Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2025-01-22

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Jan 22
● Final34 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
76 head
138 vs last sale 214 128 vs year ago 204 · 62.7%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
110 head
253 vs last sale 363 924 vs year ago 1,034 · 89.4%
Replacement Cattle receipts
69 head
760 vs last sale 829 345 vs year ago 414 · 83.3%
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: All feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on a very limited offering. Demand was very good for very light offerings. Quality this week was mostly average. Most cattle were offered in small group or as singles. CME positions pushed sharply higher today giving buyers additional confidence in current market conditions. Market activity was mostly active today, with buyers both ringside and over the internet rapidly bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mostly very good demand today for light offerings. Cow quality this sale was mostly average to attractive. Demand for slaughter cows was good as packers only purchased cows for immediate harvest and pushed feed cow buyers in order to secure offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00-6.00 higher on all classes. Demand for high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white was very good. These offerings sold mostly 6.00-10.00 higher in a narrow comparison. A large buyer pool of cow buyers was on hand for todays light sale. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00-4.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Demand for slaughter bulls was mostly good this sale. Bull quality was average to attractive today. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average today with many offerings pushing moderate to heavy amounts of fill. Cold and windy conditions had most cow and bull offerings very full this sale. Despite fill, cow quality was mostly attractive today and many heavy muscled cows or cow that had been on feed were seen. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold sharply higher in a narrow comparison. Demand from both rebreed buyers and feeders was very good today. Quality this week was average to attractive. Many young cows were purchased to return to the country to feed.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $320.96/cwt on 14 head. That ranks 1 of 19 comparable sales and sits 100.57 against this barn's trailing median of $421.54.
Average price
$320.96
14 head · 524 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,681
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$375
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2
$57.35/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+0.21
vs MT average
+16.54 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1531337.351,79110thin
Medium and Large 2506280.001,4174thin
One grade step is worth $57.35/cwt here — about $375 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 sale14 hd
320.96
MT average4 barns · 934 hd
320.75
+0.21
National average149 barns · 17,148 hd
304.42
+16.54
This barn, trailing median19 sales
421.54
−100.57
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
BullsAverage1,858139.642,59410
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,696141.722,40311
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,368134.191,83646
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,168123.171,43943

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)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,555$2,1002thin

Every lot, as filed

34 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
Bulls2,233151.50/cwt151.00–152.003,3832
Bulls2,270161.00/cwt161.00–161.003,6551
BullsReturn to Feed1,300120.00/cwt120.00–120.001,5601
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,540139.00/cwt139.00–139.002,1411
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,635136.50/cwt134.00–138.002,2324
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,770145.78/cwt143.50–146.502,5805
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2805192.50/cwt192.50–192.501,5501
BullsMedium and Large 1400–450400370.00/cwt370.00–370.001,4802
BullsMedium and Large 1950–1000978237.50/cwt237.50–237.502,3232
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,065192.63/cwt160.00–231.002,05230
HeifersMedium and Large 1850–900858245.00/cwt245.00–245.002,1026
SteersMedium and Large 1Full550–600584325.00/cwt325.00–325.001,8984
SteersMedium and Large 1Full650–700676295.00/cwt295.00–295.001,9944
BullsMedium and Large 1550–600575305.00/cwt305.00–305.001,7541
HeifersMedium and Large 1600–650625293.00/cwt293.00–293.001,8311
BullsMedium and Large 1-2750–800765250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,9131
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,5552,100.00/head2,100.00–2,100.002,1002
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2350–400368362.07/cwt350.00–375.001,3322
HeifersMedium and Large 2500–550506280.00/cwt280.00–280.001,4174
HeifersMedium and Large 1500–550531337.35/cwt332.50–338.501,79110
SteersMedium and Large 1500–550515378.00/cwt378.00–378.001,9476
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,137166.49/cwt138.00–184.001,89330
CowsBoner 80-85%1,640130.29/cwt127.00–134.002,1372
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,354135.42/cwt126.00–138.501,83441
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,725145.00/cwt145.00–145.002,5011
HeifersLarge 11150–12001,168214.00/cwt214.00–214.002,5002
HeifersLarge 11100–11501,122223.00/cwt223.00–223.002,5023
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,150131.42/cwt128.00–135.001,5112
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,085115.33/cwt107.50–120.001,2519
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,218132.76/cwt125.00–136.001,61728
Bulls1,757135.40/cwt131.50–143.002,3796
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight88280.07/cwt70.00–85.007063
CowsLean 85-90%1,235100.33/cwt99.00–102.001,2393
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,375120.05/cwt117.00–123.001,6513

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.