Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2023-08-16

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Aug 16
● Final69 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
610 head
441 vs last sale 169 415 vs year ago 195 · +212.8%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
330 head
53 vs last sale 277 53 vs year ago 277 · +19.1%
Replacement Cattle receipts
69 head
21 vs last sale 48 50 vs year ago 19 · +263.2%
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Only two sales was held last week as auctions continue with summer sale schedules. Feeder steers were too lightly tested either this week or last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Demand was mostly good on light offerings. Quality this week was mostly average, with a limited offering of attractive cattle seen. Flesh conditions were mostly light as most offerings were coming off grass. The cattle on feed report was released this past Friday and it showed cattle On feed at 2% below one year ago, Placements 8% below one year ago and Marketings 5% below last year. Market activity this week was mostly active with a large crowd on hand to bid on limited offerings. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for light offerings. Packers opted to send the majority of cows to immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady on boning and breaking cows. Lean cows sold 1.00-2.00 lower. Lean cow quality was mixed this week as cattle in eastern Montana offered buyers much poor yields due to poor pasture and range conditions as grasshoppers ate much of the available feed. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to firm. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 1.00 lower. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested this week and last to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Several buyers looking for rebreed and receipt cows were seen this week. Demand for this class of cows was very good.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $230.82/cwt on 337 head.
Average price
$230.82
337 head · 811 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,871
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$768
per head · Medium 1 over Large 1
$54.84/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+5.20
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1549260.001,42722
Medium 1-2546237.501,29710thin
Medium and Large 1829231.781,921242
Medium and Large 1-2718224.471,61235
Large 11,070205.162,19528
One grade step is worth $54.84/cwt here — about −$768 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 sale337 hd
230.82
MT average2 barns · 497 hd
225.62
+5.20
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
BullsHigh1,849117.812,17988
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,581112.991,78639
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,402109.941,54275
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,20096.271,15598

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 PairsOpenYoung/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,783$3,0004thin

Every lot, as filed

69 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
BullsReturn to Feed1,805126.50/cwt126.50–126.502,2831
Bulls1,702111.74/cwt103.00–115.001,90225
HeifersMedium and Large 1831229.31/cwt227.00–232.501,90621
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2714219.00/cwt219.00–219.001,56413
HeifersMedium 1549260.00/cwt260.00–260.001,42722
BullsMedium and Large 11,185175.00/cwt175.00–175.002,0743
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2918130.00/cwt130.00–130.001,1932
Stock CowsLarge 1885146.00/cwt146.00–146.001,2921
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2893101.00/cwt101.00–101.009023
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,091125.90/cwt118.00–172.501,37418
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,045177.90/cwt131.00–212.001,85918
Stock CowsLarge 1945119.00/cwt119.00–119.001,1251
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,7833,000.00/head3,000.00–3,000.003,0004
BullsReturn to Feed1,628116.35/cwt115.50–117.001,8942
BullsReturn to Feed1,660109.80/cwt107.00–114.001,8232
Bulls1,892119.26/cwt115.00–124.002,25649
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,350116.47/cwt115.50–118.001,57212
CowsLean 85-90%1,30071.00/cwt71.00–71.009231
CowsLean 85-90%1,213101.96/cwt100.00–106.001,23716
CowsLean 85-90%1,18192.42/cwt86.00–102.001,09153
CowsBoner 80-85%1,388107.31/cwt104.00–112.501,48930
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight93390.28/cwt85.00–95.008422
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,033114.14/cwt110.00–116.001,1793
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,02595.00/cwt95.00–95.009741
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,422112.54/cwt109.00–114.501,60024
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,296100.20/cwt99.50–107.501,29921
CowsBoner 80-85%1,46199.92/cwt91.00–105.001,4607
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,546113.54/cwt111.00–116.501,7557
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,545113.57/cwt113.00–114.501,75519
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,641116.05/cwt115.50–116.501,9047
Bulls2,123127.89/cwt123.50–135.002,7159
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,664106.95/cwt103.00–110.001,7806
CowsBoner 80-85%1,493114.26/cwt114.00–114.501,7062
CowsLean 85-90%1,095112.00/cwt112.00–112.001,2261
BullsMedium and Large 1-2999189.00/cwt189.00–189.001,8884
BullsLarge 11,240152.00/cwt152.00–152.001,8851
BullsMedium and Large 1565245.00/cwt245.00–245.001,3844
BullsLarge 1-21,222143.47/cwt141.00–146.001,7536
BullsLarge 11,159170.75/cwt161.00–174.001,9794
HeifersMedium and Large 1Fancy903227.50/cwt227.50–227.502,05414
SteersMedium and Large 1-2733254.36/cwt254.00–255.001,86411
SteersMedium and Large 1825247.45/cwt242.50–248.502,04115
SteersMedium and Large 2855213.55/cwt202.50–215.001,8269
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned425300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,2753
SteersLarge 11,024211.22/cwt210.00–214.002,16314
SteersMedium and Large 1958227.50/cwt227.50–227.502,1794
SteersMedium 1582290.00/cwt290.00–290.001,68814
SteersMedium and Large 1748269.00/cwt269.00–269.002,0126
HeifersMedium and Large 1671244.06/cwt242.00–249.001,63817
HeifersLarge 11,056209.43/cwt192.50–212.502,21220
HeifersMedium and Large 1938222.92/cwt213.00–228.002,09156
SteersMedium and Large 1882235.00/cwt235.00–235.002,0733
SteersMedium and Large 1778257.25/cwt255.00–260.002,00112
SteersMedium and Large 1-2785247.50/cwt240.00–250.001,9434
HeifersMedium and Large 1636250.92/cwt250.00–251.001,59635
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2619238.04/cwt225.00–242.001,47313
HeifersMedium and Large 1742240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,7813
SteersLarge 11,170180.00/cwt180.00–180.002,1066
SteersLarge 11,280172.00/cwt172.00–172.002,2024
SteersMedium and Large 1942228.00/cwt228.00–228.002,14820
HeifersMedium 1-2546237.50/cwt237.50–237.501,29710
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2893211.00/cwt211.00–211.001,8846
HeifersMedium and Large 1754235.80/cwt235.75–236.001,77828
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2770217.00/cwt217.00–217.001,6711
HeifersMedium and Large 1861230.27/cwt226.00–231.001,98349
SteersMedium and Large 1-2873223.00/cwt223.00–223.001,9473
HeifersLarge 11,105194.50/cwt194.50–194.502,1498
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2838216.00/cwt216.00–216.001,8102
HeifersMedium and Large 1986214.19/cwt214.00–214.502,11219

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.