Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2019-05-08

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, May 8
● Final50 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
272 head
94 vs last sale 366 272 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
155 head
87 vs last sale 242 155 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
683 head
373 vs last sale 310 683 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers were too lightly tested this week to develop any market trend. Feeder heifers were too lightly tested to trend as well however steady undertones were noticed. Quality this week was plain to average. Buyers purchased cattle on mostly light demand and offerings. CME positions lost significant ground again today as contracts traded with triple digit losses. The May contract closed 1.525 lower to settle at 135.775 while the August closed 1.725 lower to settle at 143.875. Market activity this week was mostly slow. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand again this week. Feeding buyers continue to drive the market as they search for cows to fill pens. Feeding buyers purchased the majority of the cow offering today as they out bid packers for most offerings suitable to feed. Feeding cows sold mostly 1.00-4.00 higher this week. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold 1.00-2.00 higher. All cows and bulls were pushing moderate to heavy amounts of fill this week. 2-3 year olds sold mostly 2.00-5.00 lower as lighter feeding demand pressured these offerings lower.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $139.87/cwt on 134 head.
Average price
$139.87
134 head · 638 lb average
Value per head Derived
$892
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$28
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$4.12/cwt at this weight
vs the market
1.38
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1638140.12894126
Medium and Large 1-2637136.008668thin
One grade step is worth $4.12/cwt here — about $28 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 sale134 hd
139.87
MT average3 barns · 1,807 hd
141.25
−1.38
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
BullsLow1,81585.631,55444
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,41368.3796618
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,58064.001,0112thin
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,18160.7371757

Every lot, as filed

50 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 1Fleshy950111.00/cwt111.00–111.001,0559
SteersMedium and Large 1Fleshy871126.50/cwt126.50–126.501,10210
SteersLarge 1Fleshy1,016120.50/cwt120.50–120.501,2244
HeifersMedium and Large 1Full847119.00/cwt119.00–119.001,0087
BullsLarge 11,140108.00/cwt108.00–108.001,2313
BullsLarge 11,083109.00/cwt109.00–109.001,1806
BullsMedium and Large 1945116.00/cwt116.00–116.001,0962
BullsMedium and Large 2575143.00/cwt143.00–143.008224
BullsMedium and Large 2541145.00/cwt145.00–145.007848
Bulls1,68679.74/cwt70.50–83.501,34412
Stock CowsMedium and Large 197798.06/cwt85.00–110.00958122
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,07586.62/cwt69.00–103.00931135
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,27169.67/cwt66.50–74.5088692
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,22559.25/cwt58.00–60.007265
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,00389.96/cwt87.00–90.5090212
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,22364.75/cwt64.50–65.0079217
SteersMedium and Large 1-2525157.00/cwt157.00–157.008242
SteersMedium and Large 1-2633158.25/cwt157.50–159.001,0022
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,4221,435.00/cwt1,435.00–1,435.0020,4065
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2721,506.33/cwt1,400.00–1,535.0019,1619
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,32665.36/cwt61.00–69.5086788
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,42368.60/cwt64.00–73.0097651
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2613136.00/cwt136.00–136.008342
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2729128.49/cwt128.00–129.009374
SteersMedium and Large 1-2860129.00/cwt129.00–129.001,1092
SteersMedium and Large 1621164.92/cwt163.00–168.001,0246
SteersMedium and Large 1476182.87/cwt179.00–187.5087011
SteersMedium and Large 1724151.19/cwt151.00–153.001,09521
HeifersMedium and Large 1731130.62/cwt128.50–131.0095513
HeifersMedium and Large 1517150.22/cwt150.00–151.0077714
HeifersMedium and Large 1460155.55/cwt155.50–156.0071621
HeifersMedium and Large 1661138.51/cwt134.00–143.2591626
HeifersMedium and Large 1625143.00/cwt143.00–143.0089433
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2475151.00/cwt151.00–151.007172
CowsBoner 80-85%1,41670.03/cwt69.00–71.009929
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,56561.00/cwt61.00–61.009551
CowsBoner 80-85%1,40563.00/cwt63.00–63.008851
CowsLean 85-90%1,23865.51/cwt64.00–67.0081120
CowsLean 85-90%1,35770.30/cwt69.50–71.009544
HeifersMedium and Large 1557145.00/cwt145.00–145.008083
Bulls1,96688.16/cwt84.00–93.001,73320
Bulls2,05195.03/cwt93.50–98.501,9498
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,59567.00/cwt67.00–67.001,0691
CowsLean 85-90%1,12749.22/cwt47.00–53.005554
CowsLean 85-90%1,15757.98/cwt54.00–65.5067126
CowsBoner 80-85%1,41167.17/cwt65.50–68.509488
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3381,150.00/cwt1,150.00–1,150.0015,3874
BullsLight Weight97471.84/cwt67.00–76.007004
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight88553.50/cwt53.50–53.504731
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight84056.14/cwt55.00–57.504722

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.