Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2024-07-31

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Jul 31
● Final58 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
217 head
0 vs last sale 217 48 vs year ago 169 · +28.4%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
356 head
191 vs last sale 547 79 vs year ago 277 · +28.5%
Replacement Cattle receipts
74 head
224 vs last sale 298 26 vs year ago 48 · +54.2%
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Fridays sale: Yearlings all sold with steady undertones on like quality cattle, in a narrow comparison. Demand was mostly good for light offerings. Quality this week was mostly average and not as attractive as last week. Flesh conditions were mostly light to moderate with most consignments coming off grass. Market activity was mostly active with active bidding seen both ringside as well as over the internet. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light to moderate offerings. Additional packer buyers were back in the market this week and they showed very good demand for cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold unevenly steady on boning cows from 5.00 lower to 10.00 higher. Breaking cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher. Lean cows sold steady to 2.00 lower. Feeding demand remains good as both packer and private feeders both showed good demand for cows suitable to feed. Feeding cows sold generally 2.00-5.00 higher as competition from slaughter buyers forced feeding cows higher. Cow quality this sale was mostly average to attractive. Yielding conditions continue to deteriorate as competition with grasshoppers and dry conditions have led to lighter body condition scores. Additionally warm weather also caused many offerings to tank up on water. Weigh conditions overall were mostly average to below average. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 2.00 lower. Feeding demand caused bulls to sell unevenly as feeding bull buyers were mostly looking for lighter weight lower yielding bulls to put on feed and packer buyers showed strong demand for all bulls for immediate harvest. Quality today was mostly average to attractive. Feeding bulls sold 2.00-5.00 lower. Quality this week was not as attractive as last week and feeding bull buyers passed on plainer offerings. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand for very high quality offering was mostly good.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $267.50/cwt on 6 head. That ranks 1 of 19 comparable sales and sits 154.04 against this barn's trailing median of $421.54.
Average price
$267.50
6 head · 554 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,481
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$73
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2
$5.00/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+0.00
vs MT average
+9.04 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2562270.001,5173thin
Medium and Large 2545265.001,4443thin
One grade step is worth $5.00/cwt here — about $73 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 500–600 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 sale6 hd
267.50
MT average1 barns · 6 hd
267.50
+0.00
National average139 barns · 7,218 hd
258.46
+9.04
This barn, trailing median19 sales
421.54
−154.04
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
BullsHigh1,881162.613,05981
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,416146.432,074205
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,662142.412,36714
CowsLean 85-90%High1,151125.591,44636
Dairy CowsBreaker 75-80%Low2,027134.002,7163thin
Dairy CowsLean 85-90%Low1,225104.001,2743thin

Every lot, as filed

58 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
BullsLarge 11200–12501,245192.00/cwt192.00–192.002,3901
HeifersMedium and Large 1900–950940226.21/cwt226.00–229.002,12614
SteersMedium and Large 1950–1000967237.00/cwt237.00–237.002,2927
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,197154.77/cwt153.50–156.251,85346
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,047171.19/cwt160.00–197.001,7923
SteersMedium and Large 1-2450–500498305.00/cwt305.00–305.001,5192
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2900–950920224.00/cwt224.00–224.002,0611
SteersMedium and Large 1700–750723277.00/cwt277.00–277.002,0033
SteersMedium and Large 1-2950–1000990225.00/cwt225.00–225.002,2282
HeifersMedium and Large 11000–10501,028219.46/cwt218.00–222.502,2566
SteersMedium and Large 1750–800778268.51/cwt266.00–271.002,0892
HeifersMedium and Large 1950–1000971222.58/cwt220.00–226.002,16124
SteersMedium and Large 11050–11001,075224.00/cwt224.00–224.002,4081
BullsMedium and Large 2900–950935195.00/cwt195.00–195.001,8232
SteersMedium and Large 1-21000–10501,032225.00/cwt225.00–225.002,3228
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,331151.79/cwt151.00–152.002,0209
HeifersMedium and Large 1700–750700247.50/cwt247.50–247.501,7332
HeifersMedium and Large 11050–11001,060217.46/cwt217.00–217.502,30512
HeifersMedium and Large 1800–850826235.62/cwt234.00–239.001,9469
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2945155.00/cwt155.00–155.001,4653
BullsMedium and Large 1-2800–850805227.50/cwt227.50–227.501,8311
SteersMedium and Large 11000–10501,018232.69/cwt232.00–233.002,36910
SteersMedium and Large 1850–900853258.00/cwt258.00–258.002,2018
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,394133.60/cwt126.00–137.001,86210
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,449151.78/cwt150.50–154.502,19935
Bulls2,039176.90/cwt174.00–180.003,60716
Bulls1,651147.69/cwt141.00–152.002,43811
BullsReturn to Feed1,508144.83/cwt138.00–151.002,1844
BullsLight Weight1,375146.79/cwt146.00–147.502,0182
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,138143.45/cwt142.00–145.001,6323
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,199133.37/cwt125.00–139.001,59912
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,635152.50/cwt152.50–152.502,4931
Dairy CowsLean 85-90%1,213108.00/cwt108.00–108.001,3102
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,387144.99/cwt139.50–152.002,01126
CowsBoner 80-85%1,387121.29/cwt112.00–133.001,68216
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,734136.02/cwt132.00–138.002,3594
Dairy CowsLean 85-90%1,25096.00/cwt96.00–96.001,2001
Bulls2,045163.48/cwt155.00–172.003,34337
CowsLean 85-90%1,200144.42/cwt142.00–147.001,7332
BullsReturn to Feed1,556163.19/cwt153.00–173.002,53911
CowsLean 85-90%1,069132.24/cwt127.00–135.001,4143
Dairy CowsBreaker 75-80%2,027134.00/cwt134.00–134.002,7163
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,592142.74/cwt140.00–146.002,2727
CowsBoner 80-85%1,439153.03/cwt153.00–154.002,20274
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight860111.45/cwt110.00–113.009582
CowsLean 85-90%1,165113.00/cwt107.00–122.001,31614
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,775149.00/cwt149.00–149.002,6452
BullsLarge 11100–11501,114209.00/cwt202.00–212.502,3283
HeifersLarge 11100–11501,118217.00/cwt217.00–217.002,4267
BullsLarge 11000–10501,015225.00/cwt225.00–225.002,2841
BullsLarge 1-21000–10501,000226.00/cwt226.00–226.002,2601
Beef/Dairy SteersLarge 2-3700–750727217.50/cwt217.50–217.501,5813
CowsBoner 80-85%1,384143.99/cwt134.00–152.001,99344
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2550–600562270.00/cwt270.00–270.001,5173
BullsMedium and Large 1-21,060227.50/cwt227.50–227.502,4121
HeifersMedium and Large 2500–550545265.00/cwt265.00–265.001,4443
SteersMedium and Large 2550–600567287.31/cwt287.00–287.501,6298
SteersMedium 2500–550546267.50/cwt267.50–267.501,4615

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.