Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2024-02-23

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Fri, Feb 23
● Final111 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1776
Feeder Cattle receipts
5,825 head
▲ 4,351 vs last sale 1,474▲ 4,188 vs year ago 1,637 · +255.8%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
50 head
▲ 23 vs last sale 27▲ 37 vs year ago 13 · +284.6%
Replacement Cattle receipts
142 head
▲ 122 vs last sale 20▲ 142 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: The last Friday feeder special was over one month ago and market conditions have improved drastically since that sale. All feeder steers and heifers sold with higher to sharply higher undertones. Demand for all feeder cattle was good to very good today. Offerings were heavy as over 5,700 feeders were on offer. The best demand continues to be for cattle suitable to develop into yearlings. As long as the cattle were in light flesh, steers up to 725 lbs and heifer up to 675 lbs were purchased for this purpose. Order buyers buying for packers showed very good demand for long strings of high quality, uniform cattle. Most calves were weaned over 60 days. Quality this sale was mostly average to very attractive. A small portion of the heifer offering was purchased for replacements, however most heifers were purchased to feed as demand from yearling buyers and corporate packers was very good. Package sizes were mixed today. Several load lots were seen this sale, with two consigners offering multiple loads all off one ranch. The cattle on feed report was released at 1:00 local time today and it showed cattle on feed up slightly, placements down 7% and marketings down slightly in the month of January. Market activity was mostly active today. A large buyer pool was noted as the stands were packed throughout the day. A good mix of order-buyers and ranchers were active in buying cattle this sale. Weigh up cows and bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed, compared to Wednesdays sale. Demand was mostly good for very light offerings. Young age cows sold on good demand today. An attractive offering of coming 3 year old's were seen today and these offerings sold on very good demand. Several rebreed buyers were active in bidding on these offerings. Young age cows sold with steady to higher undertones in a narrow comparison.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $275.09/cwt on 2,451 head.
Average price
$275.09
2,451 head · 618 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,701
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$321
per head · Medium and Large 2 over Large 2
$137.41/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−1.88
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 2432289.111,24819thin
Medium and Large 1-2556281.561,566291
Medium and Large 1619278.861,7251,853
Medium 1559276.961,549142
Medium 1-2469274.461,28624
Large 1718246.711,77153
Large 1-21,005168.001,68839
Large 21,034151.701,56930
One grade step is worth $137.41/cwt here — about −$321 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 sale2,451 hd
275.09
—
MT average3 barns · 2,723 hd
276.97
−1.88
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—Low1,631112.411,83311
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,679109.891,8457thin
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,391108.641,51118
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,109102.811,14013

Every lot, as filed

111 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 · Steers44 lots · lightest first
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2252400.00/cwt400.00–400.001,0083
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2338362.50/cwt362.50–362.501,2252
Steers—Medium and Large 1362383.05/cwt375.00–387.501,38715
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2372370.00/cwt370.00–370.001,3763
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2426346.32/cwt342.00–360.001,47538
Steers—Medium and Large 1430366.49/cwt360.00–375.001,57622
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2473337.47/cwt325.00–348.001,59625
Steers—Medium and Large 1487357.72/cwt350.00–371.001,74253
Steers—Medium and Large 2492310.00/cwt310.00–310.001,52511
Steers—Medium and Large 2501306.00/cwt306.00–306.001,5336
Steers—Medium and Large 1518345.04/cwt329.00–354.001,787157
Steers—Medium 1528316.00/cwt316.00–316.001,66814
Steers—Large 1532298.20/cwt296.00–302.001,58613
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2535319.76/cwt312.00–332.501,71150
Steers—Large 1-2545260.00/cwt260.00–260.001,41721
Steers—Large 1556298.00/cwt298.00–298.001,6575
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2565310.79/cwt300.00–317.001,75672
Steers—Medium and Large 1569325.88/cwt318.00–335.001,854167
Steers—Medium 1582302.01/cwt286.00–308.001,75845
Steers—Large 1-2588253.00/cwt253.00–253.001,4887
Steers—Large 1604293.34/cwt285.00–298.001,77258
Steers—Medium and Large 1626315.82/cwt295.00–328.501,977285
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2633284.40/cwt276.00–297.501,80050
Steers—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed651303.00/cwt303.00–303.001,97335
Steers—Medium and Large 1663285.96/cwt280.00–296.001,896102
Steers—Medium and Large 1Full677275.00/cwt275.00–275.001,86229
Steers—Large 1680261.00/cwt252.00–272.001,77513
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2681269.86/cwt252.50–277.001,83880
Steers—Medium 1685267.00/cwt267.00–267.001,82922
Steers—Medium and Large 1720277.30/cwt266.00–286.501,997276
Steers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy723246.82/cwt246.00–250.501,78533
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2740252.40/cwt245.00–255.001,86830
Steers—Large 1750240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,8004
Steers—Medium and Large 1764253.12/cwt246.00–261.001,934114
Steers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy768231.00/cwt231.00–231.001,7744
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2774245.00/cwt245.00–245.001,8964
Steers—Medium and Large 1807255.50/cwt255.50–255.502,062353
Steers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy809240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,94226
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2819237.00/cwt237.00–237.001,9414
Steers—Medium 1854221.00/cwt221.00–221.001,8876
Steers—Medium and Large 1869247.50/cwt247.50–247.502,15125
Steers—Large 1910220.00/cwt220.00–220.002,00225
Steers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy922223.72/cwt223.00–224.002,06332
Steers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy970215.00/cwt215.00–215.002,0865
Feeder Cattle · Heifers42 lots · lightest first
Heifers—Medium and Large 2301285.00/cwt285.00–285.008586
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2372326.45/cwt310.00–335.001,21471
Heifers—Medium 1-2420285.94/cwt282.50–295.001,20118
Heifers—Medium 1429320.00/cwt320.00–320.001,3736
Heifers—Medium and Large 1438325.01/cwt324.00–328.001,42442
Heifers—Medium and Large 1463316.17/cwt310.00–325.001,464119
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2473303.66/cwt303.50–305.001,43619
Heifers—Medium 1485296.52/cwt287.50–305.001,43830
Heifers—Medium and Large 2492291.00/cwt291.00–291.001,43213
Heifers—Medium 1522292.68/cwt286.00–296.001,52828
Heifers—Medium and Large 1526307.57/cwt300.00–314.001,618184
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2532289.48/cwt280.00–298.001,54066
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fancy556311.00/cwt311.00–311.001,72919
Heifers—Medium and Large 1574293.90/cwt280.50–305.001,687376
Heifers—Medium 1577269.39/cwt256.00–277.251,55447
Heifers—Large 1583271.00/cwt271.00–271.001,5803
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2587278.28/cwt270.00–281.001,63425
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy589259.00/cwt259.00–259.001,5266
Heifers—Large 1607262.50/cwt262.50–262.501,59325
Heifers—Medium 1-2614240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,4746
Heifers—Medium and Large 1623277.25/cwt265.50–284.501,727320
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2624259.86/cwt255.00–265.001,62263
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Replacement637276.00/cwt276.00–276.001,75861
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Replacement662266.50/cwt266.50–266.501,764233
Heifers—Medium 1664247.00/cwt247.00–247.001,64031
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2675247.11/cwt245.00–248.001,66813
Heifers—Medium and Large 1678258.93/cwt250.00–266.001,756267
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fancy704260.00/cwt260.00–260.001,83012
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2712234.20/cwt233.00–235.001,6685
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Replacement721252.00/cwt252.00–252.001,81719
Heifers—Medium and Large 1728245.68/cwt239.50–248.001,78934
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy744232.00/cwt232.00–232.001,7267
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2762226.15/cwt223.00–227.001,72312
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fancy763245.74/cwt245.00–247.001,87530
Heifers—Medium and Large 1766234.08/cwt231.00–236.001,79389
Heifers—Medium and Large 1832227.51/cwt225.00–229.001,89324
Heifers—Large 1845228.00/cwt228.00–228.001,92725
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy848231.50/cwt231.50–231.501,96311
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy932203.26/cwt200.00–205.001,89417
Heifers—Large 21,001155.00/cwt155.00–155.001,55221
Heifers—Large 1-21,005168.00/cwt168.00–168.001,68839
Heifers—Large 21,112144.00/cwt144.00–144.001,6019
Feeder Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-2428330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,4122
Bulls—Medium and Large 1448332.50/cwt332.50–332.501,49020
Bulls—Medium and Large 1457320.00/cwt320.00–320.001,4623
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-2515305.00/cwt305.00–305.001,5715
Bulls—Medium and Large 1559309.00/cwt309.00–309.001,7277
Bulls—Medium and Large 1670260.00/cwt260.00–260.001,7425
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,485103.45/cwt100.00–108.001,5362
Bulls——1,646112.11/cwt107.00–115.001,8456
Bulls——1,697119.00/cwt119.00–119.002,0193
Slaughter Cattle · Cows12 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight87087.00/cwt87.00–87.007571
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,081100.51/cwt99.00–102.001,0875
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,100112.00/cwt112.00–112.001,2321
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,11082.00/cwt82.00–82.009101
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,187110.60/cwt108.00–112.001,3135
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,328112.17/cwt111.00–113.001,4905
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,396111.10/cwt106.00–113.001,5516
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,417102.18/cwt100.00–105.001,4486
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,520115.00/cwt115.00–115.001,7481
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,638109.85/cwt109.00–113.001,7995
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,720116.00/cwt116.00–116.001,9951
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,845104.00/cwt104.00–104.001,9191
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows4 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2848173.33/cwt165.00–176.001,47019
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1915170.38/cwt111.00–175.101,55961
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2970155.00/cwt155.00–155.001,5041
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1994178.37/cwt170.00–182.001,77347

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.