Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2024-02-14

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Feb 14
● Final56 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
194 head
79 vs last sale 273 17 vs year ago 177 · +9.6%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
453 head
233 vs last sale 220 383 vs year ago 70 · +547.1%
Replacement Cattle receipts
124 head
59 vs last sale 65 68 vs year ago 56 · +121.4%
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 this week. All feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality today was mostly plain to average. Most cattle were offered in small packages or as singles. Demand was mostly light to moderate as quality put a damper on demand. Market activity today was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows comprised most of the sale this week. Demand was mostly good for light to moderate offerings. Packers continue to buy both feeding and slaughter cows. Packers continue to show need for cows for immediate harvest as snow and winter weather have limited offerings coming to market. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher on breaking and lean cows, boning cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher. Boning cows sold with the greatest demand this week as packers and feeding buyers both showed very good demand for high quality offerings suitable to feed. Feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher. Cow quality today was mostly average to attractive. Weigh up conditions were average to below average as many cows were pushing fill with the latest change in weather. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Young age cows were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, steady undertones were noticed. Demand from feeding cow buyers continues to be good.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $273.75/cwt on 53 head.
Average price
$273.75
53 head · 549 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,503
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$408
per head · Medium 1 over Medium and Large 1
$42.25/cwt at this weight
vs the market
8.50
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1516281.251,45235
Medium and Large 1-2597262.141,56515thin
Medium and Large 2525255.001,3391thin
Medium and Large 1778239.001,8592thin
One grade step is worth $42.25/cwt here — about −$408 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 sale53 hd
273.75
MT average3 barns · 1,485 hd
282.26
−8.50
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
BullsLow1,700110.421,87751
CowsPremium White 65-75%Average1,630108.501,7694thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,592106.721,69941
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,343104.331,40296
CowsLean 85-90%High1,14191.341,042195

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)1,146$2,1754thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,318$1,63515
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,274$1,49026

Every lot, as filed

56 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 1Broken Mouth1,3351,641.73/head1,625.00–1,700.001,64214
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,2151,350.00/head1,350.00–1,350.001,3509
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,084128.78/cwt106.00–152.501,39631
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2877165.02/cwt150.00–172.501,4473
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1864187.26/cwt165.00–197.501,61812
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3181,635.00/head1,635.00–1,635.001,63515
HeifersMedium 1584271.00/cwt271.00–271.001,5834
HeifersMedium and Large 1778239.00/cwt239.00–239.001,8592
SteersMedium and Large 1544329.50/cwt329.50–329.501,79214
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2531280.63/cwt278.50–282.001,4908
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2633254.00/cwt254.00–254.001,6083
HeifersMedium 1417293.32/cwt285.00–297.501,2236
HeifersMedium and Large 2525255.00/cwt255.00–255.001,3391
HeifersMedium 1529280.00/cwt280.00–280.001,48125
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2565265.00/cwt265.00–265.001,4971
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2748220.00/cwt220.00–220.001,6463
SteersMedium and Large 1748250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,8702
SteersMedium and Large 1595303.00/cwt303.00–303.001,8031
SteersMedium 1-2368290.00/cwt290.00–290.001,0677
SteersMedium and Large 1-2680262.50/cwt262.50–262.501,7852
SteersMedium 1527308.00/cwt308.00–308.001,6233
SteersMedium and Large 1664278.00/cwt278.00–278.001,84622
BullsMedium and Large 1533316.00/cwt316.00–316.001,6846
BullsLarge 11,130180.00/cwt180.00–180.002,0341
BullsMedium and Large 1963196.00/cwt196.00–196.001,8874
BullsMedium and Large 1639285.00/cwt285.00–285.001,8214
BullsLarge 11,238155.00/cwt155.00–155.001,9192
BullsMedium and Large 1588301.00/cwt301.00–301.001,7702
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,224106.71/cwt104.00–112.001,3065
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,21398.68/cwt95.00–105.001,19743
CowsLean 85-90%1,07475.83/cwt73.00–77.0081423
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,61898.79/cwt95.00–101.001,5983
Bulls1,648106.47/cwt101.00–114.001,75525
CowsLean 85-90%1,19997.01/cwt94.00–100.001,16317
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,70586.00/cwt86.00–86.001,4661
CowsBoner 80-85%1,29791.66/cwt85.00–95.001,1896
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight98591.00/cwt91.00–91.008961
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight96684.36/cwt80.00–86.0081512
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,533112.22/cwt110.00–114.501,7202
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,08991.82/cwt91.00–95.001,00055
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,41593.56/cwt92.00–95.001,3242
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,401111.58/cwt111.00–113.001,56317
CowsBoner 80-85%1,388101.03/cwt97.00–105.001,40216
CowsBoner 80-85%1,315107.00/cwt107.00–107.001,4071
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,555109.00/cwt108.75–110.501,69520
CowsLean 85-90%1,18988.12/cwt81.00–95.501,04836
CowsLean 85-90%1,285105.00/cwt105.00–105.001,3493
CowsPremium White 65-75%1,630108.50/cwt108.50–108.501,7694
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,663105.74/cwt103.00–108.001,75810
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,315104.79/cwt96.00–108.001,37854
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,585106.23/cwt105.00–107.501,6845
Bulls1,753115.87/cwt115.00–120.002,03123
BullsLight Weight1,28899.83/cwt96.50–103.001,2862
BullsHeavy Weight2,585105.00/cwt105.00–105.002,7141
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,1462,175.00/head2,175.00–2,175.002,1754
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed1,1681,200.00/head1,200.00–1,200.001,2003

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.