Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2024-12-04

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Dec 4
● Final104 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
626 head
▲ 275 vs last sale 351▲ 281 vs year ago 345 · +81.4%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
950 head
▲ 677 vs last sale 273▼ 170 vs year ago 1,120 · −15.2%
Replacement Cattle receipts
435 head
▲ 234 vs last sale 201▲ 102 vs year ago 333 · +30.6%
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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 higher undertones were noticed. Quality was mostly plain to average today. Most feeders were offered in small packages or as singles. Demand for limited feeders was good to very good. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today with a large pool of buyers both ringside as well as over the internet actively bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows comprised most of the sale today. Demand was mostly good to very good for heavy offerings. A very large pool of cow buyers were on hand for todays sale as 12 buyers were active in buying cows both ringside as well as over the internet. Cow quality this sale was mostly average to attractive. Most cows were purchased to go to feed in some capacity. High quality feeding cows, suitable to feed to premium white sold mostly 4.00-6.00 higher. Thin, short term feeding cows which were purchased to feed for the holidays sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher. Many low yielding, slightly lame, or slightly blemished cows were purchased for this purpose. Slaughter cow demand was stronger today as buyers showed need for cows for immediate harvest, however very few cows were purchased to slaughter as a large pool of feeding cow buyers pushed cow prices above slaughter orders. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all classes. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 7.00-11.00 higher. Packer and feeding buyers both showed good demand for all bulls on offer. Feeding bulls sold mostly 5.00-8.00 higher. Bull quality was average to very attractive today and much more attractive than the last few sales. Weigh up conditions were mostly average today for both cows and bulls. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher. Front end high quality offerings sold higher while the bulk of the offering sold fully steady. Demand from rebreed buyers remains good to very good, especially for light weight offerings. Quality this week was average to attractive.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $319.18/cwt on 128 head. That ranks 1 of 10 comparable sales and sits −135.74 against this barn's trailing median of $454.92.
Average price
$319.18
128 head · 547 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,744
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$530
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 2
$86.33/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−0.77
vs MT average
−6.19 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1537336.331,80751
Medium and Large 1-2548315.501,73061
Medium 1588288.001,69312thin
Medium 2511250.001,2784thin
One grade step is worth $86.33/cwt here — about $530 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 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 sale128 hd
319.18
—
MT average3 barns · 317 hd
319.95
−0.77
National average187 barns · 33,494 hd
325.37
−6.19
This barn, trailing median10 sales
454.92
−135.74
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—Average1,822144.232,62769
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,658121.212,01026
CowsBoner 80-85%Very Low1,391121.031,684280
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,165113.541,322222

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 Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,177$2,32420
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,029$2,2006
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,363$2,16117
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)905$2,0501thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,252$1,9506
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,346$1,93916
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,315$1,7501thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,235$1,70212
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,246$1,61930

Every lot

104 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 · Steers29 lots · lightest first
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1Unweaned280510.00/cwt510.00–510.001,4281
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned290490.00/cwt490.00–490.001,4215
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned361431.49/cwt420.00–445.001,5589
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1371440.00/cwt440.00–440.001,6324
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2392417.50/cwt417.50–417.501,6375
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1406427.50/cwt427.50–427.501,7365
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned413381.79/cwt375.00–389.001,5772
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned440395.00/cwt395.00–395.001,7383
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed454412.00/cwt412.00–412.001,87015
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned463347.50/cwt347.50–347.501,6092
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1464388.00/cwt388.00–388.001,8004
Steers450–500Large 1Unweaned478325.00/cwt325.00–325.001,5543
Steers450–500Medium 2Unweaned478260.00/cwt260.00–260.001,2434
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned495364.00/cwt364.00–364.001,8024
Steers500–550Medium 2Unweaned511250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,2784
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1513352.39/cwt340.00–353.001,80821
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2520327.77/cwt325.00–330.001,70418
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned523343.11/cwt342.50–347.501,7948
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned525325.09/cwt322.00–328.001,70720
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned563320.40/cwt320.00–322.001,80410
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1568317.00/cwt317.00–317.001,80112
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2577290.00/cwt290.00–290.001,6733
Steers550–600Medium 1Unweaned588288.00/cwt288.00–288.001,69312
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned593298.70/cwt297.50–299.001,77120
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned603294.50/cwt294.50–294.501,77613
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned672274.00/cwt274.00–274.001,8413
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1Full692266.00/cwt266.00–266.001,84112
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1-2844248.00/cwt248.00–248.002,0934
Steers1000–1050Medium and Large 11,020230.00/cwt230.00–230.002,3461
Feeder Cattle · Heifers26 lots · lightest first
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1-2290388.23/cwt360.00–400.001,12619
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 2Unweaned337305.00/cwt305.00–305.001,0283
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2Unweaned391310.00/cwt310.00–310.001,21213
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned420314.22/cwt310.00–316.001,3207
Heifers400–450Medium 1420300.49/cwt300.00–301.001,2626
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned467322.01/cwt321.00–323.001,5049
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1487333.00/cwt333.00–333.001,62232
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1502317.00/cwt317.00–317.001,5913
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned539291.29/cwt291.00–291.501,57024
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned573279.00/cwt279.00–279.001,59910
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned633257.50/cwt257.50–257.501,6303
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned660252.50/cwt252.50–252.501,6674
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned660250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,6502
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2788247.50/cwt247.50–247.501,9508
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1825236.00/cwt236.00–236.001,9471
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2840231.00/cwt231.00–231.001,9402
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1888236.00/cwt236.00–236.002,0963
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1913229.24/cwt224.00–231.002,0934
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1Full931220.00/cwt220.00–220.002,0485
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1980221.25/cwt220.00–222.502,1688
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1-2993205.28/cwt200.00–210.502,0386
Heifers1000–1050Medium and Large 11,038214.17/cwt212.50–215.002,2236
Heifers1050–1100Large 11,060212.50/cwt212.50–212.502,2531
Heifers1100–1150Large 1-21,110193.00/cwt193.00–193.002,1421
Heifers1150–1200Large 1-21,177180.00/cwt180.00–180.002,1193
Heifers1200–1250Large 1-21,200187.00/cwt187.00–187.002,2442
Feeder Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned612272.50/cwt272.50–272.501,6683
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1Unweaned709241.26/cwt240.00–245.001,7114
Bulls950–1000Medium and Large 1985222.50/cwt222.50–222.502,1922
Bulls1100–1150Large 11,137210.00/cwt210.00–210.002,38810
Bulls1200–1250Large 11,237179.16/cwt172.50–192.502,2163
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,543137.45/cwt132.00–143.502,12114
Bulls——Return to Feed1,793147.57/cwt146.00–149.502,6462
Bulls——1,811135.02/cwt120.00–146.502,44520
Bulls——1,904151.34/cwt147.00–155.002,88226
Bulls——2,049159.01/cwt157.00–160.003,2586
Bulls——2,485143.00/cwt143.00–143.003,5541
Slaughter Cattle · Cows18 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight84080.65/cwt77.50–85.006772
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight880100.00/cwt100.00–100.008801
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,134108.25/cwt97.50–114.001,22868
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,15282.97/cwt72.00–91.0095615
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,15995.25/cwt90.00–103.001,1047
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,184120.02/cwt114.00–125.001,421102
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,211127.08/cwt125.00–132.501,53927
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,378129.56/cwt127.00–132.001,78549
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,387122.19/cwt115.00–128.501,695176
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,39091.08/cwt86.00–95.001,2663
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,411100.16/cwt96.00–101.501,4134
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,415111.39/cwt93.00–115.501,57643
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,453114.06/cwt110.50–117.001,6575
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,550119.06/cwt115.00–120.001,8456
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,552115.60/cwt113.00–116.501,7948
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,743125.22/cwt121.50–128.502,1839
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,840130.21/cwt129.50–131.002,3962
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight2,035125.00/cwt125.00–125.002,5441
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows13 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 19052,050.00/head2,050.00–2,050.002,0501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-29882,036.09/head1,950.00–2,100.002,0363
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,0292,200.00/head2,200.00–2,200.002,2006
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1031,500.00/head1,500.00–1,500.001,5008
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2102,374.40/head2,300.00–2,400.002,37417
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2141,775.00/head1,775.00–1,775.001,7755
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2501,650.00/head1,650.00–1,650.001,6507
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2521,950.00/head1,950.00–1,950.001,9506
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,2711,599.70/head1,500.00–1,650.001,60017
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3151,750.00/head1,750.00–1,750.001,7501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3461,938.81/head1,850.00–1,985.001,93916
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3632,160.69/head2,050.00–2,200.002,16117
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3901,875.00/head1,875.00–1,875.001,8755
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows7 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium 1745170.00/cwt170.00–170.001,2671
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed860145.00/cwt145.00–145.001,2471
Stock Cows—Large 1915155.00/cwt155.00–155.001,4181
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2944138.10/cwt119.00–155.001,3046
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1954199.71/cwt131.50–232.001,905181
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2995159.91/cwt132.50–195.001,59115
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,013171.34/cwt126.50–203.001,73682

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.