Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2021-11-03

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2021-11-03
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-11-03

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Nov 3

● Final41 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← Oct 27Nov 3Nov 10 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

458 head

▼ 19 vs last sale 477▼ 531 vs year ago 989 · −53.7%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

1,906 head

▲ 292 vs last sale 1,614▲ 289 vs year ago 1,617 · +17.9%

Replacement Cattle receipts

938 head

▲ 299 vs last sale 639▼ 107 vs year ago 1,045 · −10.2%

Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Feeder calves were not well tested. Demand for yearlings was mostly good on light offerings. Market activity was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for heavy offerings. Over 2,500 head of cows sold in todays offering. The majority of the cow offering sold as feeding cows this week. Demand for boning flesh cows and young cows was very good as both packers and feeding buyers purchased these cows to feed to premium white. Feeding cows sold 1.00-4.00 higher on these type offerings. Packer buyers opted to only purchase extremely lame or cows with major blemishes to send to slaughter. Both packers and feeding buyers purchased cows with slight blemishes to feed until the market improves. A heavy offering of thin cows was seen this sale. Thin feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. Cow quality this week was average to attractive. Feeding buyers continue to be active in purchasing very thin cows. These offerings offer lots of compensatory gain. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Competition with feeding buyers helped keep offerings steady. Young age cows sold mostly steady to weak. Many long strings of open 2-4 year old cows were seen this week. Breed up conditions this summer were mostly below average due to poor water quality and limited forage due to the drought. Most of these offerings are being purchased for southern fall breeding programs.

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 $136.08/cwt on 67 head.

Average price

$136.08

67 head · 931 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,267

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$278

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

$26.41/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−13.29

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	760	145.00	1,102	4thin
Medium and Large 1	866	141.27	1,224	47
Large 1	1,163	118.59	1,380	16thin

One grade step is worth $26.41/cwt here — about −$278 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 sale67 hd

136.08

—

MT average5 barns · 3,870 hd

149.37

−13.29

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	1,715	78.87	1,353	59
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,616	65.65	1,061	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,420	57.96	823	291
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,167	46.48	543	887

Every lot

41 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 · Heifers8 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	760	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	1,102	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	819	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	1,171	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	850	142.67/cwt	142.50–145.00	1,213	30
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	915	137.88/cwt	137.50–139.00	1,262	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	971	134.50/cwt	132.00–137.00	1,306	6
Heifers	—	Large 1Full	1,098	124.50/cwt	124.50–124.50	1,367	3
Heifers	—	Large 1Full	1,173	116.00/cwt	116.00–116.00	1,361	9
Heifers	—	Large 1	1,191	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	1,429	4
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,444	74.22/cwt	71.00–75.00	1,072	10
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,604	80.31/cwt	79.00–84.50	1,288	18
Bulls	—	—	1,789	72.13/cwt	67.00–76.00	1,290	12
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,845	89.00/cwt	89.00–89.00	1,642	1
Bulls	—	—	1,911	83.65/cwt	79.50–86.00	1,599	17
Bulls	—	—	2,090	89.00/cwt	89.00–89.00	1,860	1
Slaughter Cattle · Cows17 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	928	41.47/cwt	38.00–43.00	385	8
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	958	45.68/cwt	44.00–47.50	438	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	982	32.15/cwt	30.00–33.00	316	42
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,097	45.82/cwt	41.00–48.00	503	120
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,114	39.19/cwt	33.00–40.00	437	72
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,148	32.30/cwt	25.00–36.50	371	45
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,151	40.01/cwt	36.00–45.50	461	66
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,155	46.00/cwt	46.00–46.00	531	6
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,212	49.77/cwt	47.00–55.50	603	456
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,226	58.19/cwt	57.00–62.00	713	70
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,402	59.51/cwt	56.00–63.00	834	99
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,403	51.33/cwt	42.00–57.50	720	72
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,435	45.01/cwt	41.00–49.50	646	36
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,450	67.38/cwt	64.50–68.50	977	84
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,553	67.00/cwt	65.00–69.00	1,041	2
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,585	66.41/cwt	66.00–66.50	1,053	6
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,770	62.00/cwt	62.00–62.00	1,097	2
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows6 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Large 1	795	60.00/cwt	60.00–60.00	477	2
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	829	77.30/cwt	75.00–79.00	641	11
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	946	96.89/cwt	66.00–111.00	917	326
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	957	45.00/cwt	45.00–45.00	431	5
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	999	52.07/cwt	46.00–66.00	520	6
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,063	72.08/cwt	46.00–88.00	766	193
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows4 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,071	1,014.19/cwt	1,000.00–1,035.00	10,862	19
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,148	1,050.00/cwt	1,050.00–1,050.00	12,054	2
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,208	1,100.00/cwt	1,100.00–1,100.00	13,288	9
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	1,325	51.00/cwt	51.00–51.00	676	7

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 Nov 3, 2021

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 458Last week 477Year ago 989

Slaughter CattleReceipts 1,906Last week 1,614Year ago 1,617

Replacement CattleReceipts 938Last week 639Year ago 1,045

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,553	65.00–69.00	67.00
2	—	1,770	62.00	62.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
84	—	1,450	64.50–68.50	67.38
72	—	1,403	42.00–57.50	51.33
99	—	1,402	56.00–63.00	59.51

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
456	—	1,212	47.00–55.50	49.77
70	—	1,226	57.00–62.00	58.19
72	—	1,114	33.00–40.00	39.19
120	—	1,097	41.00–48.00	45.82

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
42	—	982	30.00–33.00	32.15
2	—	958	44.00–47.50	45.68
8	—	928	38.00–43.00	41.47

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,585	66.00–66.50	66.41

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,155	46.00	46.00
66	—	1,151	36.00–45.50	40.01
45	—	1,148	25.00–36.50	32.30

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
36	—	1,435	41.00–49.50	45.01

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	1,789	67.00–76.00	72.13
1	—	2,090	89.00	89.00
17	—	1,911	79.50–86.00	83.65

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,845	89.00	89.00
18	—	1,604	79.00–84.50	80.31
10	—	1,444	71.00–75.00	74.22

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	326	—	946	66.00–111.00	96.89
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	193	—	1,063	46.00–88.00	72.08

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	2	—	795	60.00	60.00

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	6	—	999	46.00–66.00	52.07
(<2 yrs)	Open	11	—	829	75.00–79.00	77.30

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	5	—	957	45.00	45.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	—	1,148	1,050.00	1,050.00

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)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	19	—	1,071	1,000.00–1,035.00	1,014.19
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	9	—	1,208	1,100.00	1,100.00

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 Stage (4-6 mo)	7	—	1,325	51.00	51.00

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	971	132.00–137.00	134.50
7	—	819	143.00	143.00
4	—	915	137.50–139.00	137.88
30	—	850	142.50–145.00	142.67

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,173	116.00	116.00
3	—	1,098	124.50	124.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	760	145.00	145.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,191	120.00	120.00

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.