Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2024-09-18

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Sep 18
● Final95 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
966 head
▼ 141 vs last sale 1,107▼ 404 vs year ago 1,370 · −29.5%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
268 head
▼ 55 vs last sale 323▲ 48 vs year ago 220 · +21.8%
Replacement Cattle receipts
52 head
▲ 12 vs last sale 40▲ 32 vs year ago 20 · +160.0%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder calves were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. 850-899 lbs yearling steers offered the best comparison this week, selling mostly 3.00-4.00 higher. All other yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers under 800 lbs sold mostly steady to firm in a narrow comparison, while heifers over 850 lbs sold unevenly steady from 2.00 lower to 4.00 higher. Quality was mixed this week from plain to attractive. CME feeder contract positions have moved higher since last week and buyers showed mostly moderate to good demand for all offerings. Mixed quality limited demand for some weights and buyers had to pick through offerings to put together loads. A couple partial load lots of steers were seen this week, however outside of that many sets were comprised of small packages and singles. Many packages of yearlings sold off grass and were in mostly light flesh. A limited selection of backgrounded yearlings were seen and some of these offerings were fleshy. Many sets of yearlings were pushing some fill as rainy and much cooler weather was seen overnight and throughout the day. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today, with a larger buyer pool noticed compared to last sale. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light offerings. Packers showed slightly stronger demand for all offerings this week. Slaughter cows sold steady to firm on breaking and boning cows. Lean cows sold with higher undertones. Most lean cows were purchased to feed this week. Feeding cows sold with the best demand again this week. A large percentage of the cow offering was purchased to feed as most sound cows sold to feeding orders. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to firm with the biggest increase seen from low dressing cows. Cow quality was mostly average to attractive. Weigh conditions overall were average to below average. Many sets of cows were full as a colder and rainy weather pattern has been in place since last night. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 1.00 higher. Feeding bull demand was light again this sale as packer buyers were the only buyers to purchase bulls to feed. Quality today was mostly average to attractive for bulls and overall higher quality and higher yielding compared to last weeks offering. Feeding bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend, however steady to lower undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested last sale to develop any market trend. Demand for very high quality offering was mostly good.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $283.97/cwt on 58 head. That ranks 1 of 10 comparable sales and sits −170.95 against this barn's trailing median of $454.92.
Average price
$283.97
58 head · 530 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,505
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
—
single grade reported
vs the market
+5.88
vs MT average
+17.33 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1530283.971,50558
Only one grade was reported at this weight, so there is no spread to compute.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale58 hd
283.97
—
MT average3 barns · 84 hd
278.08
+5.88
National average174 barns · 10,991 hd
266.64
+17.33
This barn, trailing median10 sales
454.92
−170.95
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

10 sales
525476427379median 454.9203/1804/1506/2409/3010/21
Steers 500–600 lb: high $510.69, low $392.59, median $454.92 across 10 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 · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Bulls—Low1,788146.832,62633
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,647133.212,19449
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,407130.671,83889
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,129120.421,36077

Every lot

95 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 · Steers34 lots · lightest first
Steers200–250Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned231420.00/cwt420.00–420.009708
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned298385.00/cwt385.00–385.001,1478
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned360362.50/cwt362.50–362.501,30523
Steers350–400Medium 1-2Unweaned387345.00/cwt345.00–345.001,3357
Steers350–400Medium and Large 2Unweaned393296.85/cwt295.00–300.001,1678
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned441294.25/cwt280.00–300.001,29810
Steers450–500Medium 1-2Unweaned456245.00/cwt245.00–245.001,1178
Steers450–500Medium and Large 2Unweaned468276.00/cwt276.00–276.001,2924
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned476301.00/cwt301.00–301.001,43310
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned526285.19/cwt284.00–286.001,50053
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned574271.00/cwt271.00–271.001,5565
Steers600–650Medium 1617268.00/cwt268.00–268.001,6549
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned653236.00/cwt236.00–236.001,5412
Steers650–700Large 1Unweaned665233.00/cwt233.00–233.001,5493
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2678255.00/cwt255.00–255.001,7293
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1683269.50/cwt269.50–269.501,8418
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1Unweaned749247.00/cwt247.00–247.001,8506
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1755262.00/cwt262.00–262.001,97810
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2773245.00/cwt245.00–245.001,8943
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1-2820240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,9685
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1832245.50/cwt245.50–245.502,04310
Steers800–850Medium and Large 2842229.00/cwt229.00–229.001,9283
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1875242.61/cwt241.00–244.502,123105
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1-2885237.00/cwt237.00–237.002,0975
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy897215.00/cwt215.00–215.001,9293
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1900232.00/cwt232.00–232.002,0881
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1-2907219.56/cwt215.00–222.001,9917
Steers950–1000Medium and Large 2968185.00/cwt185.00–185.001,7914
Steers950–1000Medium and Large 1984218.72/cwt218.00–220.002,15230
Steers1000–1050Medium and Large 11,005219.00/cwt219.00–219.002,2017
Steers1000–1050Medium and Large 1-21,027203.92/cwt199.00–213.002,09417
Steers1000–1050Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,045210.00/cwt210.00–210.002,19513
Steers1050–1100Medium and Large 11,080215.50/cwt215.50–215.502,32711
Steers1150–1200Large 11,170201.00/cwt201.00–201.002,3526
Feeder Cattle · Heifers30 lots · lightest first
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned369301.43/cwt290.00–305.001,1129
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned419301.22/cwt300.00–302.001,26218
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned421277.86/cwt275.00–281.001,1706
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned478267.00/cwt267.00–267.001,2762
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned481279.01/cwt277.00–280.001,3429
Heifers500–550Medium 1-2524240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,25811
Heifers600–650Medium 1-2634248.78/cwt244.00–255.001,57723
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned650230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,4953
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2690251.81/cwt251.00–252.001,73715
Heifers700–750Medium 1710241.00/cwt241.00–241.001,7114
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1722244.75/cwt242.00–250.001,76721
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1765238.48/cwt235.50–240.001,82438
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2799221.00/cwt221.00–221.001,7665
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1814223.14/cwt219.00–227.001,81638
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2826217.58/cwt213.00–218.501,79716
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2Full835212.00/cwt212.00–212.001,7703
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1-2872216.88/cwt215.00–218.001,89116
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 2Fleshy873180.00/cwt180.00–180.001,5716
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1887219.43/cwt219.00–220.001,9467
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1Fleshy888211.00/cwt211.00–211.001,8742
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1915219.92/cwt215.00–222.002,01234
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1Fleshy930198.00/cwt198.00–198.001,8412
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1-2934212.24/cwt210.00–214.001,9829
Heifers900–950Large 1945193.00/cwt193.00–193.001,8243
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1956214.46/cwt210.50–220.002,05015
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1Fleshy985192.00/cwt192.00–192.001,89114
Heifers1000–1050Medium and Large 11,028202.00/cwt202.00–202.002,0772
Heifers1000–1050Medium and Large 1-21,040185.00/cwt185.00–185.001,9242
Heifers1050–1100Large 11,055201.00/cwt201.00–201.002,1212
Heifers1050–1100Large 1Full1,055197.00/cwt197.00–197.002,0783
Feeder Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls250–300Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned284385.00/cwt385.00–385.001,0937
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned452265.00/cwt265.00–265.001,1983
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 1-2752222.50/cwt222.50–222.501,6733
Bulls1150–1200Large 1-21,155177.50/cwt177.50–177.502,0501
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls7 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Light Weight1,165128.00/cwt128.00–128.001,4911
Bulls——Return to Feed1,368133.72/cwt125.00–144.001,8295
Bulls——Light Weight1,370120.00/cwt120.00–120.001,6441
Bulls——1,814138.30/cwt127.00–147.502,5099
Bulls——Return to Feed1,860152.00/cwt152.00–152.002,8271
Bulls——1,912155.93/cwt151.00–161.002,98113
Bulls——2,198168.35/cwt164.00–173.003,7003
Slaughter Cattle · Cows17 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight80580.00/cwt80.00–80.006441
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight990104.00/cwt104.00–104.001,0301
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,08280.92/cwt78.00–92.508765
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,100105.00/cwt105.00–105.001,1552
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,106120.58/cwt112.00–125.001,33432
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,125126.49/cwt126.00–127.001,4232
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,168131.35/cwt126.00–135.501,53427
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,193116.56/cwt113.00–120.001,3917
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,401134.21/cwt127.00–137.501,88058
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,410123.75/cwt115.00–126.501,74517
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,420122.35/cwt121.00–124.001,7377
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,435126.47/cwt125.00–131.001,8157
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,628127.75/cwt123.50–130.002,08011
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,633134.53/cwt133.00–138.002,19716
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,642136.06/cwt135.00–137.502,23417
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,739128.75/cwt128.00–130.252,2394
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,785141.50/cwt141.50–141.502,5261
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows3 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,080159.34/cwt145.00–170.001,7218
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,209145.94/cwt139.00–156.001,76431
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,235152.50/cwt152.50–152.501,8831

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.