Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2024-02-28

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Feb 28
● Final28 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
35 head
280 vs last sale 315 35 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
148 head
432 vs last sale 580 547 vs year ago 695 · 78.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
140 head
134 vs last sale 274 894 vs year ago 1,034 · 86.5%
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle offerings were were too lightly tested today to develop any market trend. Quality today was mostly plain, and lower than last week. Most cattle were offered in small packages or as singles. Demand was mostly light for very light offerings. Market activity today was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows comprised most of the sale today. Demand was mostly good to very good for light offerings. Packers continue to buy both feeding and slaughter cows. Packers tried to buy up as much of the offering as possible this sale. Demand from private feeders was very good. Many sets of young to middle age cows sold to private buyers as they showed strong premiums for feeding young age cows. Quality today was average. Slaughter and feeding cows sold generally steady in a narrow compairson on all classes. Cow quality today was mostly average to very attractive. Weigh up conditions were mixed today. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Young age cows were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, steady undertones were noticed. Demand from feeding and rebreed cow buyers continues to be good.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $247.50/cwt on 12 head.
Average price
$247.50
12 head · 493 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,221
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$81
per head · Medium 1-2 over Medium 2
$42.00/cwt at this weight
vs the market
27.08
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1-2455282.501,2852thin
Medium 2501240.501,20410thin
One grade step is worth $42.00/cwt here — about $81 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 sale12 hd
247.50
MT average3 barns · 2,656 hd
274.58
−27.08
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
BullsAverage1,949132.592,58410
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,601113.411,8169thin
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,326112.671,49424
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,182105.931,25292

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)1,264$2,5507
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,428$2,2502thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,339$1,9253thin

Every lot, as filed

28 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
BullsMedium and Large 1895210.00/cwt210.00–210.001,8802
BullsMedium and Large 11,038187.50/cwt187.50–187.501,9463
HeifersMedium 1-2455282.50/cwt282.50–282.501,2852
SteersMedium 2448265.00/cwt265.00–265.001,1872
HeifersMedium 2571222.50/cwt222.50–222.501,2704
HeifersMedium 2454252.50/cwt252.50–252.501,1466
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2642,550.00/head2,550.00–2,550.002,5507
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3391,924.80/head1,800.00–2,000.001,9253
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,4282,250.00/head2,250.00–2,250.002,2502
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,055163.46/cwt162.00–165.001,7252
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2967156.08/cwt131.00–177.501,50912
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1909148.80/cwt116.00–166.001,353106
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2837133.22/cwt112.50–177.501,1153
Bulls1,761125.44/cwt123.00–126.002,2095
Bulls2,137139.74/cwt137.00–144.002,9865
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,138101.65/cwt96.00–102.001,15713
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,294115.42/cwt113.00–116.001,49412
CowsLean 85-90%1,21097.13/cwt90.00–100.001,1753
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight93596.00/cwt96.00–96.008981
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,364110.10/cwt107.00–112.001,50210
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,152113.39/cwt113.00–115.001,3067
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,792112.54/cwt110.00–114.002,0173
CowsBoner 80-85%1,345105.00/cwt105.00–105.001,4121
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,200107.23/cwt105.00–111.001,28764
CowsLean 85-90%92072.50/cwt72.50–72.506671
CowsLean 85-90%1,203102.70/cwt101.00–106.001,2353
CowsBoner 80-85%1,305113.00/cwt113.00–113.001,4751
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,506113.84/cwt113.00–114.001,7146

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.