Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2023-10-13

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Fri, Oct 13
● Final58 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1776
Feeder Cattle receipts
862 head
1,528 vs last sale 2,390 1,643 vs year ago 2,505 · 65.6%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
31 head
65 vs last sale 96 159 vs year ago 190 · 83.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
15 head
25 vs last sale 40 23 vs year ago 38 · 60.5%
Also sold hereRegular saleWed Aug 19, 2026
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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 steer calves under 450 lbs, steer calves over 450 lbs sold with steady to weak undertones; heifer calves under 600 lbs sold with higher undertones, heifer over 600 lbs sold with steady to weak undertones. All yearlings were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Heavy rain fell across much of the region over the last couple days and receipts were very light as a result. Several buyers finished buying loads from Thursdays sale but were reluctant to start additional loads. Demand was good to start the sale but waned as buyers filled loads. Quality was mostly plain to average, with a very limited selection of high quality offerings available to buyers. Most offerings were in very small groups of less than 10 head. Very light weight calves sold on good demand this sale as buyers look for calves suitable to develop into yearlings. Market activity was mostly moderate today. Weigh up cows and bulls sold on light to moderate demand for very light offerings. Not enough cows or bulls sold to develop any accurate market trend.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $275.76/cwt on 352 head.
Average price
$275.76
352 head · 588 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,621
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$1,080
per head · Medium and Large 2 over Large 1
$90.00/cwt at this weight
vs the market
22.50
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 2404295.001,1925thin
Medium and Large 1-2509278.781,42055
Medium and Large 1598276.111,650285
Medium 1725249.001,8053thin
Large 11,108205.002,2714thin
One grade step is worth $90.00/cwt here — about −$1,080 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 sale352 hd
275.76
MT average5 barns · 2,013 hd
298.26
−22.50
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
BullsLow1,468102.001,4972thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,630108.001,7601thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,41098.181,38413
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,21885.491,04110

Every lot, as filed

58 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
HeifersMedium 1Unweaned490250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,22512
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned678222.50/cwt222.50–222.501,5092
SteersLarge 11,108205.00/cwt205.00–205.002,2714
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned766241.00/cwt241.00–241.001,84610
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned678259.68/cwt251.00–265.001,76152
SteersMedium and Large 1717264.00/cwt264.00–264.001,89310
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned429275.00/cwt275.00–275.001,18019
SteersMedium and Large 1-2758259.00/cwt259.00–259.001,9632
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned522290.34/cwt282.00–294.001,51675
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned385340.00/cwt340.00–340.001,3094
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned702254.11/cwt250.00–259.001,78411
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned348355.00/cwt355.00–355.001,2352
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned360310.00/cwt310.00–310.001,1161
SteersMedium and Large 1851240.00/cwt240.00–240.002,0426
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned612265.50/cwt258.00–275.001,62566
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned483294.44/cwt291.00–310.001,42219
SteersMedium and Large 2Unweaned404295.00/cwt295.00–295.001,1925
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned519262.00/cwt262.00–262.001,36012
SteersMedium 1725249.00/cwt249.00–249.001,8053
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned415340.00/cwt340.00–340.001,41117
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned478285.00/cwt285.00–285.001,36222
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned300350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,0502
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned585257.00/cwt257.00–257.001,50313
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned566277.23/cwt276.00–278.001,56913
HeifersMedium and Large 1826229.00/cwt229.00–229.001,8925
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned475260.00/cwt260.00–260.001,2352
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned630228.00/cwt228.00–228.001,4365
BullsMedium 1Unweaned561223.18/cwt222.50–225.001,25215
BullsLarge 11,220140.00/cwt140.00–140.001,7082
BullsMedium 1Full472210.00/cwt210.00–210.009918
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,630108.00/cwt108.00–108.001,7601
CowsBoner 80-85%1,41596.50/cwt96.50–96.501,3653
CowsLean 85-90%1,03062.50/cwt62.50–62.506441
CowsLean 85-90%1,22587.30/cwt85.50–91.001,0698
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,34594.00/cwt94.00–94.001,2641
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,46591.37/cwt89.00–96.001,3393
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,380110.50/cwt110.50–110.501,5251
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,384100.38/cwt97.00–107.001,3896
BullsReturn to Feed1,468102.00/cwt102.00–102.001,4972
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,213114.45/cwt110.00–130.001,3888
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,325130.00/cwt130.00–130.001,7231
HeifersMedium and Large 1760235.44/cwt235.00–237.001,78923
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2662243.42/cwt239.00–245.001,61120
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2779231.35/cwt230.00–234.001,80215
BullsMedium and Large 1-21,136167.00/cwt167.00–167.001,8974
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned858210.00/cwt210.00–210.001,8022
HeifersMedium and Large 1864223.14/cwt218.00–226.501,92821
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned532256.57/cwt252.00–260.001,36534
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned533267.62/cwt260.00–275.001,42622
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned555262.62/cwt254.00–269.001,4587
HeifersMedium and Large 2Unweaned463235.00/cwt235.00–235.001,0886
HeifersMedium and Large 2440237.50/cwt237.50–237.501,0453
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned482255.03/cwt253.00–260.001,22913
SteersMedium and Large 1Full894229.00/cwt229.00–229.002,0474
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned499283.00/cwt283.00–283.001,4124
HeifersMedium 1-2Unweaned428202.50/cwt202.50–202.508675
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned668235.00/cwt235.00–235.001,5704
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned620249.83/cwt243.00–255.001,54942

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.