Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2024-06-12

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Jun 12
● Final55 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
77 head
2 vs last sale 75 17 vs year ago 94 · 18.1%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
583 head
5 vs last sale 578 234 vs year ago 349 · +67.0%
Replacement Cattle receipts
200 head
65 vs last sale 265 62 vs year ago 138 · +44.9%
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle offerings were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Todays sale offered mostly weigh up cows, bred cows and cow-calf pairs. Demand for feeder cattle was good for very light offerings. Most feeders were offered in small groups or as singles. Market activity was mostly moderate to active. 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 sound cows to feed this week, as they purchased thin cows to feed for the upcoming 4th of July holiday and high quality cows to feed to premium white. Slaughter cows sold steady to 1.00 higher on all classes of slaughter cows. High quality feeding cows, suitable to feed to premium white, sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher. Thin, short term feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher. Cow quality was mostly attractive to attractive today, however quality was not as attractive overall as it was last week. Many sets of cows showed thinner body condition scores this week. Weigh up conditions were mostly average this week. Temperatures warmed into the upper 80s for todays sale and many cows sold somewhat full as a result. Slaughter bulls sold 3.00-5.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Bulls, like todays cow offering, showed some fill come sale time. Packers opted to feed several sets of light to middle weight bulls as they purchased bulls to feed for the upcoming 4th of July holiday. Demand for bulls suitable to feed was very good. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold 5.00-10.00 higher. Additional buyers were in the market this week searching for high quality cows suitable to rebreed. Demand for high quality offerings was very good. Quality was mostly average to attractive and similar to last week.

Weight class

Steers · summary 600–700 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
600–700 lb steers averaged $284.44/cwt on 10 head. That ranks 1 of 13 comparable sales and sits 142.45 against this barn's trailing median of $426.89.
Average price
$284.44
10 head · 657 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,870
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
single grade reported
vs the market
+7.63
vs MT average
+5.95 vs national

What quality paid 600–700 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2657284.441,87010thin
Only one grade was reported at this weight, so there is no spread to compute.

This barn's trailing prices 600–700 lb

13 sales
450419388357median 426.8901/0702/1804/0805/1308/19
Steers 600–700 lb: high $435.51, low $370.59, median $426.89 across 13 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

How it compared 600–700 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale10 hd
284.44
MT average3 barns · 20 hd
276.81
+7.63
National average143 barns · 7,606 hd
278.49
+5.95
This barn, trailing median13 sales
426.89
−142.45
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
BullsHigh1,879166.643,13181
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,664139.572,32326
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,392139.351,940301
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,093126.731,385114
Dairy CowsLean 85-90%Low1,285114.001,4651thin

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 Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,143$2,0503thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenAged (>8 yrs)1,491$2,5004thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,635$2,5001thin

Every lot, as filed

55 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
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight880106.82/cwt98.00–115.0094011
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,694133.75/cwt130.00–135.002,2668
CowsLean 85-90%1,140132.97/cwt132.00–134.001,5162
CowsLean 85-90%1,259139.92/cwt137.00–146.001,7624
CowsBoner 80-85%1,375141.65/cwt141.50–142.001,9483
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,059193.43/cwt155.00–230.002,04870
HeifersMedium and Large 1450–500475335.00/cwt335.00–335.001,5911
CowsBoner 80-85%1,320116.00/cwt116.00–116.001,5311
SteersMedium and Large 1-2800–850808205.00/cwt205.00–205.001,6563
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,078146.09/cwt144.00–150.001,5753
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,011160.55/cwt142.50–195.001,6236
BullsMedium and Large 1-2400–450400320.00/cwt320.00–320.001,2801
BullsMedium and Large 11,445156.00/cwt156.00–156.002,2541
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,4912,500.00/head2,500.00–2,500.002,5004
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2700–750710246.00/cwt246.00–246.001,7471
HeifersSmall and Medium 1550–600575165.00/cwt165.00–165.009493
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,065101.00/cwt101.00–101.001,0761
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,443123.00/cwt123.00–123.001,7752
Bulls2,105165.00/cwt165.00–165.003,4732
Bulls1,985175.18/cwt166.00–188.003,47742
BullsReturn to Feed1,609159.03/cwt152.00–164.002,55918
BullsLight Weight1,450142.00/cwt142.00–142.002,0591
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,698146.38/cwt143.50–149.002,4862
CowsLean 85-90%1,09590.00/cwt90.00–90.009861
CowsLean 85-90%1,160114.33/cwt110.00–119.001,3264
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,220139.50/cwt139.50–139.501,7028
HeifersMedium and Large 1750–800769243.31/cwt241.00–248.001,8713
HeifersMedium and Large 1700–750748249.00/cwt249.00–249.001,8633
SteersMedium and Large 1-2600–650602302.50/cwt302.50–302.501,8213
BullsMedium and Large 1850–900864231.12/cwt222.50–235.001,99710
SteersMedium and Large 1700–750707278.38/cwt278.00–279.001,9688
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,162162.85/cwt134.00–203.001,89274
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1432,050.00/head2,050.00–2,050.002,0503
SteersMedium and Large 2750–800770242.00/cwt242.00–242.001,8632
BullsLarge 11100–11501,105207.50/cwt207.50–207.502,2931
HeifersMedium and Large 1650–700676260.00/cwt260.00–260.001,7584
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Fleshy1,240157.00/cwt157.00–157.001,9471
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight73288.45/cwt77.50–91.0064710
Bulls1,891158.35/cwt152.00–165.002,99413
Dairy CowsLean 85-90%1,285114.00/cwt114.00–114.001,4651
CowsBoner 80-85%1,442136.67/cwt130.50–140.001,97146
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,184139.40/cwt138.00–142.501,65031
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,376139.21/cwt130.00–141.501,916205
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,416143.89/cwt141.00–148.502,03744
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,558146.50/cwt145.50–147.002,2823
Bulls1,774142.20/cwt132.00–147.002,5234
BullsHeavy Weight2,540178.00/cwt178.00–178.004,5211
BullsLarge 1-21150–12001,193170.49/cwt166.00–175.002,0342
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,632142.00/cwt142.00–142.002,3176
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,068122.30/cwt120.00–125.001,30610
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,152134.22/cwt127.50–137.001,54640
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,694139.22/cwt137.50–140.002,3587
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2600–650628252.96/cwt251.00–255.001,5892
SteersMedium and Large 1-2650–700681276.70/cwt275.00–280.001,8847
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-21,6352,500.00/head2,500.00–2,500.002,5001

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.