Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2023-05-04

Billings Livestock Commission

Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2023-05-04
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-05-04

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, May 4

● Final77 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777

← Apr 27May 4May 11 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

303 head

▼ 4,346 vs last sale 4,649▼ 165 vs year ago 468 · −35.3%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

593 head

▲ 593 vs last sale 0▲ 301 vs year ago 292 · +103.1%

Replacement Cattle receipts

402 head

▲ 331 vs last sale 71▲ 214 vs year ago 188 · +113.8%

Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Steers and heifers were too lightly tested today to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to lower undertones were noticed on a poorer quality offering. Quality this sale was mostly plain to average and significantly lower than last weeks attractive offering for the feeder special. Most lots were offered in small packages or as singles. Demand remains good to very good, despite light offerings. Demand for cattle suitable to run on grass was very good as order buyers and local ranchers competed over limited offerings. Market activity was active to very active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for moderate offerings. Packers showed the best demand for feeding quality cows this week as they purchased much of the cow offering to put away on feed. Slaughter and feeding cows were not well compared as last weeks sale featured mostly feeder cattle. No comparisons are available. Slaughter cows sold on lighter demand this week. As supplies of cows have started to increase around the country due to seasonal culling and pockets of drought. Slaughter bulls sold are not well compared. Demand for bulls remains mostly good. Feeding and slaughter bull buyers both were active bidders today showing mostly good demand. Weigh up conditions were mixed today as both full and empty offerings were seen. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were not well compared. Quality this week was mostly average with a limited offering of attractive cattle noted.

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 $233.18/cwt on 118 head.

Average price

$233.18

118 head · 544 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,269

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$20

per head · Medium 1 over Medium and Large 2

$8.64/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−1.10

vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	405	237.50	962	6thin
Medium and Large 1-2	497	234.19	1,164	19thin
Medium and Large 1	581	233.21	1,355	82
Medium and Large 2	429	228.86	982	11thin

One grade step is worth $8.64/cwt here — about −$20 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 sale118 hd

233.18

—

MT average3 barns · 254 hd

234.28

−1.10

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	1,717	112.90	1,939	19
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,744	100.71	1,756	49
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,451	96.34	1,398	81
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,166	85.57	998	178

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)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,184	$2,078	32
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,522	$1,835	3thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,274	$1,350	8
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,262	$2,429	24
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,387	$2,300	8
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,482	$2,050	10
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,410	$2,033	9

Every lot

77 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 · Steers13 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	411	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,089	7
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	472	258.27/cwt	255.00–260.00	1,219	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	474	282.16/cwt	280.00–282.50	1,337	7
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	528	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	1,452	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	557	232.50/cwt	232.50–232.50	1,295	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	619	253.62/cwt	250.50–258.00	1,570	7
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	675	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	1,586	1
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	687	214.00/cwt	214.00–214.00	1,470	11
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	708	231.00/cwt	231.00–231.00	1,635	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	710	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	1,491	4
Steers	—	Medium and Large 2	745	198.00/cwt	198.00–198.00	1,475	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	759	213.00/cwt	213.00–213.00	1,617	5
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	857	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	1,628	3
Feeder Cattle · Heifers15 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	73	200.00/head	200.00–200.00	200	2
Heifers	—	Medium 1	405	237.50/cwt	237.50–237.50	962	6
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	417	232.50/cwt	232.50–232.50	970	9
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	434	254.44/cwt	254.00–255.00	1,104	11
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	475	239.32/cwt	230.00–240.00	1,137	14
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	476	250.63/cwt	247.50–260.00	1,193	14
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	483	212.50/cwt	212.50–212.50	1,026	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	535	218.38/cwt	215.00–220.00	1,168	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	542	237.00/cwt	237.00–237.00	1,285	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	568	238.02/cwt	230.00–244.00	1,352	30
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	593	222.00/cwt	222.00–222.00	1,316	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	630	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,449	11
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	663	218.00/cwt	218.00–218.00	1,445	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	800	188.00/cwt	188.00–188.00	1,504	6
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	897	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	1,561	5
Feeder Cattle · Bulls9 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	75	200.00/head	200.00–200.00	200	1
Bulls	—	Medium 1	354	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	974	7
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	466	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,165	5
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2	542	241.82/cwt	240.00–247.50	1,311	4
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	563	242.07/cwt	240.00–245.00	1,363	5
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	617	246.50/cwt	246.50–246.50	1,521	3
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	666	219.00/cwt	219.00–219.00	1,459	20
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	765	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	1,415	3
Bulls	—	Large 1	1,060	158.00/cwt	158.00–158.00	1,675	4
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,307	118.62/cwt	111.00–123.00	1,550	3
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,440	106.00/cwt	106.00–106.00	1,526	2
Bulls	—	—	1,683	100.28/cwt	89.00–109.00	1,688	4
Bulls	—	—	1,870	114.07/cwt	111.00–122.00	2,133	7
Bulls	—	—	2,003	125.90/cwt	124.00–129.00	2,522	3
Slaughter Cattle · Cows17 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	920	73.04/cwt	70.00–79.00	672	6
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	970	85.00/cwt	85.00–85.00	825	3
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,055	69.50/cwt	69.50–69.50	733	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,145	82.13/cwt	75.00–84.00	940	68
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,199	88.24/cwt	84.50–93.00	1,058	35
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,202	89.16/cwt	86.50–99.00	1,072	61
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,260	95.00/cwt	95.00–95.00	1,197	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,295	97.50/cwt	97.50–97.50	1,263	1
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,367	102.93/cwt	100.50–107.00	1,407	11
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,380	85.58/cwt	84.00–87.00	1,181	2
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,415	92.61/cwt	87.50–96.00	1,310	14
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,473	83.77/cwt	82.00–85.00	1,234	7
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,481	97.65/cwt	92.00–100.50	1,446	43
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,485	104.50/cwt	104.50–104.50	1,552	4
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,542	98.20/cwt	97.50–99.00	1,514	8
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,689	98.45/cwt	96.00–100.00	1,663	9
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,810	101.97/cwt	101.00–102.00	1,846	32
Replacement Cattle · Bulls1 lot · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	1,070	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	1,755	2
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs6 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs	—	Medium and Large 1	1,173	2,450.00/head	2,450.00–2,450.00	2,450	14
Cow-Calf Pairs	—	Medium and Large 1	1,345	2,050.00/head	2,050.00–2,050.00	2,050	6
Cow-Calf Pairs	—	Medium and Large 1	1,387	2,400.00/head	2,400.00–2,400.00	2,400	10
Cow-Calf Pairs	—	Medium and Large 1	1,387	2,300.00/head	2,300.00–2,300.00	2,300	8
Cow-Calf Pairs	—	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	1,482	2,050.00/head	2,050.00–2,050.00	2,050	10
Cow-Calf Pairs	—	Medium and Large 1	1,540	2,000.00/head	2,000.00–2,000.00	2,000	3
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows8 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium 1	746	153.01/cwt	150.00–163.00	1,141	4
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	753	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	1,069	8
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	800	155.05/cwt	151.00–160.00	1,240	4
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	891	105.99/cwt	100.00–111.00	944	13
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	958	165.02/cwt	130.00–183.00	1,581	50
Stock Cows	—	Large 1	963	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	1,550	2
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,019	121.16/cwt	96.00–161.00	1,235	82
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,225	96.34/cwt	92.00–103.00	1,180	3
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows3 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,184	2,077.60/head	1,925.00–2,250.00	2,078	32
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	1,274	1,350.00/head	1,350.00–1,350.00	1,350	8
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,522	1,835.00/head	1,835.00–1,835.00	1,835	3

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 May 4, 2023

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 303Last week 4,649Year ago 468

Slaughter CattleReceipts 593Last week 0Year ago 292

Replacement CattleReceipts 402Last week 71Year ago 188

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	14	—	1,173	2,450.00	2,450.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	10	—	1,387	2,400.00	2,400.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	8	—	1,387	2,300.00	2,300.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	6	—	1,345	2,050.00	2,050.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,540	2,000.00	2,000.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	10	—	1,482	2,050.00	2,050.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	N/A	2	—	1,070	164.00	164.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	2	—	963	161.00	161.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	50	—	958	130.00–183.00	165.02
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	82	—	1,019	96.00–161.00	121.16
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,225	92.00–103.00	96.34

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	4	—	746	150.00–163.00	153.01

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	4	—	800	151.00–160.00	155.05
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	13	—	891	100.00–111.00	105.99

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	8	—	753	142.00	142.00

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)	8	—	1,274	1,350.00	1,350.00

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)	32	—	1,184	1,925.00–2,250.00	2,077.60
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	3	—	1,522	1,835.00	1,835.00

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	476	247.50–260.00	250.63
2	—	663	218.00	218.00
11	—	630	230.00	230.00
2	—	73	200.00	200.00
30	—	568	230.00–244.00	238.02
11	—	434	254.00–255.00	254.44
5	—	897	174.00	174.00
3	—	542	237.00	237.00
6	—	800	188.00	188.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	405	237.50	237.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	475	230.00–240.00	239.32
2	—	593	222.00	222.00
3	—	535	215.00–220.00	218.38

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	417	232.50	232.50
2	—	483	212.50	212.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	354	275.00	275.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
1	—	75	200.00	200.00
3	—	617	246.50	246.50
20	—	666	219.00	219.00
5	—	466	250.00	250.00
5	—	563	240.00–245.00	242.07
3	—	765	185.00	185.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	542	240.00–247.50	241.82

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,060	158.00	158.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	474	280.00–282.50	282.16
5	—	759	213.00	213.00
2	—	708	231.00	231.00
1	—	675	235.00	235.00
7	—	619	250.50–258.00	253.62
3	—	857	190.00	190.00
3	—	528	275.00	275.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	745	198.00	198.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	687	214.00	214.00
7	—	411	265.00	265.00
4	—	710	210.00	210.00
3	—	557	232.50	232.50
3	—	472	255.00–260.00	258.27

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,307	111.00–123.00	118.62
2	—	1,440	106.00	106.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	2,003	124.00–129.00	125.90
7	—	1,870	111.00–122.00	114.07
4	—	1,683	89.00–109.00	100.28

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,380	84.00–87.00	85.58
11	—	1,367	100.50–107.00	102.93
43	—	1,481	92.00–100.50	97.65

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	1,542	97.50–99.00	98.20

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,295	97.50	97.50
61	—	1,202	86.50–99.00	89.16
3	—	970	85.00	85.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,689	96.00–100.00	98.45
32	—	1,810	101.00–102.00	101.97

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
68	—	1,145	75.00–84.00	82.13
2	—	1,055	69.50	69.50
35	—	1,199	84.50–93.00	88.24
2	—	1,260	95.00	95.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	1,415	87.50–96.00	92.61
4	—	1,485	104.50	104.50
7	—	1,473	82.00–85.00	83.77

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	920	70.00–79.00	73.04

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.