Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2021-03-03

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Mar 3
● Final61 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
85 head
190 vs last sale 275 82 vs year ago 167 · 49.1%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
547 head
19 vs last sale 528 362 vs year ago 185 · +195.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
1,745 head
1,480 vs last sale 265 1,490 vs year ago 255 · +584.3%
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand was moderate for light offerings. Quality this week was mostly average. Market activity was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Packers were aggressive as they purchased cows to feed this week. Many sets of tested open cows were seen this week off the bred offerings and quality was mostly attractive. Packers and feeding buyers battled all sale over high quality offerings. Packers showed slightly stronger demand for slaughter cows this week as well. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 1.00 higher. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 higher on a higher quality offering. Slaughter bulls sold steady to firm. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to above average this week and buyers offered premiums for high dressing cows as a result. Two year old to young age cows were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Several sets of open coming 3 and coming 4 year old cows sold as load lots this week. These offerings were very attractive and all one iron home raised cows. These offerings were met with very good demand. The annual calving time bred cow special was held today and the stands were full of ranchers and order buyers throughout the afternoon buying cows that were right on calving. Demand for bred cows was mostly moderate to good.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $154.61/cwt on 33 head.
Average price
$154.61
33 head · 581 lb average
Value per head Derived
$898
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$286
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 2
$26.85/cwt at this weight
vs the market
9.68
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1596158.8594626
Medium and Large 2546144.007864thin
Medium 2500132.006603thin
One grade step is worth $26.85/cwt here — about $286 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 sale33 hd
154.61
MT average3 barns · 2,539 hd
164.29
−9.68
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
BullsHigh1,92287.541,68322
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,39663.64888167
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,55760.71945102
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,19257.90690177

Every lot, as filed

61 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
Bulls2,16991.97/cwt91.00–94.001,9957
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,49866.57/cwt66.00–67.0099711
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,73261.34/cwt60.50–62.501,0629
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,23963.09/cwt58.00–64.5078253
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight95452.19/cwt51.00–53.004985
Bulls1,84487.86/cwt85.00–90.501,62010
Bulls1,73480.70/cwt77.00–83.001,3995
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,46163.12/cwt58.00–65.5092225
CowsBoner 80-85%1,40043.00/cwt43.00–43.006021
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,36466.89/cwt65.00–68.0091295
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight89544.00/cwt44.00–44.003941
CowsLean 85-90%1,20359.89/cwt58.00–63.0072052
CowsLean 85-90%1,15046.73/cwt46.00–47.505376
CowsBoner 80-85%1,79565.00/cwt65.00–65.001,1671
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,46860.78/cwt59.50–65.0089255
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,58549.50/cwt49.50–49.507851
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,69357.24/cwt54.00–60.0096921
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,67866.26/cwt66.00–66.501,1122
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2431,351.35/cwt1,200.00–1,385.0016,79727
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,28057.00/cwt57.00–57.007301
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,2511,291.06/cwt1,275.00–1,300.0016,15123
SteersMedium 2500132.00/cwt132.00–132.006603
Bred HeifersMedium 18571,185.00/cwt1,185.00–1,185.0010,15512
Bred CowsLarge 11,5721,275.00/cwt1,275.00–1,275.0020,0433
SteersMedium and Large 2546144.00/cwt144.00–144.007864
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,83360.50/cwt60.50–60.501,1093
BullsMedium and Large 1-2470157.00/cwt157.00–157.007381
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,03095.66/cwt90.00–109.0098546
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed8741,288.95/cwt1,260.00–1,300.0011,26576
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3351,212.25/cwt1,025.00–1,350.0016,184110
SteersMedium and Large 1570159.50/cwt159.50–159.509093
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3981,350.00/cwt1,350.00–1,350.0018,8733
SteersMedium and Large 1616155.50/cwt155.50–155.5095821
SteersMedium and Large 1423193.00/cwt193.00–193.008162
BullsMedium and Large 1611136.00/cwt136.00–136.008315
BullsMedium and Large 1510157.50/cwt157.50–157.508031
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,25165.00/cwt65.00–65.0081318
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2566141.00/cwt141.00–141.007985
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,02357.10/cwt55.00–58.005843
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,354989.18/cwt910.00–1,075.0013,39331
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,343775.00/cwt775.00–775.0010,4085
HeifersMedium and Large 1364179.00/cwt179.00–179.0065218
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,247797.22/cwt700.00–835.009,94134
HeifersMedium and Large 1658134.00/cwt134.00–134.008824
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,0451,466.63/cwt1,335.00–1,600.0015,326182
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3531,031.61/cwt985.00–1,060.0013,95881
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3131,458.48/cwt1,300.00–1,575.0019,15071
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,2951,700.00/cwt1,700.00–1,700.0022,0156
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,346735.00/cwt735.00–735.009,8936
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3181,392.40/cwt1,350.00–1,425.0018,35216
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2091,545.75/cwt1,350.00–1,675.0018,688231
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,76359.50/cwt59.50–59.501,04911
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed77085.00/cwt85.00–85.006551
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Fancy1,3941,350.00/cwt1,350.00–1,350.0018,819100
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,29757.07/cwt56.50–59.507409
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,298917.79/cwt860.00–1,025.0011,913112
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,06085.58/cwt61.00–104.75907194
CowsBoner 80-85%1,37055.71/cwt52.00–58.5076330
CowsBoner 80-85%1,52861.39/cwt59.00–64.2593814
CowsLean 85-90%1,17053.23/cwt49.00–58.0062359
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,25065.00/cwt65.00–65.008131

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.