Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2021-01-13

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Jan 13
● Final57 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
399 head
9 vs last sale 408 248 vs year ago 151 · +164.2%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
631 head
28 vs last sale 659 612 vs year ago 19 · +3,221.1%
Replacement Cattle receipts
276 head
65 vs last sale 211 77 vs year ago 199 · +38.7%
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were scarcely tested. Yearling heifers sold with lower undertones in a narrow comparison. Weaned calves were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed on both steers and heifers. Cattle were of mostly plain to average quality today and offered in mostly small packages. Demand was mostly light, with the exception of a few offerings suitable to go to grass which sold on moderate demand. Not enough cattle were on offer for buyers to start loads. Most cattle were weaned this sale. CME feeder cattle positions continue to struggle as corn and bean prices surge. Demand for feeder cattle has been hampered by sharply higher feed costs. Market activity was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for moderate offerings. Packer buyers showed lighter demand for all classes of cows this week. Slaughter cows sold steady to 1.00 lower on breaking cows and boning cows, and steady to weak on lean cows. Feeding cows sold fully steady. Feeding buyers showed stronger demand than packer buyers for cows this week. Cow quality this week was mostly average. Weigh up conditions were average this week. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00 higher as feeding buyers and packer buyers competed over offerings. Young age cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand this sale. Quality was average to attractive. Young age cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $140.47/cwt on 124 head.
Average price
$140.47
124 head · 547 lb average
Value per head Derived
$768
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$185
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2
$10.38/cwt at this weight
vs the market
9.23
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1551141.38779109
Medium and Large 1-2536134.8272311thin
Medium and Large 2454131.005954thin
One grade step is worth $10.38/cwt here — about $185 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 sale124 hd
140.47
MT average3 barns · 2,797 hd
149.70
−9.23
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
BullsLow1,80879.821,44344
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,73053.9793418
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,42349.85710165
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,17145.51533235

Every lot, as filed

57 lots · USDA AMS · Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Wed)
Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,43558.00/cwt58.00–58.008321
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,38954.09/cwt51.50–57.0075163
CowsBoner 80-85%1,41346.21/cwt42.00–48.0065352
BullsLight Weight1,22567.73/cwt62.00–70.008303
BullsHeavy Weight2,61077.50/cwt77.50–77.502,0231
CowsBreaker 75-80%Heavy Weight2,07045.00/cwt45.00–45.009321
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight88141.99/cwt38.00–46.003708
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,38545.36/cwt45.00–48.0062832
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,20045.34/cwt42.00–47.5054436
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,74255.79/cwt55.00–56.009727
Bulls2,07086.78/cwt85.00–88.001,7969
Bulls2,02574.00/cwt74.00–74.001,4992
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2488137.50/cwt137.50–137.506713
SteersMedium and Large 1435182.02/cwt181.00–190.0079217
SteersMedium and Large 1600148.00/cwt148.00–148.008884
SteersMedium and Large 1-2742128.00/cwt128.00–128.009503
HeifersMedium and Large 1636123.71/cwt122.00–128.007877
HeifersMedium and Large 1961106.00/cwt106.00–106.001,0197
SteersMedium and Large 1345195.00/cwt195.00–195.006731
SteersMedium and Large 1389186.00/cwt186.00–186.007245
BullsMedium and Large 1620129.00/cwt129.00–129.008003
HeifersMedium and Large 2454131.00/cwt131.00–131.005954
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2640123.50/cwt123.50–123.507905
SteersMedium and Large 1-2520151.00/cwt151.00–151.007855
Stock CowsMedium and Large 199768.49/cwt47.00–89.00683188
HeifersMedium and Large 1488149.26/cwt145.00–152.5072847
HeifersMedium and Large 1429150.00/cwt150.00–150.0064410
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed78364.00/cwt64.00–64.005013
SteersMedium and Large 1-2469154.21/cwt150.00–155.0072319
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2412151.00/cwt151.00–151.006223
SteersMedium and Large 1736127.00/cwt127.00–127.009355
SteersMedium and Large 1771124.00/cwt124.00–124.009568
SteersMedium and Large 1535163.00/cwt163.00–163.0087211
BullsLarge 11,20388.00/cwt88.00–88.001,0592
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,134950.00/cwt950.00–950.0010,7734
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,135550.00/cwt550.00–550.006,2436
SteersMedium and Large 1562155.72/cwt150.00–156.0087523
HeifersMedium and Large 1535142.65/cwt138.00–150.0076324
SteersMedium and Large 1-2447155.00/cwt155.00–155.006933
CowsLean 85-90%1,22448.58/cwt47.50–51.5059545
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight87030.92/cwt29.00–33.002692
CowsLean 85-90%1,09036.62/cwt33.00–38.0039918
HeifersMedium and Large 1831113.00/cwt113.00–113.009398
HeifersMedium and Large 1367160.00/cwt160.00–160.005876
SteersMedium and Large 2534139.00/cwt139.00–139.007425
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,90571.00/cwt71.00–71.001,3531
CowsLean 85-90%1,16144.15/cwt38.50–47.5051382
BullsReturn to Feed1,61074.39/cwt71.00–76.001,1985
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-297662.00/cwt62.00–62.006059
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,388736.32/cwt735.00–760.0010,22019
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,03891.94/cwt81.00–99.009546
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,61451.42/cwt48.75–54.008308
CowsBreaker 75-80%Heavy Weight2,06053.50/cwt53.50–53.501,1021
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,21149.99/cwt47.50–55.0060544
CowsBoner 80-85%1,65553.24/cwt49.50–55.0088117
BullsReturn to Feed1,64080.27/cwt77.50–84.251,31613
Bulls1,92880.64/cwt79.00–83.001,55511

How this sale compares

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.