Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2024-05-15

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2024-05-15
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-05-15

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, May 15

● Final83 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← May 8May 15May 22 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

1,673 head

▲ 1,661 vs last sale 12▼ 874 vs year ago 2,547 · −34.3%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

222 head

▼ 11 vs last sale 233▲ 82 vs year ago 140 · +58.6%

Replacement Cattle receipts

58 head

▼ 343 vs last sale 401▼ 141 vs year ago 199 · −70.9%

Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle offerings were too lightly tested the last two sales to develop any market trend. Demand was mostly good to very good for today sale. Most feeders were offered on moderate sized packages with several load lots and partial load lots seen. Quality this sale was mostly plain to average with a few attractive quality consignments seen. Most cattle were backgrounded cattle that were purchased earlier in the year or last fall. Most of these offerings were specifically developed for grass. A large crowd was on hand for todays sale and a good mix of order buyers and ranchers were on hand actively bidding on offerings. Market activity was mostly active. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for light offerings. Packers showed very good demand for cows for immediate harvest with cows going to slaughter in several different states. Several packers were present this week with some buying over the internet. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady on breaking cows, boing and lean cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher, in a narrow comparison. Cow quality was average to attractive today. Weigh up conditions were mostly average. Slaughter bulls sold steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Several very high yielding bulls were seen this sale and these offerings were met with very good demand. Young age cows sold generally steady. Cows which lost calves sold with the best demand again this week. Feeding quality cows sold at a discount to cows suitable to rebreed. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive.

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 $291.54/cwt on 426 head. That ranks 1 of 19 comparable sales and sits −103.92 against this barn's trailing median of $395.45.

Average price

$291.54

426 head · 561 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,636

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$542

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

$72.27/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+1.96

vs MT average

+21.54 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	574	301.27	1,729	319
Medium 1	512	289.97	1,485	49
Medium and Large 1-2	569	278.65	1,586	12thin
Large 1-2	598	230.00	1,375	3thin
Medium 1-2	518	229.00	1,186	43

One grade step is worth $72.27/cwt here — about $542 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 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 sale426 hd

291.54

—

MT average3 barns · 514 hd

289.58

+1.96

National average167 barns · 11,471 hd

270.00

+21.54

This barn, trailing median19 sales

395.45

−103.92

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	—	Low	1,747	147.31	2,573	26
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,610	136.13	2,192	8thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,390	133.98	1,863	78
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,159	123.94	1,437	72

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 Heifers	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	1,123	$2,300	3thin

Every lot

83 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 · Steers28 lots · lightest first
Steers	400–450	Medium 2	413	269.00/cwt	269.00–269.00	1,111	6
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 2	437	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,311	8
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	464	367.26/cwt	365.00–370.00	1,704	55
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	482	341.18/cwt	335.00–355.00	1,644	16
Steers	500–550	Medium 2	508	243.91/cwt	242.50–255.00	1,239	35
Steers	500–550	Medium 1-2	515	277.50/cwt	277.50–277.50	1,429	10
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1	537	335.36/cwt	334.00–340.00	1,801	56
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	548	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,781	5
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 2	548	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	1,671	5
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	557	335.71/cwt	325.00–336.00	1,870	39
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 2	567	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,588	13
Steers	550–600	Medium 1-2	585	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,463	7
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	588	304.33/cwt	302.50–310.00	1,789	12
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	614	316.06/cwt	309.00–321.00	1,941	33
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	649	286.00/cwt	286.00–286.00	1,856	4
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2	671	275.02/cwt	270.00–277.00	1,845	12
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	681	278.77/cwt	277.00–292.50	1,898	9
Steers	650–700	Large 1-2	692	229.00/cwt	229.00–229.00	1,585	3
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	705	272.00/cwt	272.00–272.00	1,918	2
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	727	251.09/cwt	249.00–263.00	1,825	16
Steers	750–800	Medium and Large 1	777	253.00/cwt	253.00–253.00	1,966	5
Steers	750–800	Medium and Large 2	778	238.00/cwt	238.00–238.00	1,852	5
Steers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	780	249.00/cwt	249.00–249.00	1,942	1
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 1-2	820	244.00/cwt	244.00–244.00	2,001	12
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	824	239.00/cwt	239.00–239.00	1,969	10
Steers	900–950	Medium and Large 2	910	212.00/cwt	212.00–212.00	1,929	4
Steers	900–950	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	922	226.00/cwt	226.00–226.00	2,084	10
Steers	900–950	Medium and Large 1	925	234.00/cwt	234.00–234.00	2,165	5
Feeder Cattle · Heifers23 lots · lightest first
Heifers	300–350	Medium 1-2	310	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	946	12
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2	360	317.00/cwt	317.00–317.00	1,141	6
Heifers	350–400	Medium 1-2	361	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	1,047	15
Heifers	350–400	Medium 1	363	312.50/cwt	312.50–312.50	1,134	5
Heifers	400–450	Medium 2	441	227.34/cwt	225.00–230.00	1,003	17
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	474	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,517	4
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 2	480	267.58/cwt	265.00–270.00	1,284	17
Heifers	500–550	Medium 1	512	289.97/cwt	280.00–299.00	1,485	49
Heifers	500–550	Medium 1-2	518	229.00/cwt	229.00–229.00	1,186	43
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1	520	310.84/cwt	309.00–311.00	1,616	38
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	569	278.65/cwt	272.00–288.00	1,586	12
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	581	299.98/cwt	293.00–309.00	1,743	281
Heifers	550–600	Large 1-2	598	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,375	3
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 2	608	231.90/cwt	231.00–245.00	1,410	48
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	617	292.39/cwt	280.00–300.00	1,804	64
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	641	270.64/cwt	251.00–274.00	1,735	66
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	660	273.82/cwt	261.00–279.00	1,807	304
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2	664	248.86/cwt	247.50–250.00	1,652	11
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 2	685	236.00/cwt	236.00–236.00	1,617	13
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	727	250.82/cwt	249.00–255.00	1,823	64
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1	767	241.89/cwt	241.00–242.00	1,855	9
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	783	239.00/cwt	239.00–239.00	1,871	2
Heifers	850–900	Medium and Large 1-2	850	223.00/cwt	223.00–223.00	1,896	4
Feeder Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls	700–750	Medium and Large 1	748	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,795	4
Bulls	900–950	Medium and Large 1	931	214.09/cwt	210.00–222.50	1,993	6
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Light Weight	1,313	125.47/cwt	120.00–133.00	1,647	3
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,355	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	1,789	1
Bulls	—	—	1,434	134.55/cwt	133.00–136.00	1,929	4
Bulls	—	—	1,718	143.86/cwt	140.00–153.00	2,472	9
Bulls	—	—	2,102	165.41/cwt	161.00–170.00	3,477	9
Slaughter Cattle · Cows17 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,002	83.28/cwt	75.00–100.00	834	3
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,118	118.53/cwt	114.00–124.00	1,325	14
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,152	110.51/cwt	100.00–117.00	1,273	7
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,165	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	1,573	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,173	133.75/cwt	133.00–135.00	1,569	12
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,185	128.70/cwt	124.00–132.00	1,525	34
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,200	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,500	1
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,363	135.20/cwt	131.00–136.00	1,843	28
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,378	134.79/cwt	130.00–138.00	1,857	37
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,413	142.50/cwt	142.50–142.50	2,014	3
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,441	124.45/cwt	122.00–125.00	1,793	5
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,548	132.50/cwt	132.50–132.50	2,051	2
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,570	125.64/cwt	124.00–126.00	1,973	5
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,585	144.50/cwt	144.50–144.50	2,290	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,610	132.49/cwt	132.00–133.00	2,133	2
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,623	138.04/cwt	137.00–139.00	2,240	2
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,735	138.50/cwt	138.50–138.50	2,403	1
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows7 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	880	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,144	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,010	170.53/cwt	141.00–187.00	1,722	11
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,040	117.50/cwt	117.50–117.50	1,222	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,067	184.08/cwt	158.00–210.00	1,964	26
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,165	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	1,829	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	1,320	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,980	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	1,630	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	2,184	2
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Bred Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	1,123	2,300.00/head	2,300.00–2,300.00	2,300	3

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 15, 2024

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 1,673Last week 12Year ago 2,547

Slaughter CattleReceipts 222Last week 233Year ago 140

Replacement CattleReceipts 58Last week 401Year ago 199

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
16	450–500	482	335.00–355.00	341.18
5	500–550	548	325.00	325.00
12	550–600	588	302.50–310.00	304.33
4	600–650	649	286.00	286.00
12	650–700	671	270.00–277.00	275.02
16	700–750	727	249.00–263.00	251.09
1	750–800	780	249.00	249.00
12	800–850	820	244.00	244.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	400–450	437	300.00	300.00
5	500–550	548	305.00	305.00
13	550–600	567	280.00	280.00
5	750–800	778	238.00	238.00
4	900–950	910	212.00	212.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
55	450–500	464	365.00–370.00	367.26
56	500–550	537	334.00–340.00	335.36
39	550–600	557	325.00–336.00	335.71
33	600–650	614	309.00–321.00	316.06
9	650–700	681	277.00–292.50	278.77
2	700–750	705	272.00	272.00
5	750–800	777	253.00	253.00
5	900–950	925	234.00	234.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	650–700	692	229.00	229.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
10	500–550	515	277.50	277.50
7	550–600	585	250.00	250.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	400–450	413	269.00	269.00
35	500–550	508	242.50–255.00	243.91

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
10	800–850	824	239.00	239.00
10	900–950	922	226.00	226.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	350–400	360	317.00	317.00
12	550–600	569	272.00–288.00	278.65
66	600–650	641	251.00–274.00	270.64
11	650–700	664	247.50–250.00	248.86
2	750–800	783	239.00	239.00
4	850–900	850	223.00	223.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	450–500	474	320.00	320.00
38	500–550	520	309.00–311.00	310.84
281	550–600	581	293.00–309.00	299.98
64	600–650	617	280.00–300.00	292.39
304	650–700	660	261.00–279.00	273.82
64	700–750	727	249.00–255.00	250.82
9	750–800	767	241.00–242.00	241.89

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	550–600	598	230.00	230.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
12	300–350	310	305.00	305.00
15	350–400	361	290.00	290.00
43	500–550	518	229.00	229.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
17	400–450	441	225.00–230.00	227.34

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
17	450–500	480	265.00–270.00	267.58
48	600–650	608	231.00–245.00	231.90
13	650–700	685	236.00	236.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	350–400	363	312.50	312.50
49	500–550	512	280.00–299.00	289.97

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	700–750	748	240.00	240.00
6	900–950	931	210.00–222.50	214.09

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
(<2 yrs)	Open	26	—	1,067	158.00–210.00	184.08
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	11	—	1,010	141.00–187.00	170.53

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,040	117.50	117.50
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,165	157.00	157.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,320	150.00	150.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,630	134.00	134.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	880	130.00	130.00

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)	3	—	1,123	2,300.00	2,300.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,152	100.00–117.00	110.51
1	—	1,200	125.00	125.00
1	—	1,165	135.00	135.00
3	—	1,002	75.00–100.00	83.28

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,585	144.50	144.50
2	—	1,548	132.50	132.50
1	—	1,735	138.50	138.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,441	122.00–125.00	124.45
3	—	1,413	142.50	142.50
28	—	1,363	131.00–136.00	135.20

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	1,118	114.00–124.00	118.53
34	—	1,185	124.00–132.00	128.70
12	—	1,173	133.00–135.00	133.75

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,570	124.00–126.00	125.64
37	—	1,378	130.00–138.00	134.79

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,610	132.00–133.00	132.49
2	—	1,623	137.00–139.00	138.04

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,434	133.00–136.00	134.55
9	—	1,718	140.00–153.00	143.86
9	—	2,102	161.00–170.00	165.41

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,313	120.00–133.00	125.47

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,355	132.00	132.00

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.