Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2022-12-14

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2022-12-14
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2022-12-14

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Dec 14

● Final70 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← Nov 30Dec 14Jan 4 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

390 head

▼ 94 vs last sale 484▼ 853 vs year ago 1,243 · −68.6%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

1,006 head

▲ 143 vs last sale 863▼ 105 vs year ago 1,111 · −9.5%

Replacement Cattle receipts

266 head

▼ 37 vs last sale 303▼ 243 vs year ago 509 · −47.7%

Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to two weeks ago: Last week Public auction yards held their annual blue ribbon sale and sold no feeders or weigh up cows. As a result all comparisons are to two weeks ago. Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however unevenly steady undertones were noticed on all feeder offerings. Demand was mostly light for light offerings. Quality today was mostly plain to average. Feedlots in the corn-belt and Western Nebraska were mostly out of the market until later in the week when roads open up. Roads remain icy and treacherous which kept some buyers out of the market. Market activity was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand and moderate offerings. Packer buyers showed mostly light demand for both feeding and slaughter cows this week. Slaughter cows sold mostly 4.00-5.00 lower on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold 2.00-3.00 lower. Feeding cows sold 2.00-4.00 lower on all classes. Packers have filled feedlots all fall with high quality cows and with only a few sales left for the year packers showed light demand for all high quality cows to feed to premium white. Most feeding cows were purchased by private feeders this sale. Packers did purchase most of the bull offering to feed this sale, however at lower prices. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00 lower. Feeding bulls were too lightly tested last sale to develop any market trend. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold sharply lower. Again much of this is weather related as buyers in the plains and corn-belt are out of the market due to heavy snow and poor road conditions.

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 $163.08/cwt on 110 head.

Average price

$163.08

110 head · 599 lb average

Value per head Derived

$977

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$300

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

$26.45/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−15.63

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	542	168.15	912	66
Medium and Large 1	616	164.18	1,012	26
Large 1	594	146.00	867	5thin
Medium 1	855	141.69	1,212	13thin

One grade step is worth $26.45/cwt here — about −$300 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 sale110 hd

163.08

—

MT average4 barns · 2,735 hd

178.71

−15.63

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	1,797	81.49	1,464	90
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,667	67.82	1,131	27
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,408	63.12	889	266
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,189	54.70	650	497

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age

Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.

Class	Stage	Age	Avg wt	$/head	Head
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,315	$1,200	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,241	$847	17
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,227	$783	12

Every lot

70 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 · Steers15 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	325	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	813	1
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	343	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	772	2
Steers	—	Medium 1	360	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	756	1
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	365	241.48/cwt	235.00–255.00	881	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	370	211.00/cwt	211.00–211.00	781	1
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	435	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	914	4
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	462	216.06/cwt	210.00–225.00	998	7
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	514	204.00/cwt	204.00–204.00	1,049	12
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	543	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	1,018	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	554	192.00/cwt	192.00–192.00	1,064	7
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	563	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	963	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	612	180.00/cwt	179.00–183.00	1,102	12
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	629	171.80/cwt	170.00–173.00	1,081	5
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	670	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	1,085	1
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	702	168.00/cwt	168.00–168.00	1,179	3
Feeder Cattle · Heifers19 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	325	197.50/cwt	197.50–197.50	642	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	372	188.99/cwt	187.50–190.00	703	5
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	389	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	729	11
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400	195.00/cwt	195.00–195.00	780	1
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	409	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	757	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	451	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	744	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	540	169.00/cwt	169.00–169.00	913	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	540	158.56/cwt	150.00–161.00	856	9
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	543	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	842	6
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	571	153.10/cwt	150.00–159.00	874	6
Heifers	—	Large 1Unweaned	594	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	867	5
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	625	164.32/cwt	163.00–168.00	1,027	15
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	663	158.00/cwt	158.00–158.00	1,048	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	675	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	1,006	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	700	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	1,071	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	823	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	1,276	5
Heifers	—	Medium 1	828	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	1,209	9
Heifers	—	Medium 1	916	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	1,209	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	989	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	1,355	7
Feeder Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	434	218.19/cwt	210.00–230.00	947	7
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	593	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	1,014	4
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	684	163.50/cwt	163.50–163.50	1,118	8
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2	975	111.00/cwt	111.00–111.00	1,082	1
Bulls	—	Large 1-2	1,088	107.50/cwt	107.50–107.50	1,170	6
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,700	78.53/cwt	69.00–83.00	1,335	43
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,763	85.97/cwt	85.00–88.00	1,516	14
Bulls	—	—	1,906	78.21/cwt	63.00–84.00	1,491	15
Bulls	—	—	1,960	87.39/cwt	85.00–92.00	1,713	17
Bulls	—	—	2,015	95.00/cwt	95.00–95.00	1,914	1
Slaughter Cattle · Cows15 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	714	32.41/cwt	30.00–42.50	231	9
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	893	45.58/cwt	42.00–48.50	407	19
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	968	53.40/cwt	51.00–57.00	517	7
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,145	39.34/cwt	36.50–42.00	450	6
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,169	50.39/cwt	45.00–54.50	589	68
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,196	57.28/cwt	55.00–61.00	685	38
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,202	53.44/cwt	50.00–55.00	642	142
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,216	68.69/cwt	67.00–70.00	835	6
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,242	58.49/cwt	55.00–62.50	726	202
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,382	58.91/cwt	55.00–64.00	814	63
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,389	57.66/cwt	51.00–63.00	801	71
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,421	68.39/cwt	64.00–74.00	972	119
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,521	65.02/cwt	61.00–70.00	989	13
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,657	69.50/cwt	69.50–69.50	1,152	12
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,675	66.48/cwt	62.50–68.50	1,114	15
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows6 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	1,145	650.00/head	650.00–650.00	650	5
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	1,193	750.00/head	750.00–750.00	750	11
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,199	800.00/head	800.00–800.00	800	3
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,315	1,200.00/head	1,200.00–1,200.00	1,200	1
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,330	1,025.00/head	1,025.00–1,025.00	1,025	6
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	1,349	937.69/head	925.00–975.00	938	4
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows5 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	796	90.67/cwt	87.50–103.00	722	5
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	955	76.72/cwt	72.00–80.00	733	11
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	988	94.81/cwt	80.00–110.00	937	99
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,095	60.00/cwt	60.00–60.00	657	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,104	74.41/cwt	59.00–95.00	821	91

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 Dec 14, 2022

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 390Last week 484Year ago 1,243

Slaughter CattleReceipts 1,006Last week 863Year ago 1,111

Replacement CattleReceipts 266Last week 303Year ago 509

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	975	111.00	111.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	593	171.00	171.00
8	—	684	163.50	163.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	434	210.00–230.00	218.19

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,088	107.50	107.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	389	187.50	187.50
7	—	989	137.00	137.00
6	—	543	155.00	155.00
5	—	823	155.00	155.00
7	—	325	197.50	197.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	409	185.00	185.00
5	—	372	187.50–190.00	188.99
4	—	451	165.00	165.00
2	—	675	149.00	149.00
9	—	540	150.00–161.00	158.56
6	—	571	150.00–159.00	153.10

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	594	146.00	146.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	540	169.00	169.00
1	—	400	195.00	195.00
15	—	625	163.00–168.00	164.32
3	—	663	158.00	158.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	828	146.00	146.00
4	—	916	132.00	132.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	700	153.00	153.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	370	211.00	211.00
2	—	343	225.00	225.00
4	—	435	210.00	210.00
5	—	629	170.00–173.00	171.80
2	—	543	187.50	187.50
1	—	670	162.00	162.00
3	—	563	171.00	171.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	365	235.00–255.00	241.48
7	—	462	210.00–225.00	216.06
3	—	702	168.00	168.00
1	—	325	250.00	250.00
12	—	514	204.00	204.00
12	—	612	179.00–183.00	180.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	554	192.00	192.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	360	210.00	210.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
19	—	893	42.00–48.50	45.58
7	—	968	51.00–57.00	53.40
9	—	714	30.00–42.50	32.41

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
68	—	1,169	45.00–54.50	50.39
6	—	1,145	36.50–42.00	39.34
38	—	1,196	55.00–61.00	57.28

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
63	—	1,382	55.00–64.00	58.91
119	—	1,421	64.00–74.00	68.39

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
142	—	1,202	50.00–55.00	53.44
6	—	1,216	67.00–70.00	68.69
202	—	1,242	55.00–62.50	58.49

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	1,675	62.50–68.50	66.48
12	—	1,657	69.50	69.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	1,521	61.00–70.00	65.02
71	—	1,389	51.00–63.00	57.66

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,015	95.00	95.00
17	—	1,960	85.00–92.00	87.39
15	—	1,906	63.00–84.00	78.21

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
43	—	1,700	69.00–83.00	78.53
14	—	1,763	85.00–88.00	85.97

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	4	—	1,349	925.00–975.00	937.69

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	5	—	1,145	650.00	650.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	11	—	1,193	750.00	750.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	1	—	1,315	1,200.00	1,200.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	6	—	1,330	1,025.00	1,025.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	3	—	1,199	800.00	800.00

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	1	—	1,095	60.00	60.00
(<2 yrs)	Open	11	—	955	72.00–80.00	76.72

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	91	—	1,104	59.00–95.00	74.41
(<2 yrs)	Open	99	—	988	80.00–110.00	94.81

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	5	—	796	87.50–103.00	90.67

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.