Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2023-02-09

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Feb 9
● Final93 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
3,091 head
▲ 2,395 vs last sale 696▼ 360 vs year ago 3,451 · −10.4%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
219 head
▲ 5 vs last sale 214▼ 204 vs year ago 423 · −48.2%
Replacement Cattle receipts
101 head
▲ 13 vs last sale 88▼ 120 vs year ago 221 · −54.3%
Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Steer calves sold mostly 6.00-12.00 higher on all weights over 500 lbs. Steers under 500 lbs were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Heifer calves 450 lbs and heavier sold mostly 10.00-15.00 higher. Heifers under 450 lbs were not well compared. Demand was mostly good to very good for all offerings. Order buyers, buying for packers, showed very good demand for attractive, high quality, feed lot ready cattle. Demand for grass cattle was very good with both steers and heifers seeing increased demand from buyers. Several ranchers looking for heifers to spay were very aggressive as they bid on attractive offerings. Heifer demand was very good this sale as a result. Quality today was mixed from plain to very attractive. Package sizes varied greatly this week but there were enough buyers that demand was good for all size packages. Most calves were long weaned from 60-90 days. Market activity was mostly active today as a large crowd of order buyers was on hand for todays sale. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for mostly light to moderate offerings. Packers showed mostly good demand for cows for immediate harvest. Feeding buyers pushed to own as many offerings as possible and were very competitive when bidding on cows. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-4.00 lower on all offerings after last weeks sharply higher market. Feeding cows were too lightly tested last sale to develop any market trend. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $197.86/cwt on 1,220 head.
Average price
$197.86
1,220 head · 594 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,175
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$576
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Small and Medium 1
$61.18/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−1.16
vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1618201.181,243942
Medium 1444200.9189166
Medium and Large 1-2544192.991,051151
Large 1629179.331,12812thin
Medium 1-2459170.007808thin
Medium and Large 2556169.009408thin
Small and Medium 1476140.0066633
One grade step is worth $61.18/cwt here — about $576 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 sale1,220 hd
197.86
—
MT average3 barns · 1,884 hd
199.03
−1.16
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
Bulls—Low1,68196.731,62640
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,38679.721,10571
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,63378.271,27816
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,17975.9689664

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 Heifers2nd Stage (4-6 mo)(<2 yrs)1,243$1,3502thin
Bred Heifers1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)(<2 yrs)1,249$1,3005

Every lot

93 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 · Steers32 lots · lightest first
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2385246.08/cwt240.00–255.0094710
Steers—Small and Medium 1441151.00/cwt151.00–151.006668
Steers—Medium and Large 1446263.30/cwt261.00–265.001,1747
Steers—Medium 1466230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,07211
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2480234.71/cwt221.00–256.001,12718
Steers—Medium and Large 1486252.38/cwt250.50–260.001,22729
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2521221.50/cwt210.00–222.501,15431
Steers—Medium and Large 1527242.24/cwt231.00–255.001,27769
Steers—Small and Medium 1532141.00/cwt141.00–141.0075015
Steers—Medium and Large 2545187.50/cwt187.50–187.501,0226
Steers—Medium and Large 1583220.28/cwt210.00–226.501,284161
Steers—Medium and Large 1619210.18/cwt203.00–212.001,30127
Steers—Medium 1636202.00/cwt202.00–202.001,28511
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2642194.71/cwt190.00–201.001,25030
Steers—Large 1646187.00/cwt187.00–187.001,2084
Steers—Medium and Large 2663175.00/cwt175.00–175.001,1604
Steers—Medium and Large 1673202.10/cwt193.00–210.001,360178
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2684189.36/cwt188.00–190.001,29521
Steers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy692188.00/cwt188.00–188.001,3018
Steers—Medium and Large 1720190.61/cwt186.00–196.001,372118
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2720180.00/cwt180.00–180.001,2963
Steers—Medium and Large 2729169.00/cwt169.00–169.001,2326
Steers—Medium and Large 1773182.45/cwt180.50–185.001,4107
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2789173.00/cwt173.00–173.001,36513
Steers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy790179.28/cwt178.00–180.001,41628
Steers—Medium 1818178.75/cwt178.75–178.751,46243
Steers—Medium and Large 1839184.56/cwt180.00–189.501,548128
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2867160.50/cwt160.50–160.501,3923
Steers—Medium and Large 1870182.60/cwt179.00–185.001,589157
Steers—Medium and Large 1942167.50/cwt167.50–167.501,57812
Steers—Medium and Large 1968168.61/cwt164.75–172.001,63225
Steers—Large 11,121145.00/cwt145.00–145.001,62521
Feeder Cattle · Heifers31 lots · lightest first
Heifers—Medium and Large 1378220.00/cwt220.00–220.008322
Heifers—Medium 1398201.00/cwt201.00–201.0080023
Heifers—Medium 1425204.74/cwt193.00–213.0087020
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2435210.00/cwt210.00–210.0091428
Heifers—Medium and Large 1443216.19/cwt215.00–221.009585
Heifers—Medium 1-2459170.00/cwt170.00–170.007808
Heifers—Medium 1463204.61/cwt189.00–208.0094717
Heifers—Small and Medium 1476140.00/cwt140.00–140.0066633
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2486197.64/cwt185.00–212.5096130
Heifers—Medium and Large 1488222.10/cwt214.00–227.001,084113
Heifers—Medium 1500190.00/cwt190.00–190.009502
Heifers—Medium and Large 1521215.65/cwt208.00–219.001,124176
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2524191.79/cwt186.00–197.001,00528
Heifers—Medium and Large 2556169.00/cwt169.00–169.009408
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fancy562216.53/cwt214.00–217.001,21719
Heifers—Medium and Large 1575206.59/cwt200.00–211.001,188119
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2582187.24/cwt180.00–196.001,09011
Heifers—Large 1592182.00/cwt182.00–182.001,07710
Heifers—Medium and Large 1620202.39/cwt195.00–206.001,255218
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2625186.17/cwt179.50–190.001,16440
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fancy664208.00/cwt208.00–208.001,3814
Heifers—Medium and Large 1669187.15/cwt181.00–197.001,25225
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2670175.36/cwt174.50–176.001,17514
Heifers—Medium 1690171.00/cwt171.00–171.001,1804
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fancy711186.33/cwt185.00–191.001,32595
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy730168.50/cwt168.50–168.501,23012
Heifers—Medium and Large 1738172.34/cwt171.00–183.001,27252
Heifers—Medium and Large 1769179.14/cwt171.00–183.001,37832
Heifers—Large 1813166.00/cwt166.00–166.001,3502
Heifers—Medium and Large 1840174.16/cwt172.00–176.501,46356
Heifers—Medium and Large 1863174.00/cwt174.00–174.001,50214
Feeder Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 1394235.00/cwt235.00–235.009265
Bulls—Medium 1592160.00/cwt160.00–160.009477
Bulls—Medium and Large 1785157.00/cwt157.00–157.001,2321
Bulls—Medium and Large 1805156.00/cwt156.00–156.001,2565
Bulls—Medium and Large 1867146.00/cwt146.00–146.001,2666
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,34389.46/cwt78.00–93.001,2015
Bulls——1,67299.32/cwt97.00–105.001,66120
Bulls——1,73892.19/cwt85.00–96.001,60211
Bulls——1,988108.50/cwt108.50–108.502,1573
Bulls——2,00096.00/cwt96.00–96.001,9201
Slaughter Cattle · Cows13 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight84862.50/cwt62.50–62.505303
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,15379.97/cwt78.00–81.5092214
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,19373.71/cwt64.00–77.0087915
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,20979.64/cwt78.50–83.0096310
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,21574.06/cwt69.00–77.5090020
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,24585.50/cwt85.50–85.501,0642
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,31286.00/cwt86.00–86.001,1283
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,33882.89/cwt81.50–83.501,10911
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,36078.00/cwt77.00–81.501,06120
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,39984.80/cwt81.00–87.001,18613
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,43276.15/cwt73.00–80.001,09024
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,62677.92/cwt74.50–83.001,26715
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,74083.50/cwt83.50–83.501,4531
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers2 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 11,2431,350.00/head1,350.00–1,350.001,3502
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 11,2491,300.00/head1,300.00–1,300.001,3005
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows5 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium 1778142.00/cwt142.00–142.001,1052
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-287590.00/cwt90.00–90.007881
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1964104.84/cwt83.50–118.001,01155
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,067130.14/cwt120.00–145.001,38920
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,190115.00/cwt115.00–115.001,3693

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.