Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2024-11-06

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Nov 6
● Final81 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
258 head
▼ 284 vs last sale 542▲ 12 vs year ago 246 · +4.9%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
1,145 head
▲ 57 vs last sale 1,088▼ 514 vs year ago 1,659 · −31.0%
Replacement Cattle receipts
1,063 head
▲ 605 vs last sale 458▲ 297 vs year ago 766 · +38.8%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: All feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Calf quality was mostly average today. Yearling quality was average to attractive with several sets of tested open replacements seen. Most feeders were offered in small packages or as singles. Demand was mostly moderate to good for light offerings. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today. Weigh up and bred cows comprised most of todays sale. Cow quality this week was mixed from plain to very attractive. Many lame, low yielding cows were seen again this sale. Packer buyers were active in buying lower yielding slightly blemished cows to hold for the upcoming holiday. This is the fist week packers purchased short term feeding cows this fall. Demand for low dressing cows was very good this sale, these offerings sold steady to firm. More takers were seen for this class of cows this week. High quality feeding cows sold mostly 1.00-4.00 lower. Most cows were purchased to feed again this week as very few offerings were purchased for direct slaughter. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly light. Slaughter cows sold 2.00 to 5.00 lower on boning cows and lean cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Weigh conditions were mostly average today. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to weak. Feeding bulls sold generally steady as a larger portion of the bull offering was purchased to feed. Quality today was mostly average for bulls. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher. Demand from rebreed buyers was good to very good. Quality was mostly average to attractive this week and more attractive than last weeks offering. Young cow offerings were heavy. A moderate offering of bred cows sold today and demand was mostly light to moderate as quality limited demand. Bred cow quality was mostly plain to average. A large crowd was on hand for the bred cow portion of todays sale.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $234.00/cwt on 3 head. That ranks 1 of 19 comparable sales and sits −161.45 against this barn's trailing median of $395.45.
Average price
$234.00
3 head · 598 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,399
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
—
single grade reported
vs the market
−32.33
vs MT average
−24.39 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1598234.001,3993thin
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 sale3 hd
234.00
—
MT average5 barns · 839 hd
266.33
−32.33
National average194 barns · 18,518 hd
258.39
−24.39
This barn, trailing median19 sales
395.45
−161.45
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
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—Average1,693139.652,36549
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,513120.061,81775
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,371118.711,627269
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,161107.091,244302

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)1,065$2,2877
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,152$2,25998
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,409$2,07826
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,534$2,01110
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,405$1,85148
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,090$1,7449
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,296$1,669173
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,146$1,2509
Bred Heifers1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)(<2 yrs)958$2,2256
Bred Heifers2nd Stage (4-6 mo)(<2 yrs)943$2,15455

Every lot

81 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 · Steers6 lots · lightest first
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1Unweaned255480.00/cwt480.00–480.001,2241
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned309440.00/cwt440.00–440.001,3608
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned435342.50/cwt342.50–342.501,4905
Steers500–550Large 1Unweaned548270.00/cwt270.00–270.001,4802
Steers550–600Large 1Unweaned586265.00/cwt265.00–265.001,5534
Steers650–700Large 1Unweaned680236.00/cwt236.00–236.001,6051
Feeder Cattle · Heifers17 lots · lightest first
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned320367.07/cwt355.00–390.001,17514
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned361345.00/cwt345.00–345.001,24511
Heifers450–500Medium 1457296.00/cwt296.00–296.001,3535
Heifers550–600Medium 1598234.00/cwt234.00–234.001,3993
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2770240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,8483
Heifers800–850Medium 1843223.00/cwt223.00–223.001,8804
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1846242.00/cwt242.00–242.002,0474
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1876230.00/cwt230.00–230.002,0154
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1-2893232.00/cwt230.00–233.002,0723
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1913235.79/cwt231.00–237.002,1535
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1-2915223.00/cwt223.00–223.002,0401
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1995221.00/cwt221.00–221.002,1991
Heifers1000–1050Medium and Large 11,013217.76/cwt208.00–220.002,20622
Heifers1050–1100Medium and Large 1-21,090205.00/cwt205.00–205.002,2351
Heifers1100–1150Large 11,114205.00/cwt205.00–205.002,28413
Heifers1150–1200Large 11,188200.00/cwt200.00–200.002,3762
Heifers1250–1300Large 11,293185.00/cwt185.00–185.002,3922
Feeder Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned409325.00/cwt325.00–325.001,3296
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned570260.00/cwt260.00–260.001,4821
Bulls1000–1050Medium and Large 11,015210.00/cwt210.00–210.002,1321
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,590140.48/cwt124.00–144.002,23425
Bulls——1,723133.77/cwt130.00–147.002,30516
Bulls——1,888157.00/cwt157.00–157.002,9642
Bulls——1,980146.07/cwt144.00–149.002,8926
Slaughter Cattle · Cows21 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight88774.91/cwt70.00–77.506643
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight95088.49/cwt88.00–89.008412
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight98594.75/cwt94.50–95.009332
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,07378.42/cwt72.50–82.0084114
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,14284.64/cwt81.00–93.0096713
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,158100.04/cwt99.00–101.001,1582
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,164107.06/cwt96.00–112.501,246128
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,180113.17/cwt110.00–120.501,335135
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,225123.53/cwt122.50–124.001,5133
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,34597.52/cwt96.00–99.001,3122
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,361106.53/cwt100.00–111.001,45031
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,366127.36/cwt126.00–131.001,74023
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,369120.85/cwt111.00–125.001,654201
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,403114.91/cwt108.50–117.001,6126
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,438118.39/cwt115.00–124.001,70243
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,44284.00/cwt84.00–84.001,2113
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,51291.00/cwt91.00–91.001,3763
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,558128.40/cwt125.50–131.502,00012
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,576110.84/cwt107.00–114.001,74710
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,721128.73/cwt126.50–137.502,2158
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,723117.35/cwt115.00–120.002,0222
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows17 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,0321,700.00/head1,700.00–1,700.001,7005
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 21,0451,850.00/head1,850.00–1,850.001,85019
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,0652,286.99/head2,200.00–2,300.002,2877
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed1,1461,250.00/head1,250.00–1,250.001,2509
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1622,410.62/head2,300.00–2,600.002,41168
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1631,800.00/head1,800.00–1,800.001,8004
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,2161,500.00/head1,500.00–1,500.001,50019
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,2331,552.48/head1,500.00–1,625.001,55231
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2742,024.07/head1,800.00–2,250.002,02411
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3241,723.82/head1,650.00–1,850.001,724123
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,3451,796.23/head1,775.00–1,825.001,79626
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,3842,026.85/head1,850.00–2,200.002,02720
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,4352,300.00/head2,300.00–2,300.002,3003
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,4751,916.09/head1,700.00–1,925.001,91622
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,5101,700.00/head1,700.00–1,700.001,7002
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,5402,088.71/head2,000.00–2,100.002,0898
Bred Cows—Large 11,5532,200.00/head2,200.00–2,200.002,2003
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows8 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed760172.50/cwt172.50–172.501,3111
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed776190.89/cwt182.50–200.001,48120
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1915202.00/cwt162.50–220.001,848379
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2966154.58/cwt123.00–194.001,49344
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,020142.50/cwt142.50–142.501,4544
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,055155.56/cwt131.00–185.001,64155
Stock Cows—Large 11,178143.50/cwt130.50–171.001,6903
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,242142.19/cwt135.00–186.001,7668
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers5 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium 1Non-Legible BANGS8602,200.00/head2,200.00–2,200.002,20013
Bred Heifers—Large 1-29461,900.00/head1,900.00–1,900.001,90017
Bred Heifers—Medium 19582,225.00/head2,225.00–2,225.002,2256
Bred Heifers—Medium 19592,303.18/head2,100.00–2,350.002,30321
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 1-21,1192,300.00/head2,300.00–2,300.002,3004

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.