Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2022-07-21

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Jul 21
● Final61 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
590 head
▲ 354 vs last sale 236▼ 1,864 vs year ago 2,454 · −76.0%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
359 head
▼ 167 vs last sale 526▼ 633 vs year ago 992 · −63.8%
Replacement Cattle receipts
45 head
▼ 313 vs last sale 358▼ 864 vs year ago 909 · −95.0%
Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were all too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed. Quality was mostly plain to average this week. Most offerings were sold in small packages. Todays sale featured feeder cattle and a good crowd was on hand bidding on offerings. Several farmer feeders were in the stands as well as several bidders on the internet, both parties showed good to very good demand for offerings. Market activity was mostly active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Packers showed slightly lighter demand for slaughter cows this week. The cutter cow cutout has lost value over the last week or two as the drought in the southern Plaines continues to worsen. This has put pressure on the lean meat as unseasonably high supplies are being harvested. The cutter cow cutout closed at 214.30 as of today, 4.55 lower than yesterday. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 lower on all classes. Boning cows sold with the best demand as feeding cow buyers were the most competitive for this class of cows. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-5.00 lower. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on mostly moderate demand. Quality this week was plain to average. Offerings were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady undertones were noticed.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $159.47/cwt on 302 head.
Average price
$159.47
302 head · 711 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,134
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$498
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Small and Medium 2
$25.86/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+0.00
vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1748167.861,256164
Medium 2483156.0075316thin
Medium and Large 1-2759154.811,17541
Medium 1606151.8091920
Large 11,092144.001,57210thin
Medium 1-2601143.6186344
Small and Medium 2534142.007587thin
One grade step is worth $25.86/cwt here — about $498 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 sale302 hd
159.47
—
MT average1 barns · 302 hd
159.47
+0.00
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—Low1,706103.371,76457
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,41081.751,152204
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,69380.731,36722
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,19674.7389432

Every lot

61 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 · Steers18 lots · lightest first
Steers—Medium and Large 1555192.00/cwt192.00–192.001,0667
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2610171.00/cwt171.00–171.001,0436
Steers—Medium and Large 1611186.00/cwt186.00–186.001,1367
Steers—Medium and Large 1666183.00/cwt183.00–183.001,21910
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2683171.00/cwt171.00–171.001,1682
Steers—Medium 1-2698169.00/cwt169.00–169.001,1807
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2714177.14/cwt174.00–179.001,26511
Steers—Medium and Large 1773179.00/cwt179.00–179.001,3844
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2788172.61/cwt170.00–173.001,36022
Steers—Medium and Large 2820157.00/cwt157.00–157.001,2875
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2832174.63/cwt165.00–177.001,45311
Steers—Medium and Large 1833184.66/cwt180.00–186.001,5389
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2885163.00/cwt163.00–163.001,4431
Steers—Medium and Large 2890152.00/cwt152.00–152.001,3531
Steers—Medium and Large 1891183.20/cwt182.00–185.001,6325
Steers—Medium and Large 1905161.43/cwt161.00–163.001,46114
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2939149.00/cwt149.00–149.001,3993
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2993144.00/cwt144.00–144.001,4302
Feeder Cattle · Heifers18 lots · lightest first
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned383180.00/cwt180.00–180.006892
Heifers—Medium 2483156.00/cwt156.00–156.0075316
Heifers—Small and Medium 2534142.00/cwt142.00–142.007587
Heifers—Medium 1-2558147.50/cwt147.50–147.508236
Heifers—Medium 1596153.43/cwt153.00–154.0091414
Heifers—Medium 1-2608143.00/cwt143.00–143.0086938
Heifers—Medium 1628148.00/cwt148.00–148.009296
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2643151.00/cwt151.00–151.009717
Heifers—Medium and Large 1650168.50/cwt168.50–168.501,09517
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2661160.50/cwt153.00–165.001,0618
Heifers—Medium and Large 1712169.50/cwt169.50–169.501,20785
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2763157.00/cwt157.00–157.001,1985
Heifers—Medium and Large 1780165.25/cwt163.00–169.001,28921
Heifers—Medium and Large 1811158.38/cwt156.00–160.001,28410
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2814154.00/cwt154.00–154.001,25414
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2874152.16/cwt150.00–153.001,3307
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fancy893167.00/cwt167.00–167.001,49129
Heifers—Large 1Fancy1,092144.00/cwt144.00–144.001,57210
Feeder Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 1Unweaned408185.00/cwt185.00–185.007552
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-2937145.00/cwt145.00–145.001,3593
Bulls—Large 11,046148.45/cwt148.00–152.501,55310
Bulls—Large 11,133120.00/cwt120.00–120.001,3602
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,316108.05/cwt95.00–113.001,42215
Bulls——Return to Feed1,41592.00/cwt92.00–92.001,3021
Bulls——1,61189.89/cwt85.00–93.001,4487
Bulls——1,768101.34/cwt97.00–106.001,79218
Bulls——2,063107.88/cwt106.50–112.002,22616
Slaughter Cattle · Cows14 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight94565.00/cwt65.00–65.006141
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,12268.78/cwt64.00–73.0077210
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,21584.75/cwt84.50–85.001,0302
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,24677.32/cwt76.75–82.0096319
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,35375.47/cwt70.00–77.501,0219
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,38180.62/cwt78.00–85.501,11356
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,41282.11/cwt80.00–84.501,159121
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,44385.75/cwt85.50–86.001,2372
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,45676.99/cwt75.00–79.501,1214
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,53989.06/cwt86.50–89.501,37112
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,60585.00/cwt85.00–85.001,3641
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,68477.09/cwt73.00–81.501,29812
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,71484.19/cwt83.00–86.501,4436
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,71886.96/cwt86.50–87.501,4943
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows2 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,030109.12/cwt101.00–121.001,12422
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,09992.34/cwt89.50–100.001,0158

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.