Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2021-10-08

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2021-10-08
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-10-08

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Fri, Oct 8

● Final84 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1776

← Oct 1Oct 8Oct 15 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

3,626 head

▲ 163 vs last sale 3,463▲ 2,050 vs year ago 1,576 · +130.1%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

372 head

▲ 320 vs last sale 52▲ 360 vs year ago 12 · +3,000.0%

Replacement Cattle receipts

101 head

▲ 64 vs last sale 37▲ 36 vs year ago 65 · +55.4%

Also sold hereRegular saleWed Oct 28, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Friday: All yearlings were scarcely tested thus no trend is available. Steer calves under 600 lbs sold 2.00-5.00 higher, over 600 lbs sold 5.00-10.00 higher. Heifer calves under 600 lbs sold generally steady, over 600 lbs sold 3.00-6.00 higher. Demand was mostly moderate to good on moderate to heavy offerings. Calf quality this sale was mostly average to very attractive. Heavy weight calves were especially attractive this week and sold with the best demand. Demand for calves suitable to run on grass was good with several buyers purchasing this class of cows. Calves too heavy for grass and too light to finish by April were the soft spot of the sale. These cattle sold on uneven demand. Trucking is unprecedently tight as many cattle are moving in the country. Cows, video cattle, as well as regular fall marketing's are all trying to find transportation all at the same time. This has tightened transportation even more than usual. Additionally, many feeders who usually feed cattle in the state have sold their feed and pen space to ranchers who have put their cows in the feedlot for winter. Local buyers who would normally purchase calves to feed are now out of the market and these calves have to find new homes in states with lower cost feed. Market activity this week was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on very light to light demand. Prices were sharply lower than last week as packers have backed way off prices due to heavy supplies from drought areas. Lean cows sold mostly 8.00-10.00 lower, boning cows sold 4.00-8.00 lower, breaking cows not tested. Feeding cows sold 4.00-8.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady. Cows were mostly very thin this sale. Weight up conditions were mostly below average with many cows tanking up off fresh clean water and good feed when they enter the yards. Young age cows sold on mostly good demand. Prices were generally steady.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $177.49/cwt on 1,785 head.

Average price

$177.49

1,785 head · 516 lb average

Value per head Derived

$917

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

per head · Medium 1 over Medium and Large 2

$38.00/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−1.04

vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	396	185.00	733	16thin
Medium and Large 1	520	178.37	928	1,607
Medium and Large 1-2	461	175.80	810	89
Large 1	539	162.98	879	48
Large 1-2	503	152.00	765	16thin
Medium and Large 2	495	147.00	728	9thin

One grade step is worth $38.00/cwt here — about $4 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 sale1,785 hd

177.49

—

MT average5 barns · 5,404 hd

178.53

−1.04

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.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	Low	1,824	79.71	1,454	7thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Very Low	1,443	52.97	764	64
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,223	41.00	501	198

Every lot

84 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. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.

Class	Weight	Grade / description	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Feeder Cattle · Steers28 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	275	222.37/cwt	215.00–223.00	612	13
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	325	220.86/cwt	212.50–229.00	718	46
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	370	193.77/cwt	187.00–202.00	717	19
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	372	211.18/cwt	200.00–222.50	786	102
Steers	—	Medium 1Unweaned	396	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	733	16
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	413	179.00/cwt	179.00–179.00	739	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	432	169.00/cwt	169.00–169.00	730	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	435	195.74/cwt	186.00–199.00	851	214
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	473	176.42/cwt	171.00–180.00	834	10
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	477	184.38/cwt	180.00–194.00	879	178
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	478	171.87/cwt	167.00–173.00	822	53
Steers	—	Large 1Unweaned	494	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	845	4
Steers	—	Large 1-2Unweaned	503	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	765	16
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	505	184.08/cwt	183.00–184.50	930	39
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Fancy	518	184.25/cwt	184.25–184.25	954	190
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	518	172.67/cwt	167.00–181.00	894	116
Steers	—	Medium and Large 2	527	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	717	6
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	530	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	853	2
Steers	—	Large 1Unweaned	533	163.35/cwt	161.00–165.00	871	35
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	572	163.74/cwt	155.00–169.00	937	458
Steers	—	Large 1Unweaned	584	158.00/cwt	158.00–158.00	923	9
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Full	599	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	869	9
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	617	161.09/cwt	155.00–162.00	994	135
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	631	154.50/cwt	154.50–154.50	975	7
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	672	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	921	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	677	160.53/cwt	155.00–163.00	1,087	96
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	715	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	1,108	1
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	855	143.50/cwt	143.50–143.50	1,227	3
Feeder Cattle · Heifers34 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	330	172.87/cwt	161.00–176.00	570	14
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	340	186.33/cwt	180.00–191.50	634	44
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	377	172.96/cwt	170.00–180.00	652	53
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	384	165.50/cwt	163.00–169.00	636	35
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	389	178.00/cwt	178.00–178.00	692	8
Heifers	—	Small and Medium 2-3Unweaned	397	83.00/cwt	83.00–83.00	330	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	410	154.50/cwt	154.00–155.00	633	16
Heifers	—	Medium 1	415	167.50/cwt	167.50–167.50	695	14
Heifers	—	Medium 1Unweaned	425	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	646	5
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	430	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	636	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	431	165.84/cwt	162.25–178.00	715	200
Heifers	—	Medium 1	458	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	682	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	475	152.78/cwt	147.50–164.00	726	154
Heifers	—	Medium 1Unweaned	476	144.78/cwt	139.00–151.00	689	24
Heifers	—	Large 1Unweaned	481	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	697	16
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	481	144.19/cwt	140.00–147.00	694	81
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	489	151.50/cwt	151.50–151.50	741	15
Heifers	—	Medium 2Unweaned	515	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	685	1
Heifers	—	Medium 1Unweaned	518	134.55/cwt	127.00–140.00	697	14
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	519	153.44/cwt	148.50–157.00	796	362
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	538	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	721	2
Heifers	—	Large 1Unweaned	540	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	734	17
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	568	144.72/cwt	138.00–148.00	822	103
Heifers	—	Medium 2	571	110.00/cwt	110.00–110.00	628	5
Heifers	—	Large 1Unweaned	576	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	789	5
Heifers	—	Medium 1Unweaned	589	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	772	15
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	607	141.50/cwt	141.50–141.50	859	11
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	611	134.50/cwt	134.50–134.50	822	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	628	145.40/cwt	141.00–147.25	913	55
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	676	142.14/cwt	136.00–144.50	961	33
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	721	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	1,045	17
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	859	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	1,177	11
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	905	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	1,222	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	958	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	1,293	2
Feeder Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	473	174.42/cwt	173.50–177.00	825	11
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	498	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	772	3
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	526	158.00/cwt	158.00–158.00	831	12
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	563	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	822	2
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	637	140.50/cwt	140.50–140.50	895	3
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,560	75.00/cwt	75.00–75.00	1,170	1
Bulls	—	—	1,765	74.97/cwt	74.00–76.00	1,323	3
Bulls	—	—	1,970	86.03/cwt	85.00–87.50	1,695	3
Slaughter Cattle · Cows11 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	797	15.20/cwt	14.00–17.50	121	3
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,186	43.24/cwt	40.00–44.50	513	22
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,204	35.41/cwt	32.50–38.00	426	68
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,212	47.70/cwt	47.00–51.00	578	38
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,219	46.94/cwt	45.00–48.50	572	20
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,306	41.75/cwt	41.75–41.75	545	47
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,349	49.76/cwt	47.50–54.00	671	10
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,358	41.00/cwt	41.00–41.00	557	2
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,365	46.49/cwt	46.00–47.00	635	14
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,447	48.56/cwt	44.00–55.00	703	15
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,536	62.23/cwt	56.00–64.00	956	23
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows2 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	889	96.49/cwt	79.00–107.00	858	12
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	989	77.54/cwt	62.00–88.00	767	25
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows1 lot · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,143	1,083.51/cwt	1,075.00–1,085.00	12,385	6

This sale against other markets

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.

Montana feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Fri)

Fri Oct 8, 2021

USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)

Feeder CattleReceipts 3,626Last week 3,463Year ago 1,576

Slaughter CattleReceipts 372Last week 52Year ago 12

Replacement CattleReceipts 101Last week 37Year ago 65

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	432	169.00	169.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
458	—	572	155.00–169.00	163.74
102	—	372	200.00–222.50	211.18
46	—	325	212.50–229.00	220.86
96	—	677	155.00–163.00	160.53
1	—	715	155.00	155.00
178	—	477	180.00–194.00	184.38
214	—	435	186.00–199.00	195.74
116	—	518	167.00–181.00	172.67
135	—	617	155.00–162.00	161.09
13	—	275	215.00–223.00	222.37

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	584	158.00	158.00
4	—	494	171.00	171.00
35	—	533	161.00–165.00	163.35

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	631	154.50	154.50
3	—	855	143.50	143.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	527	136.00	136.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	503	152.00	152.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	473	171.00–180.00	176.42

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
190	—	518	184.25	184.25

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	599	145.00	145.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
19	—	370	187.00–202.00	193.77
2	—	530	161.00	161.00
53	—	478	167.00–173.00	171.87
3	—	672	137.00	137.00
2	—	413	179.00	179.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
39	—	505	183.00–184.50	184.08

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	396	185.00	185.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
44	—	340	180.00–191.50	186.33
33	—	676	136.00–144.50	142.14
200	—	431	162.25–178.00	165.84
53	—	377	170.00–180.00	172.96
55	—	628	141.00–147.25	145.40
154	—	475	147.50–164.00	152.78
103	—	568	138.00–148.00	144.72
362	—	519	148.50–157.00	153.44

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	518	127.00–140.00	134.55
15	—	589	131.00	131.00
5	—	425	152.00	152.00
24	—	476	139.00–151.00	144.78

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	576	137.00	137.00
16	—	481	145.00	145.00
17	—	540	136.00	136.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	458	149.00	149.00
14	—	415	167.50	167.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	571	110.00	110.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	721	145.00	145.00
15	—	489	151.50	151.50
11	—	607	141.50	141.50
8	—	389	178.00	178.00
11	—	859	137.00	137.00
2	—	958	135.00	135.00
3	—	905	135.00	135.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	410	154.00–155.00	154.50
81	—	481	140.00–147.00	144.19
4	—	611	134.50	134.50
14	—	330	161.00–176.00	172.87
2	—	538	134.00	134.00
35	—	384	163.00–169.00	165.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Small and Medium 2-3 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	397	83.00	83.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	430	148.00	148.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	515	133.00	133.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	498	155.00	155.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	473	173.50–177.00	174.42
12	—	526	158.00	158.00
2	—	563	146.00	146.00
3	—	637	140.50	140.50

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
68	—	1,204	32.50–38.00	35.41
22	—	1,186	40.00–44.50	43.24
20	—	1,219	45.00–48.50	46.94

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,358	41.00	41.00
14	—	1,365	46.00–47.00	46.49
10	—	1,349	47.50–54.00	49.76

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	797	14.00–17.50	15.20

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
47	—	1,306	41.75	41.75
38	—	1,212	47.00–51.00	47.70

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	1,447	44.00–55.00	48.56
23	—	1,536	56.00–64.00	62.23

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,765	74.00–76.00	74.97
3	—	1,970	85.00–87.50	86.03

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,560	75.00	75.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	25	—	989	62.00–88.00	77.54
(<2 yrs)	Open	12	—	889	79.00–107.00	96.49

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	6	—	1,143	1,075.00–1,085.00	1,083.51

Head, weight ranges, average weights and price ranges are exactly as USDA AMS filed them — nothing recomputed, nothing rounded — in USDA's own reporting structure. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of that data, not a copy of USDA's document.