Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2023-03-16

Billings Livestock Commission

Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2023-03-16
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-03-16

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Mar 16

● Final74 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777

← Mar 9Mar 16Mar 30 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

395 head

▼ 893 vs last sale 1,288▼ 610 vs year ago 1,005 · −60.7%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

469 head

▲ 23 vs last sale 446▲ 328 vs year ago 141 · +232.6%

Replacement Cattle receipts

421 head

▲ 290 vs last sale 131▲ 253 vs year ago 168 · +150.6%

Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Steer and heifers calves were all too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on a lower quality offering. Many crossbred calves were seen this week and buyers showed mostly good demand for all offerings. Buyers attempted to gather as many offering as possible as worry of shortness of supply takes hold. Quality today was mostly plain to average. All package sizes sold on good demand today. Market activity was active to very active with a very large crowd on hand for todays small sale. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for moderate offerings. Packer buyers showed good demand for cows for immediate harvest and to feed this week. Packers continued to purchase a few packages of high quality cows to feed. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00 to 3.00 higher on all classes. Feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls sold steady to firm, however high dressing bulls saw very good demand and sold sharply higher in a narrow comparison. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to above average this week and very attractive to buyers. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold with higher undertones. A very attractive, fancy set, of one iron cows off two ranches sold open and vet. checked safe to breed. These offerings were met with very good demand as most offerings in the consignment sold for over $1700 per head.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $210.52/cwt on 137 head.

Average price

$210.52

137 head · 582 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,225

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$201

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2

$36.17/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+2.11

vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	598	214.17	1,281	97
Medium and Large 1-2	547	205.23	1,122	34
Medium 1-2	422	185.00	781	3thin
Medium and Large 2	607	178.00	1,080	3thin

One grade step is worth $36.17/cwt here — about $201 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 sale137 hd

210.52

—

MT average3 barns · 546 hd

208.41

+2.11

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.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	Average	1,716	109.53	1,880	42
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,521	96.79	1,472	142
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,368	90.34	1,236	181
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,182	85.18	1,007	89

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.

Class	Stage	Age	Avg wt	$/head	Head
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,480	$1,710	15
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,088	$1,700	3thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,408	$1,675	2thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,503	$1,603	75
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,224	$1,500	8

Every lot

74 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.

Class	Weight	Grade / description	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Feeder Cattle · Steers17 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	389	270.76/cwt	270.00–280.00	1,053	13
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	407	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	1,099	3
Steers	—	Medium 1	452	262.50/cwt	262.50–262.50	1,187	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 2	460	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,058	1
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	470	259.41/cwt	252.00–270.00	1,219	12
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	479	272.00/cwt	272.00–272.00	1,303	8
Steers	—	Large 2	492	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	910	3
Steers	—	Medium 2	505	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	783	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	530	236.68/cwt	236.00–237.00	1,254	6
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	548	256.50/cwt	256.50–256.50	1,406	21
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	575	246.82/cwt	240.00–250.00	1,419	13
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	588	233.00/cwt	233.00–233.00	1,370	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	603	237.00/cwt	237.00–237.00	1,429	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	623	225.25/cwt	223.00–229.00	1,403	24
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	735	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	1,397	1
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	805	183.67/cwt	181.00–185.00	1,479	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	817	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	1,348	3
Feeder Cattle · Heifers15 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	342	257.50/cwt	257.50–257.50	881	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	385	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	943	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	411	237.00/cwt	237.00–237.00	974	12
Heifers	—	Medium 1-2	422	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	781	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	468	234.00/cwt	234.00–234.00	1,095	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	498	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	1,071	6
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	539	211.75/cwt	209.00–214.00	1,141	9
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	558	209.01/cwt	207.00–211.00	1,166	8
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	561	225.85/cwt	222.00–227.00	1,267	6
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	582	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	1,077	5
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	607	178.00/cwt	178.00–178.00	1,080	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	626	211.20/cwt	205.00–217.50	1,322	22
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	682	200.86/cwt	198.00–202.00	1,370	29
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Replacement	701	198.00/cwt	198.00–198.00	1,388	17
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	740	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,110	3
Feeder Cattle · Bulls9 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2	336	247.50/cwt	247.50–247.50	832	4
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 2	372	207.50/cwt	207.50–207.50	772	3
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	430	262.00/cwt	262.00–262.00	1,127	14
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2	438	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,073	2
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	485	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,164	2
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2	539	239.00/cwt	239.00–239.00	1,288	7
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2	578	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	1,214	2
Bulls	—	Large 1Fleshy	1,195	111.00/cwt	111.00–111.00	1,326	2
Bulls	—	Large 1Fleshy	1,203	109.00/cwt	109.00–109.00	1,311	2
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,219	110.12/cwt	105.00–114.00	1,342	5
Bulls	—	—	1,736	99.44/cwt	90.00–103.00	1,726	24
Bulls	—	—	1,753	110.27/cwt	106.00–117.00	1,933	3
Bulls	—	—	1,906	133.22/cwt	126.00–139.00	2,539	10
Slaughter Cattle · Cows16 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	939	81.85/cwt	79.00–86.00	769	4
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,094	82.57/cwt	79.00–85.00	903	9
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,174	71.17/cwt	70.00–73.00	836	6
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,186	83.11/cwt	76.00–85.00	986	33
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,223	89.40/cwt	86.00–94.00	1,093	30
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,240	97.00/cwt	95.00–98.00	1,203	5
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,273	87.00/cwt	87.00–87.00	1,108	2
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,330	83.56/cwt	80.00–85.00	1,111	60
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,369	98.02/cwt	97.00–104.00	1,342	30
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,384	81.53/cwt	74.00–84.00	1,128	4
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,388	92.13/cwt	87.00–96.50	1,279	57
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,404	97.65/cwt	97.00–99.00	1,371	6
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,404	93.08/cwt	87.50–96.00	1,307	24
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,485	98.78/cwt	98.00–100.50	1,467	58
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,544	91.50/cwt	91.50–91.50	1,413	17
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,546	96.41/cwt	93.00–97.25	1,490	67
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows7 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium 1	683	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	1,018	4
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	860	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,118	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium 1-2	875	111.36/cwt	110.00–116.00	974	29
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,033	111.29/cwt	89.00–123.00	1,150	67
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,040	128.62/cwt	109.50–142.00	1,338	38
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Fancy	1,119	154.59/cwt	149.00–167.00	1,730	170
Stock Cows	—	Large 1	1,403	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	1,473	2
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows6 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,088	1,700.00/head	1,700.00–1,700.00	1,700	3
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,224	1,500.00/head	1,500.00–1,500.00	1,500	8
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,316	1,150.00/head	1,150.00–1,150.00	1,150	7
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,408	1,675.00/head	1,675.00–1,675.00	1,675	2
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,480	1,710.00/head	1,710.00–1,710.00	1,710	15
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	1,522	1,650.17/head	1,525.00–1,675.00	1,650	68

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.

Montana feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Thu)

Thu Mar 16, 2023

USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)

Feeder CattleReceipts 395Last week 1,288Year ago 1,005

Slaughter CattleReceipts 469Last week 446Year ago 141

Replacement CattleReceipts 421Last week 131Year ago 168

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
58	—	1,485	98.00–100.50	98.78
67	—	1,546	93.00–97.25	96.41
17	—	1,544	91.50	91.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
30	—	1,223	86.00–94.00	89.40
5	—	1,240	95.00–98.00	97.00
33	—	1,186	76.00–85.00	83.11
6	—	1,174	70.00–73.00	71.17

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	939	79.00–86.00	81.85

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,273	87.00	87.00
9	—	1,094	79.00–85.00	82.57

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
57	—	1,388	87.00–96.50	92.13
30	—	1,369	97.00–104.00	98.02
60	—	1,330	80.00–85.00	83.56

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
24	—	1,404	87.50–96.00	93.08
4	—	1,384	74.00–84.00	81.53
6	—	1,404	97.00–99.00	97.65

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,753	106.00–117.00	110.27
24	—	1,736	90.00–103.00	99.44
10	—	1,906	126.00–139.00	133.22

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,219	105.00–114.00	110.12

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,195	111.00	111.00
2	—	1,203	109.00	109.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	485	240.00	240.00
14	—	430	262.00	262.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	539	239.00	239.00
2	—	578	210.00	210.00
2	—	438	245.00	245.00
4	—	336	247.50	247.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	372	207.50	207.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	530	236.00–237.00	236.68
24	—	623	223.00–229.00	225.25
12	—	470	252.00–270.00	259.41
13	—	389	270.00–280.00	270.76
2	—	588	233.00	233.00
3	—	407	270.00	270.00
1	—	735	190.00	190.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	492	185.00	185.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
21	—	548	256.50	256.50
13	—	575	240.00–250.00	246.82
8	—	479	272.00	272.00
3	—	805	181.00–185.00	183.67
2	—	603	237.00	237.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	460	230.00	230.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	505	155.00	155.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	817	165.00	165.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	452	262.50	262.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
29	—	682	198.00–202.00	200.86
7	—	342	257.50	257.50
4	—	468	234.00	234.00
12	—	411	237.00	237.00
6	—	561	222.00–227.00	225.85
22	—	626	205.00–217.50	211.20

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	558	207.00–211.00	209.01
3	—	385	245.00	245.00
6	—	498	215.00	215.00
9	—	539	209.00–214.00	211.75

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	607	178.00	178.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	701	198.00	198.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	582	185.00	185.00
3	—	740	150.00	150.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	422	185.00	185.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	67	—	1,033	89.00–123.00	111.29
(<2 yrs)	Open	38	—	1,040	109.50–142.00	128.62

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	170	—	1,119	149.00–167.00	154.59

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	29	—	875	110.00–116.00	111.36

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,403	105.00	105.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	4	—	683	149.00	149.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	860	130.00	130.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	3	—	1,088	1,700.00	1,700.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	15	—	1,480	1,710.00	1,710.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	2	—	1,408	1,675.00	1,675.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	8	—	1,224	1,500.00	1,500.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	7	—	1,316	1,150.00	1,150.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	68	—	1,522	1,525.00–1,675.00	1,650.17

Head, weight ranges, average weights and price ranges are exactly as USDA AMS filed them — nothing recomputed, nothing rounded — in USDA's own reporting structure. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of that data, not a copy of USDA's document.