Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2023-01-25

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Jan 25
● Final54 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
375 head
2,603 vs last sale 2,978 2,032 vs year ago 2,407 · 84.4%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
219 head
149 vs last sale 368 103 vs year ago 322 · 32.0%
Replacement Cattle receipts
55 head
133 vs last sale 188 134 vs year ago 189 · 70.9%
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady to lower undertones were noticed on a lower quality offering. Quality today was mostly plain to average, and lower than last week. Most calves were offered in small lots or as singles. Demand was light to moderate as quality limited demand. Market activity was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for light to moderate offerings. Packer buyers showed very strong demand for cows for immidiate slaughter. Breaking cows sold steady to 3.00 higher, boning and lean cows sold mostly 3.00-6.00 higher. Feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold 5.00-8.00 higher. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average this sale. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady in a narrow compairson.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $197.61/cwt on 122 head.
Average price
$197.61
122 head · 609 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,203
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$189
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2
$55.65/cwt at this weight
vs the market
7.21
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2515217.281,11938
Medium and Large 1660191.961,26775
Medium and Large 2575161.639299thin
One grade step is worth $55.65/cwt here — about $189 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 sale122 hd
197.61
MT average3 barns · 1,115 hd
204.82
−7.21
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
BullsLow1,73598.921,71625
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,63977.441,26931
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,41972.031,02275
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,15466.7377065

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age
Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,393$9005

Every lot, as filed

54 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 1-2478184.28/cwt184.00–185.008817
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2395187.10/cwt185.00–188.507395
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2586170.24/cwt168.00–171.009984
SteersMedium and Large 1-2514214.27/cwt212.50–215.001,10114
SteersMedium and Large 1-2495230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,1399
HeifersMedium and Large 1568177.00/cwt177.00–177.001,0053
HeifersMedium and Large 1501190.00/cwt190.00–190.009524
HeifersMedium and Large 1705161.00/cwt161.00–161.001,1351
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned333190.00/cwt190.00–190.006332
HeifersMedium and Large 1604176.00/cwt176.00–176.001,0635
HeifersMedium and Large 1435206.00/cwt206.00–206.008964
SteersMedium and Large 1-2430238.75/cwt238.00–240.001,0278
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned613186.00/cwt186.00–186.001,1404
SteersMedium and Large 1472234.34/cwt232.00–238.001,1065
SteersMedium and Large 1500225.00/cwt225.00–225.001,1254
SteersMedium and Large 1713182.50/cwt182.50–182.501,30124
SteersMedium and Large 1913155.00/cwt155.00–155.001,4157
SteersMedium and Large 1-2665179.00/cwt179.00–179.001,1902
SteersMedium and Large 1619197.31/cwt195.50–199.001,22131
SteersMedium and Large 1-2629183.78/cwt182.00–185.001,1565
SteersMedium and Large 2575161.63/cwt156.00–173.009299
BullsMedium and Large 1620177.00/cwt177.00–177.001,0971
BullsMedium and Large 1-2574168.22/cwt166.00–171.0096624
BullsMedium and Large 2458175.00/cwt175.00–175.008024
BullsMedium and Large 1915129.00/cwt129.00–129.001,1801
BullsMedium and Large 1810140.51/cwt137.00–144.001,1386
BullsMedium and Large 1956115.00/cwt115.00–115.001,0994
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,71585.00/cwt85.00–85.001,4581
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,17265.83/cwt64.00–66.0077210
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,15577.00/cwt77.00–77.008891
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,20969.50/cwt67.50–72.0084020
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,38370.22/cwt68.00–71.0097131
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,40079.00/cwt79.00–79.001,1061
CowsLean 85-90%1,13370.68/cwt66.00–73.008019
CowsLean 85-90%1,12361.53/cwt56.00–66.0069119
CowsBoner 80-85%1,50075.09/cwt73.00–78.501,12618
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight91561.68/cwt57.00–65.505643
CowsLean 85-90%1,23474.00/cwt74.00–74.009133
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,72974.10/cwt72.50–75.501,2815
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,61877.81/cwt76.00–78.501,25925
CowsBoner 80-85%1,43068.64/cwt66.00–73.0098213
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,38275.21/cwt74.00–77.501,03912
Bulls1,62690.36/cwt75.00–95.001,4697
Bulls2,008112.02/cwt110.00–115.002,2494
Bulls1,923106.46/cwt101.00–109.002,0476
BullsReturn to Feed1,81098.65/cwt95.50–102.001,7864
BullsReturn to Feed1,29489.79/cwt86.00–94.501,1624
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,05284.30/cwt67.00–111.0088714
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1997139.10/cwt111.00–151.001,38728
Stock CowsMedium 1810132.00/cwt132.00–132.001,0691
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,393900.00/head900.00–900.009005
HeifersMedium and Large 1460198.00/cwt198.00–198.009111
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2432186.76/cwt180.00–189.0080715
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2515174.43/cwt172.00–182.008984

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.