Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2024-01-10

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Jan 10
● Final62 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
98 head
▼ 285 vs last sale 383▼ 82 vs year ago 180 · −45.6%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
735 head
▲ 74 vs last sale 661▲ 201 vs year ago 534 · +37.6%
Replacement Cattle receipts
802 head
▲ 647 vs last sale 155▼ 1,018 vs year ago 1,820 · −55.9%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: Feeder cattle offerings were limited today as this sale featured bred cows and weigh ups. Most feeders were off tested open yearling heifers. Quality was average to attractive. Demand was mostly good for very light offerings. Market activity was moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher on breaking cows, boing cows sold steady to 1.00 higher and lean cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. Only a small portion of the cow offering was purchased for slaughter this week as both packers and private buyers put most of the offering away on feed. Packer buyers, in a surprising move, put a few thin cows away on feed. Usually these type offerings are only purchased in November and December for the holiday lull, however packers showed concern for supplies going forward and purchased several sets of thin cows to hold for the coming months. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 higher for high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white. A large pool of feeding cow buyers were seen again this week and cows suitable to feed sold with the best demand. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Weigh up conditions were mixed. Slaughter bulls traded mostly 2.00-3.00 higher with the best demand seen for high quality, high yielding bulls. Young age cows sold mostly steady in a narrow comparison. Demand from rebreed buyers was slightly better this week as a few buyers purchased cows for that purpose. Quality was mostly average today. Todays sale featured almost 1000 head of bred cows and heifers. Demand was mostly moderate for light to moderate offerings.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $201.19/cwt on 56 head.
Average price
$201.19
56 head · 791 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,591
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$212
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2
$25.65/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−64.59
vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1856204.991,75414thin
Medium and Large 1-2754203.361,53236
Medium and Large 2860179.331,5436thin
One grade step is worth $25.65/cwt here — about $212 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 sale56 hd
201.19
—
MT average3 barns · 987 hd
265.78
−64.59
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 · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Bulls—Average1,674101.531,69925
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,63998.111,60832
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,37391.831,261199
CowsLean 85-90%High1,16081.34944271

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 $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,190$2,29594
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,381$2,2289
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,403$1,68918
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,223$1,6753thin
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,420$1,665142
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,329$1,547131
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,475$1,5101thin
Bred Heifers3rd Stage (7-9 mo)(<2 yrs)1,059$2,305122
Bred Heifers2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)(<2 yrs)888$1,85845
Bred Heifers1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)(<2 yrs)802$1,4105

Every lot

62 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.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Heifers9 lots · lightest first
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2721204.75/cwt202.00–205.001,47624
Heifers—Medium and Large 1771211.00/cwt211.00–211.001,6276
Heifers—Medium and Large 2803180.00/cwt180.00–180.001,4454
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2814201.00/cwt201.00–201.001,63611
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2870196.00/cwt196.00–196.001,7051
Heifers—Medium and Large 1887203.36/cwt201.00–207.001,8045
Heifers—Medium and Large 1905197.00/cwt197.00–197.001,7831
Heifers—Medium and Large 2975178.00/cwt178.00–178.001,7362
Heifers—Medium and Large 11,008195.00/cwt195.00–195.001,9662
Feeder Cattle · Bulls1 lot · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-2525240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,2601
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,145112.50/cwt112.50–112.501,2881
Bulls——Light Weight1,42286.66/cwt82.00–91.001,2323
Bulls——1,67795.91/cwt81.00–101.001,60816
Bulls——1,920126.26/cwt123.00–128.002,4245
Slaughter Cattle · Cows22 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight90560.00/cwt60.00–60.005431
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight95078.00/cwt78.00–78.007411
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,08063.84/cwt55.00–66.0068920
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,11879.41/cwt72.50–84.50888107
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,15186.71/cwt83.00–89.009989
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,15493.82/cwt93.00–95.001,0838
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,19478.24/cwt71.00–83.5093440
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,21287.35/cwt82.00–93.501,05976
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,31492.43/cwt92.00–93.001,2159
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,36192.79/cwt85.00–98.001,263164
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,37883.51/cwt79.00–85.001,15113
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,38180.06/cwt78.00–83.001,10610
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,42388.38/cwt85.00–96.001,2584
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,494103.50/cwt103.50–103.501,5464
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,59895.21/cwt93.00–96.501,5215
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,600103.50/cwt103.50–103.501,6561
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,60391.54/cwt91.00–92.001,4677
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,624103.75/cwt102.50–104.001,68512
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,638100.88/cwt100.00–102.001,6524
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,65097.42/cwt96.50–98.001,6075
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,69085.00/cwt85.00–85.001,4371
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight2,215102.00/cwt102.00–102.002,2591
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows16 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Non-Legible BANGS1,0892,050.00/head2,050.00–2,050.002,0508
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,0952,132.65/head2,060.00–2,160.002,13329
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2231,675.00/head1,675.00–1,675.001,6753
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Non-Legible BANGS1,2331,450.00/head1,450.00–1,450.001,4503
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2502,430.80/head2,200.00–2,700.002,43149
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS1,2712,300.00/head2,300.00–2,300.002,3008
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2761,425.00/head1,425.00–1,425.001,4255
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3291,546.92/head1,450.00–1,585.001,547131
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3672,250.00/head2,250.00–2,250.002,2505
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,38493.64/cwt92.50–94.501,2969
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,3982,200.00/head2,200.00–2,200.002,2004
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,4041,585.87/head1,550.00–1,625.001,58611
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,4251,674.18/head1,525.00–1,825.001,674137
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,4751,510.00/head1,510.00–1,510.001,5101
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,5282,150.00/head2,150.00–2,150.002,1504
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,546104.00/cwt104.00–104.001,6087
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows4 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2905100.00/cwt100.00–100.009052
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1978118.81/cwt98.00–135.001,16212
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1981137.06/cwt122.50–170.001,34578
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,135105.00/cwt105.00–105.001,1921
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers6 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium 1-28021,410.00/head1,410.00–1,410.001,4105
Bred Heifers—Medium 1-28311,550.00/head1,550.00–1,550.001,5508
Bred Heifers—Medium 18681,877.55/head1,800.00–2,100.001,87832
Bred Heifers—Medium 11,0212,175.00/head2,175.00–2,175.002,17516
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 11,0652,324.20/head2,150.00–2,410.002,324106
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 11,1072,225.00/head2,225.00–2,225.002,2255

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.