Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2024-10-16

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Oct 16
● Final96 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
580 head
▲ 143 vs last sale 437▲ 321 vs year ago 259 · +123.9%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
910 head
▲ 293 vs last sale 617▲ 19 vs year ago 891 · +2.1%
Replacement Cattle receipts
599 head
▲ 437 vs last sale 162▼ 193 vs year ago 792 · −24.4%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: All feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality was mostly plain to average today. Most feeders were offered in small packages or as singles. Demand was mostly moderate to good for light offerings. Market activity was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows comprised most of todays sale. Private feeding buyers showed good to very good demand for all cows suitable to feed. Slightly lame cows, cows with small lumps or slight blemishes were all purchased by feeding cow buyers this sale as they out bid slaughter cow buyers. Very few cows were purchased for immediate harvest this sale. Slaughter cows sold mostly 4.00-8.00 higher on breaking cows; boning and lean cows sold steady to 1.00 higher. Feeding cows sold with the best demand again this week. Feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-6.00 higher. Large gains were seen again this week for low yielding cows as buyers purchased more low yielding and blemished cows to put on feed. Bidding was very active for high quality feeding cows. A very large buyer pool was seen for feeding cows this week. Cow quality was mixed from plain to very attractive. Weigh conditions were mixed today. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher. Feeding bull sold generally steady. Quality today was mostly average to attractive for bulls and similar to last weeks offering. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 5.00 higher. Demand from rebreed buyers was mostly good. A moderate offering of bred cows was seen this sale and demand was mostly moderate to good. Notably, many sets of older heavier weight cows were just weighted as demand from feeding buyers and packers was strong enough to buy these offerings away from replacement buyers.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $265.83/cwt on 23 head. That ranks 1 of 19 comparable sales and sits −129.63 against this barn's trailing median of $395.45.
Average price
$265.83
23 head · 513 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,365
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
—
single grade reported
vs the market
−8.23
vs MT average
+8.02 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1513265.831,36523
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 sale23 hd
265.83
—
MT average5 barns · 843 hd
274.06
−8.23
National average191 barns · 21,361 hd
257.81
+8.02
This barn, trailing median19 sales
395.45
−129.63
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
478430382334median 395.4503/1104/1506/0309/0210/21
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 · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Bulls—Average1,730148.122,56259
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,630131.812,14845
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,397130.391,822308
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,183118.171,398228

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 $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,206$2,12032
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,048$1,91830
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,335$1,8754thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,267$1,81712
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,384$1,76025
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,304$1,62050
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,263$1,6002thin
Bred Heifers1st Stage (1-3 mo)(<2 yrs)1,067$2,1006
Bred Heifers1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)(<2 yrs)871$2,06517
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)1,236$3,2009
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,590$3,0008
Cow-Calf PairsOpenAged (>8 yrs)1,641$2,8007

Every lot

96 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 · Steers9 lots · lightest first
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned306416.00/cwt415.00–425.001,27310
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned370394.87/cwt392.50–400.001,46130
Steers350–400Large 1Unweaned382327.50/cwt327.50–327.501,25110
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned409350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,43210
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned549287.00/cwt287.00–287.001,57613
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned570274.50/cwt274.50–274.501,56524
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2722253.00/cwt253.00–253.001,8279
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1780260.00/cwt260.00–260.002,02814
Steers1050–1100Medium and Large 11,081219.00/cwt219.00–219.002,3678
Feeder Cattle · Heifers25 lots · lightest first
Heifers250–300Large 1-2Unweaned280340.00/cwt340.00–340.009524
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned301380.00/cwt380.00–380.001,14416
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned340355.00/cwt355.00–355.001,20714
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned359335.00/cwt335.00–335.001,20313
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Full434291.00/cwt291.00–291.001,2638
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Full485279.00/cwt279.00–279.001,35310
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned492280.00/cwt280.00–280.001,3786
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Full505262.00/cwt262.00–262.001,32315
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned529273.00/cwt273.00–273.001,4448
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Fleshy601235.00/cwt235.00–235.001,4124
Heifers650–700Medium 1-2668232.50/cwt232.50–232.501,55327
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1724245.00/cwt245.00–245.001,77414
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2794231.00/cwt231.00–231.001,8347
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 2836207.50/cwt207.50–207.501,7354
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1Full861217.00/cwt217.00–217.001,8685
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1862225.50/cwt225.50–225.501,9449
Heifers850–900Large 1875212.50/cwt212.50–212.501,8592
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1Full918210.00/cwt210.00–210.001,9282
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1-2965208.00/cwt208.00–208.002,00711
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1980213.00/cwt213.00–213.002,0871
Heifers1000–1050Medium and Large 11,008212.98/cwt211.00–213.502,1475
Heifers1000–1050Medium and Large 1Full1,041205.00/cwt205.00–205.002,1348
Heifers1050–1100Large 11,096204.87/cwt202.50–205.002,24518
Heifers1100–1150Large 11,104205.00/cwt205.00–205.002,2634
Heifers1250–1300Large 1Fleshy1,290185.00/cwt185.00–185.002,3871
Feeder Cattle · Bulls7 lots · lightest first
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned360370.00/cwt370.00–370.001,3326
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1-2Full414305.00/cwt305.00–305.001,2638
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1Full441315.00/cwt315.00–315.001,3897
Bulls850–900Medium and Large 1870222.50/cwt222.50–222.501,9361
Bulls1000–1050Medium and Large 11,020212.50/cwt212.50–212.502,1682
Bulls1050–1100Medium and Large 1-21,065190.00/cwt190.00–190.002,0241
Bulls1100–1150Large 11,115215.00/cwt215.00–215.002,3971
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls7 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,385151.00/cwt151.00–151.002,0914
Bulls——Return to Feed1,494137.52/cwt127.00–147.002,05516
Bulls——Return to Feed1,533148.79/cwt147.50–152.002,2815
Bulls——1,739143.75/cwt134.00–147.002,50016
Bulls——2,030155.64/cwt148.00–160.003,1599
Bulls——2,085166.59/cwt164.00–172.003,4734
Bulls——2,100164.77/cwt164.00–165.003,4605
Slaughter Cattle · Cows20 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight87694.60/cwt90.00–104.008295
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,03085.00/cwt85.00–85.008761
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,12099.86/cwt90.00–106.001,11826
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,158111.93/cwt101.00–118.001,29665
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,201123.60/cwt118.00–128.001,48467
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,206109.80/cwt107.00–116.001,3248
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,245122.00/cwt122.00–122.001,5191
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,247131.49/cwt127.50–145.001,64055
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,300129.00/cwt129.00–129.001,6771
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,383130.94/cwt118.00–135.001,811178
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,399109.22/cwt102.00–112.001,52812
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,403117.50/cwt113.00–121.001,64928
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,403114.16/cwt112.00–120.001,6025
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,427137.51/cwt135.00–144.001,96284
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,568130.49/cwt126.00–133.002,04618
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,613121.50/cwt121.50–121.501,9606
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,650137.01/cwt135.00–139.002,26116
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,722128.48/cwt123.00–133.002,2123
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,795139.50/cwt139.50–139.502,5041
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight2,065136.50/cwt136.50–136.502,8191
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows12 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed9551,500.00/head1,500.00–1,500.001,5004
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-29931,716.50/head1,600.00–1,850.001,7172
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,0201,900.00/head1,900.00–1,900.001,9004
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,0782,025.19/head2,000.00–2,100.002,02520
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2062,120.12/head1,800.00–2,275.002,12032
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS1,2071,800.00/head1,800.00–1,800.001,8003
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,2631,600.00/head1,600.00–1,600.001,6002
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2871,822.33/head1,800.00–1,825.001,8229
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3041,620.33/head1,550.00–1,650.001,62050
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3351,875.00/head1,875.00–1,875.001,8754
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,335122.00/cwt122.00–122.001,6291
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3841,759.83/head1,650.00–1,825.001,76025
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers3 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium 18191,817.30/head1,800.00–1,850.001,8176
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 19002,200.00/head2,200.00–2,200.002,20011
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 11,0672,100.00/head2,100.00–2,100.002,1006
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs3 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,2363,200.00/head3,200.00–3,200.003,2009
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,5903,000.00/head3,000.00–3,000.003,0008
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,6412,800.00/head2,800.00–2,800.002,8007
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows10 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed745130.00/cwt130.00–130.009691
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed807194.59/cwt192.50–199.001,5705
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed850155.00/cwt155.00–155.001,3181
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1934201.93/cwt155.00–215.001,886203
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Fancy957208.00/cwt208.00–208.001,99111
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2958161.01/cwt150.00–172.501,54211
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,048132.42/cwt130.00–135.001,3886
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,069165.62/cwt133.00–190.001,77057
Stock Cows—Large 11,230141.00/cwt141.00–141.001,7341
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,295176.00/cwt176.00–176.002,2792

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.