Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2023-01-18

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2023-01-18
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-01-18

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Jan 18

● Final87 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← Jan 11Jan 18Jan 25 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

2,978 head

▲ 2,798 vs last sale 180▲ 2,673 vs year ago 305 · +876.4%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

368 head

▼ 166 vs last sale 534▲ 178 vs year ago 190 · +93.7%

Replacement Cattle receipts

188 head

▼ 1,632 vs last sale 1,820▲ 6 vs year ago 182 · +3.3%

Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Public auction yards had back to back feeder specials last friday and again today. Compairsons are to last fridays feeder special. Feeder steers under 600 lbs sold steady to firm, steers over 600 lbs sold steady to 5.00 lower. Feeder heifers under 650 lbs sold generally steady, heifers over 650 lbs sold mostly 2.00 lower. Feeder cattle quality was mixed from plain to very attractive. Several large load lots of reputation feeders were seen this sale. Demand remains good for both sexes of feeders suitable to develop into yearlings. Demand for heavy weight feeders was slightly lighter this sale as many roads and interstates to the plains and corn belt are closed after recieving heavy amounts of snow and wind. Several buyers remarked they were out of the market as a result. Market activity was mostly active again this sale and a large crowd was on hand for todays sale which pushed late into the evening. Demand remained constant as most buyers stayed the length of the sale. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Eastern packer buyers showed slightly stronger demand for slaughter cows this sale as they pushed western packer buyers over offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-2.00 higher on boning and lean cow offerings; breaking cows sold 3.00-5.00 higher in a narrow compairson, as feeding buyers looking for fat cows helped push all breaking cow offerings higher. Slaughter bulls sold 2.00-3.00 higher. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady in a narrow compaison.

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 $188.81/cwt on 1,126 head.

Average price

$188.81

1,126 head · 542 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,023

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$12

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

$37.69/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−4.35

vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	566	190.69	1,080	892
Medium 1-2	510	188.50	961	7thin
Medium and Large 1-2	466	186.32	867	80
Medium 1	431	179.15	772	145
Medium and Large 2	698	153.00	1,068	2thin

One grade step is worth $37.69/cwt here — about $12 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 sale1,126 hd

188.81

—

MT average4 barns · 3,674 hd

193.16

−4.35

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	1,840	92.89	1,709	37
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,609	80.95	1,303	13
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,376	69.34	954	127
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,155	63.52	734	117

Every lot

87 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 · Steers24 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	345	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,035	11
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	387	282.89/cwt	272.50–299.00	1,095	18
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	422	228.54/cwt	225.00–252.50	964	8
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	426	267.86/cwt	253.00–273.50	1,141	34
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	470	256.00/cwt	256.00–256.00	1,203	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	474	250.91/cwt	235.00–262.00	1,189	88
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	485	232.97/cwt	225.00–237.00	1,130	6
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	505	236.00/cwt	236.00–236.00	1,192	7
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	525	232.55/cwt	224.00–236.50	1,221	97
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	527	216.14/cwt	200.00–219.00	1,139	27
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	564	218.00/cwt	218.00–218.00	1,230	10
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	583	217.06/cwt	202.50–224.50	1,265	366
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	594	196.00/cwt	196.00–196.00	1,164	6
Steers	—	Large 1	596	188.00/cwt	188.00–188.00	1,120	60
Steers	—	Large 1	623	177.00/cwt	177.00–177.00	1,103	7
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	627	198.39/cwt	190.00–205.00	1,244	103
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	628	186.27/cwt	182.00–189.00	1,170	5
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	1,219	12
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	656	196.65/cwt	183.00–200.00	1,290	148
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	663	179.50/cwt	179.50–179.50	1,190	2
Steers	—	Large 1	664	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	1,202	14
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	725	179.79/cwt	168.00–180.75	1,303	22
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	734	171.02/cwt	168.00–172.00	1,255	24
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	847	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	1,448	20
Feeder Cattle · Heifers23 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium 1	307	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	553	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	383	191.45/cwt	190.00–192.00	733	11
Heifers	—	Medium 1	387	192.05/cwt	188.50–200.00	743	49
Heifers	—	Medium 1	410	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	718	28
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	433	192.61/cwt	185.00–201.00	834	23
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	443	219.00/cwt	219.00–219.00	970	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	466	186.56/cwt	182.00–197.00	869	27
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	480	206.06/cwt	199.00–218.00	989	168
Heifers	—	Medium 1	482	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	824	57
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	484	201.00/cwt	201.00–201.00	973	4
Heifers	—	Medium 1-2	510	188.50/cwt	188.50–188.50	961	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	526	199.18/cwt	189.00–212.00	1,048	250
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	544	185.17/cwt	179.00–188.50	1,007	23
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	546	178.38/cwt	175.00–187.00	974	14
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	568	188.99/cwt	181.50–195.00	1,073	125
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	569	167.11/cwt	160.00–177.00	951	5
Heifers	—	Medium 1	598	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	987	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	615	184.30/cwt	177.00–186.50	1,133	133
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	636	174.10/cwt	170.00–174.50	1,107	87
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	674	170.16/cwt	165.50–175.00	1,147	52
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	698	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	1,068	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	731	165.93/cwt	161.00–167.00	1,213	44
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	768	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	1,190	2
Feeder Cattle · Bulls12 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	472	212.50/cwt	212.50–212.50	1,003	5
Bulls	—	Medium 1	487	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	731	9
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	502	203.00/cwt	203.00–203.00	1,019	16
Bulls	—	Medium 1	510	152.50/cwt	152.50–152.50	778	3
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2	532	175.75/cwt	160.00–185.00	935	8
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2	578	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	884	5
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	581	194.46/cwt	177.00–199.00	1,130	19
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	591	182.00/cwt	182.00–182.00	1,076	5
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	620	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	1,060	1
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	688	175.04/cwt	148.00–177.50	1,204	46
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	700	165.50/cwt	165.50–165.50	1,159	34
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	769	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,154	5
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls8 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Light Weight	1,245	65.00/cwt	65.00–65.00	809	1
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,265	81.91/cwt	78.00–86.00	1,036	2
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,315	97.27/cwt	92.00–99.00	1,279	4
Bulls	—	—	1,830	81.00/cwt	81.00–81.00	1,482	1
Bulls	—	—	1,848	84.66/cwt	63.00–93.00	1,565	9
Bulls	—	—	1,935	97.09/cwt	95.00–98.50	1,879	12
Bulls	—	—	2,073	105.00/cwt	104.00–106.00	2,177	3
Bulls	—	—	2,227	99.17/cwt	98.00–101.00	2,209	5
Slaughter Cattle · Cows17 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	900	56.91/cwt	55.00–59.00	512	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	969	55.54/cwt	52.00–59.00	538	4
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	990	60.00/cwt	60.00–60.00	594	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,068	42.82/cwt	37.00–48.00	457	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,151	75.14/cwt	72.00–75.50	865	8
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,151	59.57/cwt	50.00–61.00	686	32
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,174	68.60/cwt	67.00–69.00	805	21
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,183	63.89/cwt	62.00–68.50	756	47
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,358	72.24/cwt	68.00–76.50	981	79
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,385	65.35/cwt	62.00–67.50	905	11
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,395	78.00/cwt	78.00–78.00	1,088	3
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,405	61.96/cwt	55.00–67.50	871	24
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,425	68.71/cwt	67.50–74.50	979	13
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,555	83.00/cwt	83.00–83.00	1,291	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,608	72.00/cwt	72.00–72.00	1,158	2
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,635	67.97/cwt	67.00–69.00	1,111	2
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,739	91.09/cwt	84.00–93.50	1,584	5
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows3 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	853	92.00/cwt	92.00–92.00	785	3
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,004	136.63/cwt	81.00–152.00	1,372	30
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,078	85.05/cwt	62.00–109.00	917	100

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 18, 2023

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 2,978Last week 180Year ago 305

Slaughter CattleReceipts 368Last week 534Year ago 190

Replacement CattleReceipts 188Last week 1,820Year ago 182

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
49	—	387	188.50–200.00	192.05
28	—	410	175.00	175.00
4	—	598	165.00	165.00
57	—	482	171.00	171.00
7	—	307	180.00	180.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
250	—	526	189.00–212.00	199.18
133	—	615	177.00–186.50	184.30
125	—	568	181.50–195.00	188.99
2	—	768	155.00	155.00
44	—	731	161.00–167.00	165.93
52	—	674	165.50–175.00	170.16
4	—	443	219.00	219.00
168	—	480	199.00–218.00	206.06

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
27	—	466	182.00–197.00	186.56
14	—	546	175.00–187.00	178.38
11	—	383	190.00–192.00	191.45
23	—	433	185.00–201.00	192.61
5	—	569	160.00–177.00	167.11

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
23	—	544	179.00–188.50	185.17
87	—	636	170.00–174.50	174.10
4	—	484	201.00	201.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	698	153.00	153.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	510	188.50	188.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	663	179.50	179.50
27	—	527	200.00–219.00	216.14
6	—	594	196.00	196.00
6	—	485	225.00–237.00	232.97
8	—	422	225.00–252.50	228.54
5	—	628	182.00–189.00	186.27

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
34	—	426	253.00–273.50	267.86
18	—	387	272.50–299.00	282.89
103	—	627	190.00–205.00	198.39
97	—	525	224.00–236.50	232.55
366	—	583	202.50–224.50	217.06
20	—	847	171.00	171.00
22	—	725	168.00–180.75	179.79
11	—	345	300.00	300.00
148	—	656	183.00–200.00	196.65
88	—	474	235.00–262.00	250.91

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	470	256.00	256.00
10	—	564	218.00	218.00
7	—	505	236.00	236.00
12	—	650	187.50	187.50
24	—	734	168.00–172.00	171.02

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	664	181.00	181.00
60	—	596	188.00	188.00
7	—	623	177.00	177.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	487	150.00	150.00
3	—	510	152.50	152.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
46	—	688	148.00–177.50	175.04
16	—	502	203.00	203.00
19	—	581	177.00–199.00	194.46
1	—	620	171.00	171.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	591	182.00	182.00
5	—	472	212.50	212.50
5	—	769	150.00	150.00
34	—	700	165.50	165.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	578	153.00	153.00
8	—	532	160.00–185.00	175.75

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,068	37.00–48.00	42.82
32	—	1,151	50.00–61.00	59.57
47	—	1,183	62.00–68.50	63.89

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	1,385	62.00–67.50	65.35
79	—	1,358	68.00–76.50	72.24

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
21	—	1,174	67.00–69.00	68.60
2	—	900	55.00–59.00	56.91
8	—	1,151	72.00–75.50	75.14

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,555	83.00	83.00
2	—	1,635	67.00–69.00	67.97

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	969	52.00–59.00	55.54
1	—	990	60.00	60.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
24	—	1,405	55.00–67.50	61.96
13	—	1,425	67.50–74.50	68.71

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,395	78.00	78.00
5	—	1,739	84.00–93.50	91.09
2	—	1,608	72.00	72.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,245	65.00	65.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	2,073	104.00–106.00	105.00
1	—	1,830	81.00	81.00
12	—	1,935	95.00–98.50	97.09
9	—	1,848	63.00–93.00	84.66
5	—	2,227	98.00–101.00	99.17

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,315	92.00–99.00	97.27
2	—	1,265	78.00–86.00	81.91

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	30	—	1,004	81.00–152.00	136.63
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	100	—	1,078	62.00–109.00	85.05

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	3	—	853	92.00	92.00

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.