Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2021-06-30

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Jun 30
● Final60 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
464 head
523 vs last sale 987 464 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
940 head
474 vs last sale 1,414 940 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
254 head
248 vs last sale 502 254 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 either this week or last week in any particular weight group to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed on both steers and heifers. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Demand was mostly moderate to good. Several sets of unweaned calves sold this sale as drought conditions are driving calves to market. Demand for unweaned calves was light to moderate. Market activity this sale was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows comprised most of the sale again this week. Packers showed stronger demand for feeding cows this week following last weeks decline. Feeding cows sold mostly 1.00-2.00 higher, with instances of 3.00 higher seen at times. Packers showed really good demand for breaking flesh cows for immediate harvest as they search for fat to blend down the lean cows which are being marketed out of drought areas. Breaking cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher. Boning and lean cows sold steady to firm. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 1.00 lower. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 3.00 lower. Demand for these offerings was mostly moderate. Cow calf pairs were of mostly plain to average quality this week and many pairs split as it was more advantageous to the seller to sell the cow and calf separately.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $144.14/cwt on 224 head.
Average price
$144.14
224 head · 649 lb average
Value per head Derived
$936
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$230
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 1-2
$24.83/cwt at this weight
vs the market
2.25
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1674145.83983167
Medium and Large 2313142.504465thin
Medium 1592142.3784241
Medium and Large 1-2660139.009173thin
Medium 1-2623121.007548thin
One grade step is worth $24.83/cwt here — about $230 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 sale224 hd
144.14
MT average2 barns · 377 hd
146.39
−2.25
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
BullsHigh1,77988.251,570110
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,65571.621,18653
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,40466.44933319
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,24162.19772189

Every lot, as filed

60 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
BullsLarge 11,133104.49/cwt104.00–105.001,1842
BullsLarge 11,232104.21/cwt101.00–105.001,2845
BullsLarge 11,185102.00/cwt102.00–102.001,2091
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned405170.00/cwt170.00–170.006898
HeifersMedium and Large 1700150.00/cwt150.00–150.001,05090
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-293560.00/cwt60.00–60.005612
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-278072.50/cwt72.50–72.505661
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,11970.40/cwt64.00–77.0078875
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,10380.78/cwt67.00–103.0089175
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2690131.00/cwt131.00–131.009041
BullsMedium and Large 1-2543163.00/cwt163.00–163.008856
SteersMedium and Large 1-2706146.34/cwt146.00–148.001,03312
HeifersMedium and Large 2Unweaned313142.50/cwt142.50–142.504465
BullsMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned415125.00/cwt125.00–125.005193
HeifersMedium and Large 1789129.75/cwt129.25–132.001,02416
SteersMedium and Large 1-2630169.66/cwt169.00–171.001,0693
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2645143.00/cwt143.00–143.009222
HeifersMedium and Large 1830126.00/cwt126.00–126.001,0461
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned473140.00/cwt140.00–140.0066216
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned419141.00/cwt141.00–141.005917
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Full856130.00/cwt130.00–130.001,1137
SteersMedium and Large 1818153.50/cwt153.50–153.501,25655
HeifersMedium and Large 1604154.50/cwt154.50–154.5093328
SteersMedium and Large 1712157.92/cwt154.00–159.001,12414
BullsMedium and Large 1820120.00/cwt120.00–120.009841
HeifersMedium and Large 1973122.00/cwt122.00–122.001,1879
SteersMedium and Large 1657169.00/cwt169.00–169.001,1103
Bulls2,06297.70/cwt94.00–104.002,01536
Bulls1,76487.54/cwt83.00–94.001,54444
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,41573.05/cwt69.00–78.001,03468
CowsBoner 80-85%1,42063.75/cwt62.00–66.0090529
BullsReturn to Feed1,41983.54/cwt81.00–87.501,18513
BullsLight Weight1,30060.00/cwt60.00–60.007801
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight96064.00/cwt64.00–64.006141
Bulls1,47575.31/cwt66.00–81.001,11111
CowsLean 85-90%1,26961.68/cwt60.50–63.5078351
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,69176.47/cwt74.00–79.501,29316
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,65171.86/cwt69.00–73.501,18619
CowsBoner 80-85%1,44870.83/cwt69.00–73.001,0262
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,80561.00/cwt61.00–61.001,1011
Bulls2,29067.00/cwt67.00–67.001,5341
BullsReturn to Feed1,40874.22/cwt71.00–79.001,0454
CowsLean 85-90%1,13043.00/cwt43.00–43.004861
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,65079.00/cwt79.00–79.001,3041
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,19766.82/cwt66.75–67.0080012
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,61666.70/cwt64.00–67.501,07816
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,39765.25/cwt62.25–68.50912201
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,43758.83/cwt55.00–62.0084511
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,24364.81/cwt62.00–66.5080672
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,19658.74/cwt57.00–60.0070313
CowsBoner 80-85%1,35959.44/cwt57.00–60.008088
BullsLarge 11,27099.00/cwt99.00–99.001,2571
BullsLarge 11,089107.36/cwt105.50–110.001,16912
CowsLean 85-90%1,23758.20/cwt52.00–60.5072039
HeifersMedium 1-2623121.00/cwt121.00–121.007548
SteersMedium 1579160.00/cwt160.00–160.0092611
HeifersMedium 1661139.00/cwt139.00–139.0091917
SteersMedium 1516164.00/cwt164.00–164.008467
HeifersMedium 1554146.00/cwt146.00–146.008099
HeifersMedium 1536144.00/cwt144.00–144.0077215

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.