Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2020-10-28

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Oct 28
● Final48 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
203 head
657 vs last sale 860 85 vs year ago 288 · 29.5%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
834 head
199 vs last sale 635 644 vs year ago 190 · +338.9%
Replacement Cattle receipts
235 head
182 vs last sale 417 904 vs year ago 1,139 · 79.4%
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Yearling heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to weak undertones were noticed. Unweaned steer and heifer calves were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Near a foot of snow fell over last weekend. This lightened sales receipts as wet slushy melting snow impacted the volume of cattle coming to town. Quality this week was plain to average. Calves were mostly offered in small packages or as singles. There were not enough calves for buyers to purchase loads and demand suffered as a result. Market activity was slow. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for heavy offerings. Cow quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Slaughter cows sold steady to firm on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested last week as all offerings returned to feed. Feeding cows sold generally steady. Slaughter bulls sold steady to firm as packer and feeding buyers both showed good demand for bulls. 2-3 year old suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 5.00 lower. Quality was mixed this week.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $138.76/cwt on 57 head.
Average price
$138.76
57 head · 522 lb average
Value per head Derived
$725
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$136
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Small and Medium 2
$58.68/cwt at this weight
vs the market
14.96
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1476151.1872017thin
Medium and Large 1-2508148.4175426
Medium 1-2579119.006897thin
Small and Medium 263192.505847thin
One grade step is worth $58.68/cwt here — about $136 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 sale57 hd
138.76
MT average5 barns · 3,918 hd
153.71
−14.96
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
BullsAverage1,79076.661,37222
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,57066.861,05019
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,40257.27803256
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,21449.54602366

Every lot, as filed

48 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 1928120.00/cwt120.00–120.001,1142
HeifersMedium and Large 1887123.00/cwt123.00–123.001,0913
SteersSmall and Medium 2Unweaned63192.50/cwt92.50–92.505847
HeifersMedium and Large 1972119.67/cwt119.25–120.251,16313
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned694128.00/cwt128.00–128.008887
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned408165.84/cwt161.00–170.006779
SteersMedium and Large 1Full461147.00/cwt147.00–147.006789
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned612134.00/cwt134.00–134.008203
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned422169.00/cwt169.00–169.007135
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed87076.00/cwt76.00–76.006611
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned459134.69/cwt134.00–138.0061812
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned468147.00/cwt147.00–147.0068810
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned530136.05/cwt134.00–137.007216
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned462142.60/cwt140.00–144.006599
HeifersMedium and Large 1829127.00/cwt127.00–127.001,0537
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,55468.48/cwt66.00–71.001,0648
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,22053.33/cwt50.00–59.00651145
CowsBoner 80-85%1,46254.36/cwt52.00–57.5079514
Bulls1,96078.37/cwt76.00–81.001,5362
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,63966.78/cwt64.00–69.001,0955
BullsReturn to Feed1,81178.75/cwt76.00–81.001,42614
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,37857.36/cwt51.00–65.00790133
CowsLean 85-90%1,24551.03/cwt49.00–54.0063515
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,60072.00/cwt72.00–72.001,1521
CowsBoner 80-85%1,37861.50/cwt61.50–61.508473
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,52572.00/cwt72.00–72.001,0981
Bulls1,97086.50/cwt86.50–86.501,7041
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,43063.85/cwt62.00–71.5091359
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,19547.92/cwt44.00–51.50573108
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,42150.12/cwt48.00–53.0071229
CowsLean 85-90%1,24548.40/cwt46.00–49.5060354
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,75561.50/cwt61.50–61.501,0791
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,44061.04/cwt57.00–63.508793
CowsBoner 80-85%1,41348.46/cwt45.00–50.0068517
BullsReturn to Feed1,71074.00/cwt74.00–74.001,2651
Bulls1,60766.67/cwt61.00–69.001,0714
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight96839.25/cwt39.00–40.003804
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,24943.11/cwt43.00–43.505384
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,41542.00/cwt42.00–42.005941
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight96538.00/cwt38.00–38.003671
CowsLean 85-90%1,22342.15/cwt35.00–44.0051535
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned487131.00/cwt131.00–131.006383
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,221650.00/cwt650.00–650.007,9379
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,10865.36/cwt54.00–77.0072467
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed98053.61/cwt51.00–59.005253
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,0081,100.00/cwt1,100.00–1,100.0011,0889
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,01976.67/cwt64.00–87.00781103
SteersMedium 1-2Unweaned579119.00/cwt119.00–119.006897

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.