Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2021-05-26

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, May 26
● Final63 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
190 head
19 vs last sale 171 190 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
702 head
134 vs last sale 568 702 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
399 head
235 vs last sale 164 399 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
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 an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on steers and heifers. Feeder cattle quality was mostly average today. A few fall calves were offered today and these offerings sold with little to no discount to long weaned yearlings. These offerings were average to attractive. CME positions were lower today but remain higher than last week giving some support to the market. Corn prices were sharply lower yesterday but traded 0.04'4 to 0.06 higher today on July-Dec contracts. The near-by July contract is down 0.3375 since last Wednesday. Market activity was mostly moderate today with more participants bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows comprised the majority of the the sale this week. Packers opted to send the majority of the offering to feed this week. Cow quality was average to attractive and significantly higher than last week. Despite heavy cow supplies packers continue to fight over market share and pushed cows higher today. Slaughter cows sold steady to 1.00 higher on boning and lean cows, breaking cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher. Feeding cows sold mostly 1.00-2.00 higher. Packers opted to send a portion of the cows they would normally send to slaughter to short term feed. Demand for ground beef continues to be very good and the cutter cow cutout continues to inch higher. The cutter cow cutout as of todays close was 210.51, 0.85 higher than yesterdays value. Slaughter volumes remain elevated as packers are slaughtering large volumes of cows and bulls due to high cull volumes in the Northern Plains. Weigh up conditions were mostly average this week, however weigh conditions were significantly higher than last week. Young age cows sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher this week pushed mostly by rebreed buyers searching for high quality offerings. Feeding quality offerings sold mostly steady.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $143.36/cwt on 74 head.
Average price
$143.36
74 head · 582 lb average
Value per head Derived
$834
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$102
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium 1-2
$5.00/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+5.28
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2483145.007019thin
Medium and Large 1612143.4587859
Medium 1-2428140.005996thin
One grade step is worth $5.00/cwt here — about $102 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 sale74 hd
143.36
MT average3 barns · 246 hd
138.07
+5.28
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
BullsAverage1,77089.911,591117
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,60168.721,10143
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,40964.84914185
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,21559.86727297

Every lot, as filed

63 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
BullsMedium and Large 1986102.86/cwt102.00–103.001,0147
BullsLarge 11,13595.00/cwt95.00–95.001,07817
BullsLarge 11,16799.33/cwt99.00–101.001,1596
BullsLarge 11,29593.00/cwt93.00–93.001,2044
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned503146.00/cwt146.00–146.007349
SteersMedium and Large 1567181.66/cwt179.00–183.001,0303
HeifersMedium and Large 1539154.08/cwt150.00–156.008306
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1181,090.87/cwt1,075.00–1,100.0012,1963
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-285864.59/cwt57.50–73.005542
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-280175.63/cwt60.00–84.0060648
Stock CowsMedium and Large 197191.35/cwt70.00–110.00887178
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,52069.00/cwt69.00–69.001,0491
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,48262.24/cwt58.00–64.0092210
SteersMedium and Large 1-2819116.68/cwt116.00–118.009563
SteersMedium and Large 1-2743137.00/cwt137.00–137.001,0183
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2450145.00/cwt145.00–145.006533
HeifersMedium and Large 1600147.00/cwt147.00–147.008822
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned446156.54/cwt150.00–162.5069823
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned566180.00/cwt180.00–180.001,01916
BullsMedium and Large 1-2837100.00/cwt100.00–100.008373
HeifersMedium and Large 1709133.06/cwt129.00–138.0094324
HeifersMedium and Large 1564157.68/cwt151.00–160.008898
HeifersMedium and Large 1663141.00/cwt141.00–141.009356
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned416157.50/cwt157.50–157.506554
SteersMedium and Large 1613178.00/cwt178.00–178.001,0916
Bulls1,79087.08/cwt81.00–90.501,55915
Bulls1,65177.32/cwt74.25–83.501,27723
Bulls2,02194.98/cwt93.50–98.001,92012
BullsReturn to Feed1,45477.19/cwt74.50–82.001,1227
BullsNatural1,84998.05/cwt97.50–99.001,81340
BullsNatural1,76292.90/cwt88.00–95.001,63715
CowsLean 85-90%1,13548.48/cwt42.00–50.505504
CowsBoner 80-85%1,53570.38/cwt69.00–71.001,0803
CowsBoner 80-85%1,42463.53/cwt62.00–66.0090529
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,25762.47/cwt60.00–66.50785128
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,63370.23/cwt68.00–72.001,14715
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,62065.05/cwt65.00–65.501,0549
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,34159.37/cwt57.00–62.0079618
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight94352.67/cwt52.00–54.004976
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight87060.00/cwt60.00–60.005221
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,51269.15/cwt68.50–71.001,04611
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,71474.61/cwt74.00–75.501,2794
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,42270.59/cwt69.00–73.501,00425
BullsLarge 11,21094.00/cwt94.00–94.001,1372
BullsLarge 11,09599.00/cwt99.00–99.001,0842
BullsLarge 11,015105.00/cwt105.00–105.001,0662
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,41165.02/cwt62.00–67.50917105
CowsBoner 80-85%1,37556.46/cwt53.00–62.507765
BullsReturn to Feed1,48887.97/cwt84.00–89.501,3095
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed76080.00/cwt80.00–80.006083
HeifersMedium 1-2428140.00/cwt140.00–140.005996
Dairy SteersLarge 31,05060.00/cwt60.00–60.006302
CowsLean 85-90%1,20057.11/cwt52.00–62.0068582
CowsLean 85-90%1,14070.01/cwt66.00–72.007983
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,57564.28/cwt63.50–65.001,0124
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2500145.00/cwt145.00–145.007256
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,14859.00/cwt59.00–59.006772
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,14672.40/cwt58.00–86.0083090
CowsLean 85-90%1,22462.80/cwt60.50–66.0076912
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,18057.97/cwt54.00–62.0068458
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,27067.66/cwt67.00–68.008593
SteersMedium and Large 1753148.00/cwt148.00–148.001,1144
BullsMedium and Large 180250.00/cwt250.00–250.002002

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.