Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2023-08-02

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Aug 2
● Final59 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
169 head
53 vs last sale 222 24 vs year ago 145 · +16.6%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
277 head
218 vs last sale 495 68 vs year ago 345 · 19.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
48 head
43 vs last sale 91 37 vs year ago 85 · 43.5%
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale(7-19-23): Feeder cattle were too lightly tested either this sale or last to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Demand for feeders was mostly good. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. Several small packages of cattle coming off grass were seen this sale. Demand for light fleshed yearlings was very good. A few offerings of fall born calves which had been running on grass were seen. These offerings were met with mostly moderate demand. Market activity remains active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand today. Breaking and boning cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher, lean cows sold 2.00-3.00 higher. Packers showed very good demand for slaughter cows as they opted to send all offerings to harvest. Feeding cows sold mostly sales 2.00-3.00 higher. Cow quality today was mostly average to attractive. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average today as many set were pushing heavy amounts of fill. Slaughter bulls sold sharply lower than last sale, most offerings sold 10.00-15.00 lower. Fewer packer buyers for bulls were seen this week and prices sold off sharply as a result. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady undertones were noticed. Quality was average this week.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $248.99/cwt on 51 head.
Average price
$248.99
51 head · 661 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,646
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$453
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 1-2
$53.58/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+8.58
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1568258.581,46812thin
Medium and Large 1-2728250.801,82732
Medium 1538250.001,3453thin
Medium 1-2495205.001,0154thin
One grade step is worth $53.58/cwt here — about $453 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 sale51 hd
248.99
MT average2 barns · 127 hd
240.41
+8.58
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
BullsLow1,734118.322,05295
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,630114.571,86828
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,368112.501,53977
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,162103.111,19951

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
Cow-Calf Pairs1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,605$2,3001thin
Heifer PairsOpen(<2 yrs)1,233$2,1502thin

Every lot, as filed

59 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
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned400290.00/cwt290.00–290.001,1604
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2450280.50/cwt277.50–282.001,2623
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2725223.00/cwt223.00–223.001,6172
HeifersMedium 1570250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,42510
HeifersMedium and Large 1895209.00/cwt209.00–209.001,8711
SteersMedium and Large 1-2931213.00/cwt213.00–213.001,9834
HeifersLarge 1Fancy1,050196.00/cwt196.00–196.002,05810
HeifersMedium and Large 2630235.00/cwt235.00–235.001,4812
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned348275.00/cwt275.00–275.009572
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2690230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,5871
HeifersLarge 11,017192.49/cwt192.00–194.001,9584
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned332280.00/cwt280.00–280.009303
HeifersMedium and Large 1976200.00/cwt200.00–200.001,9524
SteersMedium and Large 1-2638267.00/cwt267.00–267.001,70316
SteersMedium and Large 1-2895225.00/cwt225.00–225.002,0147
SteersMedium and Large 1-2745242.50/cwt242.50–242.501,8071
SteersMedium and Large 1-2591271.00/cwt271.00–271.001,6024
SteersMedium 1-2495205.00/cwt205.00–205.001,0154
Dairy SteersLarge 3933108.50/cwt108.50–108.501,0122
SteersMedium and Large 1955212.00/cwt212.00–212.002,0254
SteersMedium and Large 1468295.00/cwt295.00–295.001,3812
SteersMedium 1538250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,3453
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned353275.00/cwt275.00–275.009713
BullsLarge 11,170159.00/cwt159.00–159.001,8601
BullsMedium and Large 1-2809214.00/cwt214.00–214.001,7319
BullsLarge 11,135165.00/cwt165.00–165.001,8731
BullsMedium and Large 1-2861206.14/cwt197.50–207.001,77511
BullsLarge 1-21,005174.00/cwt174.00–174.001,7491
BullsLarge 11,060174.02/cwt169.00–179.001,8452
CowsLean 85-90%1,16595.67/cwt88.00–101.001,11511
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight85289.04/cwt85.00–96.007593
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,705107.00/cwt107.00–107.001,8241
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,561117.16/cwt116.50–117.501,82916
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,675112.00/cwt112.00–112.001,8762
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,304117.88/cwt114.00–121.001,53738
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight84599.00/cwt99.00–99.008371
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,365110.49/cwt109.00–113.001,50813
CowsLean 85-90%1,08083.00/cwt83.00–83.008961
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,880102.94/cwt99.00–106.501,9353
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,583117.25/cwt117.00–118.001,8564
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,575114.50/cwt114.50–114.501,8031
CowsBreaker 75-80%Heavy Weight2,065110.00/cwt110.00–110.002,2721
CowsBoner 80-85%1,429106.74/cwt103.50–113.501,52519
CowsLean 85-90%1,199106.32/cwt103.00–109.001,27530
CowsLean 85-90%1,203113.52/cwt110.00–115.001,3665
CowsBoner 80-85%1,58397.02/cwt88.00–102.501,5365
CowsBoner 80-85%1,473116.61/cwt115.00–118.001,7182
Bulls1,715110.62/cwt105.00–114.001,89718
Bulls2,052125.88/cwt123.00–130.002,58313
Bulls1,773119.82/cwt114.00–125.002,12453
BullsLight Weight95080.00/cwt80.00–80.007601
BullsLight Weight1,273113.03/cwt108.00–118.001,4392
BullsReturn to Feed1,214119.48/cwt117.00–121.001,4508
Stock CowsLarge 1920155.00/cwt155.00–155.001,4262
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,190125.81/cwt117.00–128.001,49716
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,067149.42/cwt140.00–156.001,59410
Heifer PairsMedium and Large 1-21,2332,150.00/head2,150.00–2,150.002,1502
Cow-Calf PairsLarge 31,6052,300.00/head2,300.00–2,300.002,3001
HeifersLarge 11,170178.00/cwt178.00–178.002,0831

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.