Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2019-08-14

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Aug 14
● Final50 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
363 head
192 vs last sale 171 363 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
265 head
66 vs last sale 331 265 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
55 head
239 vs last sale 294 55 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(7-31-19): All feeder cattle were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noted. CME positions have fallen off sharply since last sale and buyers bought cattle mostly lower as a result. Feeder cattle quality was mostly average to attractive this week. Demand for yearlings was light to moderate on light offerings. Market activity was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand. Packers continue to be the driving force in the market as they show need for cows for immediate harvest. The cutter cow cutout continues to hold its value as packers juggle good demand and seasonally tighter cow supplies. As of today's close the cutter cow cutout was estimated at 175.32 up 0.93 from Tuesdays close. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold steady to weak. Weigh up conditions continue to be mostly in the sellers favor as many cows continue to show heavy amounts of fill. Young age cows sold on light to moderate demand. Young age feeding or re-breeding cows sold fully steady. Quality was mostly plain to average.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $128.38/cwt on 156 head.
Average price
$128.38
156 head · 829 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,064
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$268
per head · Medium 1 over Large 1
$28.92/cwt at this weight
vs the market
1.57
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1692135.2893636
Medium and Large 1903130.001,17479
Medium and Large 1-2825125.671,03618thin
Medium 1-2640117.5075116thin
Large 11,132106.361,2047thin
One grade step is worth $28.92/cwt here — about −$268 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 sale156 hd
128.38
MT average2 barns · 177 hd
129.95
−1.57
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
BullsHigh1,87186.481,61864
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,44167.1696863
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,60866.671,07212
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,23561.9676556

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
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight90359.30/cwt57.50–61.005352
CowsBoner 80-85%1,44362.88/cwt60.50–64.5090717
CowsBoner 80-85%1,49973.22/cwt72.00–76.001,09814
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,63368.52/cwt67.00–69.001,1199
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,53361.10/cwt59.50–65.009373
BullsLarge 11,14395.00/cwt95.00–95.001,0862
BullsLarge 11,055109.00/cwt109.00–109.001,1502
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2990104.50/cwt104.50–104.501,0352
HeifersMedium and Large 1914123.24/cwt121.50–125.001,12614
CowsLean 85-90%1,27566.45/cwt64.00–68.5084715
CowsLean 85-90%1,02845.00/cwt45.00–45.004632
CowsLean 85-90%1,24861.20/cwt53.00–65.5076437
CowsBoner 80-85%1,41566.79/cwt64.50–70.0094532
HeifersLarge 1783126.00/cwt126.00–126.009874
HeifersMedium and Large 1973118.00/cwt118.00–118.001,1487
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2881122.50/cwt122.50–122.501,0798
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2788124.00/cwt124.00–124.009776
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2723129.00/cwt129.00–129.009334
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2913113.00/cwt113.00–113.001,0323
HeifersMedium and Large 1831128.00/cwt128.00–128.001,0644
HeifersMedium 1516130.00/cwt130.00–130.006716
HeifersMedium 1711126.00/cwt126.00–126.008964
HeifersMedium 1611139.00/cwt139.00–139.008494
HeifersLarge 1-21,041102.00/cwt102.00–102.001,0624
HeifersLarge 11,012116.50/cwt116.50–116.501,17911
SteersMedium and Large 1936129.01/cwt126.00–130.501,2086
SteersMedium and Large 1709140.00/cwt140.00–140.009934
SteersLarge 1Fleshy1,22998.00/cwt98.00–98.001,2044
Bulls1,96095.96/cwt94.00–97.501,8818
Bulls1,61377.58/cwt71.00–81.501,25115
Bulls1,94887.88/cwt82.00–93.501,71241
BullsMedium and Large 11,22482.00/cwt82.00–82.001,0044
BullsMedium and Large 1788122.00/cwt122.00–122.009612
BullsMedium and Large 1724124.00/cwt124.00–124.008984
SteersMedium and Large 1-2773131.00/cwt131.00–131.001,0134
SteersMedium and Large 1-2817125.50/cwt125.50–125.501,02512
SteersLarge 11,003117.50/cwt117.50–117.501,1793
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,16873.06/cwt72.00–74.008532
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,15768.68/cwt63.00–73.0079512
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,48769.09/cwt64.00–69.501,02719
SteersMedium and Large 1981123.56/cwt122.50–124.501,21230
SteersMedium 1543132.00/cwt132.00–132.007172
SteersMedium 1644137.00/cwt137.00–137.008828
SteersMedium 1718135.00/cwt135.00–135.0096926
SteersMedium and Large 1858134.09/cwt128.50–136.501,15039
SteersMedium and Large 1-2975116.00/cwt116.00–116.001,1312
HeifersLarge 11,052104.00/cwt104.00–104.001,0943
HeifersMedium and Large 1881127.53/cwt125.00–128.251,12413
SteersMedium 1-2586117.00/cwt117.00–117.006868
SteersMedium 1-2693118.00/cwt118.00–118.008188

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.