Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2024-04-17

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2024-04-17
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-04-17

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Apr 17

● Final89 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← Apr 10Apr 17Apr 24 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

4,060 head

▲ 3,730 vs last sale 330▲ 3,650 vs year ago 410 · +890.2%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

73 head

▼ 95 vs last sale 168▼ 465 vs year ago 538 · −86.4%

Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to the last special sale: Steers steady. Heifers over 675lbs steady. Heifers under 675lbs 3.00 lower. Quality mostly average with some packages of attractive cattle. Demand moderate to good. Replacement heifers quality average to attractive. Slaughter bulls and cows steady in a light test. Cows returning to feed sold unevenly steady. Young age cows 5.00 higher in a light test.

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 $292.50/cwt on 560 head. That ranks 1 of 19 comparable sales and sits −102.95 against this barn's trailing median of $395.45.

Average price

$292.50

560 head · 543 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,587

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$287

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

$57.93/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+2.03

vs MT average

+27.98 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	540	297.72	1,609	481
Medium and Large 1-2	556	266.43	1,482	62
Medium and Large 2	551	239.79	1,322	17thin

One grade step is worth $57.93/cwt here — about $287 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 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 sale560 hd

292.50

—

MT average3 barns · 699 hd

290.47

+2.03

National average180 barns · 13,997 hd

264.52

+27.98

This barn, trailing median19 sales

395.45

−102.95

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	—	Average	1,983	143.22	2,840	8thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,522	139.37	2,122	20
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,313	128.69	1,690	22
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,077	116.11	1,251	3thin

Every lot

89 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 · Steers38 lots · lightest first
Steers	200–250	Medium and Large 1-2	225	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	675	1
Steers	300–350	Medium and Large 1-2	345	366.25/cwt	365.00–367.50	1,264	2
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1	375	377.50/cwt	377.50–377.50	1,416	3
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1Fancy	410	397.50/cwt	397.50–397.50	1,630	9
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	438	347.46/cwt	335.00–365.00	1,522	15
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	474	331.43/cwt	325.00–340.00	1,571	11
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	480	363.47/cwt	355.00–375.00	1,745	31
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 2	483	317.00/cwt	317.00–317.00	1,531	6
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1	507	339.69/cwt	325.00–342.50	1,722	30
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	510	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,632	6
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 2	538	257.50/cwt	257.50–257.50	1,385	2
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1Fancy	564	348.00/cwt	348.00–348.00	1,963	58
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 2	569	279.00/cwt	279.00–279.00	1,588	9
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	574	332.62/cwt	321.00–341.00	1,909	147
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	582	306.99/cwt	303.00–320.00	1,787	23
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1Fancy	616	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	2,033	105
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	621	306.32/cwt	295.00–325.00	1,902	65
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 2	637	248.58/cwt	241.00–255.00	1,583	15
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	645	287.10/cwt	275.00–289.00	1,852	15
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2	676	267.93/cwt	267.00–272.00	1,811	11
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 2	680	247.50/cwt	247.50–247.50	1,683	1
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	683	281.85/cwt	275.50–293.00	1,925	135
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1Fancy	707	284.00/cwt	284.00–284.00	2,008	16
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	716	254.41/cwt	251.00–256.00	1,822	7
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	721	267.70/cwt	262.50–280.00	1,930	154
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 2	732	246.00/cwt	246.00–246.00	1,801	6
Steers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	762	254.43/cwt	250.00–255.00	1,939	9
Steers	750–800	Medium and Large 1	768	254.82/cwt	246.00–262.50	1,957	52
Steers	750–800	Medium and Large 2	793	239.16/cwt	239.00–240.00	1,897	6
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 1	815	246.75/cwt	232.00–258.00	2,011	22
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 1-2	841	219.01/cwt	215.00–223.00	1,842	4
Steers	850–900	Medium and Large 1-2	857	226.18/cwt	225.00–234.00	1,938	26
Steers	850–900	Medium and Large 1	862	239.26/cwt	233.00–244.00	2,062	88
Steers	850–900	Medium and Large 2	863	209.00/cwt	209.00–209.00	1,804	2
Steers	900–950	Medium and Large 1	918	226.71/cwt	220.00–230.50	2,081	78
Steers	900–950	Medium and Large 1-2	945	217.00/cwt	217.00–217.00	2,051	1
Steers	950–1000	Medium and Large 1	962	221.73/cwt	219.50–229.00	2,133	50
Steers	950–1000	Medium and Large 1-2	983	203.00/cwt	203.00–203.00	1,995	2
Feeder Cattle · Heifers39 lots · lightest first
Heifers	300–350	Medium and Large 2	312	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	780	1
Heifers	300–350	Medium and Large 1-2	313	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	939	2
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1	383	323.36/cwt	320.00–325.00	1,238	19
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1	436	296.80/cwt	290.00–310.00	1,294	14
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	440	281.19/cwt	280.00–282.00	1,237	5
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	481	310.00/cwt	305.00–320.00	1,491	21
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	485	292.71/cwt	285.00–298.00	1,420	25
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 2	485	240.94/cwt	235.00–265.00	1,169	5
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1	517	294.66/cwt	285.00–310.00	1,523	260
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 2	523	244.66/cwt	225.00–255.00	1,280	9
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	536	272.47/cwt	267.00–282.50	1,460	30
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1Fancy	546	314.62/cwt	314.00–315.00	1,718	55
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1Fancy	568	309.37/cwt	307.00–315.25	1,757	54
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	575	260.77/cwt	252.00–271.00	1,499	32
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	579	290.92/cwt	278.50–298.50	1,684	112
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 2	583	234.31/cwt	227.50–242.50	1,366	8
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	631	279.13/cwt	265.00–288.00	1,761	408
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 2	639	230.68/cwt	229.00–233.00	1,474	16
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	641	256.52/cwt	242.50–259.00	1,644	15
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 2	667	229.05/cwt	225.00–233.00	1,528	4
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2	674	250.85/cwt	240.00–265.00	1,691	62
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	677	272.35/cwt	264.00–275.50	1,844	457
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 2	706	208.76/cwt	205.00–212.50	1,474	4
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1Fancy	707	264.00/cwt	264.00–264.00	1,866	29
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	718	236.37/cwt	236.00–237.50	1,697	4
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	735	252.06/cwt	240.00–257.00	1,853	131
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1Replacement	737	2,000.00/head	2,000.00–2,000.00	2,000	13
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	774	229.46/cwt	220.00–238.00	1,776	9
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1	783	235.98/cwt	229.00–246.00	1,848	211
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1Replacement	785	1,922.60/head	1,875.00–2,000.00	1,923	153
Heifers	800–850	Medium and Large 1Replacement	802	1,910.00/head	1,910.00–1,910.00	1,910	62
Heifers	800–850	Medium and Large 1-2	811	211.00/cwt	211.00–211.00	1,711	1
Heifers	800–850	Medium and Large 1	831	223.38/cwt	220.00–239.00	1,856	34
Heifers	850–900	Medium and Large 1	868	220.50/cwt	217.00–222.00	1,914	12
Heifers	850–900	Medium and Large 1Replacement	878	1,950.00/head	1,950.00–1,950.00	1,950	54
Heifers	900–950	Medium and Large 1Replacement	903	2,275.00/head	2,275.00–2,275.00	2,275	57
Heifers	900–950	Medium and Large 1-2	928	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	1,763	3
Heifers	900–950	Medium and Large 1	938	213.17/cwt	204.00–214.00	2,000	90
Heifers	950–1000	Medium and Large 1	965	212.26/cwt	210.00–213.00	2,048	4
Feeder Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls	300–350	Medium and Large 1-2	335	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,106	1
Bulls	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2	393	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,297	3
Bulls	500–550	Medium and Large 1	500	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	1,613	2
Bulls	600–650	Medium and Large 1	601	298.00/cwt	298.00–298.00	1,791	4
Bulls	650–700	Medium and Large 1	688	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	1,754	4
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—	1,718	131.06/cwt	128.00–134.00	2,252	2
Bulls	—	—	2,071	147.27/cwt	142.00–153.00	3,050	6
Slaughter Cattle · Cows5 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,077	116.11/cwt	112.00–119.00	1,251	3
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,237	127.77/cwt	127.00–131.00	1,581	8
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,357	129.21/cwt	126.00–131.00	1,753	14
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,521	138.84/cwt	135.00–142.00	2,112	8
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,523	139.73/cwt	137.00–140.00	2,128	12

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 Apr 17, 2024

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 4,060Last week 330Year ago 410

Slaughter CattleReceipts 73Last week 168Year ago 538

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	2,071	142.00–153.00	147.27
2	—	1,718	128.00–134.00	131.06

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,077	112.00–119.00	116.11

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	1,521	135.00–142.00	138.84

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	1,523	137.00–140.00	139.73

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	1,357	126.00–131.00	129.21

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	1,237	127.00–131.00	127.77

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	450–500	483	317.00	317.00
2	500–550	538	257.50	257.50
9	550–600	569	279.00	279.00
15	600–650	637	241.00–255.00	248.58
1	650–700	680	247.50	247.50
6	700–750	732	246.00	246.00
6	750–800	793	239.00–240.00	239.16
2	850–900	863	209.00	209.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
9	400–450	410	397.50	397.50
58	550–600	564	348.00	348.00
105	600–650	616	330.00	330.00
16	700–750	707	284.00	284.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	350–400	375	377.50	377.50
31	450–500	480	355.00–375.00	363.47
30	500–550	507	325.00–342.50	339.69
147	550–600	574	321.00–341.00	332.62
65	600–650	621	295.00–325.00	306.32
135	650–700	683	275.50–293.00	281.85
154	700–750	721	262.50–280.00	267.70
52	750–800	768	246.00–262.50	254.82
22	800–850	815	232.00–258.00	246.75
88	850–900	862	233.00–244.00	239.26
78	900–950	918	220.00–230.50	226.71
50	950–1000	962	219.50–229.00	221.73

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	225	300.00	300.00
2	300–350	345	365.00–367.50	366.25
15	400–450	438	335.00–365.00	347.46
11	450–500	474	325.00–340.00	331.43
6	500–550	510	320.00	320.00
23	550–600	582	303.00–320.00	306.99
15	600–650	645	275.00–289.00	287.10
11	650–700	676	267.00–272.00	267.93
7	700–750	716	251.00–256.00	254.41
9	750–800	762	250.00–255.00	254.43
4	800–850	841	215.00–223.00	219.01
26	850–900	857	225.00–234.00	226.18
1	900–950	945	217.00	217.00
2	950–1000	983	203.00	203.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	500–550	500	322.50	322.50
4	600–650	601	298.00	298.00
4	650–700	688	255.00	255.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	335	330.00	330.00
3	350–400	393	330.00	330.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
55	500–550	546	314.00–315.00	314.62
54	550–600	568	307.00–315.25	309.37
29	700–750	707	264.00	264.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	312	250.00	250.00
5	450–500	485	235.00–265.00	240.94
9	500–550	523	225.00–255.00	244.66
8	550–600	583	227.50–242.50	234.31
16	600–650	639	229.00–233.00	230.68
4	650–700	667	225.00–233.00	229.05
4	700–750	706	205.00–212.50	208.76

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
19	350–400	383	320.00–325.00	323.36
14	400–450	436	290.00–310.00	296.80
21	450–500	481	305.00–320.00	310.00
260	500–550	517	285.00–310.00	294.66
112	550–600	579	278.50–298.50	290.92
408	600–650	631	265.00–288.00	279.13
457	650–700	677	264.00–275.50	272.35
131	700–750	735	240.00–257.00	252.06
211	750–800	783	229.00–246.00	235.98
34	800–850	831	220.00–239.00	223.38
12	850–900	868	217.00–222.00	220.50
90	900–950	938	204.00–214.00	213.17
4	950–1000	965	210.00–213.00	212.26

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	313	300.00	300.00
5	400–450	440	280.00–282.00	281.19
25	450–500	485	285.00–298.00	292.71
30	500–550	536	267.00–282.50	272.47
32	550–600	575	252.00–271.00	260.77
15	600–650	641	242.50–259.00	256.52
62	650–700	674	240.00–265.00	250.85
4	700–750	718	236.00–237.50	236.37
9	750–800	774	220.00–238.00	229.46
1	800–850	811	211.00	211.00
3	900–950	928	190.00	190.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per head · actual wt
13	700–750	737	2,000.00	2,000.00
153	750–800	785	1,875.00–2,000.00	1,922.60
62	800–850	802	1,910.00	1,910.00
54	850–900	878	1,950.00	1,950.00
57	900–950	903	2,275.00	2,275.00

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.