Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2019-09-18

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Sep 18
● Final55 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
473 head
580 vs last sale 1,053 473 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
222 head
77 vs last sale 145 222 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
85 head
97 vs last sale 182 85 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: Yearling steers and heifers were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. CME positions continue to show positive movement giving buyers additional confidence as they bid on offerings. Demand this sale was mostly moderate to good on light offerings. Quality was mostly plain to average and lower than last week. Market activity was mostly active with many bidders and buyers in the seats bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mixed demand this sale. Demand started the sale light to moderate, however improved drastically as the morning progressed. The big demand push come from packer buyers which became very aggressive mid morning while looking for slaughter cows. Slaughter cows sold unevenly steady from 2.00 lower to 2.00 higher. Cow quality was mostly plain to average. Cows and bulls continue to push fill this week offering buyers mostly below average weigh up conditions. Feeding cows were too lightly tested to trend. Cow quality was mostly plain with many cows not suitable to feed. Packers purchased the majority of the cow offering for harvest this week. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 1.00-2.00 lower. Young age cows suitable to re-breed were too lightly tested to develop any market trend.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $131.07/cwt on 303 head.
Average price
$131.07
303 head · 751 lb average
Value per head Derived
$984
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$69
per head · Medium 1 over Medium and Large 2
$21.68/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+2.88
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1635133.6884857
Medium and Large 1741132.73984209
Medium and Large 1-2949119.001,1294thin
Large 11,014118.291,19929
Medium and Large 2819112.009174thin
One grade step is worth $21.68/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 sale303 hd
131.07
MT average3 barns · 772 hd
128.19
+2.88
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
BullsHigh1,80976.771,38950
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,55561.2195217
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,42458.1282769
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,27855.9871559

Every lot, as filed

55 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 11,23565.70/cwt64.50–67.008115
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,09673.94/cwt64.00–78.008104
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,02574.50/cwt74.50–74.507641
HeifersMedium and Large 1780130.00/cwt130.00–130.001,0142
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,49058.32/cwt54.50–66.5086919
SteersMedium and Large 1-2868129.00/cwt129.00–129.001,1209
SteersMedium and Large 1-2980125.00/cwt125.00–125.001,2256
SteersMedium and Large 1-2915128.33/cwt128.00–129.001,1746
SteersMedium and Large 1-2839132.00/cwt132.00–132.001,1074
SteersMedium and Large 1-2580136.00/cwt136.00–136.007893
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned471157.00/cwt157.00–157.007395
SteersMedium and Large 1Full995129.00/cwt129.00–129.001,2847
HeifersMedium and Large 1Full925119.50/cwt119.50–119.501,10517
HeifersMedium and Large 1Full977119.50/cwt119.50–119.501,1683
HeifersMedium 1624134.25/cwt134.25–134.2583847
HeifersMedium 1Full684131.00/cwt131.00–131.0089610
HeifersLarge 11,014118.29/cwt115.50–119.001,19929
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned458132.50/cwt132.50–132.506073
BullsLarge 11,138109.00/cwt109.00–109.001,2403
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,41561.60/cwt57.50–67.5087213
CowsLean 85-90%1,25254.07/cwt50.00–57.5067735
CowsLean 85-90%1,32159.98/cwt58.50–63.5079220
CowsLean 85-90%1,29448.32/cwt48.00–49.006253
CowsLean 85-90%1,27066.00/cwt66.00–66.008381
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,62163.00/cwt63.00–63.001,02112
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,39656.90/cwt53.50–61.007945
CowsBoner 80-85%1,40156.53/cwt50.00–58.0079250
Bulls2,03785.37/cwt83.50–88.001,7396
Bulls1,69972.14/cwt66.00–74.501,22619
Bulls1,83878.22/cwt75.00–82.501,43825
CowsBoner 80-85%1,48365.20/cwt64.00–66.009674
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned532128.20/cwt127.00–129.0068215
SteersMedium and Large 1923136.50/cwt136.50–136.501,2602
SteersMedium and Large 1609140.00/cwt140.00–140.008534
SteersMedium and Large 1797144.00/cwt144.00–144.001,1485
SteersMedium and Large 1733148.66/cwt148.50–149.501,09012
SteersMedium and Large 1864137.52/cwt137.50–138.001,18827
SteersMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed710156.00/cwt156.00–156.001,10810
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned514152.00/cwt152.00–152.007814
HeifersMedium and Large 1618128.50/cwt128.50–128.507944
HeifersMedium and Large 1730134.50/cwt134.50–134.5098210
HeifersMedium and Large 1920121.94/cwt121.00–122.501,12211
HeifersMedium and Large 1861125.72/cwt124.50–127.501,08224
HeifersMedium and Large 1696139.50/cwt139.50–139.50971113
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned618125.00/cwt125.00–125.007732
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned781117.00/cwt117.00–117.009148
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned589144.00/cwt144.00–144.008484
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2949119.00/cwt119.00–119.001,1294
HeifersMedium and Large 2819112.00/cwt112.00–112.009174
SteersLarge 1Full1,184108.50/cwt108.50–108.501,2856
SteersLarge 1Full1,091116.00/cwt116.00–116.001,26611
SteersLarge 1-21,008118.00/cwt118.00–118.001,1893
SteersMedium 1614139.00/cwt139.00–139.008539
SteersMedium and Large 1Full869135.29/cwt135.00–135.501,1765
CowsBoner 80-85%1,48361.53/cwt57.00–65.0091215

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.