Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2023-01-04

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2023-01-04
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-01-04

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Jan 4

● Final60 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← Dec 14Jan 4Jan 11 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

333 head

▼ 57 vs last sale 390▲ 131 vs year ago 202 · +64.9%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

517 head

▼ 489 vs last sale 1,006▲ 98 vs year ago 419 · +23.4%

Replacement Cattle receipts

167 head

▼ 99 vs last sale 266▼ 39 vs year ago 206 · −18.9%

Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale(12-14-22): Feeder cattle were too lightly tested either this sale or last to develop any market trend, steady to higher undertones were noticed. Feeder cattle quality was mostly plain to average this sale. Most calves were offered in small groups or as singles. Demand was mostly light to moderate for light offerings. Market activity was slow to moderate. A good buyer pool was on hand for todays light sale. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand and moderate offerings. Packers showed mostly good demand for slaughter cows this week as snowy conditions in the upper plains has limited the available supplies of cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold mostly 4.00-5.00 higher on breaking and boning cows. Lean cows saw the largest advancement selling 7.00-9.00 higher. Feeding cows sold 2.00-3.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 7.00-9.00 higher. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average this sale. Bulls were particularly full today. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold steady to 5.00 higher in a narrow comparison.

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 $158.12/cwt on 114 head.

Average price

$158.12

114 head · 562 lb average

Value per head Derived

$889

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$419

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 2

$66.59/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−15.67

vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	552	173.25	956	43
Medium and Large 1-2	550	164.01	902	39
Medium 1	734	148.00	1,086	11thin
Medium 1-2	531	135.00	717	11thin
Medium 2	503	106.66	536	10thin

One grade step is worth $66.59/cwt here — about $419 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 sale114 hd

158.12

—

MT average2 barns · 224 hd

173.79

−15.67

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	1,812	94.63	1,714	63
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,752	72.33	1,267	15
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,400	68.05	953	172
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,179	60.32	711	210

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)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,182	$1,250	5
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,222	$1,100	5
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,214	$900	6

Every lot

60 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 · Steers9 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	337	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	758	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	368	257.00/cwt	257.00–257.00	946	6
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	386	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	888	4
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	401	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	982	10
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	463	230.85/cwt	220.00–234.00	1,069	23
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	618	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	1,075	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	673	169.00/cwt	169.00–169.00	1,137	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	710	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	1,172	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	764	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	1,261	7
Feeder Cattle · Heifers14 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	358	186.00/cwt	186.00–186.00	666	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	359	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	682	8
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	445	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	774	2
Heifers	—	Medium 2	455	110.00/cwt	110.00–110.00	501	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	469	177.50/cwt	177.50–177.50	832	8
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	503	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	775	6
Heifers	—	Medium 2	515	105.82/cwt	100.00–115.00	545	8
Heifers	—	Medium 1-2	531	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	717	11
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	578	164.57/cwt	155.00–166.00	951	22
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	580	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	1,015	1
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	627	167.36/cwt	165.00–171.00	1,049	19
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	657	164.97/cwt	162.00–169.00	1,084	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	677	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	1,029	5
Heifers	—	Medium 1	734	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	1,086	11
Feeder Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 2	465	172.00/cwt	172.00–172.00	800	3
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2Full	613	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	932	2
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	628	163.44/cwt	160.00–167.00	1,026	4
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	758	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	1,129	2
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Light Weight	1,245	76.00/cwt	76.00–76.00	946	1
Bulls	—	—	1,608	86.77/cwt	82.00–91.00	1,395	12
Bulls	—	—Natural	1,800	90.33/cwt	85.00–94.00	1,626	7
Bulls	—	—	1,836	96.52/cwt	92.00–101.00	1,772	17
Bulls	—	—Natural	1,901	97.75/cwt	95.00–101.00	1,858	21
Bulls	—	—	1,973	103.75/cwt	103.00–104.50	2,047	5
Slaughter Cattle · Cows17 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	971	42.26/cwt	37.50–48.00	410	13
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	990	54.99/cwt	53.00–57.00	544	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,108	59.05/cwt	54.00–61.00	654	25
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,179	41.89/cwt	41.00–44.00	494	3
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,190	71.00/cwt	71.00–71.00	845	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,197	71.00/cwt	71.00–71.00	850	3
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,203	60.10/cwt	52.00–62.00	723	75
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,205	63.16/cwt	62.00–65.50	761	69
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,238	66.07/cwt	63.00–68.00	818	19
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,383	68.31/cwt	67.25–76.00	945	112
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,393	65.22/cwt	62.00–67.00	909	23
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,425	63.13/cwt	59.00–66.00	900	12
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,461	70.92/cwt	67.00–74.00	1,036	22
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,560	78.69/cwt	77.00–79.50	1,228	3
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,715	75.30/cwt	74.00–76.50	1,291	2
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,757	71.45/cwt	68.00–73.50	1,255	12
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,765	77.00/cwt	77.00–77.00	1,359	1
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows3 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,182	1,250.00/head	1,250.00–1,250.00	1,250	5
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,214	900.00/head	900.00–900.00	900	6
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,222	1,100.00/head	1,100.00–1,100.00	1,100	5
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows7 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	882	64.39/cwt	57.00–80.00	568	3
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	895	80.00/cwt	80.00–80.00	716	2
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	920	86.00/cwt	86.00–86.00	791	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	936	99.35/cwt	86.00–107.00	930	76
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,045	57.00/cwt	57.00–57.00	596	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,074	59.00/cwt	59.00–59.00	634	7
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,144	69.12/cwt	61.50–86.00	791	39

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 Jan 4, 2023

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 333Last week 390Year ago 202

Slaughter CattleReceipts 517Last week 1,006Year ago 419

Replacement CattleReceipts 167Last week 266Year ago 206

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	5	—	1,182	1,250.00	1,250.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	5	—	1,222	1,100.00	1,100.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	6	—	1,214	900.00	900.00

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	1	—	920	86.00	86.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	3	—	882	57.00–80.00	64.39

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	76	—	936	86.00–107.00	99.35
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	39	—	1,144	61.50–86.00	69.12
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	7	—	1,074	59.00	59.00

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	2	—	895	80.00	80.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,045	57.00	57.00

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	515	100.00–115.00	105.82
2	—	455	110.00	110.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
22	—	578	155.00–166.00	164.57
4	—	358	186.00	186.00
2	—	445	174.00	174.00
6	—	503	154.00	154.00
5	—	677	152.00	152.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	359	190.00	190.00
8	—	469	177.50	177.50
7	—	657	162.00–169.00	164.97
1	—	580	175.00	175.00
19	—	627	165.00–171.00	167.36

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	531	135.00	135.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	734	148.00	148.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	401	245.00	245.00
6	—	368	257.00	257.00
23	—	463	220.00–234.00	230.85

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	764	165.00	165.00
2	—	673	169.00	169.00
3	—	337	225.00	225.00
2	—	710	165.00	165.00
4	—	386	230.00	230.00
2	—	618	174.00	174.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	628	160.00–167.00	163.44
2	—	758	149.00	149.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	465	172.00	172.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	613	152.00	152.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Natural$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,800	85.00–94.00	90.33
21	—	1,901	95.00–101.00	97.75

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,245	76.00	76.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	1,836	92.00–101.00	96.52
5	—	1,973	103.00–104.50	103.75
12	—	1,608	82.00–91.00	86.77

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
22	—	1,461	67.00–74.00	70.92
3	—	1,560	77.00–79.50	78.69
12	—	1,425	59.00–66.00	63.13

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	1,757	68.00–73.50	71.45
2	—	1,715	74.00–76.50	75.30
1	—	1,765	77.00	77.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
69	—	1,205	62.00–65.50	63.16
1	—	1,190	71.00	71.00
75	—	1,203	52.00–62.00	60.10
3	—	1,179	41.00–44.00	41.89

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	990	53.00–57.00	54.99
13	—	971	37.50–48.00	42.26

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
23	—	1,393	62.00–67.00	65.22
112	—	1,383	67.25–76.00	68.31

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
19	—	1,238	63.00–68.00	66.07
25	—	1,108	54.00–61.00	59.05
3	—	1,197	71.00	71.00

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.