Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2023-03-08

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Mar 8
● Final44 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
220 head
220 vs last sale 0 169 vs year ago 51 · +331.4%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
404 head
291 vs last sale 695 235 vs year ago 169 · +139.1%
Replacement Cattle receipts
109 head
925 vs last sale 1,034 17 vs year ago 92 · +18.5%
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were not tested last week due to the bred cattle special and cattle were too lightly tested today to develop any market trend. Demand for feeders was mostly good for light offerings. CME positions continue to inch higher and today marked new contract highs for most feeder cattle contracts. Lower grain prices continue to help support feeder cattle prices as well. Market activity was mostly active. Weigh up cows comprised most of todays sale receipts. Demand was mostly good for light to moderate offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 1.00 higher on all offerings. Packer buyers opted to send a few set of cows to feed this week. Feeding cows sold steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Cow quality was mostly plain to average this week and not as attractive as last week. Weigh up conditions were mixed. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, higher undertones were noticed on a plain quality offering. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on mostly good demand. Packer buyers continue to buy the bottom or heavy weight end of these offerings for slaughter. Steady to firm undertones were noticed on young offerings.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $177.39/cwt on 97 head.
Average price
$177.39
97 head · 736 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,306
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$248
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 1
$26.16/cwt at this weight
vs the market
19.30
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2528202.201,0685thin
Medium and Large 1747176.041,31592
One grade step is worth $26.16/cwt here — about −$248 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 sale97 hd
177.39
MT average3 barns · 1,359 hd
196.68
−19.30
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
BullsAverage1,871102.501,91726
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,67293.461,56216
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,39791.731,282172
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,21184.651,025123

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 Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,095$1,2655
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,218$1,0752thin

Every lot, as filed

44 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 1648206.00/cwt206.00–206.001,3353
HeifersMedium and Large 1Fleshy741176.00/cwt176.00–176.001,30431
HeifersMedium and Large 1Fleshy795168.50/cwt168.50–168.501,34045
SteersMedium and Large 1612232.60/cwt223.00–236.001,4244
SteersMedium 1471245.00/cwt245.00–245.001,15417
SteersLarge 1759185.00/cwt185.00–185.001,4045
SteersMedium and Large 1-2405265.00/cwt265.00–265.001,0733
SteersMedium and Large 1684214.50/cwt214.50–214.501,4677
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2558198.00/cwt198.00–198.001,1052
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2508205.00/cwt205.00–205.001,0413
HeifersMedium and Large 1731183.48/cwt179.00–185.001,3414
HeifersMedium and Large 1590201.92/cwt199.00–204.001,19112
SteersMedium 1572236.00/cwt236.00–236.001,35028
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned370240.00/cwt240.00–240.008882
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,2181,075.00/head1,075.00–1,075.001,0752
Stock CowsMedium 196082.00/cwt82.00–82.007871
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,09593.51/cwt85.00–112.501,02430
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-297089.70/cwt85.00–95.008703
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,042126.71/cwt113.00–140.001,32039
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,0371,325.00/head1,325.00–1,325.001,3253
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,1831,175.00/head1,175.00–1,175.001,1752
Stock CowsLarge 11,089124.56/cwt105.00–137.501,3568
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2994110.19/cwt104.00–115.001,0957
BullsReturn to Feed1,398110.00/cwt110.00–110.001,5382
BullsHeavy Weight2,685103.00/cwt103.00–103.002,7661
BullsLight Weight1,36073.00/cwt73.00–73.009931
Bulls1,73797.29/cwt87.50–107.001,69014
Bulls2,173111.15/cwt108.00–119.002,4157
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,41085.92/cwt85.00–86.501,2117
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,64193.86/cwt92.50–95.001,5408
CowsLean 85-90%1,12571.63/cwt71.00–73.008063
CowsLean 85-90%1,16480.94/cwt75.00–86.0094258
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight97882.50/cwt82.00–83.008072
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,67094.00/cwt94.00–94.001,5701
CowsLean 85-90%1,25787.39/cwt86.50–92.001,09833
CowsBoner 80-85%1,38284.02/cwt80.00–86.001,1617
CowsBoner 80-85%1,39091.71/cwt87.50–95.501,275113
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,73891.09/cwt90.00–91.501,5835
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,41793.66/cwt93.00–94.001,32741
CowsBoner 80-85%1,39996.23/cwt96.00–97.001,3464
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,63097.50/cwt97.50–97.501,5892
Bulls2,265129.00/cwt129.00–129.002,9221
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,30292.50/cwt92.50–92.501,20423
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,15681.55/cwt79.50–84.009434

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.