Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2023-11-29

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Nov 29
● Final60 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
345 head
103 vs last sale 242 139 vs year ago 484 · 28.7%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
1,120 head
415 vs last sale 705 257 vs year ago 863 · +29.8%
Replacement Cattle receipts
333 head
145 vs last sale 188 30 vs year ago 303 · +9.9%
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle offerings were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain. Most calves were offered in small packages or as singles. Demand was light to moderate. Quality hampered demand as buyers had a limited selection of feeders to build loads from. Market activity was slow. Weigh up cows comprised most of todays receipts. Demand for cows was moderate for moderate to heavy offerings. Slaughter cows sold generally steady to weak on all classes. A large pool of feeding cow buyers was seen this week and demand for feeding cows was mostly moderate to good. High quality feeding cows suitable to feed to premium white sold generally steady. Thin short term feeding cows or turn out cows sold steady to firm. Buyer participation was active this week. Quality this week was mostly average and not as attractive as last week. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average for buyers throughout the sale as most cows were carrying heavy amounts of fill. Slaughter bulls traded unevenly steady as lower dressing bulls sold steady to firm and high dressing bulls sold lower. Feeding bull buyers pushed packers throughout the sale as they fought to fill loads. Young age cows sold sharply lower. Demand from rebreed buyers was significantly lower this week as most young cows were purchased to feed. Quality was mostly plain to average today which also hampered demand.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $213.58/cwt on 92 head.
Average price
$213.58
92 head · 694 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,482
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$291
per head · Medium and Large 2 over Medium 1-2
$52.50/cwt at this weight
vs the market
34.12
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 2389240.0093410thin
Medium and Large 1-2635217.941,38434
Medium and Large 1824207.981,71341
Medium 1-2653187.501,2247thin
One grade step is worth $52.50/cwt here — about −$291 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 sale92 hd
213.58
MT average3 barns · 986 hd
247.70
−34.12
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
BullsAverage1,717106.531,82956
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,65992.521,53554
CowsBoner 80-85%Very Low1,43486.481,240314
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,18780.05950404

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 Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,138$1,8309
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,355$1,61413
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,453$1,6006
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,156$1,4506
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,368$1,39626
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,268$1,3923thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,117$1,1756

Every lot, as filed

60 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 1Full847188.00/cwt188.00–188.001,5926
HeifersMedium and Large 1Full1,019160.00/cwt160.00–160.001,6304
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2777210.00/cwt210.00–210.001,6323
HeifersMedium and Large 2389240.00/cwt240.00–240.0093410
HeifersMedium 1-2653187.50/cwt187.50–187.501,2247
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2880195.00/cwt195.00–195.001,7164
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned415300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,2451
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned582235.42/cwt230.00–237.501,3709
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned480306.00/cwt306.00–306.001,4693
SteersMedium and Large 2Unweaned357288.24/cwt285.00–297.501,0294
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned490282.50/cwt282.50–282.501,3844
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned622232.41/cwt232.00–233.001,4465
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned599228.00/cwt228.00–228.001,3665
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned428246.01/cwt231.00–260.001,05310
SteersMedium and Large 2432270.00/cwt270.00–270.001,1669
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned339320.00/cwt320.00–320.001,0854
SteersMedium and Large 1469314.00/cwt314.00–314.001,4734
SteersMedium and Large 1901200.00/cwt200.00–200.001,8027
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2705200.00/cwt200.00–200.001,41012
HeifersMedium and Large 1988190.00/cwt190.00–190.001,8772
HeifersMedium and Large 1939192.81/cwt192.00–200.001,81010
HeifersMedium and Large 11,030188.00/cwt188.00–188.001,9362
HeifersMedium and Large 1441281.00/cwt281.00–281.001,2398
HeifersMedium and Large 1851203.00/cwt203.00–203.001,7289
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,1151,275.00/head1,275.00–1,275.001,2751
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,4541,475.00/head1,475.00–1,475.001,47515
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,1171,175.00/head1,175.00–1,175.001,1756
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,2501,288.27/head1,150.00–1,350.001,28811
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3451,450.00/head1,450.00–1,450.001,4502
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1381,830.38/head1,800.00–1,850.001,8309
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1561,450.00/head1,450.00–1,450.001,4506
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,4531,600.00/head1,600.00–1,600.001,6006
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3551,613.91/head1,600.00–1,700.001,61413
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2908113.89/cwt102.50–120.001,0345
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,024122.27/cwt97.50–147.501,252114
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,12094.31/cwt85.00–120.001,05670
BullsReturn to Feed1,712113.84/cwt111.00–116.501,9498
BullsReturn to Feed1,52992.61/cwt83.00–108.001,41612
Bulls1,896118.74/cwt114.00–121.002,25115
Bulls2,073124.98/cwt121.00–128.002,5913
Bulls1,63599.30/cwt90.00–106.001,62418
CowsLean 85-90%1,17869.03/cwt63.00–77.0081327
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,19391.63/cwt90.00–94.001,0933
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,13378.75/cwt65.00–82.00892144
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,63593.88/cwt92.00–96.501,53537
CowsBreaker 75-80%Heavy Weight2,12589.00/cwt89.00–89.001,8911
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight97582.50/cwt82.50–82.508041
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight93563.25/cwt62.50–64.005912
CowsBoner 80-85%1,41569.00/cwt69.00–69.009761
CowsBoner 80-85%1,52784.45/cwt82.00–85.001,2907
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,69287.87/cwt87.00–89.001,4876
CowsLean 85-90%1,23282.58/cwt79.00–85.501,01734
CowsBoner 80-85%1,48581.24/cwt76.50–83.001,20613
CowsLean 85-90%1,16158.61/cwt52.00–62.0068010
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,71288.32/cwt88.00–89.001,5125
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,39882.24/cwt78.00–84.001,150112
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,44989.45/cwt84.00–95.001,296176
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,44797.10/cwt96.50–97.251,4055
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,22883.38/cwt81.00–89.001,024183
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,65492.97/cwt92.50–94.501,5385

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.