Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2019-04-10

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Apr 10
● Final31 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
← earliestApr 10Apr 17
Feeder Cattle receipts
270 head
270 vs last sale 0 270 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
228 head
228 vs last sale 0 228 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
145 head
145 vs last sale 0 145 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on the steers, and steady to higher undertones were noticed on the heifers. Quality was mostly plain to average this week with most feeders offered in small packages. Demand was moderate for light offerings. Market activity this week was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand, with very good demand seen at times. Offerings were light. Quality was average to attractive. Packers continue to drive the market this week as a winter storm across much of the western corn belt has packers pushing to find cows for harvest. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-4.00 higher on boning and lean cows, breaking cows were too lightly tested to trend. With packers searching for cows for immediate harvest, feeding cow buyers were forced to pay higher prices in order to secure offerings. Feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-5.00 higher on all ages of cows. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher as packers showed good demand for all slaughter offerings.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $152.16/cwt on 67 head.
Average price
$152.16
67 head · 575 lb average
Value per head Derived
$875
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$73
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$12.10/cwt at this weight
vs the market
4.41
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1576155.9689846
Medium and Large 1-2573143.8682521
One grade step is worth $12.10/cwt here — about $73 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 0–100 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 0–100 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale67 hd
152.16
MT average2 barns · 269 hd
156.58
−4.41
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

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
BullsHigh1,69575.061,27216
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,42263.0189638
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,20560.3072686
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,79059.001,0561thin

Every lot, as filed

31 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.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2766129.50/cwt129.50–129.509924
SteersMedium and Large 1-2935127.00/cwt127.00–127.001,1875
SteersMedium and Large 1-2587171.00/cwt171.00–171.001,0047
BullsLarge 11,035114.00/cwt114.00–114.001,1802
BullsLarge 11,069112.00/cwt112.00–112.001,1974
BullsMedium and Large 1955126.00/cwt126.00–126.001,2031
BullsMedium and Large 1795134.00/cwt134.00–134.001,06513
Bulls1,75087.84/cwt86.00–91.501,5373
Bulls2,09880.76/cwt77.50–84.501,6943
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1909112.18/cwt82.00–131.001,02091
SteersMedium and Large 1-2659163.00/cwt163.00–163.001,07416
SteersMedium and Large 1-2732151.36/cwt144.00–152.501,10837
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,00895.09/cwt63.00–108.0095998
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,34264.86/cwt63.00–66.5087010
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,39661.82/cwt57.00–65.508635
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,43763.77/cwt62.50–67.0091614
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2515149.00/cwt149.00–149.0076710
HeifersMedium and Large 1578156.75/cwt155.00–157.0090636
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2730133.00/cwt133.00–133.009712
CowsLean 85-90%1,06048.15/cwt47.00–49.005102
CowsLean 85-90%1,22765.78/cwt65.50–66.508077
CowsLean 85-90%1,23561.22/cwt59.00–64.5075660
HeifersMedium and Large 1710137.50/cwt137.50–137.509762
HeifersMedium and Large 1533157.00/cwt157.00–157.008378
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2473149.41/cwt149.00–150.007075
Bulls1,55769.52/cwt62.00–77.501,08210
CowsLean 85-90%1,10656.23/cwt52.00–59.5062217
CowsBoner 80-85%1,41556.00/cwt56.00–56.007922
CowsBoner 80-85%1,39666.48/cwt66.00–68.009286
CowsBoner 80-85%1,42862.78/cwt58.50–65.5089630
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,79059.00/cwt59.00–59.001,0561

How this sale compares

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.