Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2024-08-28

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2024-08-28
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-08-28

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Aug 28

● Final74 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← Jul 31Aug 28Sep 11 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

954 head

▲ 737 vs last sale 217▲ 230 vs year ago 724 · +31.8%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

303 head

▼ 53 vs last sale 356▼ 59 vs year ago 362 · −16.3%

Replacement Cattle receipts

21 head

▼ 53 vs last sale 74▲ 4 vs year ago 17 · +23.5%

Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale (7/31/24): The last sale was nearly a month ago so no true market comparisons can be made, however lower undertones were noticed on all offerings. CME positions took a nose dive at the end of July and the market has been adjusting to lower contract prices since then. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Many packages of yearlings were seen this week with some as big as a half a load. Flesh conditions were mostly light to moderate with most consignments coming off grass. Market activity was mostly active with active bidding seen both ringside as well as over the internet. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Packers showed lighter demand for all offerings this week. Slaughter cows sold 3.00-6.00 lower on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold 5.00-10.00 lower. Additional packer buyers that had been active in the market this summer were absent this sale and all cow prices moved lower as a result. Feeding cows sold on mostly good demand. Several private feeding cow buyers were in the market this week and helped keep prices from selling off sharply. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower. Cow quality this sale was mostly average. Yielding conditions continue to deteriorate as dry conditions and big calves are pulling cow yields. Most cows were in lower body condition scores than last sale. Weigh conditions overall were mixed but most cows were pushing heavy amounts of fill. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 4.00-6.00 lower. Feeding demand caused bulls to sell unevenly at times as feeding bull buyers were mostly looking for lighter weight lower yielding bulls to put on feed and packer buyers showed strong demand for all bulls for immediate harvest. Quality today was mostly average for all bulls on offer. Feeding bulls sold steady to 4.00 lower. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand for very high quality offering was mostly good.

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 $238.00/cwt on 23 head. That ranks 1 of 19 comparable sales and sits −157.45 against this barn's trailing median of $395.45.

Average price

$238.00

23 head · 567 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,349

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$32

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 2

$5.00/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−20.50

vs MT average

−3.88 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	548	242.00	1,326	4thin
Medium 1-2	570	237.21	1,351	14thin
Medium 2	573	237.00	1,358	5thin

One grade step is worth $5.00/cwt here — about −$32 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 800–900 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 sale23 hd

238.00

—

MT average3 barns · 107 hd

258.50

−20.50

National average160 barns · 7,566 hd

241.88

−3.88

This barn, trailing median19 sales

395.45

−157.45

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	1,762	153.06	2,697	70
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,417	133.64	1,893	124
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,633	130.38	2,129	19
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,194	122.65	1,464	56
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,414	100.33	1,418	3thin

Every lot

74 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 · Steers17 lots · lightest first
Steers	300–350	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	341	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,023	7
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	425	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	1,148	2
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	508	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	1,372	21
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	528	252.00/cwt	252.00–252.00	1,331	4
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	572	252.00/cwt	252.00–252.00	1,441	6
Steers	600–650	Medium 1	610	258.00/cwt	258.00–258.00	1,574	3
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	623	252.00/cwt	252.00–252.00	1,570	19
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	685	261.98/cwt	260.00–264.00	1,795	16
Steers	750–800	Medium and Large 1	778	253.34/cwt	250.50–260.50	1,971	25
Steers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	786	243.50/cwt	243.50–243.50	1,914	4
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 1-2	815	237.90/cwt	236.00–240.00	1,939	21
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 1	824	244.80/cwt	243.75–247.00	2,017	72
Steers	850–900	Medium and Large 1-2	870	233.17/cwt	231.50–236.00	2,029	11
Steers	950–1000	Medium and Large 1	959	224.38/cwt	222.00–225.00	2,152	5
Steers	950–1000	Medium and Large 1-2	992	221.50/cwt	221.50–221.50	2,197	3
Steers	1000–1050	Medium and Large 1	1,030	220.57/cwt	220.00–222.00	2,272	7
Steers	1100–1150	Large 1	1,136	202.00/cwt	202.00–202.00	2,295	4
Feeder Cattle · Heifers20 lots · lightest first
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	384	282.50/cwt	282.50–282.50	1,085	4
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	445	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	1,202	16
Heifers	500–550	Medium 1-2	533	234.00/cwt	234.00–234.00	1,247	5
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	548	242.00/cwt	242.00–242.00	1,326	4
Heifers	550–600	Medium 2	573	237.00/cwt	237.00–237.00	1,358	5
Heifers	550–600	Medium 1-2	590	239.00/cwt	239.00–239.00	1,410	9
Heifers	650–700	Medium 1	653	248.00/cwt	248.00–248.00	1,619	14
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	715	235.50/cwt	235.00–236.00	1,684	6
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	733	238.92/cwt	238.00–241.00	1,751	14
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1	778	236.37/cwt	232.00–240.00	1,839	47
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	779	228.16/cwt	227.00–230.00	1,777	10
Heifers	800–850	Medium and Large 1	828	229.19/cwt	227.00–230.00	1,898	51
Heifers	800–850	Medium and Large 1-2	847	223.00/cwt	223.00–223.00	1,889	3
Heifers	850–900	Medium and Large 1-2	872	214.00/cwt	214.00–214.00	1,866	5
Heifers	850–900	Medium and Large 1	873	223.57/cwt	221.00–226.00	1,952	48
Heifers	900–950	Medium and Large 1	919	219.87/cwt	214.00–224.00	2,021	92
Heifers	950–1000	Medium and Large 1	971	212.67/cwt	205.50–219.00	2,065	55
Heifers	1000–1050	Large 1-2	1,010	189.14/cwt	182.00–191.00	1,910	5
Heifers	1000–1050	Medium and Large 1	1,041	197.86/cwt	197.00–198.00	2,060	14
Heifers	1050–1100	Large 1	1,070	197.37/cwt	194.00–198.50	2,112	19
Feeder Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls	150–200	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	178	225.00/head	225.00–225.00	225	3
Bulls	1000–1050	Large 1	1,043	212.50/cwt	212.50–212.50	2,216	3
Bulls	1050–1100	Large 1	1,085	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	2,279	1
Bulls	1150–1200	Large 1	1,175	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	2,350	1
Bulls	1200–1250	Large 1	1,200	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	2,280	1
Feeder Cattle · Beef/Dairy Heifers3 lots · lightest first
Beef/Dairy Heifers	700–750	Large 2	718	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,651	5
Beef/Dairy Heifers	750–800	Large 1-2	756	237.00/cwt	237.00–237.00	1,792	8
Beef/Dairy Heifers	800–850	Large 1-2	834	227.95/cwt	225.00–229.00	1,901	62
Feeder Cattle · Beef/Dairy Steers3 lots · lightest first
Beef/Dairy Steers	700–750	Large 1-2	701	255.50/cwt	255.50–255.50	1,791	6
Beef/Dairy Steers	800–850	Large 1-2	836	237.00/cwt	237.00–237.00	1,981	32
Beef/Dairy Steers	950–1000	Large 1-2	981	222.00/cwt	222.00–222.00	2,178	8
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Light Weight	1,338	128.87/cwt	125.00–133.00	1,724	2
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,534	158.56/cwt	152.00–163.00	2,432	19
Bulls	—	—	1,822	144.39/cwt	128.00–152.00	2,631	26
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,850	148.93/cwt	148.00–150.00	2,755	2
Bulls	—	—	1,878	157.48/cwt	153.00–165.00	2,957	14
Bulls	—	—	2,020	169.61/cwt	166.00–173.00	3,426	7
Slaughter Cattle · Cows15 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	910	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	1,047	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,117	124.86/cwt	124.00–125.00	1,395	8
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,161	108.73/cwt	100.00–117.00	1,262	18
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,231	121.05/cwt	119.00–124.00	1,490	7
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,250	134.09/cwt	126.00–134.50	1,676	22
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,356	125.70/cwt	115.00–132.00	1,704	16
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,405	138.12/cwt	131.00–143.00	1,941	81
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,425	114.83/cwt	107.00–122.00	1,636	15
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,438	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	2,085	4
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,508	146.56/cwt	144.00–149.00	2,210	2
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,610	112.00/cwt	112.00–112.00	1,803	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,622	129.16/cwt	121.00–133.00	2,095	13
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,642	136.55/cwt	135.00–137.00	2,242	4
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,669	129.44/cwt	127.00–133.00	2,160	6
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,765	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	2,471	1
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Cows2 lots · lightest first
Dairy Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,378	109.00/cwt	109.00–109.00	1,502	2
Dairy Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,485	83.00/cwt	83.00–83.00	1,233	1
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows3 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,028	164.70/cwt	157.00–171.00	1,693	4
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,060	141.43/cwt	139.00–144.00	1,499	2
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,129	169.54/cwt	162.00–180.00	1,914	8

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 Aug 28, 2024

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 954Last week 217Year ago 724

Slaughter CattleReceipts 303Last week 356Year ago 362

Replacement CattleReceipts 21Last week 74Year ago 17

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	700–750	715	235.00–236.00	235.50
10	750–800	779	227.00–230.00	228.16
3	800–850	847	223.00	223.00
5	850–900	872	214.00	214.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
14	700–750	733	238.00–241.00	238.92
47	750–800	778	232.00–240.00	236.37
51	800–850	828	227.00–230.00	229.19
48	850–900	873	221.00–226.00	223.57
92	900–950	919	214.00–224.00	219.87
55	950–1000	971	205.50–219.00	212.67
14	1000–1050	1,041	197.00–198.00	197.86

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	350–400	384	282.50	282.50
16	400–450	445	270.00	270.00
4	500–550	548	242.00	242.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	1000–1050	1,010	182.00–191.00	189.14

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
19	1050–1100	1,070	194.00–198.50	197.37

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
14	650–700	653	248.00	248.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	500–550	533	234.00	234.00
9	550–600	590	239.00	239.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	550–600	573	237.00	237.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	550–600	572	252.00	252.00
19	600–650	623	252.00	252.00
4	750–800	786	243.50	243.50
21	800–850	815	236.00–240.00	237.90
11	850–900	870	231.50–236.00	233.17
3	950–1000	992	221.50	221.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	300–350	341	300.00	300.00
2	400–450	425	270.00	270.00
4	500–550	528	252.00	252.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
16	650–700	685	260.00–264.00	261.98
25	750–800	778	250.50–260.50	253.34
72	800–850	824	243.75–247.00	244.80
5	950–1000	959	222.00–225.00	224.38
7	1000–1050	1,030	220.00–222.00	220.57

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
21	500–550	508	270.00	270.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	1100–1150	1,136	202.00	202.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	600–650	610	258.00	258.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per head · actual wt
3	150–200	178	225.00	225.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	1000–1050	1,043	212.50	212.50
1	1050–1100	1,085	210.00	210.00
1	1150–1200	1,175	200.00	200.00
1	1200–1250	1,200	190.00	190.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Beef/Dairy Heifers — Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	700–750	718	230.00	230.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Beef/Dairy Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	750–800	756	237.00	237.00
62	800–850	834	225.00–229.00	227.95

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Beef/Dairy Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	700–750	701	255.50	255.50
32	800–850	836	237.00	237.00
8	950–1000	981	222.00	222.00

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	8	—	1,129	162.00–180.00	169.54
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	4	—	1,028	157.00–171.00	164.70

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	2	—	1,060	139.00–144.00	141.43

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,765	140.00	140.00
1	—	1,610	112.00	112.00
13	—	1,622	121.00–133.00	129.16

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	1,356	115.00–132.00	125.70
2	—	1,508	144.00–149.00	146.56
81	—	1,405	131.00–143.00	138.12

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	910	115.00	115.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
22	—	1,250	126.00–134.50	134.09
8	—	1,117	124.00–125.00	124.86

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,642	135.00–137.00	136.55

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
18	—	1,161	100.00–117.00	108.73
7	—	1,231	119.00–124.00	121.05

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	1,425	107.00–122.00	114.83
4	—	1,438	145.00	145.00
6	—	1,669	127.00–133.00	129.44

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
26	—	1,822	128.00–152.00	144.39
14	—	1,878	153.00–165.00	157.48
7	—	2,020	166.00–173.00	169.61

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,338	125.00–133.00	128.87

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,850	148.00–150.00	148.93
19	—	1,534	152.00–163.00	158.56

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,485	83.00	83.00
2	—	1,378	109.00	109.00

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.