Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2020-08-26

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Aug 26
● Final64 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,470 head
117 vs last sale 1,587 257 vs year ago 1,213 · +21.2%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
235 head
118 vs last sale 117 10 vs year ago 245 · 4.1%
Replacement Cattle receipts
112 head
104 vs last sale 216 32 vs year ago 80 · +40.0%
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale(8-12-20): Yearling steers weighing less than 900 lbs sold steady to weak, steers over 900 lbs sold steady to firm. Yearling heifers under 850 lbs sold mostly 3.00-6.00 lower. Heifers over 850 lbs sold mostly 2.00-5.00 higher. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Most yearlings on offer this week were full as temperatures pushed well into the 90's. Today's sale didn't start until noon as the Northern Livestock video sale was warping up during the morning. The stands were packed with buyers as many stayed in town after the conclusion of the video sale. Market activity was moderate to active as a result. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Packers showed mostly light to moderate demand for slaughter cows. Slaughter cows sold steady on a significantly lower yielding offering. Feeding cows sold steady. Neither packers nor feeders were willing to push cow prices higher this week. Cows and bulls were pushing significant amounts of fill by late afternoon. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady. Quality this sale was average to attractive.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $137.23/cwt on 665 head.
Average price
$137.23
665 head · 878 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,204
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$115
per head · Medium 1 over Medium 2
$31.84/cwt at this weight
vs the market
0.42
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1641147.8494833
Medium and Large 1868139.141,208461
Medium and Large 1-2774137.341,06373
Large 11,096125.721,37872
Large 1-21,063122.981,30720
Medium 2916116.001,0636thin
One grade step is worth $31.84/cwt here — about −$115 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 sale665 hd
137.23
MT average3 barns · 907 hd
137.65
−0.42
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
BullsLow1,84786.121,59186
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,51960.6492111
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,45359.9387155
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,25654.9869030

Every lot, as filed

64 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
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2860122.00/cwt122.00–122.001,0492
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,51064.32/cwt62.00–67.0097129
SteersMedium and Large 1817143.79/cwt139.50–146.501,17578
SteersMedium and Large 1728147.97/cwt145.50–150.001,07761
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned398140.00/cwt140.00–140.005573
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned451149.00/cwt149.00–149.006729
SteersMedium 1673147.00/cwt147.00–147.009899
SteersMedium and Large 1-2982127.60/cwt126.00–131.001,25310
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,30464.91/cwt61.00–68.5084619
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,57962.76/cwt56.00–63.7599123
HeifersMedium and Large 1888130.55/cwt126.00–132.251,15938
HeifersMedium and Large 1969125.38/cwt120.00–126.501,21549
BullsLarge 11,07093.50/cwt93.50–93.501,0001
HeifersLarge 11,062122.50/cwt122.50–122.501,3016
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,15064.00/cwt64.00–64.007361
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-21,7101,400.00/cwt1,400.00–1,400.0023,94014
SteersMedium and Large 1920133.56/cwt132.50–134.501,22932
HeifersMedium and Large 1Full748133.50/cwt133.50–133.5099915
Dairy HeifersLarge 2830118.00/cwt118.00–118.0097911
SteersLarge 1-21,038125.00/cwt125.00–125.001,2985
SteersMedium and Large 1-2919129.59/cwt129.00–130.501,19112
SteersMedium and Large 1-2828136.50/cwt136.00–137.001,1304
SteersMedium and Large 1-2722143.51/cwt142.00–145.001,0366
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2822129.00/cwt128.50–131.001,06029
Dairy SteersLarge 2720130.00/cwt130.00–130.009368
Dairy SteersLarge 2927123.00/cwt123.00–123.001,14015
HeifersLarge 11,037119.89/cwt119.00–123.001,24311
SteersLarge 11,073132.00/cwt132.00–132.001,41610
SteersMedium 2916116.00/cwt116.00–116.001,0636
SteersMedium 1629148.16/cwt148.00–150.0093224
Dairy HeifersLarge 2703125.00/cwt125.00–125.008792
SteersLarge 1-21,071122.31/cwt119.50–123.001,31015
SteersLarge 1Full1,165116.50/cwt116.50–116.501,3574
Stock CowsLarge 11,12365.00/cwt65.00–65.007301
SteersLarge 11,120124.23/cwt120.00–126.751,39143
SteersLarge 11,026128.27/cwt128.00–129.001,31615
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2723137.50/cwt137.50–137.5099420
HeifersMedium and Large 1917130.53/cwt126.50–132.001,19782
SteersMedium and Large 1870137.53/cwt134.50–140.501,197115
SteersMedium and Large 1978133.53/cwt132.50–135.001,306139
SteersMedium and Large 1763146.00/cwt146.00–146.001,11416
HeifersMedium and Large 1692142.00/cwt142.00–142.009833
CowsBoner 80-85%1,46258.62/cwt56.00–62.5085737
Bulls1,74479.16/cwt76.00–81.501,38111
CowsBoner 80-85%1,44348.00/cwt48.00–48.006933
CowsLean 85-90%1,54549.50/cwt49.50–49.507654
Bulls1,79485.12/cwt81.00–89.501,52759
CowsBoner 80-85%1,39268.12/cwt67.00–70.009486
Bulls2,11594.57/cwt90.75–100.002,00016
CowsLean 85-90%1,21555.10/cwt52.00–60.0066922
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,42460.50/cwt60.50–60.508629
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight99554.50/cwt54.50–54.505421
HeifersMedium and Large 1732137.78/cwt137.00–139.501,00936
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned305177.50/cwt177.50–177.505412
CowsBreaker 75-80%Heavy Weight2,16557.00/cwt57.00–57.001,2341
CowsLean 85-90%1,25761.56/cwt61.00–62.507743
CowsBoner 80-85%1,46063.84/cwt62.50–65.009329
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,73065.50/cwt65.50–65.501,1331
SteersMedium and Large 1Full772142.00/cwt142.00–142.001,09615
SteersMedium and Large 1Full747144.00/cwt144.00–144.001,0763
HeifersMedium and Large 1758135.18/cwt134.00–135.501,02526
HeifersMedium and Large 1822133.41/cwt132.00–135.251,097144
SteersMedium and Large 1-2769139.71/cwt134.00–142.001,07425
SteersMedium and Large 1-2886133.50/cwt133.50–133.501,1834

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.