Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2024-05-01

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, May 1
● Final59 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
115 head
889 vs last sale 1,004 84 vs year ago 199 · 42.2%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
295 head
37 vs last sale 332 140 vs year ago 435 · 32.2%
Replacement Cattle receipts
564 head
239 vs last sale 325 363 vs year ago 201 · +180.6%
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. Demand for feeders was mostly moderate for light offerings. Quality today was mostly plain to average and limited demand throughout the sale. Most calves were offered in small packages or as singles this week. Market activity today was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows comprised most of the sale today. Cows sold on mostly good demand for light to moderate offerings. Demand from packers was stronger this sale compared to last week. Packers showed good demand for cows to feed and send to immediate slaughter. Slaughter cows sold steady on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold steady to 4.00 higher. High dressing, high quality cows sold generally steady while low dressing cows all sold higher due to stronger demand from private feeding buyers. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 4.00 higher, with the biggest increase in price coming from lower quality feeding cows. Cow quality was average to very attractive today with several strings of cows off reputation ranches. Weigh up conditions were average to above average as many cows have been out on grass and were very empty at sale time. Slaughter bulls sold 4.00-8.00 higher. Very good demand was seen for bulls for immediate slaughter. Young age cows sold generally steady. Cows which lost calves sold with the best demand this week. Feeding quality cows sold at a discount to cows suitable to rebreed. Quality this week was mostly average to very attractive.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $290.71/cwt on 8 head. That ranks 1 of 19 comparable sales and sits 130.83 against this barn's trailing median of $421.54.
Average price
$290.71
8 head · 541 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,573
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$41
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$20.81/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+7.72
vs MT average
+22.33 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1534293.311,5667thin
Medium and Large 1-2590272.501,6081thin
One grade step is worth $20.81/cwt here — about −$41 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 600–700 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

19 sales
478431384337median 421.5401/0702/2504/1506/0308/19
Heifers 500–600 lb: high $464.07, low $350.88, median $421.54 across 19 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale8 hd
290.71
MT average2 barns · 31 hd
282.99
+7.72
National average173 barns · 11,009 hd
268.38
+22.33
This barn, trailing median19 sales
421.54
−130.83
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
BullsAverage1,756141.682,48782
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,599133.712,13717
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,383131.131,814241
CowsLean 85-90%High1,183119.691,416144

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 PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,868$2,5504thin

Every lot, as filed

59 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
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-21,8682,550.00/head2,550.00–2,550.002,5504
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2913134.10/cwt125.00–140.001,2248
HeifersMedium and Large 1700–750736246.00/cwt246.00–246.001,8114
SteersMedium and Large 1-2700–750717254.32/cwt253.00–255.001,8233
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2650–700689218.00/cwt218.00–218.001,5024
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2550–600590272.50/cwt272.50–272.501,6081
SteersMedium and Large 1-2500–550528320.00/cwt320.00–320.001,6902
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2750–800794215.98/cwt214.00–220.001,7156
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1980185.28/cwt160.00–206.001,816141
BullsMedium and Large 1950–1000970219.00/cwt219.00–219.002,1241
BullsMedium and Large 1900–950925212.50/cwt212.50–212.501,9661
BullsMedium and Large 1800–850805220.00/cwt220.00–220.001,7711
SteersMedium and Large 1600–650644290.00/cwt290.00–290.001,8684
BullsMedium and Large 1700–750733256.35/cwt248.00–265.001,8792
BullsMedium and Large 1550–600550290.00/cwt290.00–290.001,5951
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed770180.00/cwt180.00–180.001,3862
SteersMedium and Large 1700–750703268.00/cwt268.00–268.001,8843
HeifersMedium and Large 1650–700677252.77/cwt251.00–260.001,7115
HeifersMedium and Large 1500–550534293.31/cwt292.00–295.001,5667
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,120155.00/cwt120.00–184.501,73665
HeifersMedium and Large 1600–650610274.00/cwt274.00–274.001,6712
HeifersMedium and Large 1850–900876214.00/cwt214.00–214.001,8754
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2788187.50/cwt187.50–187.501,4783
BullsReturn to Feed1,369150.00/cwt150.00–150.002,0545
BullsReturn to Feed1,270134.42/cwt122.50–140.001,7073
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,415122.84/cwt118.00–125.001,7384
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,365130.41/cwt124.00–135.001,780167
Bulls2,160158.39/cwt154.00–163.003,42116
BullsLight Weight1,330128.00/cwt128.00–128.001,7021
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,197128.91/cwt127.00–132.001,54315
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,206124.63/cwt121.00–127.001,50367
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight80090.00/cwt90.00–90.007201
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,630140.00/cwt140.00–140.002,2821
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,593135.37/cwt133.00–139.002,1563
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,675129.00/cwt129.00–129.002,1611
CowsLean 85-90%1,270127.00/cwt127.00–127.001,6131
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,576134.45/cwt133.00–137.002,11911
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight910106.33/cwt104.00–107.509683
CowsBoner 80-85%1,453128.04/cwt124.00–132.001,8607
CowsLean 85-90%1,253120.84/cwt117.00–125.001,5146
CowsLean 85-90%1,10294.79/cwt91.00–97.001,0456
Bulls1,919146.51/cwt141.00–149.502,81221
Bulls1,586131.37/cwt117.50–139.002,08434
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight955109.00/cwt109.00–109.001,0411
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,201116.87/cwt112.00–120.001,40424
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,755119.00/cwt119.00–119.002,0881
CowsLean 85-90%1,143110.37/cwt105.00–119.001,26220
BullsLarge 11250–13001,278171.00/cwt171.00–171.002,1852
BullsLarge 1-21250–13001,275155.00/cwt155.00–155.001,9762
CowsBoner 80-85%1,500116.20/cwt112.00–117.001,7439
CowsBoner 80-85%1,455136.74/cwt136.50–138.501,99017
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,389136.92/cwt136.00–139.001,90237
Bulls1,595129.58/cwt127.00–132.002,0672
Stock CowsMedium 1605170.00/cwt170.00–170.001,0291
BullsLarge 11000–10501,031215.20/cwt212.50–216.002,2198
BullsLarge 11150–12001,173187.63/cwt184.00–192.002,2015
BullsLarge 11050–11001,070207.00/cwt207.00–207.002,2151
BullsLarge 11300–13501,310161.00/cwt161.00–161.002,1091
BullsLarge 11200–12501,225180.00/cwt180.00–180.002,2051

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.