Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2023-05-17

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2023-05-17
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-05-17

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

● Final95 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← May 10May 17May 24 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

2,547 head

▲ 2,536 vs last sale 11▲ 556 vs year ago 1,991 · +27.9%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

140 head

▼ 384 vs last sale 524▼ 388 vs year ago 528 · −73.5%

Replacement Cattle receipts

199 head

▼ 1,214 vs last sale 1,413▼ 502 vs year ago 701 · −71.6%

Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week, feeder cattle have no comparison due to the special replacement sale last week. Trade was very active, demand very good on many load lots and packages of good quality steers and heifers. The bulk of the feeder sale consisted of heifers weighing up to 900 lbs. Slaughter and feeding cows sold mostly steady on lighter offerings.

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 $238.26/cwt on 1,473 head.

Average price

$238.26

1,473 head · 638 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,520

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$519

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

$45.98/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+2.85

vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	640	241.14	1,543	1,320
Medium and Large 1-2	644	217.91	1,404	123
Medium and Large 2	525	195.16	1,025	30

One grade step is worth $45.98/cwt here — about $519 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 sale1,473 hd

238.26

—

MT average2 barns · 1,662 hd

235.42

+2.85

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	—	Average	1,902	118.31	2,250	8thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,467	100.96	1,481	25
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Very Low	1,266	94.01	1,190	59
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,125	86.34	971	19

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	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,325	$1,800	1thin
Bred Heifers	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	708	$1,725	142
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,400	$2,250	1thin

Every lot

95 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 · Steers36 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium and Large 2	303	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	712	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	319	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	861	4
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	385	288.68/cwt	288.00–290.00	1,111	12
Steers	—	Medium and Large 2	391	247.96/cwt	240.00–250.00	970	10
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	425	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,190	4
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	435	294.84/cwt	290.00–297.50	1,283	34
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	451	302.50/cwt	302.50–302.50	1,364	6
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	475	290.65/cwt	287.50–292.50	1,381	64
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Value Added	478	299.28/cwt	299.00–300.00	1,431	14
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Value Added	501	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	1,453	22
Steers	—	Medium and Large 2	510	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	1,097	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	515	285.40/cwt	282.00–289.00	1,470	92
Steers	—	Medium and Large 2	579	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,332	5
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	585	259.00/cwt	259.00–259.00	1,515	4
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	587	278.14/cwt	273.00–280.00	1,633	46
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	605	261.93/cwt	261.00–268.00	1,585	23
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Value Added	608	273.00/cwt	273.00–273.00	1,660	21
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	626	274.00/cwt	274.00–274.00	1,715	8
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	645	243.04/cwt	240.50–249.00	1,568	10
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	665	263.06/cwt	250.00–265.00	1,749	65
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	673	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,649	11
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	714	264.00/cwt	264.00–264.00	1,885	6
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	732	235.98/cwt	230.00–242.00	1,727	18
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	732	214.32/cwt	211.00–225.00	1,569	12
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	768	239.50/cwt	239.50–239.50	1,839	185
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	798	203.00/cwt	203.00–203.00	1,620	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	807	207.59/cwt	205.00–216.00	1,675	30
Steers	—	Medium and Large 2	813	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	1,341	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	828	197.00/cwt	197.00–197.00	1,631	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	859	201.19/cwt	190.00–203.00	1,728	29
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Value Added	883	207.00/cwt	207.00–207.00	1,828	60
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	919	176.43/cwt	168.00–182.00	1,621	5
Steers	—	Medium and Large 2	923	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	1,477	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	926	199.54/cwt	197.00–200.50	1,848	40
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	1,075	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	1,656	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	1,105	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,658	2
Feeder Cattle · Heifers35 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	288	223.00/cwt	223.00–223.00	642	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	380	257.00/cwt	257.00–257.00	977	11
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	385	202.73/cwt	200.00–207.50	781	8
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	412	247.50/cwt	247.50–247.50	1,020	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	412	205.08/cwt	200.00–210.00	845	6
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	434	259.23/cwt	255.00–265.00	1,125	43
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	476	242.22/cwt	241.00–244.00	1,153	15
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	488	259.88/cwt	253.00–266.00	1,268	52
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Fancy	521	264.00/cwt	264.00–264.00	1,375	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	522	255.35/cwt	248.00–261.00	1,333	131
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	541	244.00/cwt	244.00–244.00	1,320	13
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	567	253.98/cwt	245.00–260.00	1,440	95
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	576	228.81/cwt	224.00–239.00	1,318	23
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	577	202.50/cwt	202.50–202.50	1,168	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Value Added	593	265.75/cwt	265.75–265.75	1,576	208
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	612	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	1,255	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	620	239.91/cwt	230.00–252.00	1,487	282
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	621	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,428	6
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	655	197.50/cwt	197.50–197.50	1,294	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Replacement	671	237.92/cwt	231.50–243.50	1,596	31
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	672	215.10/cwt	207.00–225.00	1,445	25
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	678	239.93/cwt	239.00–240.50	1,627	69
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	722	220.34/cwt	217.00–222.50	1,591	10
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	723	237.33/cwt	225.00–239.00	1,716	134
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	737	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	1,179	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Value Added	750	226.00/cwt	226.00–226.00	1,695	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	775	205.01/cwt	196.00–210.00	1,589	72
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	783	181.17/cwt	177.00–184.00	1,419	10
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	813	209.35/cwt	196.00–210.00	1,702	156
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	829	180.46/cwt	168.00–185.00	1,496	16
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	845	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	1,293	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	861	172.06/cwt	166.00–178.00	1,481	8
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Replacement	888	183.00/cwt	183.00–183.00	1,625	10
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	888	166.00/cwt	166.00–166.00	1,474	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Replacement	954	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	1,631	7
Feeder Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	473	282.00/cwt	282.00–282.00	1,334	2
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2	514	252.00/cwt	252.00–252.00	1,295	4
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	561	277.50/cwt	277.50–277.50	1,557	3
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2	592	248.00/cwt	248.00–248.00	1,468	5
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	603	254.00/cwt	254.00–254.00	1,532	2
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	735	220.48/cwt	215.00–225.00	1,621	9
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—	1,520	100.56/cwt	92.00–109.00	1,529	2
Bulls	—	—	2,014	120.83/cwt	116.00–123.00	2,434	4
Bulls	—	—	2,058	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	2,696	2
Slaughter Cattle · Cows10 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,037	71.96/cwt	68.00–75.00	746	4
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,133	94.16/cwt	89.00–95.00	1,067	9
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,171	84.20/cwt	83.00–87.00	986	6
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,188	95.79/cwt	90.00–99.50	1,138	30
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,292	78.00/cwt	78.00–78.00	1,008	3
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,332	87.50/cwt	87.50–87.50	1,166	3
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,337	93.90/cwt	92.00–96.00	1,255	21
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,466	98.25/cwt	97.00–101.00	1,440	14
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,469	104.42/cwt	102.50–109.00	1,534	11
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,560	102.34/cwt	101.50–103.00	1,597	2
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows2 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	970	160.22/cwt	132.50–180.00	1,554	39
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,107	119.39/cwt	100.00–175.00	1,322	25
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Bred Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	708	1,725.00/head	1,725.00–1,725.00	1,725	142
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows1 lot · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,325	1,800.00/head	1,800.00–1,800.00	1,800	1
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs1 lot · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs	—	Medium and Large 1	1,400	2,250.00/head	2,250.00–2,250.00	2,250	1

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 May 17, 2023

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 2,547Last week 11Year ago 1,991

Slaughter CattleReceipts 140Last week 524Year ago 528

Replacement CattleReceipts 199Last week 1,413Year ago 701

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
22	—	501	290.00	290.00
21	—	608	273.00	273.00
14	—	478	299.00–300.00	299.28
60	—	883	207.00	207.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	579	230.00	230.00
2	—	510	215.00	215.00
10	—	391	240.00–250.00	247.96
2	—	923	160.00	160.00
2	—	303	235.00	235.00
3	—	813	165.00	165.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
185	—	768	239.50	239.50
64	—	475	287.50–292.50	290.65
46	—	587	273.00–280.00	278.14
65	—	665	250.00–265.00	263.06
4	—	319	270.00	270.00
2	—	1,105	150.00	150.00
40	—	926	197.00–200.50	199.54
29	—	859	190.00–203.00	201.19
18	—	732	230.00–242.00	235.98
12	—	385	288.00–290.00	288.68
23	—	605	261.00–268.00	261.93
2	—	1,075	154.00	154.00
92	—	515	282.00–289.00	285.40
34	—	435	290.00–297.50	294.84
30	—	807	205.00–216.00	207.59

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	626	274.00	274.00
6	—	714	264.00	264.00
6	—	451	302.50	302.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	919	168.00–182.00	176.43
4	—	425	280.00	280.00
11	—	673	245.00	245.00
10	—	645	240.50–249.00	243.04
2	—	798	203.00	203.00
12	—	732	211.00–225.00	214.32
2	—	828	197.00	197.00
4	—	585	259.00	259.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	592	248.00	248.00
4	—	514	252.00	252.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	473	282.00	282.00
2	—	603	254.00	254.00
9	—	735	215.00–225.00	220.48
3	—	561	277.50	277.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	288	223.00	223.00
6	—	412	200.00–210.00	205.08
3	—	845	153.00	153.00
8	—	385	200.00–207.50	202.73
3	—	577	202.50	202.50
3	—	737	160.00	160.00
2	—	655	197.50	197.50
3	—	612	205.00	205.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	521	264.00	264.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
95	—	567	245.00–260.00	253.98
52	—	488	253.00–266.00	259.88
69	—	678	239.00–240.50	239.93
134	—	723	225.00–239.00	237.33
72	—	775	196.00–210.00	205.01
8	—	861	166.00–178.00	172.06
43	—	434	255.00–265.00	259.23
282	—	620	230.00–252.00	239.91
156	—	813	196.00–210.00	209.35
131	—	522	248.00–261.00	255.35
11	—	380	257.00	257.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	829	168.00–185.00	180.46
15	—	476	241.00–244.00	242.22
23	—	576	224.00–239.00	228.81
6	—	621	230.00	230.00
10	—	783	177.00–184.00	181.17
10	—	722	217.00–222.50	220.34
25	—	672	207.00–225.00	215.10
13	—	541	244.00	244.00
2	—	888	166.00	166.00
3	—	412	247.50	247.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	954	171.00	171.00
31	—	671	231.50–243.50	237.92
10	—	888	183.00	183.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	750	226.00	226.00
208	—	593	265.75	265.75

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	1,469	102.50–109.00	104.42
14	—	1,466	97.00–101.00	98.25

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,292	78.00	78.00
2	—	1,560	101.50–103.00	102.34
21	—	1,337	92.00–96.00	93.90

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,037	68.00–75.00	71.96
6	—	1,171	83.00–87.00	84.20

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,133	89.00–95.00	94.16

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,332	87.50	87.50
30	—	1,188	90.00–99.50	95.79

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	2,014	116.00–123.00	120.83
2	—	1,520	92.00–109.00	100.56
2	—	2,058	131.00	131.00

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
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	25	—	1,107	100.00–175.00	119.39
(<2 yrs)	Open	39	—	970	132.50–180.00	160.22

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	142	—	708	1,725.00	1,725.00

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)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	1,325	1,800.00	1,800.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,400	2,250.00	2,250.00

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.