Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2021-05-05

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2021-05-05
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-05-05

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, May 5

● Final50 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← Apr 28May 5May 12 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

348 head

▲ 104 vs last sale 244▲ 124 vs year ago 224 · +55.4%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

389 head

▼ 109 vs last sale 498▲ 192 vs year ago 197 · +97.5%

Replacement Cattle receipts

143 head

▼ 148 vs last sale 291▼ 41 vs year ago 184 · −22.3%

Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed on all offerings. Feeder cattle quality was mostly plain to average today. Demand was mostly light for light offerings. Corn and other feeds continue to trade higher. The May corn contract closed today at 754'2, while new crop December corn closed at 604'6. Feeder cattle contracts have fallen sharply since last week as corn and soybeans continue to push new contract highs. Buyers showed significantly lighter demand for feeder cattle this week as a result. Market activity this week was slow. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for moderate offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00 lower on breaking cows, and 3.00-5.00 lower on boning and lean cows. Heavy supplies are starting to be seen as drought conditions have ranchers marketing cows. Cow quality was mostly plain to average today with many thin and lower dressing cows in the offering. Feeding cows sold steady to 1.00 lower. Demand for feeding cows remains mostly moderate, with good demand seen at times for young age high quality cows. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average today as many full cows and bulls were on offer. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 lower. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 5.00 lower. Feeding demand for these offerings has diminished drastically as feed costs have risen.

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 $137.34/cwt on 98 head.

Average price

$137.34

98 head · 628 lb average

Value per head Derived

$862

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$145

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

$1.31/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−3.39

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	545	138.31	754	25
Medium and Large 1	656	137.00	899	73

One grade step is worth $1.31/cwt here — about −$145 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 sale98 hd

137.34

—

MT average3 barns · 2,167 hd

140.73

−3.39

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	1,651	82.33	1,360	38
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,651	65.53	1,081	20
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,443	62.96	909	99
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,183	56.61	670	162

Every lot

50 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 1-2	468	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	758	4
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	543	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	896	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	563	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	901	6
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	600	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	888	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	638	152.16/cwt	150.00–156.00	971	27
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	687	144.32/cwt	139.00–147.00	991	6
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	727	135.01/cwt	134.50–136.00	982	23
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	810	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	948	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	822	120.50/cwt	120.50–120.50	991	5
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	918	114.00/cwt	114.00–114.00	1,047	5
Feeder Cattle · Heifers10 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	427	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	576	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	486	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	690	6
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	556	150.87/cwt	150.00–151.00	839	15
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	579	140.07/cwt	130.00–142.00	811	12
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	621	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	807	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	630	139.45/cwt	133.00–140.50	879	21
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	669	138.34/cwt	134.00–139.50	925	23
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	725	126.55/cwt	125.00–129.00	917	5
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Full	810	109.00/cwt	109.00–109.00	883	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	811	111.00/cwt	111.00–111.00	900	7
Feeder Cattle · Bulls8 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	70	250.00/cwt	225.00–275.00	175	2
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2	480	133.80/cwt	132.50–135.00	642	10
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2	515	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	659	7
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2	596	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	763	7
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2	708	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	828	4
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	917	108.00/cwt	108.00–108.00	990	3
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	955	105.50/cwt	105.50–105.50	1,008	1
Bulls	—	Large 1	1,125	93.00/cwt	93.00–93.00	1,046	1
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,255	77.08/cwt	74.00–82.00	967	7
Bulls	—	—	1,540	79.00/cwt	79.00–79.00	1,217	1
Bulls	—	—	1,625	77.34/cwt	73.00–82.00	1,257	13
Bulls	—	—	1,812	87.01/cwt	83.00–91.00	1,577	14
Bulls	—	—	1,978	95.52/cwt	95.00–96.00	1,889	3
Slaughter Cattle · Cows12 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	988	53.38/cwt	52.50–56.00	527	4
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,168	54.73/cwt	47.00–57.50	639	46
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,182	55.34/cwt	52.00–61.50	654	68
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,213	59.01/cwt	57.00–64.50	716	32
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,234	65.69/cwt	62.00–68.00	811	12
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,390	63.00/cwt	63.00–63.00	876	2
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,404	71.33/cwt	69.50–72.50	1,001	11
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,433	66.42/cwt	64.00–68.50	952	33
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,455	57.94/cwt	53.00–62.50	843	33
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,467	60.94/cwt	57.00–63.00	894	20
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,616	67.76/cwt	66.50–69.50	1,095	10
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,685	63.29/cwt	62.00–65.00	1,066	10
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows1 lot · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,283	93.59/cwt	92.00–101.00	1,201	5
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows4 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	885	86.00/cwt	86.00–86.00	761	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	987	89.67/cwt	80.00–104.00	885	82
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,127	73.76/cwt	63.00–85.50	831	32
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,220	62.00/cwt	62.00–62.00	756	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 May 5, 2021

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 348Last week 244Year ago 224

Slaughter CattleReceipts 389Last week 498Year ago 197

Replacement CattleReceipts 143Last week 291Year ago 184

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	468	162.00	162.00
3	—	810	117.00	117.00
2	—	600	148.00	148.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	687	139.00–147.00	144.32
23	—	727	134.50–136.00	135.01
6	—	563	160.00	160.00
5	—	822	120.50	120.50
3	—	543	165.00	165.00
27	—	638	150.00–156.00	152.16

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	918	114.00	114.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	621	130.00	130.00
3	—	427	135.00	135.00
6	—	486	142.00	142.00
12	—	579	130.00–142.00	140.07

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
23	—	669	134.00–139.50	138.34
15	—	556	150.00–151.00	150.87
21	—	630	133.00–140.50	139.45
5	—	725	125.00–129.00	126.55
7	—	811	111.00	111.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	810	109.00	109.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	70	225.00–275.00	250.00
1	—	955	105.50	105.50
3	—	917	108.00	108.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	515	128.00	128.00
10	—	480	132.50–135.00	133.80
4	—	708	117.00	117.00
7	—	596	128.00	128.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,125	93.00	93.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	1,234	62.00–68.00	65.69
68	—	1,182	52.00–61.50	55.34

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	988	52.50–56.00	53.38

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
20	—	1,467	57.00–63.00	60.94
11	—	1,404	69.50–72.50	71.33
33	—	1,433	64.00–68.50	66.42

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	1,616	66.50–69.50	67.76
10	—	1,685	62.00–65.00	63.29

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,390	63.00	63.00
33	—	1,455	53.00–62.50	57.94

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
32	—	1,213	57.00–64.50	59.01
46	—	1,168	47.00–57.50	54.73

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	1,812	83.00–91.00	87.01
3	—	1,978	95.00–96.00	95.52
1	—	1,540	79.00	79.00
13	—	1,625	73.00–82.00	77.34

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,255	74.00–82.00	77.08

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	5	—	1,283	92.00–101.00	93.59

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	32	—	1,127	63.00–85.50	73.76
(<2 yrs)	Open	82	—	987	80.00–104.00	89.67

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,220	62.00	62.00
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	885	86.00	86.00

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.