Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2019-07-31

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Jul 31
● Final41 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
171 head
74 vs last sale 245 171 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
331 head
127 vs last sale 204 331 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
294 head
11 vs last sale 305 294 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 reported sale(7-17-19): All feeder cattle were too lightly tested last sale to develop any market trend. Limited yearling supplies are beginning to come to market. These offerings were met with mostly moderate demand. Market activity this week was moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for moderate offerings. Packers showed strong demand for cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-5.00 higher on all classes as packers pushed to fill loads. Packers also put a limited portion of cows away on feed. Most of these cows were very high quality cows that did not pencil to kill due to fill or body condition. Slaughter bulls sold on good demand as well. Bulls sold mostly 4.00-7.00 higher. Young age cows sold on light to moderate demand. Young age feeding or re-breeding cows sold steady to weak. Quality was mostly plain to average.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $136.44/cwt on 79 head.
Average price
$136.44
79 head · 877 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,197
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$197
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 1
$9.80/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+3.73
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2688146.001,0042thin
Medium and Large 1882136.201,20177
One grade step is worth $9.80/cwt here — about −$197 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 sale79 hd
136.44
MT average2 barns · 187 hd
132.71
+3.73
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
BullsHigh1,70386.221,46836
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,60765.751,05743
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,40465.20916145
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,19761.2973483

Every lot, as filed

41 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
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,08857.60/cwt55.00–60.006272
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-295563.14/cwt61.00–65.006032
SteersMedium and Large 1865135.00/cwt135.00–135.001,1683
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,40465.21/cwt61.00–70.0091626
SteersMedium and Large 1650153.50/cwt153.50–153.509989
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,41566.01/cwt63.00–68.5093474
BullsMedium and Large 1753134.00/cwt134.00–134.001,0092
BullsMedium and Large 1835128.00/cwt128.00–128.001,0691
BullsMedium and Large 1740139.00/cwt139.00–139.001,0291
BullsLarge 11,050118.00/cwt118.00–118.001,2392
Bulls2,07097.68/cwt95.00–99.002,0224
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,50769.42/cwt69.25–69.501,04616
BullsMedium and Large 1940117.00/cwt117.00–117.001,1003
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,13576.63/cwt68.50–94.0087041
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,23767.74/cwt63.00–79.0083864
SteersMedium and Large 1918133.63/cwt129.00–134.001,22737
SteersMedium and Large 1989126.46/cwt125.00–127.001,25118
SteersMedium and Large 1-2688146.00/cwt146.00–146.001,0042
SteersMedium and Large 1771148.00/cwt148.00–148.001,14110
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2765124.50/cwt124.50–124.509524
HeifersMedium and Large 1734136.00/cwt136.00–136.009985
HeifersMedium and Large 1674141.00/cwt141.00–141.009509
HeifersMedium and Large 1872124.00/cwt123.50–124.501,08115
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2713128.00/cwt128.00–128.009133
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2947110.00/cwt110.00–110.001,0423
CowsLean 85-90%1,20864.21/cwt63.00–67.0077632
CowsBoner 80-85%1,40162.44/cwt53.00–63.5087517
CowsBoner 80-85%1,40165.31/cwt64.00–68.00915122
CowsLean 85-90%1,22760.42/cwt54.00–62.0074140
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,68161.47/cwt60.00–62.501,0336
CowsBoner 80-85%1,47870.90/cwt70.00–72.001,0486
Bulls1,54476.74/cwt70.00–80.501,18511
Bulls1,71689.01/cwt83.00–92.501,52721
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,59867.85/cwt67.75–69.001,08417
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,59365.24/cwt63.00–66.501,03920
CowsLean 85-90%1,09067.74/cwt67.50–68.007382
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned309157.50/cwt157.50–157.5048710
BullsMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned304165.00/cwt165.00–165.005027
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight95456.86/cwt54.50–59.005424
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight90565.00/cwt65.00–65.005881
CowsLean 85-90%1,17647.00/cwt47.00–47.005534

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.