Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2024-11-20

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Nov 20
● Final102 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
579 head
▼ 234 vs last sale 813▲ 337 vs year ago 242 · +139.3%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
1,007 head
▼ 759 vs last sale 1,766▲ 302 vs year ago 705 · +42.8%
Replacement Cattle receipts
685 head
▲ 82 vs last sale 603▲ 497 vs year ago 188 · +264.4%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: All feeder cattle were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Both calf and yearling quality was average today. Most feeders were offered in small packages or as singles. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today. Buyers were active both ringside as well as over the internet bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows comprised most of todays sale. Cow quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Packer buyers showed lighter demand for all cows this week, while private buyers showed good to very good demand for all cows suitable to feed. Many lame, low yielding cows continue to be seen and many were purchased to feed again this week. Packer buyers showed lighter demand for short term feeding cows this week which allowed prices to slide lower. Feeding cow demand was good and stayed good throughout todays sale. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 higher on high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white. Thin feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-5.00 lower. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly light. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 lower on breaking cows; boning and lean cows sold 2.00 to 5.00 lower. Weigh conditions were mostly average today. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00 to 6.00 lower. Demand from packer buyers was significantly lighter this week which allowed all bull prices to slide lower. Quality today was mostly average for bulls. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher. Demand from rebreed buyers remains good to very good, especially for light weight offerings. Quality this week was average to attractive. Buyers showed lighter demand for heavy weight young cows this week especially 3 to 4 year old cows. Buyers pushed these cows just out of reach of feeding buyers but gave little premium above feeding cow price. Many of these cows were purchased to feed, pregnancy check or use as receipt cows in E.T. programs.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $256.30/cwt on 51 head. That ranks 1 of 19 comparable sales and sits −139.15 against this barn's trailing median of $395.45.
Average price
$256.30
51 head · 551 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,412
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
—
single grade reported
vs the market
−27.67
vs MT average
−10.75 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1551256.301,41251
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 sale51 hd
256.30
—
MT average5 barns · 1,176 hd
283.98
−27.67
National average196 barns · 21,141 hd
267.05
−10.75
This barn, trailing median19 sales
395.45
−139.15
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—Low1,775135.292,40252
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,623117.301,90416
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,385114.541,586350
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,172104.411,223255
Dairy CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,45293.571,3597thin
Dairy CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,95083.001,6191thin

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 Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,565$2,4001thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,068$2,3505
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,101$2,28135
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,387$2,0503thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,190$1,9003thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,092$1,8005
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,247$1,6339
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,395$1,6251thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,338$1,6007

Every lot

102 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 · Steers14 lots · lightest first
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned335440.00/cwt440.00–440.001,4741
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned359458.00/cwt458.00–458.001,64425
Steers350–400Medium 1Unweaned366390.00/cwt390.00–390.001,4278
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1408392.50/cwt392.50–392.501,6014
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned421357.50/cwt357.50–357.501,5058
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned430378.41/cwt360.00–395.001,62728
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned478345.57/cwt341.00–346.001,65212
Steers450–500Medium 1Unweaned497332.00/cwt332.00–332.001,6503
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned500320.00/cwt320.00–320.001,6002
Steers500–550Medium 1539307.00/cwt307.00–307.001,65513
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned560295.50/cwt290.00–301.001,6552
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned573284.66/cwt284.00–285.001,6313
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned616279.00/cwt279.00–279.001,7195
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned665261.00/cwt261.00–261.001,7363
Feeder Cattle · Heifers26 lots · lightest first
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned328334.15/cwt330.00–335.001,09617
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned356354.31/cwt340.00–360.001,26114
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1382337.50/cwt337.50–337.501,2896
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned396316.56/cwt316.00–320.001,2547
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1410317.50/cwt317.50–317.501,3024
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned411322.50/cwt322.50–322.501,32530
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned415305.00/cwt305.00–305.001,2661
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned458299.00/cwt299.00–299.001,36926
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned470304.00/cwt304.00–304.001,4291
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned512275.00/cwt275.00–275.001,4083
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Full536257.50/cwt257.50–257.501,38018
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned557261.74/cwt250.00–263.001,45821
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Full579235.00/cwt235.00–235.001,3619
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned622245.57/cwt245.00–246.001,5277
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned658240.50/cwt240.50–240.501,5829
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2728236.00/cwt236.00–236.001,7188
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2797230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,8333
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2831224.75/cwt223.00–226.001,8684
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1838230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,9272
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1-2858222.99/cwt221.00–225.001,9132
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1905215.00/cwt215.00–215.001,9461
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1968214.00/cwt214.00–214.002,0723
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1-2968205.00/cwt205.00–205.001,9846
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1Full988204.50/cwt204.50–204.502,0203
Heifers1000–1050Medium and Large 11,020204.22/cwt202.00–208.002,0838
Heifers1200–1250Large 11,211188.50/cwt188.50–188.502,28313
Feeder Cattle · Bulls9 lots · lightest first
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned318445.00/cwt445.00–445.001,4154
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned391401.13/cwt400.00–402.501,56813
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2Full475260.00/cwt260.00–260.001,2354
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned520316.07/cwt306.00–325.001,64428
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned580286.00/cwt286.00–286.001,65920
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1Unweaned704237.00/cwt237.00–237.001,6687
Bulls1100–1150Large 11,107197.00/cwt197.00–197.002,1813
Bulls1150–1200Medium and Large 1Full1,178185.00/cwt185.00–185.002,1792
Bulls1200–1250Large 11,205172.50/cwt172.50–172.502,0791
Feeder Cattle · Dairy Steers2 lots · lightest first
Dairy Steers650–700Large 3666130.00/cwt130.00–130.008667
Dairy Steers850–900Large 3888110.00/cwt110.00–110.009774
Feeder Cattle · Dairy Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Dairy Heifers900–950Large 394095.00/cwt95.00–95.008932
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,489129.85/cwt122.50–135.001,9336
Bulls——Return to Feed1,620140.29/cwt139.50–142.502,2733
Bulls——Return to Feed1,655125.00/cwt125.00–125.002,0691
Bulls——1,827140.54/cwt136.00–143.002,56824
Bulls——1,828129.06/cwt114.00–136.002,35917
Bulls——1,950143.00/cwt143.00–143.002,7891
Slaughter Cattle · Cows20 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight86080.00/cwt80.00–80.006881
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight920101.56/cwt95.00–107.509342
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight99062.50/cwt62.50–62.506191
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,07286.90/cwt85.00–89.009329
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,12877.85/cwt73.00–82.5087812
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,13497.42/cwt88.00–108.001,10565
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,18899.98/cwt95.50–105.001,1882
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,198113.97/cwt108.50–118.001,365144
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,22985.13/cwt84.00–93.001,04619
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,33590.00/cwt90.00–90.001,2021
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,381117.08/cwt108.00–121.501,617278
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,383104.76/cwt94.00–114.001,44957
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,392122.90/cwt122.00–124.501,7115
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,444104.71/cwt102.00–108.001,5124
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,51490.35/cwt89.00–92.501,3684
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,538117.00/cwt117.00–117.001,7998
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,570117.49/cwt116.50–118.001,8453
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,78584.00/cwt84.00–84.001,4991
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,787111.63/cwt106.00–116.001,9953
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,800126.76/cwt125.50–128.002,2822
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Cows3 lots · lightest first
Dairy Cows—Boner 80-85%1,41192.00/cwt92.00–92.001,2986
Dairy Cows—Boner 80-85%1,700103.00/cwt103.00–103.001,7511
Dairy Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,95083.00/cwt83.00–83.001,6191
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows13 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,0621,400.00/head1,400.00–1,400.001,4003
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,0682,350.00/head2,350.00–2,350.002,3505
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,0702,067.76/head1,950.00–2,200.002,0683
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,0921,800.00/head1,800.00–1,800.001,8005
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1042,301.14/head2,100.00–2,450.002,30132
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1901,900.00/head1,900.00–1,900.001,9003
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3381,600.00/head1,600.00–1,600.001,6007
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3391,749.52/head1,625.00–1,800.001,7506
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,360116.00/cwt116.00–116.001,5781
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,361106.00/cwt106.00–106.001,4434
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3872,050.00/head2,050.00–2,050.002,0503
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3951,625.00/head1,625.00–1,625.001,6251
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,5652,400.00/head2,400.00–2,400.002,4001
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows8 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed750130.00/cwt130.00–130.009752
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed860165.00/cwt165.00–165.001,4196
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2894167.18/cwt125.00–197.501,49533
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1924194.69/cwt141.00–220.501,799404
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,089120.77/cwt115.00–140.001,31518
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,108149.80/cwt120.00–179.501,66044
Stock Cows—Large 11,310130.00/cwt130.00–130.001,7033
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,343127.88/cwt124.50–131.001,7172

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.