Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2024-11-13

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Nov 13
● Final100 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
813 head
▲ 555 vs last sale 258▲ 121 vs year ago 692 · +17.5%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
1,766 head
▲ 621 vs last sale 1,145▲ 199 vs year ago 1,567 · +12.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
603 head
▼ 460 vs last sale 1,063▲ 201 vs year ago 402 · +50.0%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: All feeder cattle were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Both calf and yearling quality was average today. Moderate to good demand was seen for yearlings, however demand did diminish as buyers filled loads. Most feeders were offered in small packages or as singles. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today. Weigh up cows comprised most of todays sale. Cow quality this week was mixed from plain to very attractive. Many lame, low yielding cows continue to be seen and many were purchased to feed again this week. Packer buyers were active in buying lower yielding slightly blemished cows as well. These cows were purchased to hold for the upcoming holidays. Feeding cow demand started the sale very good but moderated as buyers filled loads. This led to wide price spreads on both boning and lean cows. High quality feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 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, but stronger than last week. Slaughter cows sold steady on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold steady to 1.00 higher. Weigh conditions were mostly average today. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to weak. Feeding bulls sold generally steady. Quality today was mostly average for bulls. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady to weak. Demand from rebreed buyers remains good to very good, however quality this week overall was not as attractive as last week. Young cow offerings were heavy.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $268.69/cwt on 92 head. That ranks 1 of 19 comparable sales and sits −126.76 against this barn's trailing median of $395.45.
Average price
$268.69
92 head · 542 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,456
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$161
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2
$28.91/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−11.32
vs MT average
+3.59 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1540271.911,46880
Large 1550249.251,3715thin
Medium 1570247.001,4085thin
Medium and Large 2538243.001,3072thin
One grade step is worth $28.91/cwt here — about $161 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 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 sale92 hd
268.69
—
MT average5 barns · 1,143 hd
280.02
−11.32
National average194 barns · 23,548 hd
265.10
+3.59
This barn, trailing median19 sales
395.45
−126.76
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—Average1,805141.962,56249
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,692119.112,01544
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,380114.331,578503
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,167108.091,261602

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)1,080$2,38919
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,217$2,33025
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,213$1,78431
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)950$1,7505
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,133$1,5002thin
Bred Heifers1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)(<2 yrs)884$1,85010

Every lot

100 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 · Steers16 lots · lightest first
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned315442.38/cwt440.00–445.001,3932
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1357380.00/cwt380.00–380.001,3577
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned389370.00/cwt370.00–370.001,4395
Steers400–450Medium 2Unweaned414295.00/cwt295.00–295.001,2216
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1428350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,49817
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned445339.80/cwt330.00–342.501,5129
Steers450–500Medium 2Unweaned465227.50/cwt227.50–227.501,0584
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned469346.68/cwt335.00–352.001,62626
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1499331.00/cwt331.00–331.001,65215
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned511324.84/cwt314.00–340.001,66019
Steers500–550Medium 1Unweaned519280.00/cwt280.00–280.001,4538
Steers500–550Large 1-2Unweaned541266.00/cwt266.00–266.001,43922
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned575290.72/cwt286.00–297.001,67246
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned576277.47/cwt267.50–280.001,59832
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned618267.28/cwt265.00–268.501,65215
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned624280.26/cwt275.00–285.001,74917
Feeder Cattle · Heifers31 lots · lightest first
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned258365.00/cwt365.00–365.009426
Heifers300–350Medium 2Unweaned342230.00/cwt230.00–230.007876
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned371322.85/cwt295.00–335.001,19814
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned400320.00/cwt320.00–320.001,2801
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned425300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,2758
Heifers400–450Medium 1Unweaned431282.50/cwt282.50–282.501,21810
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2Unweaned461270.00/cwt270.00–270.001,24511
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned467299.63/cwt297.50–300.001,39913
Heifers450–500Medium 1Unweaned475292.00/cwt292.00–292.001,3876
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned522285.23/cwt281.00–290.501,48947
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 2Unweaned538243.00/cwt243.00–243.001,3072
Heifers550–600Large 1Unweaned550249.25/cwt249.25–249.251,3715
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1554245.00/cwt245.00–245.001,3574
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned567254.03/cwt254.00–255.001,44029
Heifers550–600Medium 1Unweaned570247.00/cwt247.00–247.001,4085
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned650239.00/cwt239.00–239.001,5541
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1667235.00/cwt235.00–235.001,5673
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned720237.80/cwt229.00–241.001,71211
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1Unweaned727236.86/cwt235.00–239.001,7227
Heifers800–850Medium 1843215.00/cwt215.00–215.001,8125
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1-2866221.00/cwt215.00–226.001,91428
Heifers850–900Medium 1866214.00/cwt214.00–214.001,8535
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1868236.97/cwt235.00–239.002,0572
Heifers900–950Large 1910211.00/cwt211.00–211.001,9203
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1936227.50/cwt227.50–227.502,12925
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1963216.30/cwt215.00–220.002,08310
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1-2968213.00/cwt213.00–213.002,0627
Heifers1000–1050Medium and Large 11,024210.01/cwt207.00–214.002,15146
Heifers1050–1100Large 11,079206.49/cwt202.50–209.002,2286
Heifers1100–1150Large 11,100202.00/cwt202.00–202.002,2226
Heifers1200–1250Large 11,220197.50/cwt197.50–197.502,4102
Feeder Cattle · Bulls11 lots · lightest first
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned399345.00/cwt345.00–345.001,3774
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned486302.50/cwt302.50–302.501,4707
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned515275.00/cwt275.00–275.001,4162
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned720220.00/cwt220.00–220.001,5842
Bulls850–900Medium and Large 1885228.00/cwt228.00–228.002,0185
Bulls950–1000Medium and Large 1987221.00/cwt221.00–221.002,18138
Bulls1000–1050Medium and Large 11,010212.00/cwt212.00–212.002,1411
Bulls1050–1100Medium and Large 11,060213.00/cwt213.00–213.002,2581
Bulls1100–1150Large 11,104198.18/cwt197.50–205.002,18811
Bulls1200–1250Large 11,210175.00/cwt175.00–175.002,1181
Bulls1250–1300Large 11,265152.50/cwt152.50–152.501,9291
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls7 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Light Weight1,210107.22/cwt100.00–120.001,2973
Bulls——1,639131.74/cwt125.00–136.002,1595
Bulls——Return to Feed1,690139.47/cwt130.00–143.002,35711
Bulls——Return to Feed1,733146.32/cwt145.00–147.002,53611
Bulls——2,005148.46/cwt144.50–154.002,97717
Bulls——2,195152.00/cwt152.00–152.003,3361
Bulls——Heavy Weight2,690156.00/cwt156.00–156.004,1961
Slaughter Cattle · Cows22 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight88774.39/cwt69.00–77.006606
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight89783.16/cwt80.00–86.007465
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,00389.80/cwt84.00–94.0090125
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,10679.52/cwt72.00–84.0087927
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,147105.67/cwt93.00–112.001,212183
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,194102.00/cwt85.00–111.001,2186
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,196115.41/cwt108.50–119.501,380324
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,26691.84/cwt87.50–97.001,16323
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,288120.00/cwt120.00–120.001,5463
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,358122.40/cwt120.50–125.501,66235
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,37198.10/cwt96.00–100.001,3455
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,37885.00/cwt85.00–85.001,1712
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,379116.04/cwt109.00–120.001,600357
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,389107.36/cwt97.50–113.501,49195
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,398107.46/cwt104.00–111.001,5027
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,50593.50/cwt93.00–94.001,4072
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,580130.00/cwt130.00–130.002,0541
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,634117.66/cwt116.50–119.501,92326
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,685112.00/cwt112.00–112.001,8871
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,719110.40/cwt109.00–113.001,8983
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,808118.93/cwt118.50–121.002,1508
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,814131.40/cwt131.00–131.502,3845
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows5 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 19501,750.00/head1,750.00–1,750.001,7505
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,0802,389.05/head2,375.00–2,400.002,38919
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1331,500.00/head1,500.00–1,500.001,5002
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,2131,783.65/head1,700.00–1,800.001,78431
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2172,330.27/head2,050.00–2,500.002,33025
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows7 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed768193.69/cwt192.50–194.001,48810
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1954191.77/cwt140.00–217.501,829267
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2962167.68/cwt135.00–186.001,61313
Stock Cows—Large 1988190.60/cwt140.00–205.001,8839
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,009135.54/cwt117.50–170.001,36812
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,043158.09/cwt121.00–196.001,649114
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,314119.00/cwt119.00–119.001,5645
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium 18841,850.00/head1,850.00–1,850.001,85010

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.