Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2023-01-26

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Jan 26
● Final117 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
3,586 head
▲ 3,088 vs last sale 498▲ 2,849 vs year ago 737 · +386.6%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
507 head
▲ 200 vs last sale 307▼ 2 vs year ago 509 · −0.4%
Replacement Cattle receipts
345 head
▲ 244 vs last sale 101▲ 184 vs year ago 161 · +114.3%
Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: All feeder cattle were too lighly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noted on all steer calves under 750 lbs and higher undertones were noticed on steers over 750 lbs. Heifer calves sold with steady to higher undertones on all offerings. Today was the first feeder special in three weeks, while prices were generally higher today compared to last week, compared to the last feeder special on Jan. 5th, prices were mostly steady to lower. Quality today was mixed from plain to attractive, with lots of variation in quality noted. Demand was mostly moderate for moderate offerings. Package sizes varied greatly this week. Several load lots were on offer this sale, however many small packaged and singles were see as well. Most calves were long weaned from 60-90 days. A large buyer pool was on hand this sale. Orderbuyers, buying for packers, showed very good demand for high quality heavy weight offerings. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested to trend, higher undertones were noticed. Slaughter bulls sold 3.00-4.00 higher in a narrow compairson. Demand for bulls was mostly good as slaughter and feeding buyers competed over offerings. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly higher to sharply higher in a narrow compairson. Several sets of one iron, homeraised, ranch tested open, young cows sold today. Demand for these offerings was mostly good to very good as quality was mostly attractive.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $199.51/cwt on 1,363 head.
Average price
$199.51
1,363 head · 599 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,194
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$129
per head · Medium 1 over Large 1-2
$41.51/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−2.81
vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1475209.8299655
Medium 1-2364209.0976150
Medium and Large 1640202.061,292872
Medium and Large 1-2552201.221,112233
Medium and Large 2556181.761,01140
Large 1623181.651,13143
Large 1-2515168.3086670
One grade step is worth $41.51/cwt here — about $129 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 sale1,363 hd
199.51
—
MT average3 barns · 2,259 hd
202.32
−2.81
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—Average1,75699.681,75021
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,70473.171,2466thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,38970.77983135
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,19565.96788291

Every lot

117 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 · Steers41 lots · lightest first
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2200200.00/cwt200.00–200.004001
Steers—Medium 1-2309205.00/cwt205.00–205.0063311
Steers—Medium 1354249.00/cwt249.00–249.008819
Steers—Medium 1-2373210.28/cwt207.50–215.0078434
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2393240.40/cwt235.00–250.0094559
Steers—Medium 1411216.00/cwt216.00–216.0088825
Steers—Medium 1-2423210.00/cwt210.00–210.008885
Steers—Medium and Large 1427249.53/cwt249.00–250.001,06569
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2433228.50/cwt228.00–230.0098920
Steers—Medium and Large 2442210.00/cwt210.00–210.009288
Steers—Large 1-2451174.00/cwt174.00–174.007858
Steers—Medium and Large 1474236.26/cwt227.00–245.001,12046
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2484211.33/cwt210.00–214.001,02312
Steers—Medium 1486205.00/cwt205.00–205.009967
Steers—Large 1502202.00/cwt202.00–202.001,0145
Steers—Medium and Large 2509195.00/cwt195.00–195.009936
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2519195.72/cwt183.00–205.001,01620
Steers—Large 1-2523167.57/cwt165.00–168.0087662
Steers—Medium and Large 1524221.30/cwt211.00–230.001,160165
Steers—Medium and Large 2561179.00/cwt179.00–179.001,0047
Steers—Medium and Large 1577206.76/cwt205.00–210.001,19370
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2589190.14/cwt185.00–193.001,12022
Steers—Large 1595189.50/cwt189.50–189.501,1283
Steers—Large 1607182.00/cwt182.00–182.001,10527
Steers—Medium and Large 2617166.71/cwt160.00–170.001,02919
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2628181.10/cwt176.00–187.001,13744
Steers—Medium and Large 1632193.83/cwt188.00–199.001,225158
Steers—Medium 1638180.00/cwt180.00–180.001,1486
Steers—Medium and Large 1668189.51/cwt178.50–197.001,266111
Steers—Medium 1676173.00/cwt173.00–173.001,1698
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2684175.00/cwt175.00–175.001,1976
Steers—Large 1693169.50/cwt169.50–169.501,1753
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2713169.93/cwt165.00–174.501,21240
Steers—Medium and Large 1715180.89/cwt177.00–188.001,29327
Steers—Medium and Large 1772181.29/cwt178.00–182.001,40091
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2782172.00/cwt172.00–172.001,3453
Steers—Large 1804162.00/cwt162.00–162.001,3025
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy820161.00/cwt161.00–161.001,3206
Steers—Medium and Large 1831177.94/cwt176.50–179.501,47957
Steers—Medium and Large 1Fancy866182.00/cwt182.00–182.001,57669
Steers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy991153.00/cwt153.00–153.001,5169
Feeder Cattle · Heifers38 lots · lightest first
Heifers—Medium 1-2303180.00/cwt180.00–180.0054515
Heifers—Medium 1339199.58/cwt195.00–210.0067736
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2373200.00/cwt200.00–200.007462
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned375212.50/cwt212.50–212.507973
Heifers—Medium and Large 1395223.29/cwt217.50–227.5088232
Heifers—Medium 1400190.79/cwt190.00–191.0076333
Heifers—Medium and Large 1423213.01/cwt209.00–217.5090145
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2439197.81/cwt197.00–199.0086820
Heifers—Medium 1468198.00/cwt198.00–198.0092712
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2479183.22/cwt180.00–186.0087813
Heifers—Medium and Large 1483202.77/cwt198.00–211.00979146
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned495196.00/cwt196.00–196.009705
Heifers—Medium and Large 2498176.00/cwt176.00–176.008769
Heifers—Medium and Large 2519157.50/cwt157.50–157.508174
Heifers—Medium and Large 1526198.23/cwt189.00–206.001,043137
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned547191.00/cwt191.00–191.001,04516
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Replacement571186.50/cwt186.50–186.501,06579
Heifers—Medium and Large 1576189.00/cwt180.00–194.501,08965
Heifers—Medium 1576176.00/cwt176.00–176.001,01410
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2576170.40/cwt164.00–174.0098219
Heifers—Large 1594176.39/cwt175.50–178.001,04836
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2620165.41/cwt162.00–169.001,02618
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned626176.50/cwt176.50–176.501,10545
Heifers—Medium and Large 1632179.19/cwt168.50–183.501,132179
Heifers—Medium and Large 1665169.60/cwt166.00–174.001,12811
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Replacement6911,350.00/head1,350.00–1,350.001,3505
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2691159.00/cwt159.00–159.001,0998
Heifers—Medium 1704153.00/cwt153.00–153.001,0776
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2710148.00/cwt148.00–148.001,0516
Heifers—Medium and Large 1716168.00/cwt168.00–168.001,20322
Heifers—Large 1737162.00/cwt162.00–162.001,1943
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2752151.00/cwt151.00–151.001,1367
Heifers—Medium and Large 1758164.16/cwt156.00–168.501,24481
Heifers—Medium 1767142.00/cwt142.00–142.001,0893
Heifers—Large 1783160.50/cwt160.50–160.501,2576
Heifers—Medium and Large 2852133.00/cwt133.00–133.001,1337
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2885149.00/cwt149.00–149.001,3192
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy903143.00/cwt143.00–143.001,2914
Feeder Cattle · Bulls7 lots · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 1Unweaned441230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,0144
Bulls—Medium and Large 1Unweaned576179.00/cwt179.00–179.001,03113
Bulls—Medium and Large 1Unweaned679166.00/cwt166.00–166.001,12755
Bulls—Medium and Large 1Unweaned731159.00/cwt159.00–159.001,1627
Bulls—Medium and Large 2734117.50/cwt117.50–117.508629
Bulls—Large 1Unweaned799136.00/cwt136.00–136.001,0874
Bulls—Medium and Large 1881138.00/cwt138.00–138.001,21610
Feeder Cattle · Dairy Steers2 lots · lightest first
Dairy Steers—Large 1-2727177.00/cwt177.00–177.001,28728
Dairy Steers—Large 1-2827140.00/cwt140.00–140.001,1589
Feeder Cattle · Dairy Heifers5 lots · lightest first
Dairy Heifers—Large 1-2674138.00/cwt138.00–138.009306
Dairy Heifers—Large 1-2720130.00/cwt130.00–130.009364
Dairy Heifers—Large 1-2761130.00/cwt130.00–130.0098912
Dairy Heifers—Large 1-2808129.00/cwt129.00–129.001,0426
Dairy Heifers—Large 1-2870128.00/cwt128.00–128.001,1141
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,47386.29/cwt85.00–87.001,2713
Bulls——Return to Feed1,758103.76/cwt100.00–107.001,8246
Bulls——1,773100.44/cwt97.00–105.501,78111
Bulls——2,405107.00/cwt107.00–107.002,5731
Slaughter Cattle · Cows15 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight96857.68/cwt52.00–63.005583
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,06864.79/cwt60.00–65.2569255
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,12273.39/cwt72.00–75.508234
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,17461.57/cwt55.00–66.0072370
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,18475.03/cwt72.00–78.008884
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,23269.74/cwt67.50–71.0085922
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,26167.81/cwt66.50–70.50855133
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,36475.08/cwt74.00–77.001,0246
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,37869.44/cwt62.00–71.0095793
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,41075.30/cwt74.00–76.501,06217
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,41169.14/cwt64.00–72.5097614
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,47880.50/cwt80.50–80.501,1902
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,48878.94/cwt75.00–82.501,1753
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,65277.16/cwt76.00–78.001,2753
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,75569.17/cwt68.00–71.001,2143
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows5 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium 1794133.00/cwt133.00–133.001,0565
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1827155.28/cwt125.00–159.001,28481
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1962104.50/cwt73.50–139.001,005174
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,04286.00/cwt86.00–86.0089616
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,055123.00/cwt123.00–123.001,2982

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.