Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2020-12-11

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2020-12-11
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-12-11

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Fri, Dec 11

● Final90 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1776

← Dec 4Dec 11Jan 15 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

1,960 head

▼ 1,570 vs last sale 3,530▼ 916 vs year ago 2,876 · −31.8%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

333 head

▲ 253 vs last sale 80▲ 235 vs year ago 98 · +239.8%

Replacement Cattle receipts

110 head

▲ 96 vs last sale 14▼ 182 vs year ago 292 · −62.3%

Also sold hereRegular saleWed Oct 28, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to two weeks ago: Yearling steers and heifers were not well compared. A moderate offering of yearlings was seen this sale. These offerings sold on mostly light demand. Yearlings were mostly out of backgrounding lots, however these offerings were in light to moderate flesh. Weaned and unweaned steers under 500 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower; 500-549 lbs steers sold steady to 5.00 higher; 550 lbs steers and heavier sold mostly 3.00-7.00 lower on a much lower quality offering compared to last sale. All weaned and unweaned heifers sold steady to 5.00 higher. Demand this sale was mostly moderate for light to moderate offerings. Demand for heifers was stronger than demand for steers as buyers started to purchase heifers to run on grass. Market activity this week was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Feeding buyers were the driving force behind the market as they pushed to fill loads for the week. Slaughter cows sold 1.00-3.00 higher. Feeding cows sold steady to 1.00 higher. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average this sale as most cows were pushing heavy amounts of fill. Slaughter bulls sold on mostly good demand as well. Bulls were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Two year old to young age cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand this sale. Quality was average. This class of cows was too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $158.33/cwt on 845 head.

Average price

$158.33

845 head · 573 lb average

Value per head Derived

$908

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$37

per head · Medium and Large 2 over Medium 2

$57.00/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−5.83

vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 2	341	167.00	569	6thin
Medium and Large 1	575	159.38	917	743
Medium and Large 1-2	565	154.30	872	69
Medium 1	592	144.05	853	22
Medium 2	551	110.00	606	5thin

One grade step is worth $57.00/cwt here — about −$37 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 sale845 hd

158.33

—

MT average4 barns · 4,593 hd

164.16

−5.83

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.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	Low	1,902	78.12	1,486	22
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,576	64.61	1,018	6thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,350	57.10	771	96
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,147	48.39	555	111

Every lot

90 lots · USDA AMS · Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Fri)

Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.

Class	Weight	Grade / description	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Feeder Cattle · Steers33 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium and Large 2	341	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	569	6
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	346	195.16/cwt	187.50–197.00	675	5
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	362	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	655	6
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	387	183.90/cwt	183.00–185.00	712	9
Steers	—	Medium 1	388	164.50/cwt	164.50–164.50	638	10
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	389	174.29/cwt	172.00–180.00	678	21
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	421	183.00/cwt	183.00–183.00	770	9
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	425	186.89/cwt	185.00–190.00	794	32
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	430	171.50/cwt	171.50–171.50	737	1
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	471	176.69/cwt	171.00–184.00	832	84
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	472	171.07/cwt	170.00–174.00	807	45
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	484	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	799	7
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	500	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	750	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	527	171.55/cwt	165.00–176.50	904	115
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	538	161.53/cwt	159.00–178.50	869	66
Steers	—	Medium 2	551	110.00/cwt	110.00–110.00	606	5
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	579	151.82/cwt	148.00–155.00	879	121
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	580	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	800	4
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	586	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	844	6
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	594	148.13/cwt	146.00–151.00	880	66
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	608	149.93/cwt	148.25–151.00	912	52
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	619	147.91/cwt	146.00–149.00	916	21
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	623	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	872	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	661	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	912	4
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	672	143.80/cwt	140.00–145.00	966	15
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	685	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	980	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	715	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	965	10
Steers	—	Medium 1	762	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	968	12
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	795	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	1,057	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	829	136.50/cwt	136.50–136.50	1,132	87
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	846	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	1,108	9
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	929	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	1,124	7
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	930	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,163	2
Feeder Cattle · Heifers26 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	338	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	575	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	343	157.50/cwt	157.50–157.50	540	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	353	165.09/cwt	163.00–168.00	583	12
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	364	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	622	16
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	388	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	582	6
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	396	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	622	14
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	424	162.92/cwt	160.00–165.00	691	50
Heifers	—	Medium 1Unweaned	424	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	623	5
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	448	161.13/cwt	159.50–165.00	722	27
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	453	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	643	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	476	158.50/cwt	158.50–158.50	754	43
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	482	152.40/cwt	150.00–158.00	735	46
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	501	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	656	5
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	519	142.45/cwt	142.00–144.50	739	27
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	523	151.03/cwt	151.00–153.00	790	78
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	569	140.82/cwt	140.00–141.00	801	28
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	573	141.12/cwt	135.00–144.25	809	82
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	627	131.36/cwt	127.00–134.00	824	8
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	634	134.78/cwt	131.00–135.50	855	13
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	688	128.89/cwt	128.25–129.00	887	46
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	707	125.50/cwt	125.50–125.50	887	8
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	727	131.26/cwt	126.00–132.25	954	26
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	792	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	1,053	13
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	806	134.25/cwt	134.25–134.25	1,082	108
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	879	131.07/cwt	129.00–133.50	1,152	46
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	980	121.75/cwt	121.75–121.75	1,193	24
Feeder Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	454	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	699	4
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	478	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	645	2
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	579	137.50/cwt	137.50–137.50	796	11
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	720	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	907	1
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	723	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	918	2
Bulls	—	Large 1	1,081	100.55/cwt	95.00–103.00	1,087	29
Feeder Cattle · Dairy Steers3 lots · lightest first
Dairy Steers	—	Large 3-4	419	60.00/cwt	60.00–60.00	251	4
Dairy Steers	—	Large 3	516	66.00/cwt	66.00–66.00	341	9
Dairy Steers	—	Large 3	707	68.50/cwt	68.50–68.50	484	9
Feeder Cattle · Dairy Heifers2 lots · lightest first
Dairy Heifers	—	Large 3	835	60.50/cwt	60.50–60.50	505	13
Dairy Heifers	—	Large 3	930	59.00/cwt	59.00–59.00	549	16
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—	1,578	68.27/cwt	62.00–75.00	1,077	3
Bulls	—	—	1,869	81.35/cwt	79.00–83.00	1,520	9
Bulls	—	—	2,018	78.46/cwt	76.00–83.00	1,583	9
Bulls	—	—	2,135	75.50/cwt	75.50–75.50	1,612	1
Slaughter Cattle · Cows14 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	903	38.00/cwt	38.00–38.00	343	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	960	40.00/cwt	40.00–40.00	384	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,113	46.04/cwt	40.00–50.00	512	37
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,148	43.56/cwt	42.00–49.00	500	16
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,162	52.09/cwt	49.25–53.25	605	44
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,175	37.50/cwt	37.50–37.50	441	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,270	52.55/cwt	52.50–53.00	667	10
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,315	58.21/cwt	51.00–61.00	765	58
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,361	54.21/cwt	54.00–56.50	738	12
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,387	62.45/cwt	61.50–66.00	866	14
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,461	48.38/cwt	44.50–50.00	707	12
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,500	59.00/cwt	59.00–59.00	885	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,589	65.16/cwt	63.50–67.00	1,035	4
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,600	68.00/cwt	68.00–68.00	1,088	1
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows2 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	903	82.16/cwt	69.00–93.00	742	62
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	934	64.90/cwt	51.00–78.00	606	23

This sale against other markets

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.

Montana feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Fri)

Fri Dec 11, 2020

USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)

Feeder CattleReceipts 1,960Last week 3,530Year ago 2,876

Slaughter CattleReceipts 333Last week 80Year ago 98

Replacement CattleReceipts 110Last week 14Year ago 292

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	795	133.00	133.00
10	—	715	135.00	135.00
115	—	527	165.00–176.50	171.55
21	—	619	146.00–149.00	147.91
45	—	472	170.00–174.00	171.07
87	—	829	136.50	136.50
9	—	421	183.00	183.00
15	—	672	140.00–145.00	143.80
121	—	579	148.00–155.00	151.82
2	—	930	125.00	125.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	846	131.00	131.00
2	—	500	150.00	150.00
6	—	586	144.00	144.00
4	—	661	138.00	138.00
7	—	484	165.00	165.00
21	—	389	172.00–180.00	174.29
2	—	623	140.00	140.00
7	—	929	121.00	121.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	346	187.50–197.00	195.16
32	—	425	185.00–190.00	186.89
9	—	387	183.00–185.00	183.90
66	—	538	159.00–178.50	161.53
2	—	685	143.00	143.00
84	—	471	171.00–184.00	176.69
66	—	594	146.00–151.00	148.13
52	—	608	148.25–151.00	149.93

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	551	110.00	110.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	762	127.00	127.00
10	—	388	164.50	164.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	341	167.00	167.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	580	138.00	138.00
1	—	430	171.50	171.50
6	—	362	181.00	181.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	364	171.00	171.00
13	—	792	133.00	133.00
28	—	569	140.00–141.00	140.82
24	—	980	121.75	121.75
26	—	727	126.00–132.25	131.26
2	—	338	170.00	170.00
27	—	448	159.50–165.00	161.13
78	—	523	151.00–153.00	151.03
108	—	806	134.25	134.25
46	—	688	128.25–129.00	128.89
8	—	627	127.00–134.00	131.36
46	—	879	129.00–133.50	131.07
43	—	476	158.50	158.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	453	142.00	142.00
14	—	396	157.00	157.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
46	—	482	150.00–158.00	152.40
27	—	519	142.00–144.50	142.45
8	—	707	125.50	125.50
13	—	634	131.00–135.50	134.78
12	—	353	163.00–168.00	165.09
50	—	424	160.00–165.00	162.92
82	—	573	135.00–144.25	141.12

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	343	157.50	157.50
5	—	501	131.00	131.00
6	—	388	150.00	150.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	424	147.00	147.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Steers — Large 3$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	516	66.00	66.00
9	—	707	68.50	68.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Steers — Large 3-4$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	419	60.00	60.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Heifers — Large 3$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	930	59.00	59.00
13	—	835	60.50	60.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	454	154.00	154.00
11	—	579	137.50	137.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	723	127.00	127.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
29	—	1,081	95.00–103.00	100.55

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	720	126.00	126.00
2	—	478	135.00	135.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
58	—	1,315	51.00–61.00	58.21
14	—	1,387	61.50–66.00	62.45

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	1,361	54.00–56.50	54.21
12	—	1,461	44.50–50.00	48.38

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
44	—	1,162	49.25–53.25	52.09
37	—	1,113	40.00–50.00	46.04

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,175	37.50	37.50
16	—	1,148	42.00–49.00	43.56
10	—	1,270	52.50–53.00	52.55

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,600	68.00	68.00
1	—	1,500	59.00	59.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,589	63.50–67.00	65.16

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	903	38.00	38.00
1	—	960	40.00	40.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,578	62.00–75.00	68.27
9	—	1,869	79.00–83.00	81.35
1	—	2,135	75.50	75.50
9	—	2,018	76.00–83.00	78.46

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	23	—	934	51.00–78.00	64.90
(<2 yrs)	Open	62	—	903	69.00–93.00	82.16

Head, weight ranges, average weights and price ranges are exactly as USDA AMS filed them — nothing recomputed, nothing rounded — in USDA's own reporting structure. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of that data, not a copy of USDA's document.