Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2024-03-27

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2024-03-27
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-03-27

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Mar 27

● Final39 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← Mar 20Mar 27Apr 3 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

71 head

▼ 2,369 vs last sale 2,440▼ 168 vs year ago 239 · −70.3%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

133 head

▼ 426 vs last sale 559▼ 225 vs year ago 358 · −62.8%

Replacement Cattle receipts

75 head

▼ 24 vs last sale 99▼ 137 vs year ago 212 · −64.6%

Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026

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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle offerings were were too lightly tested today to develop any market trend. Demand for feeders was mostly moderate to good for very light offerings. Quality today was plain to average. Most calves were offered in small packages or as singles. Market activity today was mostly moderate to active despite a small offering. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for light offerings. Cow quality was average to attractive today. Packers showed good demand for all cows on offer this week. Packers pushed to own as many offerings as possible as cow supplies remain short. Most of the high quality offerings were purchased to feed this week and most lame or blemished cows sold as slaughter cows. Slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00-6.00 higher on all offerings. Feeding cows sold sharply higher with most sales 6.00-12.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Weigh up conditions were mixed. Private feeding cow buyers showed good demand for high quality cows again this week as they competed with packer buyers over limited offerings. Slaughter bulls sold 2.00-4.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Young age cows were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Demand from feeding and rebreed cow buyers continues to be good. Limited bred and replacement cows continue to sell on very good demand.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $287.39/cwt on 8 head. That ranks 1 of 19 comparable sales and sits −108.07 against this barn's trailing median of $395.45.

Average price

$287.39

8 head · 558 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,605

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$50

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

$2.22/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+0.00

vs MT average

+20.52 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	550	288.22	1,586	5thin
Medium and Large 1	572	286.00	1,636	3thin

One grade step is worth $2.22/cwt here — about −$50 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 500–600 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale8 hd

287.39

—

MT average1 barns · 8 hd

287.39

+0.00

National average161 barns · 9,489 hd

266.87

+20.52

This barn, trailing median19 sales

395.45

−108.07

A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

19 sales

Heifers 500–600 lb: high $464.07, low $347.53, median $395.45 across 19 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

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	—	High	1,717	129.01	2,214	11
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	Average	1,685	141.00	2,376	3thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,712	133.30	2,282	21
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,445	126.39	1,826	61
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,134	112.76	1,279	27

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)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,305	$2,600	1thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,642	$2,500	3thin

Every lot

39 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 · Steers4 lots · lightest first
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	470	342.37/cwt	335.00–345.00	1,609	4
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	584	311.49/cwt	310.00–317.50	1,819	5
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	620	308.00/cwt	308.00–308.00	1,910	2
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	717	261.51/cwt	255.00–275.00	1,875	3
Feeder Cattle · Heifers5 lots · lightest first
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	474	317.43/cwt	315.00–320.00	1,505	4
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	527	292.03/cwt	290.00–293.00	1,539	3
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	572	286.00/cwt	286.00–286.00	1,636	3
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	585	282.50/cwt	282.50–282.50	1,653	2
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	637	273.53/cwt	273.00–274.00	1,742	13
Feeder Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	569	307.35/cwt	292.50–315.00	1,749	3
Bulls	700–750	Medium and Large 1	713	267.50/cwt	267.50–267.50	1,907	2
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,218	122.77/cwt	122.50–123.00	1,495	2
Bulls	—	—	1,729	121.68/cwt	119.00–124.00	2,104	4
Bulls	—	—	1,860	133.46/cwt	132.00–138.00	2,482	4
Bulls	—	—	2,090	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	3,198	1
Slaughter Cattle · Cows19 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	940	100.00/cwt	100.00–100.00	940	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	980	112.50/cwt	112.50–112.50	1,103	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,075	110.00/cwt	110.00–110.00	1,183	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,103	92.31/cwt	90.00–95.00	1,018	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,150	131.16/cwt	130.00–132.50	1,508	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,152	106.42/cwt	103.00–111.00	1,226	7
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,154	119.57/cwt	116.00–125.00	1,380	7
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,163	115.54/cwt	115.00–116.00	1,344	6
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,385	125.18/cwt	121.00–130.00	1,734	14
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,406	116.08/cwt	114.00–119.00	1,632	4
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,459	116.23/cwt	107.00–119.00	1,696	11
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,460	129.51/cwt	123.00–134.00	1,891	23
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,500	137.27/cwt	135.00–138.50	2,059	9
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,654	140.71/cwt	140.00–141.50	2,327	4
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,658	137.51/cwt	133.00–139.00	2,280	4
Cows	—	Premium White 65-75%	1,685	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	2,376	3
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,717	123.18/cwt	122.00–124.00	2,115	5
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,755	132.93/cwt	129.00–136.00	2,333	7
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,840	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	2,576	1
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows2 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,305	2,600.00/head	2,600.00–2,600.00	2,600	1
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,642	2,500.00/head	2,500.00–2,500.00	2,500	3
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows3 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,042	185.99/cwt	145.00–217.50	1,938	36
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,080	145.50/cwt	125.00–170.00	1,571	21
Stock Cows	—	Large 1	1,230	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	1,513	2

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 Mar 27, 2024

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 71Last week 2,440Year ago 239

Slaughter CattleReceipts 133Last week 559Year ago 358

Replacement CattleReceipts 75Last week 99Year ago 212

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,406	114.00–119.00	116.08
23	—	1,460	123.00–134.00	129.51
9	—	1,500	135.00–138.50	137.27

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,840	140.00	140.00
5	—	1,717	122.00–124.00	123.18
7	—	1,755	129.00–136.00	132.93

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,150	130.00–132.50	131.16
7	—	1,154	116.00–125.00	119.57
1	—	1,075	110.00	110.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	1,385	121.00–130.00	125.18
11	—	1,459	107.00–119.00	116.23

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,654	140.00–141.50	140.71
4	—	1,658	133.00–139.00	137.51

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	940	100.00	100.00
1	—	980	112.50	112.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,163	115.00–116.00	115.54
7	—	1,152	103.00–111.00	106.42
2	—	1,103	90.00–95.00	92.31

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Premium White 65-75%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,685	141.00	141.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,090	153.00	153.00
4	—	1,860	132.00–138.00	133.46
4	—	1,729	119.00–124.00	121.68

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,218	122.50–123.00	122.77

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	450–500	474	315.00–320.00	317.43
3	550–600	572	286.00	286.00
13	600–650	637	273.00–274.00	273.53

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	500–550	527	290.00–293.00	292.03
2	550–600	585	282.50	282.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	700–750	713	267.50	267.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	550–600	569	292.50–315.00	307.35

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	450–500	470	335.00–345.00	342.37
5	550–600	584	310.00–317.50	311.49
2	600–650	620	308.00	308.00
3	700–750	717	255.00–275.00	261.51

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)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	1,305	2,600.00	2,600.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	3	—	1,642	2,500.00	2,500.00

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	21	—	1,080	125.00–170.00	145.50
(<2 yrs)	Open	36	—	1,042	145.00–217.50	185.99

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,230	123.00	123.00

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.