Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2020-08-12

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Aug 12
● Final51 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,587 head
1,342 vs last sale 245 1,224 vs year ago 363 · +337.2%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
117 head
121 vs last sale 238 148 vs year ago 265 · 55.8%
Replacement Cattle receipts
216 head
327 vs last sale 543 161 vs year ago 55 · +292.7%
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale(7-15-20): The last reported sale was nearly a month ago. Feeder steers sold 5.00-10.00 higher than the last reported feeder special in July. Feeder heifers sold sharply higher than the July sale with most sale 15.00-20.00 higher. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Demand was moderate to good for all yearling type cattle. Offerings were mostly moderate. A large crowd of buyers were on hand actively bidding on cattle. Feeder cattle were in mostly light flesh as many were coming out of dry country or where grasshoppers destroyed much of the forage. Cattle selling in load lots sold on mostly good demand while cattle offered in packages sold on mostly moderate demand. Market activity today was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light demand. Offerings were light. Packers showed light demand for slaughter cows this sale allowing feeding buyers to purchase the majority of the offering. Slaughter and feeding cows and bulls will not be trended today due to the length of time between reported sales. Slaughter bulls sold on mostly light to moderate demand. Feeding bull buyers entered the market this sale and purchased many thinner and lower dressing bulls this sale. Feeding cows sold on mostly moderate demand. Buyers were able to buy almost all of the high quality cows away from packers. Quality this sale was average to attractive. Weigh up conditions were average to below average.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $143.63/cwt on 703 head.
Average price
$143.63
703 head · 811 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,165
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$195
per head · Medium 1 over Large 1
$32.77/cwt at this weight
vs the market
0.89
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1691156.031,078114
Medium and Large 1-2736147.631,08740
Medium and Large 1843142.361,200488
Medium 1-2753129.8397840
Medium and Large 2761129.509854thin
Large 11,033123.261,27317thin
One grade step is worth $32.77/cwt here — about −$195 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 sale703 hd
143.63
MT average3 barns · 1,404 hd
144.52
−0.89
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
BullsLow1,90885.511,63168
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,36362.5185221
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,31560.8280017

Every lot, as filed

51 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
SteersMedium and Large 1809145.76/cwt140.00–146.501,179165
CowsLean 85-90%1,34160.42/cwt58.00–61.5081014
BullsLight Weight1,31573.00/cwt73.00–73.009603
CowsBoner 80-85%1,34160.68/cwt60.00–61.508147
Bulls1,91185.89/cwt80.00–90.501,64147
CowsLean 85-90%1,19262.69/cwt62.00–63.007473
CowsBoner 80-85%1,37463.42/cwt62.00–64.5087114
Bulls2,08392.88/cwt90.00–99.001,93510
BullsHeavy Weight2,70575.00/cwt75.00–75.002,0291
Bulls1,77679.28/cwt78.00–81.001,4087
HeifersMedium and Large 1804136.45/cwt128.50–137.501,097118
HeifersMedium and Large 1786137.28/cwt136.00–138.501,079174
HeifersMedium and Large 1986122.04/cwt121.00–124.001,20310
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned482157.50/cwt157.50–157.507596
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned543160.00/cwt160.00–160.008696
SteersMedium and Large 1558151.00/cwt151.00–151.0084314
SteersMedium and Large 1906138.34/cwt132.00–139.501,25369
HeifersMedium and Large 1707143.62/cwt140.00–144.001,015115
HeifersMedium and Large 1894127.28/cwt126.50–128.501,13827
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,35462.29/cwt60.00–63.0084326
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,30658.82/cwt55.00–60.0076836
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,51567.69/cwt58.00–68.751,02634
SteersMedium and Large 1991130.06/cwt129.00–130.501,28934
SteersMedium and Large 1791147.29/cwt146.00–147.501,16535
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned533150.00/cwt150.00–150.008003
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,11373.75/cwt71.00–75.5082113
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed94058.00/cwt58.00–58.005451
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,39270.66/cwt67.00–76.0098422
HeifersMedium and Large 1692143.63/cwt142.50–144.5099416
SteersMedium and Large 1723153.28/cwt147.00–159.001,10825
SteersMedium and Large 1Full939130.00/cwt130.00–130.001,22110
SteersMedium and Large 1-2818141.24/cwt140.00–142.001,15513
SteersMedium and Large 2761129.50/cwt129.50–129.509854
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2792132.00/cwt132.00–132.001,04510
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2744134.50/cwt134.50–134.501,00112
SteersMedium and Large 1-2701144.14/cwt143.00–145.001,0107
SteersMedium and Large 1-2695153.00/cwt153.00–153.001,06320
BullsLarge 11,08793.40/cwt93.00–93.501,0155
SteersMedium 1-2788125.50/cwt125.50–125.5098926
SteersMedium 1-2665149.00/cwt149.00–149.009916
SteersMedium 1-2706129.50/cwt129.50–129.509148
SteersMedium 1789130.00/cwt130.00–130.001,02616
SteersMedium 1675160.28/cwt160.00–161.001,08298
SteersLarge 11,012125.56/cwt124.00–129.501,27114
SteersLarge 11,132112.50/cwt112.50–112.501,2743
BullsLarge 11,04295.50/cwt95.50–95.509958
SteersMedium and Large 1889139.16/cwt135.50–139.501,237130
HeifersMedium and Large 1922123.55/cwt122.00–125.501,13967
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2815126.00/cwt126.00–126.001,0273
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2684136.00/cwt136.00–136.0093010
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2858123.50/cwt123.00–125.001,06016

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.