Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2024-01-31

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Jan 31
● Final97 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
2,004 head
1,800 vs last sale 204 1,848 vs year ago 156 · +1,184.6%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
541 head
493 vs last sale 1,034 492 vs year ago 49 · +1,004.1%
Replacement Cattle receipts
140 head
274 vs last sale 414 118 vs year ago 22 · +536.4%
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle offerings were limited last week as that sale featured bred cows and weigh ups. Todays sale featured feeder cattle. Comparisons are to the last feeder special which was Friday Jan. 19th. Feeder steers under 500 lbs sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. 500-599 lbs steers sold mostly 10.00 higher, steers over 600 lbs sold steady to 5.00 lower. Heifers under 500 lbs sold fully steady, heifers over 500 lbs sold steady to 5.00 lower. Quality was mixed this sale from plain to attractive with lots of variation seen. Demand was good to very good for high quality cattle, however demand for plain to average quality cattle was mostly moderate. Offerings were moderate. Quality hampered demand in places. The best demand continues to be for light fleshed cattle suitable to develop into yearlings. Market activity today was mostly moderate to active with an average size buyer pool noticed. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Packers tried to balance buying both feeding and slaughter cows this week. Packers continue to show need for cows for immediate harvest, however demand for slaughter cows was lighter today as packers opted to send more cows to feed. Slaughter cows sold steady to weak on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold 2.00-4.00 lower. Packers showed good demand for high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white. Both private feeders and packers were aggressively over high quality cows again this week. These offerings sold generally steady to weak. Cow quality today was mostly average to attractive, but overall not as attractive as last weeks sale. Weigh up conditions were mixed today. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 4.00 lower. Young age cows were not well compared this week as more heifers that lost calves were seen. Demand for young cows was mostly moderate today.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $283.65/cwt on 826 head.
Average price
$283.65
826 head · 632 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,792
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$911
per head · Medium 1-2 over Large 1-2
$118.94/cwt at this weight
vs the market
15.01
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1-2363305.001,1073thin
Medium and Large 1609294.641,795513
Medium and Large 1-2615281.881,735106
Medium 1574281.241,61471
Large 1671260.981,751102
Large 1-21,085186.062,01831
One grade step is worth $118.94/cwt here — about −$911 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 sale826 hd
283.65
MT average3 barns · 3,392 hd
298.66
−15.01
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
BullsHigh1,846109.742,02674
CowsPremium White 65-75%Low1,910103.501,9771thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,45798.231,431133
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,41096.391,35995
CowsLean 85-90%High1,15186.65998100

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)1,397$2,41717
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,218$2,0503thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,310$1,6502thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,472$1,6248
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,398$1,55514

Every lot, as filed

97 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 1486266.00/cwt266.00–266.001,2935
HeifersMedium and Large 1719226.45/cwt224.00–235.001,62817
HeifersMedium and Large 1526292.11/cwt284.00–298.001,536166
HeifersMedium 1591236.00/cwt236.00–236.001,3956
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2608234.95/cwt233.00–237.501,42814
HeifersLarge 1576250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,4404
HeifersMedium and Large 1584267.35/cwt261.00–286.001,561149
HeifersMedium and Large 1623259.34/cwt254.00–266.001,616119
HeifersMedium and Large 1475299.14/cwt294.00–309.001,42174
SteersMedium and Large 1-2873222.00/cwt222.00–222.001,9382
HeifersMedium and Large 1679238.76/cwt235.00–244.001,62139
SteersMedium and Large 1-2443332.35/cwt325.00–337.501,47212
SteersMedium 1-2363305.00/cwt305.00–305.001,1073
SteersLarge 1652261.93/cwt232.50–264.001,70875
SteersMedium and Large 1Fleshy876220.00/cwt220.00–220.001,92727
SteersMedium and Large 1-2530313.12/cwt310.00–315.501,66018
HeifersLarge 1497293.00/cwt293.00–293.001,4568
SteersMedium and Large 1566311.23/cwt297.50–316.001,762124
SteersLarge 1-21,061188.00/cwt188.00–188.001,99516
SteersMedium and Large 1-2690256.00/cwt256.00–256.001,7668
SteersLarge 1615267.50/cwt267.50–267.501,64510
SteersLarge 1-21,110184.00/cwt184.00–184.002,04215
SteersMedium and Large 1680268.06/cwt265.00–272.501,82376
SteersMedium and Large 1-2719241.00/cwt241.00–241.001,7334
SteersMedium and Large 1-2595284.09/cwt282.00–295.001,6906
SteersMedium and Large 1-2455322.71/cwt320.00–328.001,4686
SteersMedium and Large 1388365.00/cwt365.00–365.001,4168
SteersLarge 1555300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,6659
SteersMedium and Large 1-2776233.00/cwt233.00–233.001,80815
SteersMedium 1508311.00/cwt311.00–311.001,5804
SteersMedium 1478319.03/cwt318.00–320.001,5256
SteersMedium and Large 1-2637276.10/cwt265.00–280.001,75935
SteersMedium and Large 1798237.75/cwt237.75–237.751,8978
SteersLarge 11,150185.00/cwt185.00–185.002,1285
SteersMedium and Large 1628287.66/cwt284.00–295.001,80769
SteersLarge 1877225.00/cwt225.00–225.001,9733
SteersMedium and Large 1458334.61/cwt330.00–337.501,53328
SteersMedium 1630267.02/cwt259.00–272.001,68252
SteersMedium 1344325.00/cwt325.00–325.001,1189
SteersMedium and Large 1523326.60/cwt319.00–334.001,708109
SteersMedium and Large 1717252.66/cwt250.00–256.001,81259
SteersMedium and Large 1421339.43/cwt337.50–342.501,4295
BullsMedium and Large 1750230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,7252
BullsMedium and Large 1667250.81/cwt248.00–255.001,6735
BullsLarge 1643267.00/cwt267.00–267.001,71710
BullsMedium and Large 1460320.00/cwt320.00–320.001,4721
BullsLarge 11,132143.00/cwt143.00–143.001,6193
BullsMedium and Large 11,085160.00/cwt160.00–160.001,7361
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,25998.81/cwt97.00–102.501,2443
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,22081.00/cwt81.00–81.009881
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,423102.91/cwt102.00–104.001,46420
CowsLean 85-90%1,20491.60/cwt88.00–98.001,10330
Bulls2,340117.00/cwt117.00–117.002,7381
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,57994.90/cwt94.50–97.001,49822
CowsBoner 80-85%1,39885.28/cwt80.00–89.001,19216
CowsBoner 80-85%1,425102.00/cwt102.00–102.001,4541
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,74694.98/cwt93.00–96.501,65811
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,41597.94/cwt92.00–101.001,38640
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,648100.53/cwt98.00–103.001,6572
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,39399.29/cwt99.00–100.001,38398
CowsBoner 80-85%1,39695.27/cwt90.00–101.001,33018
CowsLean 85-90%1,10471.09/cwt65.00–74.007855
CowsLean 85-90%1,11582.28/cwt75.00–89.0091736
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,18092.48/cwt89.50–99.001,09119
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight98977.43/cwt67.50–82.507666
CowsPremium White 65-75%1,910103.50/cwt103.50–103.501,9771
Bulls1,812104.67/cwt94.00–110.001,89724
Bulls2,084119.95/cwt119.00–121.002,5006
Bulls1,886112.45/cwt111.00–118.002,12131
BullsLight Weight1,21893.00/cwt93.00–93.001,1332
BullsHeavy Weight2,60092.00/cwt92.00–92.002,3921
BullsReturn to Feed1,644112.00/cwt112.00–112.001,8419
HeifersMedium and Large 1845217.50/cwt217.50–217.501,8382
HeifersMedium and Large 1Replacement765234.00/cwt234.00–234.001,79037
HeifersMedium and Large 1340322.50/cwt322.50–322.501,09711
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2437291.36/cwt287.50–294.001,27317
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2592243.00/cwt243.00–243.001,43921
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2478284.69/cwt277.50–290.001,36127
HeifersMedium and Large 1863205.53/cwt204.00–210.001,7744
HeifersLarge 1759215.00/cwt215.00–215.001,6324
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2520281.14/cwt279.00–282.501,46216
HeifersMedium and Large 1Fancy729240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,7507
HeifersMedium and Large 1Fleshy692228.00/cwt228.00–228.001,5786
HeifersMedium 1393280.21/cwt277.50–295.001,1016
HeifersMedium and Large 1432309.83/cwt305.00–311.001,33820
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,4721,623.52/head1,550.00–1,635.001,6248
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,047110.77/cwt94.00–125.001,1603
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3981,554.97/head1,550.00–1,560.001,55514
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2182,050.00/head2,050.00–2,050.002,0503
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3101,650.00/head1,650.00–1,650.001,6502
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3972,416.84/head2,350.00–2,450.002,41717
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,034169.38/cwt131.00–187.001,75133
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Fleshy1,355114.00/cwt114.00–114.001,5451
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed78597.00/cwt97.00–97.007611
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,31197.76/cwt96.50–102.001,2827
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2910120.00/cwt120.00–120.001,0921
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,074117.80/cwt102.00–148.001,26532

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.