Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2025-03-05

Public Auction Yards

Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Mar 5
● Final65 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
← Feb 26Mar 5Mar 12 →
Slaughter Cattle receipts
683 head
▲ 131 vs last sale 552▲ 221 vs year ago 462 · +47.8%
Replacement Cattle receipts
1,704 head
▲ 1,473 vs last sale 231▲ 364 vs year ago 1,340 · +27.2%
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were not tested this week as todays sale featured bred cows, bred heifers and weigh ups. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Quality today was mixed with lots of variation seen. Quality ranged from plain to very attractive. The majority of the weigh up offerings were purchased to feed this week. Demand for fleshy cows was mostly good and stronger than last week as regional packers were back in the market and showed very good demand for cows for immediate harvest. Breaking slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher. Boning and lean cows purchased for slaughter sold generally steady. Feeding cows sold on very good demand today. Feeding cows sold generally steady on high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white, while thin short term feeding cows sold steady to 3.00 lower. The quality of cows going to feed varied greatly from buyer to buyer as several buyers were willing to take cows which were lame or slightly blemished and put them on feed or run them on wheat pasture until cow supplies tighten later in the spring and early summer. A large pool of feeding cow buyers was on hand for todays sale and market activity was mostly active as a result. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher. Most of the bull offering was comprised of fed bulls which were consigned as All Natural. Demand for slaughter bulls was very good this sale. Weigh up conditions were mixed, however a large portion of the cow offering was average to above average as many cows were sorted and run through the chute to pregnancy check prior to todays bred cow sale. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 10.00 higher, however quality this week was mostly attractive as many were the opens off of todays bred cow sale. Demand from rebreed buyers was very good this sale. Quality this week was mostly attractive to very attractive. Demand for bred cows was very good and cows sold higher than the last bred cow special on all classes. A very large crowd was on hand for todays sale with lots of Montana ranchers in the seats. Most sets of cows stayed in the state as ranchers continue to fill summer pastures. Demand for broken mouth cows was very good this sale.

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—Low1,917176.933,39168
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,568146.312,29585
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,412142.572,014186
CowsLean 85-90%High1,194132.601,583213
Dairy Bulls—Low1,425144.002,0521thin
Dairy CowsLean 85-90%Low1,413115.001,6252thin
Dairy CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,575114.001,7961thin

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)1,222$3,393151
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,323$3,19794
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,259$3,12462
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,416$3,019207
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,355$2,89916
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,390$2,86948
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,459$2,733173
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,396$2,703328
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,250$2,47018
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,266$2,1056
Bred Heifers3rd Stage (7-9 mo)(<2 yrs)1,025$3,317119
Bred Heifers2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)(<2 yrs)1,030$2,7504thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenAged (>8 yrs)1,394$3,06510
Heifer PairsOpen(<2 yrs)1,029$3,3507

Every lot

65 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
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls7 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Light Weight1,310145.00/cwt145.00–145.001,9001
Bulls——Return to Feed1,465142.51/cwt132.50–151.002,0882
Bulls——1,672152.55/cwt149.50–155.002,5513
Bulls——Natural1,919179.61/cwt175.00–181.003,44751
Bulls——Natural1,963170.27/cwt165.00–176.003,3422
Bulls——2,042170.70/cwt169.00–172.003,4863
Bulls——Natural2,194188.48/cwt188.00–190.004,1356
Slaughter Cattle · Cows20 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight89597.50/cwt97.50–97.508731
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,132119.64/cwt109.00–125.001,3549
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,15299.57/cwt87.50–105.001,1476
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,160125.56/cwt112.50–132.501,45672
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,206129.50/cwt129.00–131.001,5624
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,214138.89/cwt133.00–143.001,686102
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,270144.60/cwt144.00–147.001,83619
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,325107.00/cwt107.00–107.001,4181
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,363124.54/cwt114.00–129.501,6978
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,384140.58/cwt135.00–145.501,94668
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,413129.04/cwt124.00–132.501,82320
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,431149.59/cwt147.00–154.002,14176
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,434150.86/cwt150.00–151.002,1638
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,510150.85/cwt150.50–153.502,27848
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,565151.00/cwt151.00–151.002,3631
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,575139.67/cwt134.00–146.002,2005
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,589135.96/cwt135.00–138.002,1606
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,599142.42/cwt140.00–145.002,27712
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,693132.87/cwt131.00–137.002,2498
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,699145.68/cwt138.00–148.502,47510
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Bulls1 lot · lightest first
Dairy Bulls——1,425144.00/cwt144.00–144.002,0521
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Cows2 lots · lightest first
Dairy Cows—Lean 85-90%1,413115.00/cwt115.00–115.001,6252
Dairy Cows—Boner 80-85%1,575114.00/cwt114.00–114.001,7961
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows24 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium 11,0092,800.00/head2,800.00–2,800.002,8004
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1422,863.80/head2,800.00–2,900.002,8643
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,2092,900.00/head2,900.00–2,900.002,9007
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed1,2192,000.00/head2,000.00–2,000.002,0004
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2303,420.10/head3,100.00–3,600.003,420144
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,2362,486.10/head2,450.00–2,600.002,48613
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed1,2392,100.00/head2,100.00–2,100.002,10010
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2452,700.00/head2,700.00–2,700.002,7002
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2502,470.25/head2,300.00–2,550.002,47018
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2533,156.84/head3,000.00–3,250.003,15755
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2662,105.48/head2,000.00–2,300.002,1056
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,2802,461.53/head2,450.00–2,475.002,46238
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,2832,800.00/head2,800.00–2,800.002,8003
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,3062,865.34/head2,800.00–2,900.002,8657
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,3122,675.00/head2,675.00–2,675.002,6753
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3173,297.71/head3,000.00–3,400.003,29875
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,3222,432.79/head2,200.00–2,500.002,43327
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,3232,701.90/head2,550.00–2,750.002,7028
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3942,961.64/head2,900.00–3,050.002,96211
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,4032,902.21/head2,725.00–3,000.002,90240
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,4183,024.37/head2,800.00–3,150.003,024204
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,4242,777.48/head2,575.00–2,950.002,777259
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,4252,742.29/head2,500.00–2,925.002,74212
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,4932,796.04/head2,750.00–2,850.002,796150
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs1 lot · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,3943,064.57/head3,000.00–3,150.003,06510
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows6 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium 1755227.49/cwt225.00–231.001,7187
Stock Cows—Medium 1789221.36/cwt218.00–224.001,74713
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,022157.88/cwt147.00–180.001,6147
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,035220.17/cwt190.00–242.002,27958
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,078190.11/cwt147.00–222.502,049109
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,255146.52/cwt142.00–158.001,83915
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers3 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium 19592,833.15/head2,800.00–2,850.002,8336
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 11,0283,343.12/head3,000.00–3,450.003,343113
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 11,0302,750.00/head2,750.00–2,750.002,7504
Replacement Cattle · Heifer Pairs1 lot · lightest first
Heifer Pairs—Medium 11,0293,350.00/head3,350.00–3,350.003,3507

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.
Montana feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →