Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2025-02-04

Public Auction Yards

Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Tue, Feb 4
● Final28 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2257
Receipts
3,573 head
820 vs last sale 4,393 983 vs year ago 2,590 · +38.0%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

The Public Auction Yards held their Annual Blue Ribbon 2 today. Demand for cows was mostly good to very good. Over 3,400 confirmed bred, cows and heifers were consigned for todays sale. A moderate size crowd was on hand for todays sale. Many buyers were watching and bidding online as a snowstorm caused poor road and travel conditions. Many order buyers were present for todays sale and several had orders to ship cows south or east to the Dakotas. Ranchers remain active as they buy cows and heifers to restock pastures. Ranchers bought large volumes of cows with many willing to take the entire consignment, some multiple load lots in size! Quality was mixed this sale from plain to very attractive. Demand for dispersions was good. Demand for all heifers was very good. AI bred heifers sold with the best demand but even pasture bred heifers that will calve in a large calving windows sold with good demand. Market activity was mostly moderate to active. 3rd trimester is from now through Mid May, second trimester is Mid May to Mid August, 1st trimester calve after Mid August.

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age
Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,215$3,196630
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,165$2,957284
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,392$2,89394
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,409$2,794242
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,208$2,76724
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,301$2,71998
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,338$2,60014
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,070$2,54654
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,306$2,5005
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,327$2,43750
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,425$2,41544
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,335$2,365354
Bred Heifers3rd Stage (7-9 mo)(<2 yrs)1,046$3,0881,033
Bred Heifers2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)(<2 yrs)956$2,719132
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)1,384$3,55011

Every lot, as filed

28 lots · USDA AMS · Public Auction Yards Replacement Cattle Special - Billings, MT (Seasonal)
Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,0872,763.76/head2,650.00–2,825.002,76444
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,0653,125.23/head2,975.00–3,225.003,125893
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,0702,546.01/head2,400.00–2,600.002,54654
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3012,718.59/head2,450.00–2,850.002,71998
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3382,600.18/head2,525.00–2,650.002,60014
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,4322,438.40/head2,200.00–2,450.002,43841
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,2042,867.82/head2,800.00–2,910.002,86847
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed1,2231,650.00/head1,650.00–1,650.001,6506
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1672,969.90/head2,700.00–3,025.002,970274
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2082,767.35/head2,500.00–2,900.002,76724
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2243,230.10/head3,000.00–3,375.003,230560
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS1,4112,950.00/head2,950.00–2,950.002,9508
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 1-29682,900.27/head2,700.00–3,050.002,90039
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,1002,600.00/head2,600.00–2,600.002,60010
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS1,0233,000.00/head3,000.00–3,000.003,00014
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3272,436.94/head2,200.00–2,550.002,43750
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,4112,821.18/head2,400.00–3,175.002,821233
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,1922,500.00/head2,500.00–2,500.002,50011
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,2122,020.06/head1,950.00–2,200.002,02043
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,4182,945.46/head2,600.00–3,100.002,94583
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,3512,077.92/head1,950.00–2,200.002,0789
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,3352,100.00/head2,100.00–2,100.002,1003
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3062,500.00/head2,500.00–2,500.002,5005
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3542,427.67/head2,300.00–2,700.002,428305
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,3843,550.00/head3,550.00–3,550.003,55011
Bred HeifersMedium 18952,805.26/head2,500.00–2,950.002,80587
Bred HeifersMedium 18912,697.31/head2,500.00–2,800.002,69788
Bred CowsMedium 18223,100.00/head3,100.00–3,100.003,10015

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.