Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2024-06-05

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Jun 5
● Final56 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
75 head
45 vs last sale 30 16 vs year ago 91 · 17.6%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
578 head
257 vs last sale 321 122 vs year ago 456 · +26.8%
Replacement Cattle receipts
265 head
1,090 vs last sale 1,355 167 vs year ago 98 · +170.4%
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last reported sale:(5/22/24) Feeder cattle offerings were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Todays sale featured mostly weigh up cows, bred cows and cow-calf pairs. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for moderate offerings. Packers showed very good demand for cows both for immediate harvest and to feed. Packers opted to send most cows to feed this week as quality was very attractive. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher on all classes. Feeding cows sold steady to firm. Cow quality was mostly attractive to very attractive today as ranchers are culling cows following spring brandings. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to above average as most cows have been out on grass and were empty come sale time. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady to weak. Quality was not as attractive this sale as more older cows were seen. Feeding quality cows continue to sell at a discount to cows suitable to rebreed, however demand for young feeding quality cows was higher this sale than the last reported sale. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $289.00/cwt on 4 head. That ranks 1 of 19 comparable sales and sits 132.54 against this barn's trailing median of $421.54.
Average price
$289.00
4 head · 542 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,565
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
single grade reported
vs the market
+6.21
vs MT average
+15.97 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2542289.001,5654thin
Only one grade was reported at this weight, so there is no spread to compute.

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 sale4 hd
289.00
MT average3 barns · 201 hd
282.79
+6.21
National average170 barns · 13,742 hd
273.03
+15.97
This barn, trailing median19 sales
421.54
−132.54
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
BullsLow1,866154.752,88742
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,418138.551,965332
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,633137.062,23952
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,186129.901,54074

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)1,109$2,2005
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,357$2,0129
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,585$1,9002thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,716$2,6384thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenAged (>8 yrs)1,443$2,3002thin

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
Stock CowsMedium 1730212.50/cwt212.50–212.501,5513
Stock CowsMedium 1-2793177.15/cwt165.00–190.001,4052
HeifersMedium and Large 1Full900–950942210.00/cwt210.00–210.001,9785
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1652,450.00/head2,450.00–2,450.002,4502
SteersMedium and Large 1600–650628318.00/cwt318.00–318.001,9976
SteersMedium and Large 1550–600570340.00/cwt340.00–340.001,9381
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2600–650627271.25/cwt270.00–275.001,7018
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2850–900885219.00/cwt219.00–219.001,9383
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2550–600568293.00/cwt293.00–293.001,6642
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,8482,775.00/head2,775.00–2,775.002,7752
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,208151.28/cwt140.00–172.501,82796
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3572,012.45/head1,400.00–2,350.002,0129
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,023187.85/cwt147.00–215.001,92291
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,378137.05/cwt136.00–138.001,8892
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,4432,300.00/head2,300.00–2,300.002,3002
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,0722,032.65/head2,000.00–2,100.002,0333
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2947170.62/cwt152.50–201.001,61610
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2926144.31/cwt140.00–155.001,3364
HeifersMedium and Large 1700–750710249.00/cwt249.00–249.001,7681
HeifersMedium and Large 1750–800770247.50/cwt247.50–247.501,9061
SteersMedium and Large 1-2550–600595330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,9641
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-21,5832,500.00/head2,500.00–2,500.002,5002
CowsLean 85-90%1,157121.41/cwt117.00–124.001,4059
Bulls1,546137.67/cwt131.00–147.002,1286
BullsLight Weight1,428134.92/cwt133.00–137.001,9274
Bulls2,112170.51/cwt166.00–176.003,60112
Bulls1,909154.67/cwt150.00–166.002,95319
BullsReturn to Feed1,755149.00/cwt149.00–149.002,6151
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,579139.39/cwt138.50–140.002,20117
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,579132.36/cwt127.00–138.002,09012
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,555145.50/cwt145.50–145.502,2632
CowsBoner 80-85%1,472141.91/cwt140.00–147.002,08931
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight880101.59/cwt100.00–103.008942
CowsBoner 80-85%1,468125.28/cwt116.00–130.001,83911
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,223137.86/cwt137.00–140.501,68621
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,207121.50/cwt121.00–123.001,4674
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,189130.05/cwt124.00–134.001,54620
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,691144.65/cwt144.50–145.002,4467
CowsLean 85-90%1,210130.74/cwt126.00–136.001,58216
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,747131.00/cwt124.00–135.502,28911
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight953121.48/cwt121.00–122.001,1582
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,396137.77/cwt134.00–141.501,923143
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,444130.11/cwt126.00–134.001,87923
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,429143.89/cwt141.50–149.002,05681
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,660141.48/cwt139.00–143.502,3493
CowsBoner 80-85%1,407136.60/cwt133.00–139.501,92243
HeifersMedium 2350–400360270.00/cwt270.00–270.009723
BullsLarge 11100–11501,125200.00/cwt200.00–200.002,2501
BullsLarge 11150–12001,152202.50/cwt202.50–202.502,3333
BullsLarge 11050–11001,080210.00/cwt210.00–210.002,2683
HeifersLarge 1850–900870217.50/cwt217.50–217.501,8921
Bred CowsLarge 11,5851,900.00/head1,900.00–1,900.001,9002
SteersMedium and Large 1-2700–750710272.00/cwt272.00–272.001,9311
SteersMedium and Large 1-2650–700650292.50/cwt292.50–292.501,9011
SteersMedium and Large 1-2750–800773253.35/cwt251.00–258.001,9583
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2500–550515285.00/cwt285.00–285.001,4682

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.