Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2022-01-12

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Jan 12
● Final51 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
190 head
12 vs last sale 202 209 vs year ago 399 · 52.4%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
688 head
269 vs last sale 419 57 vs year ago 631 · +9.0%
Replacement Cattle receipts
677 head
471 vs last sale 206 401 vs year ago 276 · +145.3%
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to make any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. Most calves were offered as singles or small lots. Demand for feeders was mostly light as quality was not as attractive as last week. Market activity was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand and offerings. Cow quality this week was mostly plain to average with a limited offering of high quality feeding cows on offer. Slaughter cows sold fully steady to weak on all classes. Feeding cows sold generally steady. Many cows were pushing some fill again this week. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested either this week or last to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to lower undertones were noticed. Feeding bull buyers were not as active this week allowing packers to buy bulls lower. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed steady to 5.00 higher. Quality this week was mostly average, however demand for this class of cows was stronger than last week. A moderate offering of bred cows was seen this sale. Demand for bred stock was mostly moderate. Quality this week was mostly average for bred cows which limited demand.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $153.15/cwt on 45 head.
Average price
$153.15
45 head · 588 lb average
Value per head Derived
$901
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$5
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1
$13.02/cwt at this weight
vs the market
16.45
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1585154.0290142
Large 1635141.008953thin
One grade step is worth $13.02/cwt here — about $5 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 sale45 hd
153.15
MT average3 barns · 1,535 hd
169.59
−16.45
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
BullsLow1,97179.821,57315
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,69159.601,00824
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,41155.70786217
CowsLean 85-90%High1,20951.37621207

Every lot, as filed

51 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 1695134.92/cwt122.50–139.0093812
BullsLarge 11,185103.00/cwt103.00–103.001,2213
HeifersMedium and Large 1614144.76/cwt142.00–146.5088916
HeifersMedium and Large 1758139.00/cwt139.00–139.001,0542
HeifersMedium and Large 1523163.00/cwt163.00–163.008523
SteersMedium and Large 1753152.00/cwt152.00–152.001,1456
HeifersMedium and Large 1697143.00/cwt143.00–143.009976
HeifersMedium and Large 1498168.50/cwt168.50–168.5083915
HeifersLarge 1635141.00/cwt141.00–141.008953
SteersMedium and Large 1498203.00/cwt203.00–203.001,0116
SteersMedium and Large 1600176.00/cwt176.00–176.001,0562
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,346906.27/cwt800.00–1,000.0012,198104
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,136885.84/cwt800.00–950.0010,06316
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3131,084.05/cwt800.00–1,275.0014,234109
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3321,056.95/cwt1,000.00–1,100.0014,07920
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2661,232.56/cwt1,200.00–1,250.0015,60415
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2381,470.09/cwt1,275.00–1,550.0018,20036
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,379850.00/cwt850.00–850.0011,7227
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,4981,175.00/cwt1,175.00–1,175.0017,6024
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,03465.85/cwt56.00–78.0068146
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-292861.00/cwt61.00–61.005662
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,00388.00/cwt71.00–103.00883115
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-29261,100.00/cwt1,100.00–1,100.0010,1868
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1981,523.94/cwt1,375.00–1,650.0018,25764
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,138635.00/cwt635.00–635.007,2267
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,21063.31/cwt61.00–65.007663
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,21153.76/cwt51.00–58.0065177
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,68567.50/cwt67.50–67.501,1371
CowsLean 85-90%1,15339.90/cwt35.00–43.0046014
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,65657.87/cwt48.00–60.509585
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,40253.15/cwt50.00–54.0074550
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,74163.38/cwt63.00–64.001,1035
CowsBoner 80-85%1,48455.30/cwt54.00–58.0082116
CowsBoner 80-85%1,40542.00/cwt42.00–42.005901
CowsLean 85-90%1,21553.21/cwt52.00–54.5064738
CowsLean 85-90%1,19847.99/cwt44.00–51.0057539
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,24451.70/cwt51.00–53.0064335
CowsBoner 80-85%1,43149.64/cwt46.00–54.0071038
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight88542.00/cwt42.00–42.003721
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,68658.20/cwt54.00–58.5098113
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,47067.00/cwt67.00–67.009851
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,39859.00/cwt54.00–65.00825111
Bulls1,85375.59/cwt69.00–81.001,4014
Bulls2,00382.61/cwt82.00–84.001,6559
BullsHeavy Weight2,58070.00/cwt70.00–70.001,8061
BullsReturn to Feed1,54581.50/cwt81.50–81.501,2591
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,234800.00/cwt800.00–800.009,87212
Bred CowsLarge 11,498875.00/cwt875.00–875.0013,1083
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-285365.00/cwt65.00–65.005543
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,1251,457.56/cwt1,385.00–1,500.0016,39821
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,0491,150.00/cwt1,150.00–1,150.0012,06410

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.