Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2019-05-22

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, May 22
● Final34 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
111 head
3,083 vs last sale 3,194 111 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
62 head
1,199 vs last sale 1,261 62 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
276 head
121 vs last sale 155 276 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 and heifers were all scarcely tested this week thus no trend is available. Heavy rain has fallen over the past week and receipts were very light as a result. Demand was light to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand and offerings. Packers showed significantly lighter demand for slaughter cows this week. They passed on most cows as feeding buyers continue to show strong demand. Packers purchased mostly lame or low dressing cows this sale as most cows were higher than what packers were willing to give on a dressed basis. Cows were pushing some fill this week as cooler weather and rainy conditions continue to keep cows full. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Feeding cows sold steady to 3.00 lower as lighter demand from packers allowed feeders to buy cows lower. Slaughter bulls sold steady to weak. Young age 2-4 year olds sold with lower undertones on a limited and lower quality offering.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $131.41/cwt on 58 head.
Average price
$131.41
58 head · 711 lb average
Value per head Derived
$934
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$69
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$4.84/cwt at this weight
vs the market
1.73
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1715132.2494648
Medium and Large 1-2688127.4087710thin
One grade step is worth $4.84/cwt here — about $69 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 sale58 hd
131.41
MT average3 barns · 170 hd
133.14
−1.73
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
BullsHigh1,83085.841,57126
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,81865.501,1912thin
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,16056.9766119

Every lot, as filed

34 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 1568147.95/cwt146.00–148.5084022
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Fleshy1,3651,185.00/cwt1,185.00–1,185.0016,1756
BullsMedium and Large 1993112.00/cwt112.00–112.001,1122
BullsMedium and Large 1835117.00/cwt117.00–117.009774
BullsMedium and Large 1608149.00/cwt149.00–149.009065
BullsMedium and Large 1400167.50/cwt167.50–167.506709
BullsMedium and Large 1875118.63/cwt117.00–120.001,0389
Bulls2,09593.13/cwt90.50–95.001,9514
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2650132.00/cwt132.00–132.008583
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,30063.00/cwt63.00–63.008192
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2755105.00/cwt105.00–105.007931
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,41569.13/cwt65.00–73.5097857
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,09289.01/cwt80.00–95.0097213
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,22271.75/cwt66.50–85.0087738
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,41769.38/cwt65.00–73.0098326
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,13359.94/cwt54.00–62.0067927
SteersMedium and Large 1985117.00/cwt117.00–117.001,1522
SteersMedium and Large 1898126.00/cwt126.00–126.001,1314
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,3051,500.00/cwt1,500.00–1,500.0019,5754
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,26764.46/cwt60.00–67.0081741
CowsLean 85-90%1,26064.96/cwt64.00–66.008182
HeifersMedium and Large 1818121.00/cwt121.00–121.009902
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2893106.00/cwt106.00–106.009473
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2563140.00/cwt140.00–140.007884
HeifersMedium and Large 1732128.40/cwt127.00–131.009409
HeifersMedium and Large 1908113.00/cwt113.00–113.001,02615
Bulls1,62079.74/cwt72.00–83.501,2926
Bulls1,84386.31/cwt84.00–90.501,59116
CowsLean 85-90%1,10949.42/cwt48.00–52.005483
CowsLean 85-90%1,17757.32/cwt52.00–59.006759
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,81865.50/cwt65.50–65.501,1912
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight98051.00/cwt51.00–51.005002
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight1,15859.20/cwt58.00–60.006862
CowsLean 85-90%1,32568.00/cwt68.00–68.009011

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.