Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2021-02-24

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2021-02-24
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-02-24

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Feb 24

● Final58 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← Feb 17Feb 24Mar 3 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

275 head

▲ 101 vs last sale 174▲ 129 vs year ago 146 · +88.4%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

528 head

▲ 229 vs last sale 299▲ 358 vs year ago 170 · +210.6%

Replacement Cattle receipts

265 head

▲ 220 vs last sale 45▼ 1,520 vs year ago 1,785 · −85.2%

Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested this week to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain and offered in mostly small packages. Demand was mostly light for light offerings. Not enough cattle were on offer for buyers to put together loads of any weigh or class which also limited demand. Market activity was mostly slow. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Packer buyers showed significantly lighter demand for slaughter cows this week. Warmer weather has helped improve the number of cattle available to packers both delivered to the plant as well as in sales across the upper Plaines states. Cow quality this week was not as attractive overall as last week. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average with most set of cows pushing moderate to heavy amounts of fill. Packers opted to purchase most high quality cows to feed this week. Feeding cows were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to lower undertones were noticed. Slaughter bulls sold steady in a narrow comparison. Most bulls were very full this week. Two year old to young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady. Many of these offerings freshly lost calves. Quality was average this week.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $141.99/cwt on 114 head.

Average price

$141.99

114 head · 556 lb average

Value per head Derived

$789

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$177

per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 1

$10.75/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−9.96

vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	473	148.48	702	30
Medium 1	407	146.29	595	19thin
Medium and Large 1	638	137.73	878	65

One grade step is worth $10.75/cwt here — about −$177 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 sale114 hd

141.99

—

MT average3 barns · 1,447 hd

151.94

−9.96

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	—	Average	1,887	81.75	1,543	27
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,602	59.81	958	43
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	Low	1,710	59.00	1,009	1thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,371	58.48	802	217
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,191	54.05	644	149

Every lot

58 lots · USDA AMS · Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Wed)

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 · Steers5 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	440	184.00/cwt	184.00–184.00	810	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	586	142.50/cwt	142.50–142.50	835	5
Steers	—	Medium 1Fleshy	691	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	836	10
Steers	—	Medium 1Fleshy	825	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	965	22
Steers	—	Large 1	1,020	117.20/cwt	116.00–118.00	1,195	5
Feeder Cattle · Heifers15 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium 1	307	157.50/cwt	157.50–157.50	484	13
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	323	157.50/cwt	157.50–157.50	509	5
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	375	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	563	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	377	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	645	11
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	436	156.50/cwt	155.00–160.00	682	10
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	510	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	760	6
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	514	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	771	5
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	564	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	807	4
Heifers	—	Medium 1Fleshy	623	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	760	6
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	636	137.50/cwt	137.50–137.50	875	16
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	639	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	837	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	673	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	895	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	700	125.50/cwt	125.50–125.50	879	6
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	730	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	854	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	798	120.50/cwt	120.50–120.50	962	21
Feeder Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	463	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	838	2
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2	675	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	857	2
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	963	116.00/cwt	116.00–116.00	1,117	4
Bulls	—	Large 1	1,066	117.99/cwt	115.00–119.00	1,258	8
Bulls	—	Large 1	1,111	112.00/cwt	112.00–112.00	1,244	4
Bulls	—	Large 1	1,216	103.00/cwt	103.00–103.00	1,252	4
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,255	76.00/cwt	76.00–76.00	954	2
Bulls	—	—	1,897	75.77/cwt	66.00–84.00	1,437	12
Bulls	—	—	1,899	91.11/cwt	91.00–91.50	1,730	4
Bulls	—	—	1,953	87.43/cwt	85.00–90.50	1,708	8
Bulls	—	—	2,455	82.00/cwt	82.00–82.00	2,013	1
Slaughter Cattle · Cows21 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	880	38.00/cwt	38.00–38.00	334	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	952	51.08/cwt	48.00–55.00	486	7
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	975	57.00/cwt	57.00–57.00	556	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,151	36.17/cwt	35.00–43.00	416	7
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,193	53.94/cwt	49.00–56.50	644	77
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,206	59.09/cwt	57.50–62.50	713	13
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,215	59.22/cwt	57.00–63.00	720	12
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,245	54.67/cwt	47.00–57.00	681	29
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,328	65.00/cwt	65.00–65.00	863	2
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,348	55.25/cwt	51.50–57.00	745	84
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,369	61.07/cwt	58.00–65.50	836	88
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,404	66.59/cwt	66.00–68.00	935	6
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,406	59.35/cwt	58.00–63.00	834	24
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,419	56.51/cwt	54.50–57.00	802	13
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,510	50.00/cwt	50.00–50.00	755	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,535	56.57/cwt	55.00–60.00	868	8
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,572	62.06/cwt	60.50–64.00	976	21
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,642	57.53/cwt	57.00–60.50	945	12
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,705	66.50/cwt	66.50–66.50	1,134	1
Cows	—	Premium White 65-75%	1,710	59.00/cwt	59.00–59.00	1,009	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,940	62.79/cwt	62.00–63.50	1,218	2
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows4 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	862	76.00/cwt	76.00–76.00	655	9
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	959	99.37/cwt	89.00–114.00	953	66
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,069	69.11/cwt	56.00–89.00	739	99
Stock Cows	—	Large 1	1,410	73.50/cwt	73.50–73.50	1,036	3
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows2 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	1,213	775.00/cwt	775.00–775.00	9,401	5
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	1,227	837.81/cwt	835.00–900.00	10,280	25

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 (Wed)

Wed Feb 24, 2021

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 275Last week 174Year ago 146

Slaughter CattleReceipts 528Last week 299Year ago 170

Replacement CattleReceipts 265Last week 45Year ago 1,785

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	1,953	85.00–90.50	87.43
4	—	1,899	91.00–91.50	91.11
12	—	1,897	66.00–84.00	75.77
1	—	2,455	82.00	82.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,255	76.00	76.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	1,419	54.50–57.00	56.51
88	—	1,369	58.00–65.50	61.07
6	—	1,404	66.00–68.00	66.59

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	1,535	55.00–60.00	56.57
21	—	1,572	60.50–64.00	62.06

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
77	—	1,193	49.00–56.50	53.94
7	—	1,151	35.00–43.00	36.17
2	—	1,328	65.00	65.00
12	—	1,215	57.00–63.00	59.22

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,510	50.00	50.00
24	—	1,406	58.00–63.00	59.35
1	—	1,705	66.50	66.50
84	—	1,348	51.50–57.00	55.25

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,940	62.00–63.50	62.79
12	—	1,642	57.00–60.50	57.53

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	880	38.00	38.00
7	—	952	48.00–55.00	51.08
1	—	975	57.00	57.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Premium White 65-75%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,710	59.00	59.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	1,206	57.50–62.50	59.09
29	—	1,245	47.00–57.00	54.67

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,111	112.00	112.00
8	—	1,066	115.00–119.00	117.99
4	—	1,216	103.00	103.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	963	116.00	116.00
2	—	463	181.00	181.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	675	127.00	127.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	623	122.00	122.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	307	157.50	157.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	564	143.00	143.00
11	—	377	171.00	171.00
21	—	798	120.50	120.50
2	—	673	133.00	133.00
16	—	636	137.50	137.50
6	—	700	125.50	125.50
5	—	514	150.00	150.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	436	155.00–160.00	156.50
5	—	323	157.50	157.50
6	—	510	149.00	149.00
4	—	639	131.00	131.00
2	—	730	117.00	117.00
3	—	375	150.00	150.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
22	—	825	117.00	117.00
10	—	691	121.00	121.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,020	116.00–118.00	117.20

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	440	184.00	184.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	586	142.50	142.50

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,410	73.50	73.50

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	66	—	959	89.00–114.00	99.37
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	99	—	1,069	56.00–89.00	69.11

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	9	—	862	76.00	76.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	5	—	1,213	775.00	775.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	25	—	1,227	835.00–900.00	837.81

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.