Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2022-02-25

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Fri, Feb 25
● Final59 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1776
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,930 head
▼ 3,922 vs last sale 5,852▼ 3,035 vs year ago 4,965 · −61.1%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
67 head
▼ 75 vs last sale 142▼ 30 vs year ago 97 · −30.9%
Replacement Cattle receipts
18 head
▼ 54 vs last sale 72▼ 96 vs year ago 114 · −84.2%
Also sold hereRegular saleWed Sep 30, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to the last Friday sale(1-14-22): Steer calves all sold 5.00-10.00 higher than the last Friday special. Heifers under 750 lbs sold 10.00-15.00 higher, heifers over 750 lbs sold mostly 5.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Quality today was mixed from plain to attractive. Demand was good to very good. Demand for cattle too big to go to grass was good as both private feeders and order buyers purchasing feeders for packers competed over offerings. Demand for grass cattle was good as well. A good crowd of order buyers was on hand for todays sale. Market activity was mostly active as a result. Weigh up cows sold on very good demand as packers pushed to own the majority of the cows on offer. Packers purchased most cows to send to immediate harvest. Feeding cow buyers showed good demand as well and were competitive with packers on high quality offerings. Slaughter and feeding cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however offerings sold steady to firm with Wednesdays sale. Bulls were scarcely tested thus no trend is available. Young age cows were scarcely tested as well. No trend is available.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $165.15/cwt on 1,132 head.
Average price
$165.15
1,132 head · 682 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,127
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$343
per head · Medium 1 over Large 1
$34.14/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−0.21
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1524176.5492513thin
Medium and Large 1685166.101,137999
Medium and Large 1-2626159.861,00191
Medium and Large 2540152.008214thin
Large 1890142.391,26725
One grade step is worth $34.14/cwt here — about −$343 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 sale1,132 hd
165.15
—
MT average2 barns · 1,142 hd
165.36
−0.21
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
Bulls—Average2,02582.501,6712thin
CowsPremium White 65-75%Average1,57385.001,3374thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,57781.501,2853thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,45578.321,14013
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,02867.5569436

Every lot, as filed

59 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
HeifersLarge 1—843144.63/cwt144.50–146.001,21922
HeifersMedium and Large 1—666165.74/cwt164.00–170.001,104108
HeifersMedium and Large 1—620170.74/cwt168.25–177.001,059216
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—670169.39/cwt158.50–175.001,13585
HeifersMedium and Large 1—860145.00/cwt145.00–145.001,24716
SteersMedium and Large 1—906155.00/cwt155.00–155.001,40435
SteersMedium and Large 2—542168.50/cwt168.50–168.509136
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—473212.60/cwt212.00–217.001,0068
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—569202.00/cwt202.00–202.001,1495
SteersMedium and Large 1—765166.44/cwt165.50–166.751,27328
SteersLarge 1Full—1,104135.00/cwt135.00–135.001,4906
SteersMedium and Large 1—530211.76/cwt207.00–221.001,12222
SteersMedium and Large 1—478232.95/cwt219.00–235.001,114105
SteersMedium and Large 1—830161.00/cwt161.00–161.001,3364
SteersMedium and Large 1—419228.22/cwt228.00–232.0095617
SteersLarge 1—900151.00/cwt151.00–151.001,35923
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—608167.00/cwt167.00–167.001,0153
SteersMedium and Large 1—675178.61/cwt178.00–181.001,20648
SteersMedium and Large 1—616192.07/cwt180.00–196.001,18350
SteersMedium and Large 1—735172.36/cwt172.00–172.501,26770
SteersMedium and Large 1—569209.69/cwt205.50–216.001,19355
SteersLarge 1—755163.00/cwt163.00–163.001,2318
SteersMedium and Large 1—888154.62/cwt154.50–155.001,37328
HeifersMedium and Large 1—480194.00/cwt194.00–194.009319
HeifersLarge 1—1,235126.00/cwt126.00–126.001,5563
HeifersMedium and Large 1—582178.87/cwt175.00–187.001,04134
HeifersMedium and Large 1—902145.50/cwt145.50–145.501,31225
HeifersMedium and Large 1Fancy—604183.00/cwt183.00–183.001,10542
BullsMedium and Large 1-2—767145.13/cwt144.00–147.001,1138
CowsLean 85-90%—1,05456.00/cwt56.00–56.005904
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed—1,02374.00/cwt74.00–74.0075717
CowsLean 85-90%—1,27274.80/cwt73.00–76.009515
CowsBreaker 75-80%—1,57781.50/cwt81.50–81.501,2853
CowsBoner 80-85%—1,44070.00/cwt70.00–70.001,0081
CowsPremium White 65-75%—1,57385.00/cwt85.00–85.001,3374
CowsBoner 80-85%—1,43379.57/cwt76.50–81.001,1406
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed—1,48078.45/cwt77.00–80.001,1616
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight—90354.50/cwt54.00–55.004922
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight—90358.37/cwt58.00–58.505278
Bulls——2,50589.00/cwt89.00–89.002,2291
Bulls——1,54576.00/cwt76.00–76.001,1741
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1—93289.74/cwt76.00–104.008369
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1—940111.00/cwt111.00–111.001,0431
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2—77375.00/cwt75.00–75.005802
HeifersMedium and Large 1—825151.15/cwt149.00–152.251,24772
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—664155.00/cwt155.00–155.001,0297
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—626161.00/cwt161.00–161.001,00836
HeifersMedium and Large 2—540152.00/cwt152.00–152.008214
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—543173.61/cwt172.00–175.0094315
HeifersMedium 1—640162.00/cwt162.00–162.001,0374
HeifersMedium and Large 1—757157.51/cwt154.00–159.001,192136
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—552168.00/cwt168.00–168.009279
HeifersMedium and Large 1—445196.00/cwt196.00–196.0087211
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—423189.00/cwt189.00–189.007992
HeifersMedium 1—472183.00/cwt183.00–183.008649
HeifersMedium and Large 1—515188.33/cwt181.00–190.0097071
SteersMedium and Large 1Full—977145.00/cwt145.00–145.001,4175
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—719144.19/cwt138.00–152.501,03722
HeifersMedium and Large 1—728161.60/cwt161.00–164.501,176259

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.