Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2021-11-17

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2021-11-17
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-11-17

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

● Final71 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← Nov 10Nov 17Nov 24 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

548 head

▼ 195 vs last sale 743▲ 46 vs year ago 502 · +9.2%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

1,085 head

▼ 50 vs last sale 1,135▼ 903 vs year ago 1,988 · −45.4%

Replacement Cattle receipts

786 head

▼ 1,292 vs last sale 2,078▲ 114 vs year ago 672 · +17.0%

Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling feeder cattle were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to weak undertones were noted for yearling heifers. Demand for feeder calves was mostly moderate on plain to average offerings. Market activity was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand on plain to average offerings. The majority of the cow offering sold as feeding cows this week. Demand for boning and breaking cows and young cows was good as both packers and feeding buyers purchased these cows to feed to premium white. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.50 lower on these types of 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 moderate offering of thin cows was seen this sale. Thin feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 lower. 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 steady to 2.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Competition with feeding buyers helped keep offerings steady. Young age replacement cows sold mostly weak on a light test this week. Too few bred cows and heifers were tested this week for a market comparison, but a weak undertone was noted.

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 $139.59/cwt on 225 head.

Average price

$139.59

225 head · 776 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,083

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$366

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

$13.97/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−11.78

vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	790	140.59	1,111	209
Medium and Large 1-2	588	126.62	744	16thin

One grade step is worth $13.97/cwt here — about $366 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 sale225 hd

139.59

—

MT average5 barns · 4,654 hd

151.37

−11.78

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	—	High	1,742	74.82	1,303	47
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	Average	1,745	61.50	1,073	1thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,512	57.84	875	109
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,323	54.24	718	338
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,190	40.28	479	557

Every lot

71 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 · Steers12 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	315	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	536	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	395	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	672	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	430	173.78/cwt	170.00–179.00	747	29
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	513	159.33/cwt	158.50–160.00	817	11
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	529	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	831	4
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	579	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	799	4
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	583	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	845	9
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	601	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	751	5
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	640	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	922	7
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	747	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,121	8
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	810	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	1,102	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	1,180	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	1,451	4
Feeder Cattle · Heifers19 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	379	132.98/cwt	131.00–136.00	504	5
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	489	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	685	5
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	501	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	716	5
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	522	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	741	11
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	522	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	626	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	579	134.86/cwt	131.00–136.50	781	16
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	643	135.50/cwt	131.00–144.50	871	9
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	650	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	858	11
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	652	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	828	5
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	729	155.50/cwt	155.50–155.50	1,134	25
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	827	144.42/cwt	143.00–146.00	1,194	59
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	872	142.74/cwt	135.00–144.50	1,245	25
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	895	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	1,092	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	949	139.50/cwt	139.50–139.50	1,324	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	977	136.07/cwt	130.00–141.00	1,329	20
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	1,032	116.30/cwt	111.00–127.00	1,200	6
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	1,077	122.15/cwt	121.00–128.00	1,316	6
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	1,100	124.50/cwt	124.50–124.50	1,370	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	1,185	111.00/cwt	111.00–111.00	1,315	2
Feeder Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	493	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	616	2
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	513	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	693	2
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	584	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	771	6
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	720	138.81/cwt	137.00–140.00	999	10
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,573	80.14/cwt	76.00–84.00	1,261	5
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,657	71.32/cwt	64.00–76.00	1,182	13
Bulls	—	—	1,723	71.79/cwt	62.00–75.00	1,237	16
Bulls	—	—	1,791	79.32/cwt	76.00–85.00	1,421	9
Bulls	—	—	2,075	87.00/cwt	87.00–87.00	1,805	2
Bulls	—	—	2,305	76.00/cwt	76.00–76.00	1,752	2
Slaughter Cattle · Cows18 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,123	31.76/cwt	27.00–34.00	357	47
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,131	32.03/cwt	27.00–36.00	362	39
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,167	44.80/cwt	43.00–49.00	523	11
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,174	39.64/cwt	34.00–43.00	465	269
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,193	38.48/cwt	34.00–42.50	459	77
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,240	39.52/cwt	34.00–42.00	490	9
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,274	48.91/cwt	45.50–55.00	623	114
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,299	57.47/cwt	53.00–64.00	747	173
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,317	60.29/cwt	53.50–62.00	794	22
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,328	68.00/cwt	68.00–68.00	903	5
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,356	50.42/cwt	43.00–53.50	684	127
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,442	43.49/cwt	41.00–47.00	627	7
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,481	52.79/cwt	49.00–55.00	782	25
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,506	59.67/cwt	57.00–62.00	899	67
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,657	49.66/cwt	48.00–55.50	823	5
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,696	63.09/cwt	60.50–65.00	1,070	5
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,738	41.44/cwt	38.00–45.00	720	2
Cows	—	Premium White 65-75%	1,745	61.50/cwt	61.50–61.50	1,073	1
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows4 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,050	1,015.40/cwt	735.00–1,160.00	10,662	25
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,144	1,079.18/cwt	1,060.00–1,125.00	12,346	15
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,207	827.58/cwt	735.00–1,285.00	9,989	84
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,234	736.03/cwt	650.00–750.00	9,083	76
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows7 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	913	98.61/cwt	74.00–114.50	900	262
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	928	56.53/cwt	40.00–77.00	525	4
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,013	71.55/cwt	62.00–77.00	725	17
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,020	78.96/cwt	56.00–99.50	805	123
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,100	62.00/cwt	62.00–62.00	682	3
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	1,140	53.83/cwt	42.00–55.00	614	8
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,184	52.36/cwt	47.50–57.50	620	17
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Bred Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	857	826.17/cwt	600.00–925.00	7,080	8

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 17, 2021

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 548Last week 743Year ago 502

Slaughter CattleReceipts 1,085Last week 1,135Year ago 1,988

Replacement CattleReceipts 786Last week 2,078Year ago 672

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,696	60.50–65.00	63.09
5	—	1,657	48.00–55.50	49.66

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
173	—	1,299	53.00–64.00	57.47
9	—	1,240	34.00–42.00	39.52
127	—	1,356	43.00–53.50	50.42

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
39	—	1,131	27.00–36.00	32.03
269	—	1,174	34.00–43.00	39.64
114	—	1,274	45.50–55.00	48.91

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
25	—	1,481	49.00–55.00	52.79
2	—	1,738	38.00–45.00	41.44
67	—	1,506	57.00–62.00	59.67
5	—	1,328	68.00	68.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Premium White 65-75%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,745	61.50	61.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	1,167	43.00–49.00	44.80
47	—	1,123	27.00–34.00	31.76
77	—	1,193	34.00–42.50	38.48

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
22	—	1,317	53.50–62.00	60.29
7	—	1,442	41.00–47.00	43.49

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	2,075	87.00	87.00
2	—	2,305	76.00	76.00
9	—	1,791	76.00–85.00	79.32
16	—	1,723	62.00–75.00	71.79

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,573	76.00–84.00	80.14
13	—	1,657	64.00–76.00	71.32

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	720	137.00–140.00	138.81
2	—	513	135.00	135.00
2	—	493	125.00	125.00
6	—	584	132.00	132.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	501	143.00	143.00
6	—	1,032	111.00–127.00	116.30
59	—	827	143.00–146.00	144.42
7	—	949	139.50	139.50
6	—	1,077	121.00–128.00	122.15
25	—	872	135.00–144.50	142.74
2	—	1,100	124.50	124.50
2	—	1,185	111.00	111.00
11	—	650	132.00	132.00
20	—	977	130.00–141.00	136.07

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	489	140.00	140.00
16	—	579	131.00–136.50	134.86
25	—	729	155.50	155.50
11	—	522	142.00	142.00
9	—	643	131.00–144.50	135.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	379	131.00–136.00	132.98
5	—	652	127.00	127.00
3	—	522	120.00	120.00
3	—	895	122.00	122.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	315	170.00	170.00
9	—	583	145.00	145.00
29	—	430	170.00–179.00	173.78
3	—	395	170.00	170.00
8	—	747	150.00	150.00
11	—	513	158.50–160.00	159.33

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	810	136.00	136.00
4	—	529	157.00	157.00
7	—	640	144.00	144.00
4	—	1,180	123.00	123.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	579	138.00	138.00
5	—	601	125.00	125.00

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/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	76	—	1,234	650.00–750.00	736.03
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	25	—	1,050	735.00–1,160.00	1,015.40
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	15	—	1,144	1,060.00–1,125.00	1,079.18
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	84	—	1,207	735.00–1,285.00	827.58

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	17	—	1,013	62.00–77.00	71.55
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	17	—	1,184	47.50–57.50	52.36

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	262	—	913	74.00–114.50	98.61
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,100	62.00	62.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	123	—	1,020	56.00–99.50	78.96

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	4	—	928	40.00–77.00	56.53

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	8	—	1,140	42.00–55.00	53.83

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	8	—	857	600.00–925.00	826.17

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.