Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2023-05-03

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, May 3
● Final62 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
199 head
59 vs last sale 258 163 vs year ago 362 · 45.0%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
435 head
202 vs last sale 637 36 vs year ago 399 · +9.0%
Replacement Cattle receipts
201 head
84 vs last sale 285 414 vs year ago 615 · 67.3%
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 today or last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed on steers and heifers. Demand for feeders was mostly very good for light offerings. Local ranchers looking for small quantities of feeders to run on grass helped push feeder cattle prices higher as they bid aggressively against order-buyers. Quality this sale was plain to average and most feeders were offered in very small packages or as singles. Market activity was mostly active this sale. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for moderate offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00 higher on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold steady to 2.00 lower. Feeding cow demand was very good as packers opted to put most high quality cows away on feed. Feeding cows sold steady to firm. Slaughter cow prices slipped slightly this week as heavier supplies have been available to the packer due to seasonal culling at branding time. Additionally, pockets of drought across the country continues to push cows to market. Many ranchers are not holding on to cows that lost calves or come up open. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Weigh up conditions were mixed. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady. A few buyers purchased bulls to feed which helped create competition over lightweight and low dressing bulls. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on mostly good demand. Buyers showed the best demand for high quality cows which had lost calves. Young offerings sold generally steady.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $239.20/cwt on 69 head.
Average price
$239.20
69 head · 493 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,178
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$205
per head · Medium 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$27.64/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+4.85
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1387250.009689thin
Medium and Large 1503242.201,21746
Medium and Large 1-2527222.361,17214thin
One grade step is worth $27.64/cwt here — about −$205 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 sale69 hd
239.20
MT average3 barns · 2,021 hd
234.34
+4.85
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
BullsHigh1,698117.922,002121
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,68098.191,65033
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,41194.111,328125
CowsLean 85-90%High1,19284.281,00583

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)1,311$2,1504thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,596$1,9007
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,503$1,8503thin

Every lot, as filed

62 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
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-21,5031,850.00/head1,850.00–1,850.001,8503
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-21,5961,900.00/head1,900.00–1,900.001,9007
Stock CowsMedium 1758152.50/cwt152.50–152.501,1562
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,014161.97/cwt140.00–180.001,64267
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,171109.17/cwt91.00–143.001,27848
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,18492.65/cwt85.00–100.001,0977
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned543218.00/cwt218.00–218.001,1842
SteersMedium and Large 1610257.67/cwt255.00–260.001,57215
SteersMedium and Large 1869189.00/cwt189.00–189.001,6425
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned456230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,0494
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2382240.00/cwt240.00–240.009175
HeifersMedium and Large 1449257.50/cwt257.50–257.501,1568
HeifersMedium and Large 1585224.00/cwt224.00–224.001,3102
SteersMedium and Large 1722234.00/cwt234.00–234.001,68917
SteersMedium and Large 1-2555250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,3881
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2523225.48/cwt225.00–226.001,1792
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2490230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,1271
HeifersMedium and Large 1515242.58/cwt240.00–247.501,24930
SteersMedium and Large 1-2729207.75/cwt207.00–210.001,5144
SteersMedium and Large 2742168.00/cwt168.00–168.001,24711
SteersMedium and Large 1555282.00/cwt282.00–282.001,5651
SteersMedium and Large 1753213.00/cwt213.00–213.001,6042
HeifersMedium 1387250.00/cwt250.00–250.009689
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2656205.35/cwt200.00–208.001,3476
SteersMedium and Large 1-2884175.50/cwt175.50–175.501,5515
BullsMedium and Large 1-2603230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,3872
BullsLarge 11,155144.00/cwt144.00–144.001,6632
BullsMedium and Large 1-2500252.50/cwt252.50–252.501,2632
BullsMedium and Large 1562255.00/cwt255.00–255.001,4333
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned547285.00/cwt285.00–285.001,5598
BullsMedium and Large 1661224.85/cwt220.00–228.001,4865
CowsLean 85-90%1,29097.00/cwt97.00–97.001,2511
BullsNatural2,032125.00/cwt125.00–125.002,5403
Bulls1,524101.47/cwt73.00–111.001,54615
Bulls1,873129.57/cwt121.00–133.002,42741
Bulls1,799115.67/cwt112.00–121.002,08124
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,50088.00/cwt88.00–88.001,3201
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,595101.00/cwt101.00–101.001,6111
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,37494.85/cwt87.00–100.001,30347
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,53196.77/cwt95.00–99.001,4829
CowsLean 85-90%1,23554.00/cwt54.00–54.006671
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,11490.15/cwt84.00–94.501,0049
CowsBoner 80-85%1,44084.12/cwt75.00–86.001,21118
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,749104.00/cwt103.00–107.001,8194
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,53888.00/cwt88.00–88.001,3533
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,70097.67/cwt94.00–101.001,66011
CowsBoner 80-85%1,45899.50/cwt99.00–100.001,4512
CowsLean 85-90%1,23689.18/cwt84.00–93.001,10219
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,64592.00/cwt92.00–92.001,5131
CowsBoner 80-85%1,39791.21/cwt87.00–97.001,27432
CowsBreaker 75-80%Heavy Weight2,030105.49/cwt104.00–106.002,1414
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,469103.42/cwt100.50–105.001,51925
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,11883.85/cwt83.00–84.009376
CowsLean 85-90%1,19581.01/cwt72.00–84.0096845
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,21095.00/cwt95.00–95.001,1502
BullsNatural1,667114.38/cwt112.00–118.001,90711
BullsNatural1,588100.60/cwt96.00–108.001,5983
BullsReturn to Feed1,433116.90/cwt112.00–123.001,6757
BullsReturn to Feed1,361106.48/cwt102.00–109.001,44914
BullsReturn to Feed1,445137.89/cwt130.00–141.001,9933
Stock CowsMedium 1Thin Fleshed725120.00/cwt120.00–120.008701
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3112,150.00/head2,150.00–2,150.002,1504

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.