Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2023-02-22

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Feb 22
● Final25 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
33 head
144 vs last sale 177 8 vs year ago 25 · +32.0%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
214 head
144 vs last sale 70 76 vs year ago 138 · +55.1%
Replacement Cattle receipts
49 head
7 vs last sale 56 9 vs year ago 40 · +22.5%
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Receipts were light again today due to cold weather and snowy conditions. Temperatures are, and will remain below 0 for much of today and tomorrow. 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 again this week. Market activity was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly very good demand for light offerings. Packer buyers showed very good demand for all cows on offer. The best demand seen this week was for lean grinding materials, both lean cows and bulls. Breaking cows sold mostly 8.00-9.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Boning cows sold 9.00-12.00 higher, lean cows sold sharply higher with most sale 10.00-15.00 higher. Cow quality was mostly plain to average. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, sharply higher undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. 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

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $168.00/cwt on 10 head.
Average price
$168.00
10 head · 747 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,255
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
single grade reported
vs the market
33.42
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2747168.001,25510thin
Only one grade was reported at this weight, so there is no spread to compute.

How it compared 0–100 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale10 hd
168.00
MT average3 barns · 229 hd
201.42
−33.42
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
BullsAverage1,583109.491,73323
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,66397.271,61863
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,37995.571,31834
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,16689.351,04270

Every lot, as filed

25 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 11,015134.00/cwt134.00–134.001,3601
BullsMedium and Large 1-2523202.50/cwt202.50–202.501,0593
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2747168.00/cwt168.00–168.001,25510
SteersMedium and Large 1-2687191.00/cwt191.00–191.001,3123
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,053102.57/cwt88.00–114.001,08014
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2920103.13/cwt97.50–109.009492
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,042133.23/cwt119.50–143.001,38819
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2950120.39/cwt119.00–122.501,1442
Bulls2,070113.60/cwt113.00–114.002,3522
BullsLight Weight1,09595.50/cwt95.50–95.501,0461
BullsReturn to Feed1,168104.55/cwt99.00–111.001,2212
BullsReturn to Feed1,134118.00/cwt118.00–118.001,3386
CowsLean 85-90%1,16285.75/cwt83.00–89.0099610
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,56597.60/cwt97.50–98.001,52732
CowsLean 85-90%1,26092.72/cwt88.50–99.001,16835
CowsLean 85-90%1,21099.52/cwt99.00–100.001,2048
CowsBoner 80-85%1,41599.72/cwt99.00–100.501,41113
CowsBoner 80-85%1,37582.96/cwt81.00–85.001,1412
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,78596.48/cwt96.00–96.501,72224
Bulls1,781103.41/cwt91.00–111.001,84210
Bulls2,110122.14/cwt120.00–124.002,5772
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,69298.50/cwt98.50–98.501,6677
CowsBoner 80-85%1,35594.06/cwt89.00–98.001,27519
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight90584.78/cwt73.00–90.0076713
CowsLean 85-90%1,10963.38/cwt62.00–65.007034

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.