Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2020-07-15

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Jul 15
● Final46 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
245 head
983 vs last sale 1,228 0 vs year ago 245 · +0.0%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
238 head
52 vs last sale 290 34 vs year ago 204 · +16.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
543 head
603 vs last sale 1,146 238 vs year ago 305 · +78.0%
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale (6-24-20): Feeder steers sold steady to 2.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Feeder heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Demand was moderate to good for all yearling type cattle. Offerings were light. Cattle were in mostly light flesh this sale with many coming off grass. Market activity today was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for moderate offerings. Packers showed moderate to good demand for slaughter cows as they bid aggressively against feeding buyers over offerings. Lean cows sold with the best demand as packers search for lean cows to blend down trimmings from over finished cattle which are currently being marketed. Many long strings of cows off reputation ranches were seen this sale. Cow quality was mostly attractive overall. Feeding cow demand was mostly good today. Feeding cows sold generally steady. Cows started the day offering average weigh up, however by midday cows were pushing heavy amounts of fill and buyers backed off prices as a result. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady on a lower quality offering than was seen last sale. Demand for re-breed cattle was mostly moderate to good. Many high quality sets of young cows were seen this sale off reputation ranches. Young age cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher. Quality was attractive to very attractive.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $139.38/cwt on 129 head.
Average price
$139.38
129 head · 784 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,092
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$283
per head · Medium 1 over Medium and Large 1
$10.73/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+0.00
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1564149.008404thin
Medium 1-2605146.0088311thin
Medium and Large 1-2662143.009473thin
Medium and Large 1813138.271,124111
One grade step is worth $10.73/cwt here — about −$283 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 sale129 hd
139.38
MT average1 barns · 129 hd
139.38
+0.00
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
BullsAverage1,86186.771,61568
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,41863.5690160
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,66260.621,00815
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,21959.7972963

Every lot, as filed

46 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 11,37761.53/cwt56.00–65.5084775
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,13856.93/cwt53.00–62.0064824
HeifersLarge 11,15797.50/cwt97.50–97.501,12810
HeifersLarge 11,06698.16/cwt95.00–99.501,04610
HeifersMedium and Large 1667134.00/cwt134.00–134.008943
SteersMedium and Large 1828134.55/cwt133.00–138.001,11412
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,09861.58/cwt61.00–62.006762
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed76080.00/cwt80.00–80.006081
SteersMedium and Large 1-2662143.00/cwt143.00–143.009473
SteersMedium 1564149.00/cwt149.00–149.008404
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,45865.17/cwt61.00–68.00950115
CowsBoner 80-85%1,42164.35/cwt61.50–65.0091446
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight96565.50/cwt65.50–65.506321
CowsLean 85-90%1,24461.93/cwt59.00–65.5077034
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,22669.30/cwt65.00–75.50850125
HeifersMedium and Large 1469142.00/cwt142.00–142.006665
HeifersMedium and Large 1725120.00/cwt120.00–120.008708
CowsBoner 80-85%1,49567.58/cwt66.50–69.501,0103
CowsLean 85-90%1,24066.18/cwt66.00–67.008216
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,81068.00/cwt68.00–68.001,2311
Bulls1,82986.20/cwt82.00–89.501,57726
BullsNatural2,00093.00/cwt93.00–93.001,8601
CowsBreaker 75-80%2,01567.00/cwt67.00–67.001,3501
BullsNatural1,60685.09/cwt76.00–86.501,3679
CowsBoner 80-85%1,38459.15/cwt53.00–61.5081911
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,62459.56/cwt58.00–61.5096713
Bulls2,07492.96/cwt90.50–98.501,92818
BullsNatural1,96596.00/cwt96.00–96.001,8861
BullsHeavy Weight2,67082.00/cwt82.00–82.002,1891
CowsLean 85-90%1,17046.05/cwt44.00–48.505392
CowsLean 85-90%1,21255.09/cwt50.00–59.0066818
Bulls1,71779.08/cwt71.00–82.001,35812
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight96057.50/cwt55.00–60.005522
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,06982.45/cwt66.00–91.5088195
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,07759.91/cwt58.00–62.006453
BullsMedium and Large 1384167.50/cwt167.50–167.506434
BullsMedium and Large 1955104.00/cwt104.00–104.009932
HeifersMedium and Large 1624134.00/cwt134.00–134.008366
HeifersMedium and Large 1981108.98/cwt106.00–110.501,0699
SteersMedium and Large 1735148.49/cwt146.00–149.001,09112
BullsLarge 11,03593.00/cwt93.00–93.009631
HeifersMedium 1-2525138.00/cwt138.00–138.007255
SteersMedium 1-2605146.00/cwt146.00–146.0088311
SteersMedium and Large 1872128.33/cwt128.00–128.501,11933
HeifersMedium and Large 1828116.00/cwt116.00–116.0096019
SteersMedium and Large 1790142.91/cwt142.00–143.001,12954

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.