Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2025-01-29

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Jan 29
● Final109 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
2,158 head
▲ 2,082 vs last sale 76▲ 154 vs year ago 2,004 · +7.7%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
400 head
▲ 290 vs last sale 110▼ 141 vs year ago 541 · −26.1%
Replacement Cattle receipts
133 head
▲ 64 vs last sale 69▼ 7 vs year ago 140 · −5.0%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: All feeder cattle were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Demand was very good for light to moderate offerings. Quality today was mixed from plain to attractive. Several sets of backgrounded cattle were seen this week. Flesh conditions were mixed with some cattle which were turned out on pasture and hay meadows were in very light flesh, while most backgrounded cattle were in moderate flesh. Cattle were offered in all size packages this week. Demand was good for all classes and all package sizes as buyers put together loads. A large buyer pool was seen this week as todays sale featured feeder cattle. Market activity was active with many buyers actively filling loads. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand today. Packer buyers were very aggressive as they purchased cows to feed and for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold mostly 4.00-6.00 higher on breaking cows. Boning cows sold steady to 3.00 higher. Lean cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 on all classes. Very good demand was seen for feeding cows this week. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Demand for slaughter bulls was mostly good this sale. Bull quality was average to attractive today. Weigh up conditions were mixed. Buyers showed very good demand for feeding cows and were less concerned about fill and more about quality this week. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Demand from both rebreed buyers and feeders continues to be very good. Quality this week was average to attractive. Many young cows were purchased to return to the country to feed.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $366.35/cwt on 353 head. That ranks 1 of 10 comparable sales and sits −88.56 against this barn's trailing median of $454.92.
Average price
$366.35
353 head · 542 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,987
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$242
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1
$75.68/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+3.87
vs MT average
+17.69 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1540376.682,033247
Medium and Large 1-2531351.811,87064
Medium 1566340.001,92426
Medium and Large 2590312.001,84110thin
Large 1595301.001,7916thin
One grade step is worth $75.68/cwt here — about $242 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 sale353 hd
366.35
—
MT average3 barns · 747 hd
362.48
+3.87
National average177 barns · 23,098 hd
348.66
+17.69
This barn, trailing median10 sales
454.92
−88.56
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—High2,118161.713,42413
CowsPremium White 65-75%Average1,807150.042,7117thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,579144.672,28447
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,342138.981,866189
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,148125.911,446115

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/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,240$2,6004thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,139$2,3584thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,128$2,1705
Bred Heifers2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)(<2 yrs)1,130$2,4003thin

Every lot

109 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
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2320420.00/cwt420.00–420.001,3441
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2384431.38/cwt430.00–432.001,65627
Steers400–450Medium and Large 2415372.50/cwt372.50–372.501,54610
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2441394.26/cwt380.00–405.001,7397
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1445420.00/cwt420.00–420.001,8692
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1468406.46/cwt391.00–423.501,90235
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2469372.91/cwt363.00–390.001,74933
Steers450–500Medium 2484290.00/cwt290.00–290.001,4044
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed500403.00/cwt403.00–403.002,0157
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1511390.18/cwt376.00–396.001,994105
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2513363.05/cwt352.50–375.001,86245
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1564364.82/cwt345.00–372.002,058135
Steers550–600Medium 1566340.00/cwt340.00–340.001,92426
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2575325.18/cwt313.00–336.001,87019
Steers550–600Medium and Large 2590312.00/cwt312.00–312.001,84110
Steers550–600Large 1595301.00/cwt301.00–301.001,7916
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1620337.64/cwt331.00–341.002,093174
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2622318.13/cwt314.00–323.001,97941
Steers650–700Large 1-2661276.00/cwt276.00–276.001,8247
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2670308.39/cwt285.00–313.002,06667
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1672315.71/cwt309.00–328.002,12276
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1Full693294.00/cwt294.00–294.002,0374
Steers650–700Large 1698305.00/cwt305.00–305.002,1294
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1714301.60/cwt290.00–309.002,153136
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2748285.00/cwt285.00–285.002,1322
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1769286.47/cwt284.00–293.002,20332
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1811282.00/cwt282.00–282.002,2874
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1861273.71/cwt271.00–274.002,35721
Steers1200–1250Large 11,219216.00/cwt216.00–216.002,6339
Feeder Cattle · Heifers34 lots · lightest first
Heifers300–350Large 1-2330345.00/cwt345.00–345.001,1393
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2345375.00/cwt375.00–375.001,2945
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1354397.50/cwt397.50–397.501,40711
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2376344.16/cwt340.00–352.501,2946
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2386374.15/cwt372.50–385.001,44426
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1430362.38/cwt360.00–376.001,55829
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2442340.79/cwt330.00–355.001,50612
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1473350.59/cwt347.00–364.001,65833
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2475331.56/cwt305.00–341.001,57527
Heifers450–500Medium 1493307.50/cwt307.50–307.501,5164
Heifers500–550Medium 1518312.17/cwt309.00–326.001,61748
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1519334.73/cwt327.50–351.001,737101
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 2524282.50/cwt282.50–282.501,4805
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2542307.34/cwt299.00–320.001,66611
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Replacement574323.00/cwt323.00–323.001,85423
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1575315.87/cwt308.00–323.001,81632
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2578303.99/cwt303.00–305.001,7578
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1613300.79/cwt288.00–309.001,844184
Heifers600–650Large 1621284.73/cwt283.00–287.001,76814
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2626273.79/cwt273.00–275.001,7145
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1679276.07/cwt274.00–285.001,87520
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2699266.00/cwt266.00–266.001,85915
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1Fancy726278.00/cwt278.00–278.002,01812
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1740268.84/cwt265.50–271.001,98918
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1Fancy770269.50/cwt269.50–269.502,07529
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1808264.69/cwt259.00–267.002,1397
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1-2863229.00/cwt229.00–229.001,9763
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1895241.00/cwt241.00–241.002,1574
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1915241.00/cwt241.00–241.002,2051
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1-2940226.00/cwt226.00–226.002,1243
Heifers1000–1050Medium and Large 11,020227.50/cwt224.00–231.002,3212
Heifers1000–1050Medium and Large 1-21,025220.00/cwt220.00–220.002,2553
Heifers1050–1100Medium and Large 1-21,075212.35/cwt210.00–216.002,2835
Heifers1100–1150Large 11,146212.00/cwt212.00–212.002,4304
Feeder Cattle · Bulls10 lots · lightest first
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1417390.00/cwt390.00–390.001,6263
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1485385.00/cwt385.00–385.001,8671
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1-2527310.00/cwt310.00–310.001,6349
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1572303.76/cwt301.00–315.001,73810
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1-2595285.00/cwt285.00–285.001,69612
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1687285.00/cwt285.00–285.001,9588
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 1770254.00/cwt254.00–254.001,9562
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 1800256.00/cwt256.00–256.002,0481
Bulls1000–1050Medium and Large 11,003225.00/cwt225.00–225.002,2574
Bulls1050–1100Medium and Large 11,076222.31/cwt220.00–224.002,3927
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,694140.84/cwt139.00–145.002,3863
Bulls——2,053160.87/cwt155.00–166.003,3034
Bulls——2,355178.42/cwt175.00–182.004,2023
Bulls——2,390167.00/cwt167.00–167.003,9913
Slaughter Cattle · Cows19 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight80597.50/cwt97.50–97.507851
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,068120.27/cwt119.00–122.001,2849
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,130119.00/cwt105.00–122.501,34534
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,157112.18/cwt108.00–115.001,2987
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,161128.07/cwt123.50–136.001,48742
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,197140.41/cwt138.00–145.001,68122
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,331146.57/cwt142.00–149.501,95161
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,337137.56/cwt131.00–143.001,839105
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,345142.49/cwt138.00–145.001,9165
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,376123.34/cwt122.00–125.001,6977
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,418102.76/cwt102.00–103.001,4574
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,442127.88/cwt126.00–130.001,8447
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,515147.23/cwt147.00–149.002,23118
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,557148.44/cwt146.50–149.502,3118
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,627143.42/cwt135.00–146.002,33316
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,663128.82/cwt123.00–133.002,1423
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,733140.23/cwt136.00–145.002,4302
Cows—Premium White 65-75%1,753150.05/cwt149.00–150.502,6306
Cows—Premium White 65-75%Heavy Weight2,130150.00/cwt150.00–150.003,1951
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows3 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1282,170.30/head2,150.00–2,200.002,1705
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1392,357.77/head2,200.00–2,500.002,3584
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2402,600.00/head2,600.00–2,600.002,6004
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows9 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium 1Thin Fleshed734172.50/cwt172.50–172.501,2665
Stock Cows—Medium 1775185.00/cwt185.00–185.001,4342
Stock Cows—Large 1833187.50/cwt187.50–187.501,5623
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2858151.99/cwt150.00–152.501,3045
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2993180.57/cwt163.00–191.001,7937
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1997206.10/cwt162.50–219.002,05549
Stock Cows—Large 1-21,008154.00/cwt154.00–154.001,5524
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,093163.41/cwt142.00–192.501,78626
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,243157.00/cwt157.00–157.001,9526
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 11,1302,400.00/head2,400.00–2,400.002,4003

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.