Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2023-04-05

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Apr 5
● Final50 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
374 head
135 vs last sale 239 158 vs year ago 216 · +73.1%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
216 head
142 vs last sale 358 68 vs year ago 284 · 23.9%
Replacement Cattle receipts
101 head
111 vs last sale 212 57 vs year ago 158 · 36.1%
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 an accurate market trend, steady to firm undertones were noticed on all feeders on offer. Demand for feeders was mostly moderate to good for light offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain and limited demand. Most feeders were sold in small packages or as singles. Market activity was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light to moderate offerings. Slaughter cows sold 2.00-3.00 higher on all classes. Cow and bull quality this week was plain to average. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average as most cows were pushing heavy amounts of fill. Packer buyers opted to send a few set of cows to feed again this week. Feeding cows sold 3.00-4.00 higher as buyers bid aggressively on limited attractive offerings. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on mostly good to very good demand. Buyers showed the best demand for high quality cows which had lost calves. Young offerings sold mostly 10.00 higher in a narrow comparison.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $240.89/cwt on 162 head.
Average price
$240.89
162 head · 553 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,333
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$342
per head · Medium 1 over Medium and Large 1
$53.61/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+8.47
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1419271.101,13755
Medium 1-2288257.2774111thin
Medium and Large 1-2561242.781,36116thin
Medium and Large 1680217.501,47980
One grade step is worth $53.61/cwt here — about −$342 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 sale162 hd
240.89
MT average3 barns · 1,716 hd
232.43
+8.47
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
BullsLow1,766106.811,88617
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,40696.461,357111
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,64096.121,57631
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,20089.081,06937

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)Young (2-4 yrs)1,208$1,7752thin

Every lot, as filed

50 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 1540235.00/cwt235.00–235.001,2692
BullsMedium and Large 1947160.00/cwt160.00–160.001,5153
BullsMedium and Large 1-2910152.00/cwt152.00–152.001,3832
HeifersMedium 1335235.00/cwt235.00–235.0078714
HeifersMedium and Large 1700181.00/cwt181.00–181.001,2671
HeifersMedium 1384235.00/cwt235.00–235.0090213
SteersMedium 1-2263260.00/cwt260.00–260.006845
SteersMedium 1384269.01/cwt266.00–270.001,03322
SteersMedium and Large 1682217.49/cwt215.00–220.001,48310
SteersMedium and Large 1629229.00/cwt229.00–229.001,44016
SteersMedium and Large 1-2470265.75/cwt262.50–272.501,2496
SteersMedium and Large 1737198.00/cwt198.00–198.001,45921
SteersMedium and Large 1-2560235.00/cwt235.00–235.001,3161
SteersMedium and Large 1-2818177.00/cwt177.00–177.001,4483
HeifersMedium and Large 1511227.62/cwt227.00–230.001,16334
HeifersMedium and Large 1600223.00/cwt223.00–223.001,3385
HeifersMedium 1440235.50/cwt235.50–235.501,03643
SteersMedium and Large 1930168.00/cwt168.00–168.001,5628
SteersMedium 1-2309255.00/cwt255.00–255.007886
SteersMedium 1443272.50/cwt272.50–272.501,20733
SteersMedium and Large 1Fleshy694203.00/cwt203.00–203.001,4095
HeifersMedium and Large 1676210.00/cwt210.00–210.001,42024
HeifersLarge 1523225.00/cwt225.00–225.001,1775
SteersMedium and Large 1-2523254.00/cwt254.00–254.001,3286
SteersMedium and Large 1557252.19/cwt250.00–254.001,40520
HeifersMedium and Large 1790166.03/cwt163.00–167.001,3128
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2923142.36/cwt142.00–143.001,3143
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,205103.90/cwt89.00–131.001,25239
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,21592.00/cwt92.00–92.001,1181
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,036146.19/cwt121.00–166.001,51545
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2081,775.00/head1,775.00–1,775.001,7752
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed945132.50/cwt132.50–132.501,2522
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed97097.50/cwt97.50–97.509461
BullsReturn to Feed1,09594.00/cwt94.00–94.001,0291
Bulls1,681100.05/cwt92.00–107.001,6829
Bulls1,735111.79/cwt110.00–113.001,9403
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,40791.86/cwt89.00–95.001,29211
CowsBoner 80-85%1,45395.42/cwt93.00–98.501,38641
CowsBoner 80-85%1,44789.85/cwt86.00–91.501,3008
CowsLean 85-90%1,17783.28/cwt78.00–87.0098010
CowsLean 85-90%1,22392.00/cwt89.00–95.001,12519
CowsLean 85-90%1,27697.41/cwt97.00–97.501,2435
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,62597.83/cwt95.00–99.501,59021
CowsLean 85-90%93370.00/cwt70.00–70.006532
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,67292.52/cwt90.00–94.501,54710
Bulls2,115138.00/cwt138.00–138.002,9191
Bulls2,158116.00/cwt116.00–116.002,5033
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,34696.69/cwt93.00–98.501,30134
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,13088.00/cwt88.00–88.009941
CowsBoner 80-85%1,395104.62/cwt100.50–106.001,45917

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.