grade step is worth $33.58/cwt here — about −$264 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 sale738 hd
165.91
—
MT average3 barns · 2,192 hd
167.97
−2.06
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—Low1,83896.171,76733
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,48983.261,240136
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,41873.621,044127
CowsLean 85-90%High1,18070.07827221

Every lot

84 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. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Steers20 lots · lightest first
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned297222.50/cwt222.50–222.506615
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2401207.50/cwt207.50–207.5083210
Steers—Medium and Large 1416217.77/cwt215.00–223.0090614
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2468207.35/cwt207.00–209.009706
Steers—Medium and Large 1479218.56/cwt212.00–224.001,04728
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2512197.04/cwt185.00–200.001,0096
Steers—Medium and Large 1519212.38/cwt207.00–214.001,102113
Steers—Medium and Large 1565203.27/cwt189.50–209.001,14856
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Full570171.00/cwt171.00–171.009755
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2578179.84/cwt178.00–185.001,03922
Steers—Large 1-2585166.00/cwt166.00–166.0097129
Steers—Medium and Large 1641180.81/cwt179.00–186.001,159141
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2647169.50/cwt169.50–169.501,09728
Steers—Medium and Large 1665173.56/cwt170.50–178.001,15419
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2684166.00/cwt166.00–166.001,1356
Steers—Medium and Large 1720167.74/cwt161.00–170.501,20878
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2722155.44/cwt154.00–159.001,1227
Steers—Medium and Large 1777155.68/cwt154.00–158.001,21014
Steers—Medium and Large 1828152.00/cwt152.00–152.001,2597
Steers—Medium and Large 1960145.50/cwt145.50–145.501,39725
Feeder Cattle · Heifers26 lots · lightest first
Heifers—Medium 1294180.00/cwt180.00–180.0052912
Heifers—Medium and Large 1305187.50/cwt187.50–187.505723
Heifers—Medium and Large 1359190.19/cwt190.00–191.0068323
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2380184.51/cwt183.00–185.007014
Heifers—Medium and Large 1425187.76/cwt185.00–193.0079811
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2471181.43/cwt179.00–185.008555
Heifers—Medium and Large 1480192.49/cwt188.00–196.0092492
Heifers—Medium and Large 2484171.00/cwt171.00–171.008285
Heifers—Medium and Large 1519184.81/cwt180.00–190.0095958
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2522164.19/cwt155.00–174.0085719
Heifers—Large 1-2542146.42/cwt143.00–152.0079428
Heifers—Medium and Large 1587168.62/cwt167.00–169.0099020
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2595150.57/cwt146.00–160.0089630
Heifers—Medium and Large 1615166.29/cwt159.50–170.001,023207
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2641156.00/cwt156.00–156.001,0004
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fancy670167.00/cwt167.00–167.001,11918
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2684138.00/cwt138.00–138.009444
Heifers—Medium and Large 1685159.91/cwt157.00–161.001,09537
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2721137.00/cwt137.00–137.0098811
Heifers—Medium and Large 1727150.12/cwt147.50–156.001,09125
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy734140.00/cwt140.00–140.001,02829
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy755131.00/cwt131.00–131.009896
Heifers—Medium and Large 1768148.49/cwt145.50–151.001,14011
Heifers—Medium and Large 1837145.25/cwt145.25–145.251,21669
Heifers—Medium and Large 1850145.25/cwt145.25–145.251,2352
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy898134.00/cwt134.00–134.001,2035
Feeder Cattle · Bulls11 lots · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned345195.00/cwt195.00–195.0067321
Bulls—Medium and Large 1520187.50/cwt187.50–187.509752
Bulls—Medium and Large 1655160.00/cwt160.00–160.001,0483
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-2675147.00/cwt147.00–147.009923
Bulls—Medium and Large 1823130.00/cwt130.00–130.001,07023
Bulls—Medium and Large 1873131.00/cwt131.00–131.001,1445
Bulls—Medium and Large 1923129.00/cwt129.00–129.001,1912
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-2938117.98/cwt116.00–121.001,1075
Bulls—Large 11,014117.78/cwt117.00–118.001,1949
Bulls—Large 1Fancy1,058121.00/cwt121.00–121.001,28014
Bulls—Large 11,127110.00/cwt108.00–112.001,2409
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,58989.58/cwt80.00–93.001,42312
Bulls——1,95999.60/cwt97.00–103.001,95120
Bulls——2,395106.50/cwt106.50–106.502,5511
Slaughter Cattle · Cows17 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight95063.97/cwt62.00–68.0060810
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,15568.88/cwt62.00–72.5079695
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,16454.25/cwt53.00–58.0063115
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,20381.88/cwt80.00–83.009856
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,21379.00/cwt79.00–79.009582
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,21973.83/cwt72.00–78.0090051
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,24673.20/cwt72.50–78.0091242
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,35973.07/cwt68.50–74.509938
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,36781.64/cwt80.50–82.001,1168
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,38677.01/cwt73.00–80.001,06717
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,40583.20/cwt81.00–86.501,16914
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,43077.54/cwt73.00–83.001,10924
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,43369.22/cwt64.00–73.5099264
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,47985.49/cwt85.00–85.501,26455
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,49882.12/cwt80.50–84.501,23069
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,59575.50/cwt75.50–75.501,2041
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,75575.46/cwt74.00–78.001,3243
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows7 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-293874.47/cwt71.00–80.006999
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,013123.25/cwt109.00–129.001,24976
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,02081.29/cwt81.00–82.008293
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,11496.49/cwt67.00–110.001,075296
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,26675.00/cwt75.00–75.0095061
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,27087.30/cwt82.00–89.001,10915
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,30985.25/cwt85.25–85.251,11679

This sale against other markets

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.