Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2021-04-28

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Apr 28
● Final62 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
244 head
633 vs last sale 877 84 vs year ago 160 · +52.5%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
498 head
50 vs last sale 448 172 vs year ago 326 · +52.8%
Replacement Cattle receipts
291 head
13 vs last sale 278 69 vs year ago 222 · +31.1%
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Feeder cattle quality today was mostly plain. Demand was light to moderate for very light offerings. CME feeder cattle positions continue to traded lower as corn and beans have traded higher since last week. The April feeder cattle contract closed at 133.875, the May contract closed at 134.975 and the August at 148.90. Market activity today was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Slaughter and feeding cows sold generally steady. Packers continue to show good demand for young age high quality cows suitable to feed. Feeding buyers were active again this week but were not willing to push cows higher than last weeks prices. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average this week as most offerings were pushing heavy amounts of fill. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 7.00-10.00 lower. The biggest declines were seen for 2 year old cows and heifers to feed as feed cost continue to climb.

Weight class

Bulls · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb bulls averaged $107.91/cwt on 103 head. That ranks 1 of 29 comparable sales and sits 96.20 against this barn's trailing median of $204.11.
Average price
$107.91
103 head · 984 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,062
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$225
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Large 1-2
$30.12/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+11.38
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2676125.1184611thin
Medium and Large 1795120.8696129
Large 11,12499.601,12054
Large 1-21,12794.991,0709thin
One grade step is worth $30.12/cwt here — about −$225 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.

This barn's trailing prices 0–100 lb

29 sales
238211183156median 204.1101/0702/2504/1506/0308/19
Bulls 0–100 lb: high $224.44, low $169.60, median $204.11 across 29 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

How it compared 0–100 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale103 hd
107.91
MT average2 barns · 265 hd
96.53
+11.38
This barn, trailing median29 sales
204.11
−96.20
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
BullsLow1,63386.151,40794
CowsPremium White 65-75%High1,76572.801,28510
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,66865.901,09935
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,40965.54923135
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,21663.40771148

Every lot, as filed

62 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
Dairy SteersLarge 2-3730112.00/cwt112.00–112.008188
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed99868.15/cwt63.00–75.006803
Stock CowsMedium and Large 196593.65/cwt73.00–111.00904120
BullsLarge 11,17499.09/cwt94.00–100.501,16312
BullsLarge 11,23393.00/cwt93.00–93.001,1475
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-295870.59/cwt66.50–74.006767
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed82962.47/cwt59.00–68.005186
BullsMedium and Large 1515149.00/cwt149.00–149.007677
BullsMedium and Large 1884111.50/cwt111.50–111.509868
Dairy HeifersLarge 2-3618113.00/cwt113.00–113.006989
BullsLarge 1-21,12195.11/cwt94.00–97.001,0668
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2648134.00/cwt134.00–134.008682
BullsMedium and Large 1-2663127.00/cwt127.00–127.008422
BullsMedium and Large 1974108.33/cwt108.00–109.001,0559
SteersMedium and Large 1195375.00/cwt375.00–375.007311
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed79377.00/cwt77.00–77.006112
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,13875.29/cwt64.00–87.0085776
BullsMedium and Large 1-2903105.00/cwt105.00–105.009482
BullsMedium and Large 1-2615130.31/cwt129.00–132.008017
BullsMedium and Large 1-2125175.00/cwt175.00–175.002191
BullsMedium and Large 1721119.00/cwt119.00–119.008585
SteersMedium and Large 1909115.00/cwt115.00–115.001,0457
HeifersMedium and Large 1625144.00/cwt144.00–144.0090016
BullsMedium and Large 1123295.20/cwt285.00–310.003632
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-286585.00/cwt85.00–85.007353
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,19761.22/cwt56.00–64.0073346
Bulls1,55380.26/cwt75.00–84.501,24621
Bulls2,04495.26/cwt92.00–101.001,94710
Bulls1,83089.19/cwt84.50–92.001,63230
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,72764.35/cwt61.50–68.501,11120
BullsHeavy Weight2,62385.24/cwt85.00–85.502,2362
BullsReturn to Feed1,32080.70/cwt72.00–84.001,06511
BullsReturn to Feed1,28988.46/cwt85.00–89.501,14018
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,39667.97/cwt65.00–70.0094928
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,25271.31/cwt70.00–74.0089314
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,62669.67/cwt69.00–71.001,1337
CowsPremium White 65-75%Heavy Weight2,24071.00/cwt71.00–71.001,5901
CowsBoner 80-85%1,39366.95/cwt65.00–69.0093315
CowsLean 85-90%1,15072.00/cwt72.00–72.008281
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,22265.69/cwt64.00–69.5080339
CowsLean 85-90%1,20466.85/cwt64.00–69.508059
CowsBoner 80-85%1,41761.48/cwt56.00–64.5087138
CowsPremium White 65-75%1,71273.00/cwt73.00–73.001,2509
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,79058.00/cwt58.00–58.001,0381
BullsLight Weight1,30567.00/cwt67.00–67.008742
BullsLarge 11,088101.84/cwt100.50–102.501,1086
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,40262.60/cwt59.00–64.5087829
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight87053.00/cwt53.00–53.004611
CowsLean 85-90%1,22852.50/cwt52.50–52.506453
CowsLean 85-90%1,23360.65/cwt54.00–63.5074835
CowsBoner 80-85%1,38554.00/cwt54.00–54.007481
Dairy HeifersLarge 2743113.50/cwt113.50–113.5084323
BullsLarge 11,040103.00/cwt103.00–103.001,0712
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,54166.82/cwt61.00–68.001,0306
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,42573.00/cwt73.00–73.001,0401
BullsLarge 11,26091.50/cwt91.50–91.501,1532
BullsLarge 1966105.50/cwt105.50–105.501,0197
Dairy SteersLarge 2825111.50/cwt111.50–111.5092027
BullsLarge 1-21,17594.00/cwt94.00–94.001,1051
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,42372.13/cwt70.00–75.001,02621
CowsBoner 80-85%1,46573.42/cwt72.00–74.501,0763
BullsLarge 11,12899.30/cwt98.00–101.001,12020

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.