Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2021-06-23

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Jun 23
● Final74 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
987 head
844 vs last sale 143 241 vs year ago 1,228 · 19.6%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
1,414 head
913 vs last sale 501 1,124 vs year ago 290 · +387.6%
Replacement Cattle receipts
502 head
201 vs last sale 301 644 vs year ago 1,146 · 56.2%
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 last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Demand was mixed for moderate offerings. Quality today was mixed from plain to attractive. Demand for front end high quality offerings remains mostly good, however plain to average quality offerings sold with significantly lighter demand. Most offerings were in light flesh and coming off grass. Drought conditions are driving offerings to market. Market activity today was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows comprised the majority of the offering this week. Packers purchased cows to both feed and for immediate harvest this week. Packers located to the east were much more reserved as they bid on offerings, while western packers were mostly active. Slaughter cows sold 2.00-3.00 lower. Feeding cows sold 1.00-3.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 lower. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady. Demand for these offerings was mostly moderate. Demand for cow calf pairs was light to moderate. Dry conditions continue to bring these offering to market and consequently also limited demand for these offerings. Many of these offerings were split today as it was more profitable to the seller to do so.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $147.96/cwt on 532 head.
Average price
$147.96
532 head · 599 lb average
Value per head Derived
$886
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$183
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 1-2
$22.60/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+2.46
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1598151.60907428
Medium and Large 2545133.4472718thin
Medium and Large 1-2620133.2682778
Medium 1-2561129.007248thin
One grade step is worth $22.60/cwt here — about $183 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 sale532 hd
147.96
MT average3 barns · 811 hd
145.49
+2.46
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
BullsLow1,83992.561,70282
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,55868.451,06631
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,39365.60914514
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,21462.40758219

Every lot, as filed

74 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
HeifersMedium and Large 2510135.00/cwt135.00–135.0068911
HeifersMedium and Large 1666151.43/cwt149.00–152.001,00963
HeifersMedium and Large 1704148.00/cwt148.00–148.001,0429
SteersMedium and Large 1-2585158.76/cwt156.00–161.0092925
SteersMedium and Large 1-2613159.77/cwt151.00–168.0097910
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned363142.50/cwt142.50–142.505172
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2717132.70/cwt129.00–137.0095119
SteersMedium and Large 1715155.54/cwt155.00–156.001,11213
SteersMedium and Large 1911130.00/cwt130.00–130.001,1847
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2103150.00/cwt150.00–150.001554
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Full668138.50/cwt138.50–138.509255
HeifersMedium and Large 1488153.00/cwt153.00–153.00747109
SteersMedium and Large 1675163.31/cwt155.00–164.001,10213
HeifersMedium and Large 1639157.50/cwt157.50–157.501,00630
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned391152.05/cwt152.00–152.5059510
HeifersMedium and Large 1813124.00/cwt124.00–124.001,0082
SteersMedium and Large 1Full553170.00/cwt170.00–170.009406
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,4291,000.00/cwt1,000.00–1,000.0014,29017
SteersMedium and Large 1779144.42/cwt144.00–146.001,12532
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,4181,250.00/cwt1,250.00–1,250.0017,7253
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS1,3831,100.00/cwt1,100.00–1,100.0015,21330
SteersMedium and Large 1853141.00/cwt141.00–141.001,20322
HeifersMedium and Large 1579157.20/cwt150.00–159.00910158
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed96072.00/cwt72.00–72.006911
HeifersMedium and Large 1770131.50/cwt131.50–131.501,01353
SteersSmall and Medium 2-366177.50/cwt77.50–77.505127
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,4191,095.53/cwt1,050.00–1,150.0015,5467
Heifer PairsMedium and Large 11,0971,371.57/cwt1,350.00–1,525.0015,04625
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,2501,000.00/cwt1,000.00–1,000.0012,5003
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,4461,275.00/cwt1,275.00–1,275.0018,43710
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,10088.06/cwt70.00–109.0096991
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,22961.74/cwt60.00–64.0075913
BullsReturn to Feed1,28274.83/cwt71.00–82.009598
BullsReturn to Feed1,40386.40/cwt83.50–90.001,2122
Bulls1,64779.77/cwt76.00–82.001,3143
Bulls2,00398.91/cwt95.00–103.001,98142
BullsNatural1,73994.78/cwt93.00–95.501,6487
CowsBoner 80-85%1,55056.56/cwt55.50–58.008772
CowsBoner 80-85%1,58567.50/cwt67.50–67.501,0703
CowsBoner 80-85%1,38162.95/cwt60.50–65.00869133
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,38864.00/cwt60.00–66.50888204
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,40571.50/cwt71.50–71.501,0051
CowsLean 85-90%1,17357.39/cwt50.00–61.0067352
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight95054.28/cwt52.75–58.005168
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight1,14059.00/cwt59.00–59.006732
CowsLean 85-90%1,23861.97/cwt59.00–64.5076776
CowsLean 85-90%1,23765.00/cwt65.00–65.008043
Bulls1,82388.09/cwt84.50–93.001,60620
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,25868.39/cwt66.00–73.0086064
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,58668.28/cwt66.75–71.501,08314
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,41870.93/cwt67.50–76.001,006153
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,3341,475.00/cwt1,475.00–1,475.0019,67721
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,09367.00/cwt67.00–67.007322
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,29059.00/cwt59.00–59.0076119
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight76045.00/cwt45.00–45.003421
HeifersMedium 1-2561129.00/cwt129.00–129.007248
BullsLarge 11,150112.00/cwt112.00–112.001,2881
SteersMedium and Large 2714128.50/cwt128.50–128.509174
SteersMedium and Large 2554144.00/cwt144.00–144.007987
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,49962.92/cwt62.00–65.009438
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,58673.90/cwt73.50–76.001,1728
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed1,0341,035.00/cwt1,035.00–1,035.0010,7026
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,4271,436.70/cwt1,325.00–1,475.0020,50210
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Fleshy630123.00/cwt123.00–123.007756
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2659131.38/cwt130.00–132.0086617
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-276088.00/cwt88.00–88.006691
SteersMedium 1-2520157.00/cwt157.00–157.0081612
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2565135.58/cwt130.00–148.0076630
BullsMedium and Large 1-2103150.00/cwt150.00–150.001552
BullsMedium and Large 11,23096.00/cwt96.00–96.001,1811
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2472139.00/cwt139.00–139.006566
HeifersMedium and Large 2599131.00/cwt131.00–131.007857
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,19171.05/cwt60.00–80.0084668
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned333135.00/cwt135.00–135.004502

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.