Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2024-02-07

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Feb 7
● Final54 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
273 head
▼ 1,731 vs last sale 2,004▼ 53 vs year ago 326 · −16.3%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
220 head
▼ 321 vs last sale 541▼ 165 vs year ago 385 · −42.9%
Replacement Cattle receipts
65 head
▼ 75 vs last sale 140▲ 6 vs year ago 59 · +10.2%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle offerings were limited this week. All feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Quality today was mostly plain to average, with a very limited offering of attractive feeders seen. Most cattle were offered in small packages or as singles. Many blemished offerings were seen today with lots of short ears or tails and lame offerings noticed. Demand was mostly good for all feeders despite light offerings. The best demand continues to be for light fleshed cattle suitable to develop into yearlings. Market activity today was mostly moderate to active with an small buyer pool noticed. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light to moderate offerings. Packers tried to balance buying both feeding and slaughter cows again this week. Packers continue to show need for cows for immediate harvest and to feed. Slaughter cows sold 2.00-4.00 higher on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold 2.00-5.00 higher. Packers showed good demand for high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white. Both private feeders and packers bid aggressively over high quality cows again this week. These offerings sold 3.00-5.00 higher. Cow quality today was mostly average to attractive, and overall more attractive than last weeks sale. Weigh up conditions were mixed today. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher. Young age cows sold mostly 10.00 higher. Demand from feeding cow buyers was very good. Many of these offerings were purchased to feed as live cattle contract prices continue to push higher. Most of these offerings are still eligible to grade choice if fed hard enough.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $276.21/cwt on 104 head.
Average price
$276.21
104 head · 680 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,878
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$366
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 1
$34.40/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−34.92
vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2605291.801,76453
Medium 2436272.221,1879thin
Medium and Large 1827257.402,13042
One grade step is worth $34.40/cwt here — about −$366 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 sale104 hd
276.21
—
MT average3 barns · 1,240 hd
311.13
−34.92
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—Average1,770106.511,88523
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,630102.571,67223
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,41799.441,40973
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,12793.241,05188

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 Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,385$1,8003thin

Every lot

54 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 · Steers13 lots · lightest first
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2331350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,1594
Steers—Medium 2385290.00/cwt290.00–290.001,1175
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned440345.00/cwt345.00–345.001,5183
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2485327.96/cwt325.00–330.001,5915
Steers—Medium 2500250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,2504
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2520319.66/cwt310.00–324.001,66213
Steers—Medium and Large 1568316.52/cwt313.00–331.001,79815
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2594300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,7826
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2642279.00/cwt279.00–279.001,79112
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2663275.00/cwt275.00–275.001,8234
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2809232.00/cwt232.00–232.001,8776
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2920210.00/cwt210.00–210.001,9323
Steers—Medium and Large 11,038209.50/cwt209.50–209.502,17524
Feeder Cattle · Heifers10 lots · lightest first
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2343330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,1322
Heifers—Medium and Large 2457246.38/cwt242.50–254.001,1266
Heifers—Medium and Large 2517270.00/cwt270.00–270.001,3967
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2522286.08/cwt283.50–289.001,49317
Heifers—Medium 1538282.00/cwt282.00–282.001,51713
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2582253.00/cwt253.00–253.001,4725
Heifers—Medium and Large 2596242.50/cwt242.50–242.501,44511
Heifers—Medium and Large 2608236.00/cwt236.00–236.001,4354
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2620260.00/cwt260.00–260.001,61211
Heifers—Medium 1674240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,6184
Feeder Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 1599280.00/cwt280.00–280.001,67711
Bulls—Medium and Large 1710225.00/cwt225.00–225.001,5981
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-2715205.00/cwt205.00–205.001,4661
Bulls—Medium and Large 1Full900210.00/cwt210.00–210.001,8904
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Light Weight1,33393.42/cwt90.00–95.501,2455
Bulls——1,795103.08/cwt91.00–111.001,8508
Bulls——1,918116.00/cwt113.00–121.002,2258
Bulls——2,170115.00/cwt115.00–115.002,4962
Slaughter Cattle · Cows17 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight94862.50/cwt62.50–62.505932
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight96590.00/cwt90.00–90.008691
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,03089.50/cwt87.00–92.0092220
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,152104.05/cwt103.50–105.001,1995
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,15897.82/cwt97.00–99.501,13322
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,16386.14/cwt79.00–91.001,00218
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,17998.87/cwt94.00–101.501,16620
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,370102.05/cwt94.00–104.501,39835
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,390106.00/cwt106.00–106.001,4731
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,40596.45/cwt94.00–103.001,35513
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,431109.87/cwt107.50–111.501,57210
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,51592.00/cwt92.00–92.001,3941
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,53987.45/cwt85.00–91.001,34613
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,587109.01/cwt107.50–115.001,7305
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,58994.25/cwt93.50–95.001,4988
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,655112.00/cwt112.00–112.001,8541
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,688105.35/cwt104.00–106.501,7789
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows5 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2865167.50/cwt167.50–167.501,4491
Stock Cows—Medium 1880192.50/cwt192.50–192.501,6942
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1986119.17/cwt103.00–143.001,17526
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,006197.36/cwt161.00–217.501,98523
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,415170.00/cwt170.00–170.002,4061
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows1 lot · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3851,800.00/head1,800.00–1,800.001,8003

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.