Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2022-05-11

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, May 11
● Final64 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
266 head
96 vs last sale 362 1,990 vs year ago 2,256 · 88.2%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
482 head
83 vs last sale 399 160 vs year ago 322 · +49.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
471 head
144 vs last sale 615 17 vs year ago 488 · 3.5%
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 any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain and lower in quality than last weeks offering. Demand for feeders was mostly light as limited offerings and poorer quality hampered demand. Lower CME feeder prices were seen today as grain prices continue to rally. Market activity this week was mostly slow. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Packers showed stronger demand for slaughter cows this week as they competed with feeder buyers over offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00 higher on all classes of cows. Feeding cows sold generally steady to firm, with the largest increase in price coming from thin lower quality cows that will gain quickly when put on feed. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady. Bull quality this week was not as attractive as last week. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average. Cows were pushing much more fill this week compared to last week. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady. Demand for cattle to rebreed continues to be good.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $152.61/cwt on 67 head.
Average price
$152.61
67 head · 663 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,011
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$193
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2
$42.97/cwt at this weight
vs the market
27.29
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2463179.8083320
Medium and Large 1734165.131,2137thin
Medium and Large 2750136.831,02640
One grade step is worth $42.97/cwt here — about −$193 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 sale67 hd
152.61
MT average3 barns · 395 hd
179.90
−27.29
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
BullsHigh1,56392.841,45149
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,64577.711,27859
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,43575.701,086115
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,17771.88846136

Every lot, as filed

64 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
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2331,360.64/cwt1,285.00–1,375.0016,77717
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3621,150.00/cwt1,150.00–1,150.0015,66311
Heifer PairsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,0331,778.88/cwt1,660.00–1,825.0018,37636
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-21,3871,625.00/cwt1,625.00–1,625.0022,5393
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,3411,825.00/cwt1,825.00–1,825.0024,47331
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,2211,235.00/cwt1,235.00–1,235.0015,0799
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2475159.00/cwt159.00–159.007552
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2641155.00/cwt155.00–155.009944
HeifersMedium and Large 1853132.00/cwt132.00–132.001,1262
HeifersMedium and Large 1715153.00/cwt153.00–153.001,0946
HeifersMedium and Large 1698159.50/cwt159.50–159.501,11312
HeifersMedium and Large 1817142.52/cwt141.00–145.501,1648
SteersMedium and Large 2786129.78/cwt128.00–134.001,02010
SteersMedium and Large 2550160.00/cwt160.00–160.008807
SteersMedium and Large 2722139.64/cwt138.00–141.001,00813
SteersMedium and Large 2889124.00/cwt124.00–124.001,10210
SteersMedium and Large 1765155.00/cwt155.00–155.001,1863
HeifersMedium 1381174.50/cwt174.50–174.506657
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned375186.00/cwt186.00–186.006987
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned459180.00/cwt180.00–180.008266
SteersMedium and Large 1675176.47/cwt175.00–178.001,1912
SteersMedium and Large 1-2411185.00/cwt185.00–185.007604
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2520164.00/cwt164.00–164.008531
HeifersMedium 1471152.50/cwt152.50–152.5071817
SteersMedium and Large 1-2747158.00/cwt158.00–158.001,1803
SteersMedium and Large 1748169.00/cwt169.00–169.001,2642
BullsLarge 11,126109.50/cwt109.50–109.501,2336
BullsLarge 11,225102.00/cwt102.00–102.001,2502
BullsLarge 11,170103.00/cwt103.00–103.001,2051
BullsLarge 11,085114.00/cwt114.00–114.001,2371
BullsMedium and Large 1646149.00/cwt149.00–149.009638
BullsMedium and Large 1824141.00/cwt141.00–141.001,1624
CowsLean 85-90%1,17068.09/cwt63.00–73.5079731
CowsBoner 80-85%1,43777.37/cwt74.50–79.501,11225
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,41878.29/cwt75.00–83.001,11047
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,44971.51/cwt68.00–74.001,03627
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,17671.06/cwt64.00–74.0083625
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,23881.24/cwt79.50–82.001,0066
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,61981.09/cwt78.50–85.001,31317
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,43283.67/cwt83.50–84.001,1983
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,20775.43/cwt74.00–79.0091056
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,67872.50/cwt72.50–72.501,2173
CowsBoner 80-85%1,46569.95/cwt65.50–74.001,02513
CowsLean 85-90%1,04551.00/cwt51.00–51.005334
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,65875.57/cwt72.50–76.751,25332
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,46585.27/cwt84.50–86.001,2492
CowsLean 85-90%1,17775.71/cwt74.00–77.508919
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,55383.29/cwt80.00–84.501,2934
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight93845.00/cwt45.00–45.004222
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight89572.00/cwt72.00–72.006441
CowsBreaker 75-80%Heavy Weight2,30067.00/cwt67.00–67.001,5411
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight94865.00/cwt65.00–65.006162
Bulls2,035106.49/cwt104.00–108.002,1673
Bulls1,75398.88/cwt93.50–103.001,73315
Bulls1,63586.77/cwt79.00–93.001,4199
BullsLight Weight1,29873.00/cwt73.00–73.009483
BullsReturn to Feed1,37380.94/cwt77.50–91.001,1116
BullsReturn to Feed1,33396.98/cwt93.00–98.001,29313
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,3311,642.31/cwt1,550.00–1,775.0021,85947
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3761,265.38/cwt1,210.00–1,325.0017,41211
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-290499.04/cwt92.00–101.008955
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1984109.16/cwt94.00–132.501,07491
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,19681.53/cwt75.00–92.0097528
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3901,100.00/cwt1,100.00–1,100.0015,2903

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.