Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2021-03-17

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2021-03-17
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-03-17

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Mar 17

● Final55 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← Mar 10Mar 17Mar 24 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

304 head

▲ 5 vs last sale 299▲ 169 vs year ago 135 · +125.2%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

252 head

▲ 28 vs last sale 224▲ 140 vs year ago 112 · +125.0%

Replacement Cattle receipts

120 head

▲ 19 vs last sale 101▲ 85 vs year ago 35 · +242.9%

Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested both this week and last to develop an accurate market trend, however steers under 550 lbs sold with lower undertones and steers over 550 lbs sold with higher undertones. All weights of heifers sold with higher undertones. Demand was moderate to good for light offerings. Rain and snow fell across much of the center portions of the country breathing new life into grass cattle demand. Most offerings under 700 lbs for steers and under 650 lbs for heifers were competitively bid on for grass programs. Canadian buyers were also competitive with grass cattle buyers over offerings. Market activity was mostly active today. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for light offerings. Packers were the driving force in the market this week as they showed need for cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. Feeding cows sold steady to weak on a lower quality offering. Packers opted to send a large portion of the cow offering to slaughter this week. Slaughter bulls sold 2.00-4.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold steady to 5.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Quality was mostly 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 $148.27/cwt on 152 head.

Average price

$148.27

152 head · 574 lb average

Value per head Derived

$851

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$213

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

$6.65/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−2.34

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	506	149.15	755	46
Medium and Large 1	612	148.10	907	102
Medium 1-2	380	142.50	542	4thin

One grade step is worth $6.65/cwt here — about $213 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 sale152 hd

148.27

—

MT average3 barns · 3,276 hd

150.61

−2.34

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	1,719	78.21	1,344	20
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,393	62.54	871	66
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,595	60.48	965	17
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,169	59.21	692	134

Every lot

55 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 · Steers10 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	430	189.00/cwt	189.00–189.00	813	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	467	169.50/cwt	169.50–169.50	792	11
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	471	178.60/cwt	177.00–180.00	841	9
Steers	—	Medium 1-2	475	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	689	5
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	501	176.00/cwt	176.00–176.00	882	8
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	526	156.69/cwt	156.00–162.50	824	9
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	559	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	861	4
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	581	173.75/cwt	170.00–181.00	1,009	25
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	664	156.01/cwt	149.00–160.00	1,036	13
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	921	127.23/cwt	125.00–128.00	1,172	4
Feeder Cattle · Heifers16 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium 1-2	380	142.50/cwt	142.50–142.50	542	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	427	157.60/cwt	152.50–165.50	673	30
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	445	164.50/cwt	164.50–164.50	732	9
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	470	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	761	8
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	530	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	779	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	533	157.27/cwt	154.00–158.00	838	11
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	567	141.02/cwt	135.00–147.00	800	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	574	156.50/cwt	156.50–156.50	898	15
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	605	147.00/cwt	144.50–149.75	889	23
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	670	139.75/cwt	139.75–139.75	936	12
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	677	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	873	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	707	135.50/cwt	135.50–135.50	958	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	727	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	901	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	763	133.68/cwt	133.00–134.00	1,020	19
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	798	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	982	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	820	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	1,017	2
Feeder Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	902	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	1,109	11
Bulls	—	Large 1	1,095	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	1,150	1
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,304	77.50/cwt	77.50–77.50	1,011	5
Bulls	—	—	1,792	76.70/cwt	75.00–80.50	1,374	11
Bulls	—	—	1,885	82.00/cwt	82.00–82.00	1,546	3
Bulls	—	—	2,485	87.00/cwt	87.00–87.00	2,162	1
Slaughter Cattle · Cows19 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	943	44.50/cwt	44.50–44.50	420	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	962	54.45/cwt	53.00–55.00	524	9
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	963	56.51/cwt	56.00–57.00	544	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,105	47.00/cwt	47.00–47.00	519	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,120	65.00/cwt	65.00–65.00	728	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,184	56.40/cwt	55.00–58.50	668	34
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,191	60.56/cwt	58.00–64.00	721	32
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,199	62.06/cwt	59.00–63.00	744	52
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,230	48.00/cwt	48.00–48.00	590	1
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,307	59.34/cwt	58.00–60.50	776	5
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,340	66.00/cwt	66.00–66.00	884	1
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,379	62.44/cwt	61.50–65.00	861	32
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,406	59.05/cwt	57.00–60.00	830	6
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,421	63.44/cwt	61.00–65.50	901	20
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,553	72.00/cwt	72.00–72.00	1,118	2
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,560	60.00/cwt	60.00–60.00	936	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,578	60.91/cwt	60.50–61.50	961	11
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,628	58.80/cwt	57.75–60.00	957	4
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,685	63.00/cwt	63.00–63.00	1,062	1
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows4 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	877	62.27/cwt	58.00–64.00	546	4
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,023	94.36/cwt	80.50–106.50	965	45
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,074	70.74/cwt	61.00–89.00	760	41
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,185	71.00/cwt	71.00–71.00	841	1

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 Mar 17, 2021

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 304Last week 299Year ago 135

Slaughter CattleReceipts 252Last week 224Year ago 112

Replacement CattleReceipts 120Last week 101Year ago 35

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,304	77.50	77.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	1,792	75.00–80.50	76.70
1	—	2,485	87.00	87.00
3	—	1,885	82.00	82.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,553	72.00	72.00
20	—	1,421	61.00–65.50	63.44
6	—	1,406	57.00–60.00	59.05

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,105	47.00	47.00
34	—	1,184	55.00–58.50	56.40
1	—	1,120	65.00	65.00
32	—	1,191	58.00–64.00	60.56

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,230	48.00	48.00
52	—	1,199	59.00–63.00	62.06

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,685	63.00	63.00
1	—	1,560	60.00	60.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	963	56.00–57.00	56.51
9	—	962	53.00–55.00	54.45
2	—	943	44.50	44.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	1,578	60.50–61.50	60.91
4	—	1,628	57.75–60.00	58.80

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,340	66.00	66.00
32	—	1,379	61.50–65.00	62.44
5	—	1,307	58.00–60.50	59.34

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	574	156.50	156.50
2	—	820	124.00	124.00
11	—	533	154.00–158.00	157.27
9	—	445	164.50	164.50
19	—	763	133.00–134.00	133.68
3	—	707	135.50	135.50
23	—	605	144.50–149.75	147.00
8	—	470	162.00	162.00
12	—	670	139.75	139.75

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	727	124.00	124.00
4	—	567	135.00–147.00	141.02
3	—	798	123.00	123.00
3	—	530	147.00	147.00
30	—	427	152.50–165.50	157.60
3	—	677	129.00	129.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	380	142.50	142.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	921	125.00–128.00	127.23
9	—	471	177.00–180.00	178.60
13	—	664	149.00–160.00	156.01
25	—	581	170.00–181.00	173.75
3	—	430	189.00	189.00
8	—	501	176.00	176.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	526	156.00–162.50	156.69
11	—	467	169.50	169.50
4	—	559	154.00	154.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	475	145.00	145.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	902	123.00	123.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,095	105.00	105.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

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	4	—	877	58.00–64.00	62.27

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,185	71.00	71.00

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	41	—	1,074	61.00–89.00	70.74
(<2 yrs)	Open	45	—	1,023	80.50–106.50	94.36

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.