Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2023-06-28

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Jun 28
● Final70 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
237 head
212 vs last sale 449 75 vs year ago 312 · 24.0%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
506 head
130 vs last sale 636 158 vs year ago 664 · 23.8%
Replacement Cattle receipts
117 head
784 vs last sale 901 316 vs year ago 433 · 73.0%
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 any market trend. Demand for feeders was mostly good. Quality this week was mostly average, with a few offerings of attractive cattle seen. CME feeder contracts have gained ground since last week as corn prices have softened. Today, corn was down over 30 cents on the July while new crop Dec corn was down 24. Market activity remains active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand today. Packers showed stronger demand for slaughter cows today as this is the last sale before the 4th of July holiday. Many sales across the plains will not host sales next week due to the holiday. Packers were aggressive as they purchased cows for next weeks harvest. Slaughter cows sold 1.00-3.00 higher on all classes. Packers did purchase a few high quality cows to feed this week, these offerings sold 1.00-3.00 higher. Lean cows and light boning feeding cows saw the biggest increase in demand this week as private buyers pushed these offerings 3.00-5.00 higher. They were competing with packer buyers who were mostly sending these offerings to slaughter. Cow quality today was mostly average to very attractive and significantly higher than last week. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to above today and better than last week. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady from 1.00 lower. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher. A few rebreed buyers stepped into the market this week which helped push all offerings higher. Quality was average to attractive this week.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $216.45/cwt on 91 head.
Average price
$216.45
91 head · 718 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,555
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$533
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Large 1
$52.25/cwt at this weight
vs the market
4.36
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2595228.921,36326
Medium and Large 1654226.861,48441
Medium and Large 2628210.671,3236thin
Large 11,073176.671,89518thin
One grade step is worth $52.25/cwt here — about −$533 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 sale91 hd
216.45
MT average2 barns · 128 hd
220.82
−4.36
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
BullsAverage1,716117.812,02284
CowsPremium White 65-75%High1,573120.001,8882thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,599105.091,68126
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,375102.671,412182
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,15695.981,110157

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)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,479$1,6763thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,210$1,6751thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,390$1,4501thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,215$1,2501thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)1,342$2,4788
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,575$2,2501thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,240$2,1502thin

Every lot, as filed

70 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
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,4791,676.48/head1,550.00–1,725.001,6763
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,245132.00/cwt132.00–132.001,6431
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,5752,250.00/head2,250.00–2,250.002,2501
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,2922,475.00/head2,475.00–2,475.002,4757
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,6902,500.00/head2,500.00–2,500.002,5001
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2583233.46/cwt233.00–235.001,36117
HeifersMedium and Large 1610232.58/cwt232.00–235.001,41925
BullsMedium and Large 1-2694220.00/cwt220.00–220.001,5274
BullsMedium and Large 1-2818195.00/cwt195.00–195.001,5952
BullsMedium and Large 1122450.00/head450.00–450.004503
BullsMedium and Large 1-2107200.00/head200.00–200.002003
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2510235.00/cwt235.00–235.001,1991
HeifersMedium and Large 1796199.00/cwt199.00–199.001,5847
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2679213.01/cwt211.00–215.001,4466
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2490235.00/cwt235.00–235.001,1522
HeifersMedium and Large 2648211.00/cwt211.00–211.001,3674
HeifersLarge 11,148164.00/cwt164.00–164.001,8836
HeifersMedium and Large 2588210.00/cwt210.00–210.001,2352
SteersMedium and Large 1-2583252.50/cwt252.50–252.501,4725
SteersMedium and Large 1-2548260.00/cwt260.00–260.001,4256
SteersMedium and Large 1-2735229.00/cwt229.00–229.001,6832
SteersMedium and Large 2535240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,2843
HeifersMedium and Large 1666232.66/cwt230.00–236.001,5509
SteersMedium and Large 1363270.00/cwt270.00–270.009802
SteersMedium and Large 1800213.00/cwt213.00–213.001,7041
SteersMedium and Large 1915198.00/cwt198.00–198.001,8127
SteersMedium and Large 1795224.00/cwt224.00–224.001,78113
SteersMedium and Large 1-2643250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,6086
HeifersLarge 11,035183.00/cwt183.00–183.001,89412
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,34592.00/cwt92.00–92.001,2371
BullsLarge 1-21,140149.00/cwt149.00–149.001,6991
BullsLarge 11,030178.35/cwt176.00–181.001,8373
BullsMedium and Large 1808205.00/cwt205.00–205.001,6563
BullsLarge 11,115157.50/cwt157.50–157.501,7561
BullsLarge 11,165162.98/cwt155.00–168.001,8993
BullsLarge 11,090176.00/cwt176.00–176.001,9181
CowsLean 85-90%1,16196.36/cwt92.00–101.001,11941
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,483113.50/cwt113.50–113.501,6832
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,343101.74/cwt100.00–105.001,36653
Bulls1,749119.13/cwt113.00–123.002,08450
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,129103.89/cwt102.00–105.751,17313
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,213100.25/cwt95.00–102.001,21633
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,04894.00/cwt94.00–94.009852
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,561105.81/cwt105.00–109.001,65210
CowsPremium White 65-75%1,573120.00/cwt120.00–120.001,8882
CowsBoner 80-85%1,427107.47/cwt105.00–110.001,53410
CowsBoner 80-85%1,36798.84/cwt95.00–104.001,35143
CowsLean 85-90%1,19586.83/cwt82.00–94.001,03833
CowsLean 85-90%1,169102.22/cwt101.50–105.001,19523
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight945100.00/cwt100.00–100.009452
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight92888.28/cwt86.00–94.008194
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight86483.50/cwt79.00–85.007216
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,670112.00/cwt112.00–112.001,8701
CowsBoner 80-85%1,49693.68/cwt89.00–95.001,4019
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,383106.58/cwt104.50–112.001,47466
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,708101.42/cwt95.00–104.001,73210
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,420107.00/cwt107.00–107.001,5193
Bulls1,576106.84/cwt99.00–111.001,68413
Bulls1,936128.43/cwt124.00–133.002,48615
BullsLight Weight1,205102.14/cwt99.00–105.001,2312
BullsReturn to Feed1,12998.08/cwt95.00–100.001,1073
BullsReturn to Feed1,410125.50/cwt125.50–125.501,7701
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,2402,150.00/head2,150.00–2,150.002,1502
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,098155.10/cwt136.00–189.001,70339
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,090126.44/cwt102.00–155.001,37828
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2849140.97/cwt125.00–150.001,1973
Stock CowsMedium 1765158.61/cwt157.50–160.001,2132
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2151,250.00/head1,250.00–1,250.001,2501
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3901,450.00/head1,450.00–1,450.001,4501
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2101,675.00/head1,675.00–1,675.001,6751

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.