Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2023-01-13

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Fri, Jan 13
● Final90 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1776
Feeder Cattle receipts
4,932 head
▲ 3,234 vs last sale 1,698▼ 920 vs year ago 5,852 · −15.7%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
128 head
▼ 12 vs last sale 140▼ 14 vs year ago 142 · −9.9%
Replacement Cattle receipts
21 head
▼ 41 vs last sale 62▼ 51 vs year ago 72 · −70.8%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last friday sale (12-9-22): Not enough weaned offerings were sold last sale to make an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on steers under 500 lbs and higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed on steers over 500 lbs; higher undertones were noticed on heifers. Quality this week was mostly attractive to very attractive. Quality ran very deep this sale as many sets of homeraised, rancher weaned calves were seen. Most sets of calves were weaned 60-90 days, with very few unweaned calves on offer. Cattle were mostly open haired and very clean. Most cattle were in light flesh as cold winter conditions have helped keep cattle green. Demand was good to very good throughout the sale which streached late into the evening. Demand for cattle suitable to run on grass or wheat was very good. Demand for grass cattle has improved significantly as heavy rain in California has helped improve grass conditions and drought concerns. A very large pool of order buyers was on hand for todays sale, which at one point had over 16 order buyers activly buying cattle and over 20 order buyers at the sale throughout the day. Market activity was mostly very active as a result. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand for light offerings. Not enough cows sold to develop any acurate market trend. Slaughter bulls sold steady to firm with wednesdays sale in a very narrow compairson. Most bulls sold to feeding buyers this sale. Weigh up conditions were mixed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to trend.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $220.58/cwt on 2,060 head.
Average price
$220.58
2,060 head · 578 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,274
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$109
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1
$49.79/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+1.77
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1581223.701,2991,738
Medium and Large 1-2550207.851,143274
Medium and Large 2551185.001,02027
Medium 1738176.001,29910thin
Large 1684173.911,19011thin
One grade step is worth $49.79/cwt here — about $109 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 sale2,060 hd
220.58
—
MT average4 barns · 2,981 hd
218.81
+1.77
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—Low1,78397.241,73438
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,57073.671,1573thin
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,15358.3367271
CowsBoner 80-85%Very Low1,53850.507762thin

Every lot, as filed

90 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.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Steers31 lots · lightest first
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2310265.85/cwt262.50–271.0082420
Steers—Medium and Large 1341282.50/cwt282.50–282.5096314
Steers—Medium and Large 1388283.39/cwt274.00–291.001,10058
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2388256.06/cwt245.00–264.0099412
Steers—Medium and Large 1435273.59/cwt264.00–278.501,190120
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2441254.45/cwt252.00–258.001,12228
Steers—Medium and Large 1465258.15/cwt249.00–277.001,200123
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2478243.73/cwt242.50–245.001,16522
Steers—Medium and Large 2Unweaned496185.00/cwt185.00–185.009186
Steers—Medium and Large 1Fancy508252.57/cwt252.00–253.001,283151
Steers—Medium and Large 1519237.83/cwt227.50–249.001,234180
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2522209.66/cwt197.50–220.001,09445
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2565190.36/cwt189.00–192.001,07643
Steers—Medium and Large 2Unweaned567185.00/cwt185.00–185.001,04921
Steers—Medium and Large 1576215.73/cwt197.00–223.001,243287
Steers—Medium and Large 1Fancy586229.00/cwt229.00–229.001,3424
Steers—Medium and Large 1Full604188.00/cwt188.00–188.001,1365
Steers—Medium and Large 1Fancy615216.23/cwt214.00–223.501,330145
Steers—Medium and Large 1622206.93/cwt198.00–214.001,287273
Steers—Large 1629178.00/cwt178.00–178.001,1208
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2637183.11/cwt176.00–194.001,16659
Steers—Medium and Large 1675193.98/cwt186.00–200.501,309194
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2692168.81/cwt165.00–182.001,16836
Steers—Medium and Large 1720188.15/cwt180.00–193.001,35585
Steers—Medium 1738176.00/cwt176.00–176.001,29910
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2744176.00/cwt176.00–176.001,3097
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2750171.00/cwt171.00–171.001,2832
Steers—Medium and Large 1811178.99/cwt174.00–180.501,45292
Steers—Large 1832163.00/cwt163.00–163.001,3563
Steers—Medium and Large 1850172.00/cwt172.00–172.001,4623
Steers—Medium and Large 1965159.00/cwt159.00–159.001,5344
Feeder Cattle · Heifers32 lots · lightest first
Heifers—Medium and Large 1324216.81/cwt215.00–219.0070213
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2324202.19/cwt195.00–212.5065510
Heifers—Medium 1358201.45/cwt195.00–210.0072114
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2367207.62/cwt205.00–208.0076216
Heifers—Medium and Large 1373224.35/cwt220.00–225.00837100
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2408197.94/cwt195.00–205.0080810
Heifers—Medium and Large 1425216.81/cwt214.00–224.00921276
Heifers—Medium 1425207.50/cwt207.50–207.5088222
Heifers—Large 1431191.00/cwt191.00–191.008237
Heifers—Large 1-2460180.00/cwt180.00–180.008288
Heifers—Medium and Large 1468211.01/cwt195.50–219.00988412
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2483192.08/cwt190.00–194.0092824
Heifers—Medium 1497180.00/cwt180.00–180.008953
Heifers—Large 1-2511159.50/cwt159.50–159.5081540
Heifers—Medium and Large 2Unweaned511149.00/cwt149.00–149.0076128
Heifers—Medium and Large 1523196.92/cwt189.00–203.001,030194
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2525185.36/cwt176.00–190.0097317
Heifers—Large 1569160.00/cwt160.00–160.0091011
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fancy570197.78/cwt195.50–199.501,12783
Heifers—Medium and Large 1576189.28/cwt184.00–193.001,090298
Heifers—Large 1-2580158.00/cwt158.00–158.009164
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2587175.79/cwt171.00–181.001,03230
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fancy608192.31/cwt190.50–195.001,16954
Heifers—Medium 1617169.49/cwt168.50–170.001,04628
Heifers—Medium and Large 1629182.39/cwt177.00–189.001,147168
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2639175.35/cwt166.50–176.501,12034
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2683165.00/cwt165.00–165.001,1274
Heifers—Medium and Large 1684172.29/cwt169.00–175.001,17837
Heifers—Medium and Large 1719168.78/cwt165.00–170.501,21460
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2735143.00/cwt143.00–143.001,0515
Heifers—Medium and Large 1760166.92/cwt164.50–170.001,2699
Heifers—Medium and Large 1824158.66/cwt152.00–165.001,30721
Feeder Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 1350273.00/cwt273.00–273.0095610
Bulls—Medium and Large 1482207.50/cwt207.50–207.501,0005
Bulls—Medium and Large 1548187.50/cwt187.50–187.501,0285
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-2548175.00/cwt175.00–175.009596
Bulls—Medium and Large 1587185.00/cwt185.00–185.001,08614
Bulls—Large 11,178102.98/cwt102.00–108.001,2136
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Light Weight1,37084.00/cwt84.00–84.001,1511
Bulls——Return to Feed1,68997.26/cwt93.00–98.501,6434
Bulls——Return to Feed1,72493.00/cwt93.00–93.001,6034
Bulls——1,78598.29/cwt95.00–101.501,75421
Bulls——1,82788.46/cwt86.50–91.001,6163
Bulls——1,953104.11/cwt103.00–104.502,0335
Slaughter Cattle · Cows12 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight91353.00/cwt53.00–53.004843
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,06756.81/cwt55.00–59.006069
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,14569.98/cwt69.00–71.008014
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,15057.58/cwt51.00–61.0066233
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,19934.00/cwt34.00–34.004084
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,22663.60/cwt62.50–66.0078013
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,25065.64/cwt64.00–66.008215
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,38543.00/cwt43.00–43.005961
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,48567.00/cwt67.00–67.009951
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,53070.00/cwt70.00–70.001,0711
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,69058.00/cwt58.00–58.009801
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,69584.00/cwt84.00–84.001,4241
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows3 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium 1680102.50/cwt102.50–102.506971
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2844140.03/cwt139.00–141.001,1824
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 194484.97/cwt72.50–102.0080210

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.