Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2023-05-10

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, May 10
● Final55 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
11 head
188 vs last sale 199 255 vs year ago 266 · 95.9%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
524 head
89 vs last sale 435 42 vs year ago 482 · +8.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
1,413 head
1,212 vs last sale 201 942 vs year ago 471 · +200.0%
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 today as todays sale focused on pairs and bred cows. Outside of a few split pairs and bum calves no feeders sold. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Slaughter cows sold steady on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold 1.00-2.00 lower. Most cows were purchased to feed today as both packers and order buyers purchased a large portion of the cow supply for that propose. Feeding cows sold generally steady to weak. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Weigh up conditions were average to below average with many full offerings noted. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher. Feeding bull buyers pushed to obtain offerings as several sets of attractive feeding type bulls were seen. Packers purchased most of the bull offering this week despite having to pay up for bulls. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold steady to firm on an attractive quality offering. Much of today sale was comprised of pairs as over 650 heifer and cow pairs were seen. Quality was mixed. Fewer takers were seen for pairs this special and prices were not as robust as the last pair special two weeks ago. Much of eastern Montana forecasted to receive 1-3 inches of rain over the next few days.

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
BullsHigh1,791117.112,09756
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,66395.551,58934
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,44193.451,347103
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,17484.43991122

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)1,261$1,96110
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,265$1,5752thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,370$1,45616
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,120$1,2001thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)1,244$2,57581
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,415$2,38171
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,399$1,89697
Cow-Calf PairsOpenAged (>8 yrs)1,345$1,640107
Heifer PairsOpen(<2 yrs)1,174$2,852273

Every lot, as filed

55 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 11,4202,182.92/head2,000.00–2,550.002,18322
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-21,0512,200.00/head2,200.00–2,200.002,2006
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,4372,057.45/head2,000.00–2,100.002,05725
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-21,1042,200.00/head2,200.00–2,200.002,2005
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3721,426.87/head1,350.00–1,550.001,42715
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,1402,501.67/head2,225.00–2,675.002,50237
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2651,575.00/head1,575.00–1,575.001,5752
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,1201,200.00/head1,200.00–1,200.001,2001
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Fancy1,3401,900.00/head1,900.00–1,900.001,9001
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Fancy1,4632,187.52/head2,175.00–2,200.002,1882
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,21991.46/cwt89.00–97.501,1153
Heifer PairsMedium and Large 11,1912,911.66/head2,700.00–3,025.002,912244
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,094114.63/cwt92.00–175.001,25439
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2988125.07/cwt102.00–140.001,2363
Stock CowsLarge 1958139.00/cwt139.00–139.001,3325
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1937172.10/cwt130.00–197.001,61386
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2913100.00/cwt100.00–100.009132
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2111,904.65/head1,700.00–2,100.001,9058
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed827150.00/cwt150.00–150.001,2413
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,3361,760.00/head1,760.00–1,760.001,7609
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,2252,000.00/head2,000.00–2,000.002,00021
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-21,3531,692.96/head1,675.00–1,700.001,69323
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,3741,544.53/head1,500.00–1,575.001,54512
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,3552,585.00/head2,585.00–2,585.002,58510
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3451,685.17/head1,600.00–1,800.001,68578
HeifersMedium and Large 1167350.00/head350.00–350.003503
BullsMedium and Large 1222525.00/head525.00–525.005253
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,55289.76/cwt87.00–93.001,3936
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,64098.00/cwt98.00–98.001,6071
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,51284.24/cwt83.00–87.001,2743
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,489103.00/cwt100.00–103.501,53423
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,19781.79/cwt78.00–85.0097926
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,213103.55/cwt102.00–105.001,2562
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight96379.49/cwt79.00–80.007652
CowsLean 85-90%1,16279.93/cwt72.00–84.0092931
CowsLean 85-90%1,06062.50/cwt62.50–62.506631
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,68291.93/cwt91.00–93.001,5468
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,615103.12/cwt101.50–108.501,6655
CowsBoner 80-85%1,38985.09/cwt82.00–87.001,18214
CowsBoner 80-85%1,40090.30/cwt87.00–96.001,26421
CowsLean 85-90%1,15286.09/cwt85.00–88.0099213
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,71897.23/cwt95.00–100.501,67014
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,44893.25/cwt88.00–98.501,35042
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,18588.25/cwt85.00–93.001,04647
Bulls2,263126.58/cwt125.00–130.002,8657
Bulls1,903120.96/cwt112.00–123.002,30230
Bulls1,594101.59/cwt91.00–108.001,6199
BullsReturn to Feed1,329117.50/cwt117.50–117.501,5626
BullsReturn to Feed1,256106.03/cwt102.00–110.001,3324
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,4172,781.54/head2,725.00–2,825.002,78233
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,5862,644.65/head2,575.00–2,775.002,64532
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-21,3082,075.00/head2,075.00–2,075.002,0758
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-21,4121,650.00/head1,650.00–1,650.001,65018
Heifer PairsMedium and Large 1-21,0302,350.00/head2,350.00–2,350.002,35029
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,3261,500.00/head1,500.00–1,500.001,50017

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.