Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2023-02-15

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Feb 15
● Final41 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
177 head
149 vs last sale 326 313 vs year ago 490 · 63.9%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
70 head
315 vs last sale 385 186 vs year ago 256 · 72.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
56 head
3 vs last sale 59 44 vs year ago 100 · 44.0%
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Receipts were light today due to cold weather seen today and snowy conditions seen yesterday. Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this sale was mostly plain. Most calves were offered in small packages or as singles. Demand for feeder cattle remains good, but quality hampered demand this sale. Market activity was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light offerings. Packer buyers showed good demand for slaughter cows this sale. Cow quality was mostly plain to average. A large consignment of mini Herefords was seen this sale and packers showed mostly light demand for these lightweight offerings. Too few cows sold to establish a full market trend for slaughter or feeding cows, however steady to higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. A few heifers that lost calves have started to come to market. These offering sold at a discount open heifers and lowered the price of <2 year old stock cows.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $206.14/cwt on 53 head.
Average price
$206.14
53 head · 633 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,304
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$144
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$58.55/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+6.09
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1563230.011,29527
Medium and Large 2452200.009049thin
Medium and Large 1-2839171.461,43917thin
One grade step is worth $58.55/cwt here — about −$144 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 sale53 hd
206.14
MT average3 barns · 1,414 hd
200.05
+6.09
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
BullsLow1,05690.9196015
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,71887.501,5034thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,31583.601,09915
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,05474.5578623

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 Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,385$1,2732thin

Every lot, as filed

41 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 11,070127.00/cwt127.00–127.001,3592
BullsMedium and Large 1-2510175.00/cwt175.00–175.008933
BullsMedium and Large 1-2843130.00/cwt130.00–130.001,0962
BullsMedium 2418157.50/cwt157.50–157.506585
BullsMedium and Large 1485217.50/cwt217.50–217.501,0551
BullsSmall and Medium 2420105.00/cwt105.00–105.004416
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2600169.00/cwt169.00–169.001,0142
Dairy SteersLarge 3-481850.00/cwt50.00–50.004094
SteersMedium and Large 1-2689186.41/cwt183.00–189.001,2847
SteersMedium and Large 1682200.66/cwt200.00–204.001,3696
SteersMedium and Large 1529238.40/cwt229.00–240.001,26121
SteersMedium and Large 2528187.50/cwt187.50–187.509904
SteersMedium and Large 1-2973158.00/cwt158.00–158.001,5374
SteersMedium and Large 1-2926163.00/cwt163.00–163.001,5096
SteersMedium and Large 2391210.00/cwt210.00–210.008215
BullsMedium 2493147.50/cwt147.50–147.507276
BullsMedium and Large 1629178.82/cwt178.00–181.001,1256
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Fleshy944126.00/cwt126.00–126.001,1897
HeifersMedium 1430197.50/cwt197.50–197.508492
HeifersSmall and Medium 231790.00/cwt90.00–90.002857
HeifersSmall and Medium 242690.00/cwt90.00–90.003839
Bred CowsSmall and Medium 1-21,00173.50/cwt73.50–73.507368
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3851,272.83/head1,225.00–1,325.001,2732
Bred HeifersSmall and Medium 1-2Non-Legible BANGS74370.00/cwt70.00–70.005207
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Fleshy1,267113.80/cwt113.75–114.001,44214
Stock CowsLarge 1880100.00/cwt100.00–100.008801
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,052123.59/cwt118.00–136.001,30012
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2974117.75/cwt103.00–131.001,1475
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,10794.19/cwt83.00–113.001,0437
BullsReturn to Feed1,00990.36/cwt86.50–92.0091213
Bulls1,420103.00/cwt103.00–103.001,4631
Bulls1,30586.00/cwt86.00–86.001,1221
CowsBoner 80-85%Light Weight87570.00/cwt70.00–70.006133
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,18087.50/cwt87.50–87.501,0331
CowsBoner 80-85%1,45591.30/cwt91.25–91.501,3285
CowsBoner 80-85%1,41575.71/cwt74.50–77.001,0712
CowsBoner 80-85%1,39987.22/cwt85.00–89.001,2205
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,71887.50/cwt87.50–87.501,5034
CowsLean 85-90%1,09273.10/cwt68.00–79.0079813
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight84669.15/cwt61.00–73.005855
CowsLean 85-90%1,15982.76/cwt82.00–83.009594

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.