Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2021-01-22

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Fri, Jan 22
● Final62 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1776
Feeder Cattle receipts
2,701 head
1,425 vs last sale 4,126 471 vs year ago 2,230 · +21.1%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
74 head
29 vs last sale 45 29 vs year ago 45 · +64.4%
Replacement Cattle receipts
19 head
12 vs last sale 7 1 vs year ago 20 · 5.0%
Also sold hereRegular saleWed Aug 19, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were not well compared. Steers under 450 lbs were too lightly tested either this week or last to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed; Steers 450-699 lbs sold mostly 4.00-8.00 higher; Steers over 700 lbs sold steady. Heifers under 400 lbs sold 5.00-10.00 higher, heifers over 400 lbs sold mostly 2.00-5.00 higher, except 700-749 lbs heifers which sold fully steady. Demand was mostly good today with very good demand seen at times. Quality was average to attractive. Most set of calves on offer were weaned 60-90 days. Flesh was mostly light, with only a few offerings pushing more than moderate flesh. The cattle on feed report was released today and it showed cattle and calves on feed at 12 million head slightly higher than last January. Placements and marketing's were both 1% higher than January 2019. CME positions traded up the limit on the March contract and all other contracts traded well into triple digit territory. Demand improved throughout the day and was noticeably higher after the lunch hour. Market activity was mostly active today with 15 order buyers and several farmer feeders in the stands actively bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows and bulls were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend, however sharply higher undertones were noticed. Packers showed very good demand for all cows and bulls on offer as they pushed for fill both feeding and slaughter loads for the week. Weigh up conditions were average to below average.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $146.75/cwt on 1,167 head.
Average price
$146.75
1,167 head · 546 lb average
Value per head Derived
$801
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$99
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$3.13/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+0.02
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1554147.17816987
Medium 1496145.0471973
Medium and Large 1-2498144.04717107
One grade step is worth $3.13/cwt here — about $99 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 0–100 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 0–100 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale1,167 hd
146.75
MT average4 barns · 2,383 hd
146.73
+0.02
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
BullsAverage1,86979.881,4938thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,39254.4175827
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,21951.2362423

Every lot, as filed

62 lots · USDA AMS · Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Fri)
Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,39657.22/cwt55.00–60.0079910
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,39561.50/cwt61.50–61.508581
SteersMedium and Large 1Fancy706149.00/cwt149.00–149.001,05219
HeifersMedium and Large 1577144.26/cwt139.00–149.50832180
SteersMedium and Large 1731137.49/cwt135.00–139.501,00516
SteersMedium and Large 1426193.84/cwt185.00–200.0082614
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2484147.77/cwt140.00–153.0071522
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2319156.77/cwt155.00–159.0050016
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2591132.52/cwt129.00–136.007836
HeifersMedium and Large 1423162.36/cwt158.00–165.0068737
SteersMedium and Large 1793129.50/cwt129.50–129.501,0273
BullsMedium and Large 1395175.00/cwt175.00–175.006911
HeifersMedium and Large 1722126.45/cwt123.50–130.5091353
HeifersMedium and Large 1521151.00/cwt145.00–156.25787189
HeifersMedium and Large 1377169.74/cwt162.00–172.00640100
SteersMedium and Large 1382202.29/cwt190.00–211.0077378
SteersMedium and Large 1572165.88/cwt157.50–173.00949337
SteersMedium and Large 1664148.97/cwt141.00–154.50989140
SteersMedium and Large 1476186.65/cwt183.00–192.00888149
HeifersMedium and Large 1471156.94/cwt154.00–165.00739160
SteersMedium and Large 1324190.34/cwt190.00–192.506177
HeifersMedium and Large 1759124.50/cwt124.50–124.509454
SteersMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed469198.48/cwt198.00–199.0093125
HeifersMedium and Large 1679131.15/cwt127.75–134.00891121
SteersMedium and Large 1518180.36/cwt173.00–185.00934125
SteersMedium and Large 1627155.90/cwt151.50–163.00977104
HeifersMedium and Large 1913112.69/cwt112.00–113.001,02910
BullsMedium and Large 1824117.00/cwt117.00–117.0096410
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,02051.61/cwt51.00–52.505262
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,30756.33/cwt56.00–56.507363
CowsLean 85-90%1,22954.10/cwt52.00–55.006655
CowsLean 85-90%1,22548.89/cwt44.00–52.5059913
CowsBoner 80-85%1,46554.25/cwt54.00–54.507952
Bulls1,89986.97/cwt84.50–89.001,6524
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3741,200.00/cwt1,200.00–1,200.0016,4884
SteersMedium 1422180.00/cwt180.00–180.007607
CowsBoner 80-85%1,44847.99/cwt45.50–51.006954
SteersMedium 1519163.00/cwt163.00–163.008464
HeifersMedium 1372160.00/cwt160.00–160.0059521
SteersMedium and Large 2505133.00/cwt133.00–133.0067214
SteersMedium and Large 2708124.00/cwt124.00–124.008782
Bulls1,83972.80/cwt71.00–76.001,3394
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,35253.50/cwt53.50–53.5072310
BullsMedium and Large 1905113.00/cwt113.00–113.001,0233
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,437857.82/cwt825.00–900.0012,3279
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2657124.29/cwt120.00–125.0081714
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2377159.59/cwt157.50–161.0060210
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,09460.89/cwt57.00–63.006663
HeifersMedium 1546139.00/cwt139.00–139.0075952
SteersMedium and Large 1-2765129.00/cwt129.00–129.009872
SteersMedium and Large 2580143.00/cwt143.00–143.008294
SteersMedium and Large 1-2597155.50/cwt155.50–155.5092813
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2422151.00/cwt151.00–151.006375
SteersMedium and Large 1-2622142.23/cwt135.00–147.008855
BullsMedium and Large 1466179.31/cwt177.50–183.5083610
SteersMedium and Large 1-2389185.14/cwt180.00–187.5072022
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2538143.64/cwt143.00–144.5077327
BullsMedium and Large 1-2530141.00/cwt141.00–141.007472
HeifersMedium and Large 1628138.85/cwt134.00–144.00872133
SteersMedium and Large 1-2497176.41/cwt176.00–180.0087729
SteersMedium and Large 1-2543171.50/cwt171.50–171.5093125
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2624126.99/cwt120.00–132.007927

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.