Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2021-10-13

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Oct 13
● Final52 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
201 head
600 vs last sale 801 407 vs year ago 608 · 66.9%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
1,027 head
452 vs last sale 1,479 325 vs year ago 702 · +46.3%
Replacement Cattle receipts
1,304 head
906 vs last sale 398 1,032 vs year ago 272 · +379.4%
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: All feeder cattle were scarcely tested this week as this sale featured weigh up cows and bred cows. Weigh up cows sold on light demand for heavy offerings. Packers showed mostly very light to light demand for cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold mostly 4.00-9.00 lower on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, lower undertones were noticed. Cows suitable to feed sold with the best demand this week, however demand was lower than last weeks sale. Feeding cows sold 4.00-8.00 lower. Heavy supplies of cows continue to be seen as ranchers are out of hay and water in many locations and are forced to bring cows to market. Packers are also facing difficulties as they struggle with labor issues which is keeping them from running at full slaughter capacity, despite good demand from retailers. Many cows continue to be very thin this week as yields are reaching seasonal lows. Feeding buyers purchased many thin cows this week to hold until the market improves or to test for bred cows which buyers are running on cornstalks until spring. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00 lower. Weigh up conditions were average to below average this week and slightly lower than last week. Young age cows sold unevenly steady. Most of these offerings are being purchased for southern fall breeding programs.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $130.22/cwt on 43 head.
Average price
$130.22
43 head · 978 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,273
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$126
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1-2
$9.43/cwt at this weight
vs the market
26.40
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1879135.931,19515thin
Large 11,026127.391,30721
Large 1-21,044126.501,3217thin
One grade step is worth $9.43/cwt here — about −$126 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 sale43 hd
130.22
MT average5 barns · 4,733 hd
156.62
−26.40
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
BullsAverage1,68878.121,31819
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,75670.801,2439thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,42455.42789239
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,21842.30515338

Every lot, as filed

52 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
HeifersLarge 11,056125.50/cwt125.50–125.501,3259
HeifersMedium and Large 1844138.50/cwt138.50–138.501,1698
HeifersLarge 11,004128.80/cwt128.50–132.001,29312
HeifersLarge 1-21,044126.50/cwt126.50–126.501,3217
HeifersMedium and Large 1919133.00/cwt133.00–133.001,2227
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed1,178525.00/cwt525.00–525.006,1854
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,21849.44/cwt45.00–55.0060213
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,140585.00/cwt585.00–585.006,66910
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,335702.24/cwt635.00–760.009,375185
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,241668.27/cwt635.00–735.008,29330
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2781,140.00/cwt1,100.00–1,210.0014,56962
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,20454.07/cwt52.00–57.0065111
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,11965.91/cwt54.00–94.0073873
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,0341,400.00/cwt1,400.00–1,400.0014,47620
Bred HeifersMedium 17931,114.35/cwt1,060.00–1,300.008,83765
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,02344.00/cwt44.00–44.004508
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,06773.32/cwt71.00–81.007824
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1001,025.00/cwt1,025.00–1,025.0011,2754
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,1321,000.00/cwt1,000.00–1,000.0011,3206
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,18045.00/cwt45.00–45.005311
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-298170.00/cwt70.00–70.006877
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,44166.50/cwt66.50–66.5095816
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1771,290.60/cwt1,150.00–1,350.0015,190123
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,0711,073.70/cwt1,025.00–1,100.0011,4998
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,282780.45/cwt725.00–835.0010,00582
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 19341,315.33/cwt1,275.00–1,360.0012,285100
Stock CowsMedium and Large 194299.67/cwt64.00–111.50939238
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,175833.75/cwt800.00–860.009,79727
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,6461,250.00/cwt1,250.00–1,250.0020,5754
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,39160.16/cwt60.00–60.5083738
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,178570.82/cwt560.00–575.006,72422
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,21444.00/cwt44.00–44.005342
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,0411,035.00/cwt1,035.00–1,035.0010,7745
BullsReturn to Feed1,60581.00/cwt81.00–81.001,3003
BullsReturn to Feed1,50474.46/cwt64.00–78.001,1209
Bulls1,95981.59/cwt77.00–84.001,5987
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,62360.00/cwt60.00–60.009742
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,20842.23/cwt34.00–45.50510165
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,23351.48/cwt46.00–55.0063539
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,73564.00/cwt64.00–64.001,1101
CowsBoner 80-85%1,42044.35/cwt38.00–47.0063038
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,80475.54/cwt74.00–76.001,3636
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,15834.11/cwt32.00–35.003953
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight95128.65/cwt23.00–33.0027210
CowsBoner 80-85%1,49450.11/cwt47.00–55.007497
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,40155.76/cwt50.00–61.00781107
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,41444.59/cwt42.00–48.0063118
CowsLean 85-90%1,14432.32/cwt28.00–36.0037013
CowsLean 85-90%1,31946.71/cwt46.00–47.0061622
CowsLean 85-90%1,25140.57/cwt36.00–44.5050885
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,45664.35/cwt62.00–69.5093769
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight91035.00/cwt35.00–35.003191

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.