Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2020-10-14

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Oct 14
● Final79 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
608 head
44 vs last sale 564 305 vs year ago 913 · 33.4%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
702 head
121 vs last sale 581 147 vs year ago 555 · +26.5%
Replacement Cattle receipts
272 head
63 vs last sale 335 453 vs year ago 725 · 62.5%
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week, feeder steers and heifers sold steady. Buyer demand for feeder cattle was moderate to good on a moderate supply. Feeder cattle were sold in small packages with no load lots sold with quality being average. Feeding breaker cows sold 2.00 to 3.00 lower; feeding boner and lean cows sold 5.00 to 6.00 lower. Slaughter breaker cows sold steady to 2.00 lower; slaughter boner and lean cows sold 3.00 to 5.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 1.00 higher. Buyer demand for slaughter cattle was moderate on a moderate to heavy supply. Replacement cows sold strong on a light comparison.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $148.95/cwt on 327 head.
Average price
$148.95
327 head · 548 lb average
Value per head Derived
$816
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$18
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$4.73/cwt at this weight
vs the market
7.37
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1546150.11820247
Medium and Large 1-2552145.3880280
One grade step is worth $4.73/cwt here — about $18 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 sale327 hd
148.95
MT average5 barns · 3,215 hd
156.32
−7.37
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
BullsAverage1,73677.491,34533
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,37963.50875228
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,32753.00703184
CowsLean 85-90%High1,15845.0952272

Every lot, as filed

79 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 1761134.40/cwt130.00–137.001,02316
SteersMedium and Large 1531149.22/cwt148.00–150.0079239
SteersMedium and Large 1865131.00/cwt131.00–131.001,1331
SteersMedium and Large 1606137.71/cwt137.00–141.0083546
HeifersMedium and Large 1784129.66/cwt128.00–130.001,0176
HeifersMedium and Large 1379144.70/cwt142.00–150.0054831
SteersMedium and Large 1659134.50/cwt134.50–134.508864
SteersMedium and Large 1385174.93/cwt174.00–181.0067311
SteersMedium and Large 1321189.61/cwt185.00–194.006094
SteersMedium and Large 1725131.00/cwt131.00–131.009501
HeifersMedium and Large 1727123.50/cwt123.50–123.508983
HeifersMedium and Large 1Spayed819132.71/cwt123.00–133.501,08713
HeifersMedium and Large 1426137.00/cwt137.00–137.0058411
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2470128.66/cwt125.00–133.006053
HeifersMedium and Large 1315156.00/cwt156.00–156.004911
HeifersMedium and Large 1556133.78/cwt130.00–136.5074453
BullsMedium and Large 1576137.56/cwt136.00–140.007925
BullsMedium and Large 1517141.00/cwt141.00–141.007296
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,42870.37/cwt67.50–72.501,00568
CowsLean 85-90%1,09948.29/cwt48.00–49.005314
CowsLean 85-90%1,17845.26/cwt43.00–47.5053350
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,18441.74/cwt41.00–42.504944
CowsLean 85-90%1,14842.18/cwt41.00–43.004846
Bulls1,75477.75/cwt74.00–85.001,36430
CowsBoner 80-85%1,33951.60/cwt49.00–54.5069173
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,28152.86/cwt51.00–55.0067729
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,25763.35/cwt61.00–66.5079644
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,36661.75/cwt60.00–65.5084442
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,57669.62/cwt67.00–73.001,09717
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2355135.00/cwt135.00–135.004793
SteersMedium and Large 1-2520145.60/cwt141.00–149.0075717
SteersMedium and Large 1-2765124.69/cwt123.00–125.0095413
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,295860.00/cwt860.00–860.0011,1372
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,167677.00/cwt677.00–677.007,90112
BullsReturn to Feed1,55874.85/cwt71.50–80.001,1663
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2430120.00/cwt120.00–120.005161
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2770114.19/cwt110.00–116.008795
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2853106.00/cwt106.00–106.009047
SteersMedium and Large 1-2426157.77/cwt156.00–159.006725
SteersMedium and Large 1-2475151.05/cwt144.00–154.007178
SteersMedium and Large 1-2343171.36/cwt165.00–172.5058812
SteersMedium and Large 1-2365162.50/cwt162.50–162.505932
HeifersMedium and Large 1608129.70/cwt129.50–130.5078915
SteersMedium and Large 1-2566142.43/cwt137.00–145.008068
SteersMedium and Large 1-2823123.00/cwt123.00–123.001,0123
SteersMedium and Large 1-2656138.29/cwt137.50–138.509075
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2623119.00/cwt119.00–119.007412
BullsMedium and Large 1-2575102.50/cwt102.50–102.505891
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2564125.78/cwt125.00–128.007094
BullsMedium and Large 1-2485134.00/cwt134.00–134.006501
BullsMedium and Large 1-2370120.00/cwt120.00–120.004441
HeifersMedium and Large 1835128.00/cwt128.00–128.001,0691
SteersMedium and Large 1-2613136.53/cwt133.00–138.008377
HeifersMedium and Large 1465139.93/cwt135.00–144.0065115
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,16551.00/cwt51.00–51.005944
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,30557.92/cwt56.00–60.0075626
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,35953.00/cwt51.00–56.0072037
CowsBoner 80-85%1,37056.55/cwt55.00–58.5077532
HeifersLarge 11,00094.00/cwt94.00–94.009405
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,2281,056.35/cwt1,000.00–1,085.0012,9727
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,241860.00/cwt860.00–860.0010,6737
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,170725.00/cwt725.00–725.008,4834
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,08075.73/cwt71.00–79.0081834
BullsMedium and Large 1408170.14/cwt161.00–171.0069412
SteersMedium and Large 1437166.39/cwt165.00–168.0072719
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,259696.09/cwt600.00–725.008,76415
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,00881.40/cwt80.00–85.0082116
BullsMedium and Large 1375169.00/cwt169.00–169.006341
BullsMedium and Large 1700118.00/cwt118.00–118.008261
BullsMedium and Large 1766120.78/cwt119.00–121.009259
HeifersMedium and Large 1Spayed908115.00/cwt115.00–115.001,0443
HeifersMedium and Large 1Spayed759124.00/cwt122.00–126.0094120
SteersMedium and Large 1472159.14/cwt157.00–164.0075149
SteersMedium and Large 1579146.14/cwt143.50–148.0084657
HeifersMedium and Large 1518134.12/cwt130.00–137.0069525
HeifersLarge 11,065106.00/cwt106.00–106.001,1291
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed95041.53/cwt40.00–43.003954
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,37258.40/cwt58.00–58.5080120
CowsBoner 80-85%1,31247.36/cwt45.50–48.0062124

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.