Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2019-12-04

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2019-12-04
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2019-12-04

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Dec 4

● Final62 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← Nov 20Dec 4Dec 11 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

385 head

▼ 2,452 vs last sale 2,837▲ 385 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago

Slaughter Cattle receipts

145 head

▲ 24 vs last sale 121▲ 145 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago

Replacement Cattle receipts

1,193 head

▲ 1,101 vs last sale 92▲ 1,193 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago

Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to two weeks ago: This sale was not covered last week so all comparisons are to two weeks ago. All feeder cattle were too lightly tested either this week and last sale to develop an accurate market trend however, lower undertones were noticed on all calves on offer. Quality was mostly plain to average today and offered in small packages or as singles. With limited offerings buyers showed light demand as many were concerned with getting loads out. Demand overall was light for light offerings. Market activity was slow today. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Feeding and packer buyers both showed good demand for cows today. Cow quality was average to attractive. Cows offered buyers mostly below average weigh conditions as most showed moderate to heavy amounts of fill. High quality feeding cows sold steady to firm, while thin short term feeding cows sold mostly 1.00-2.00 higher. Packers also showed good demand for cows for immediate harvest and demand for slaughter cows increased as the sale progressed. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were not tested last week as most of these offerings sold to feeding buyers. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher. Young age cows suitable to re-breed sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower. Quality was mostly average to attractive.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $131.52/cwt on 133 head.

Average price

$131.52

133 head · 628 lb average

Value per head Derived

$826

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$263

per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium 1-2

$5.97/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−7.32

vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	484	136.09	659	17thin
Medium and Large 1	625	131.16	819	82
Medium 1-2	708	130.12	922	34

One grade step is worth $5.97/cwt here — about −$263 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 sale133 hd

131.52

—

MT average3 barns · 712 hd

138.84

−7.32

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	—	High	1,896	76.28	1,446	40
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,468	64.48	947	2thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,465	53.92	790	27
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,252	47.21	591	53

Every lot

62 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. 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 · Steers12 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	320	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	560	1
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	378	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	718	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	398	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	693	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	423	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	723	11
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	481	158.45/cwt	155.00–160.00	762	13
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Full	483	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	715	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	508	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	767	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	583	143.82/cwt	140.00–145.00	838	16
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	670	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	911	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	745	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	961	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Full	748	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	950	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	813	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	1,130	2
Feeder Cattle · Heifers18 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	448	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	627	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	465	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	656	2
Heifers	—	Medium 1-2	474	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	602	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	477	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	639	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	478	137.50/cwt	137.50–137.50	657	11
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	508	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	691	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Full	510	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	673	5
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	536	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	708	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	542	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	688	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	574	128.92/cwt	127.00–130.50	740	23
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	582	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	762	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	611	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	813	13
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	700	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	882	3
Heifers	—	Medium 1-2	700	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	868	5
Heifers	—	Medium 1-2	785	132.50/cwt	132.50–132.50	1,040	22
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Full	885	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	1,142	10
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	913	132.50/cwt	132.50–132.50	1,210	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Full	915	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,190	1
Feeder Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	434	157.50/cwt	157.50–157.50	684	4
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	445	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	761	2
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	474	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	664	4
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	496	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	684	48
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	720	116.00/cwt	116.00–116.00	835	2
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—	1,750	70.71/cwt	63.00–73.00	1,237	19
Bulls	—	—	1,985	79.92/cwt	74.00–85.00	1,586	16
Bulls	—	—	2,025	86.77/cwt	86.00–87.00	1,757	4
Bulls	—	—Heavy Weight	2,730	82.00/cwt	82.00–82.00	2,239	1
Slaughter Cattle · Cows8 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	820	32.50/cwt	32.50–32.50	267	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,180	34.53/cwt	32.00–40.00	407	7
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,235	46.95/cwt	42.00–50.00	580	25
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,321	52.71/cwt	50.00–55.00	696	20
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,430	47.80/cwt	47.00–48.00	684	5
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,448	54.62/cwt	53.00–57.00	791	20
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,468	64.48/cwt	64.00–65.00	947	2
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,723	62.27/cwt	60.00–64.50	1,073	2
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows11 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	830	66.38/cwt	65.00–67.50	551	2
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,011	78.57/cwt	65.00–92.00	794	120
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,072	68.00/cwt	68.00–68.00	729	7
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,161	49.25/cwt	45.00–53.50	572	83
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,162	53.66/cwt	53.00–54.00	624	8
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,165	67.62/cwt	61.00–77.00	788	72
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,174	52.39/cwt	48.00–59.00	615	18
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,187	52.38/cwt	48.50–54.00	622	36
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,335	63.63/cwt	58.50–74.00	849	52
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,337	56.24/cwt	51.00–63.00	752	117
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,357	60.60/cwt	55.00–70.00	822	131
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows4 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,160	875.00/cwt	875.00–875.00	10,150	6
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,173	1,000.00/cwt	1,000.00–1,000.00	11,730	4
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,198	800.00/cwt	800.00–800.00	9,584	2
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,473	875.00/cwt	875.00–875.00	12,889	12

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 (Wed)

Wed Dec 4, 2019

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 385Last week 2,837Year ago 0

Slaughter CattleReceipts 145Last week 121Year ago 0

Replacement CattleReceipts 1,193Last week 92Year ago 0

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	423	171.00	171.00
3	—	745	129.00	129.00
3	—	378	190.00	190.00
2	—	670	136.00	136.00
2	—	508	151.00	151.00
16	—	583	140.00–145.00	143.82
13	—	481	155.00–160.00	158.45

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	483	148.00	148.00
2	—	748	127.00	127.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	813	139.00	139.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	320	175.00	175.00
2	—	398	174.00	174.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	582	131.00	131.00
4	—	913	132.50	132.50
3	—	508	136.00	136.00
2	—	465	141.00	141.00
13	—	611	133.00	133.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	885	129.00	129.00
5	—	510	132.00	132.00
1	—	915	130.00	130.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	700	124.00	124.00
7	—	474	127.00	127.00
22	—	785	132.50	132.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	700	126.00	126.00
4	—	536	132.00	132.00
7	—	477	134.00	134.00
23	—	574	127.00–130.50	128.92

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	478	137.50	137.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	448	140.00	140.00
3	—	542	127.00	127.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	445	171.00	171.00
2	—	720	116.00	116.00
4	—	474	140.00	140.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	434	157.50	157.50
48	—	496	138.00	138.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	8	—	1,162	53.00–54.00	53.66
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	18	—	1,174	48.00–59.00	52.39
(<2 yrs)	Open	2	—	830	65.00–67.50	66.38
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	36	—	1,187	48.50–54.00	52.38
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	83	—	1,161	45.00–53.50	49.25

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	117	—	1,337	51.00–63.00	56.24
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	131	—	1,357	55.00–70.00	60.60
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	52	—	1,335	58.50–74.00	63.63
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	72	—	1,165	61.00–77.00	67.62
(<2 yrs)	Open	120	—	1,011	65.00–92.00	78.57

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	7	—	1,072	68.00	68.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	12	—	1,473	875.00	875.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	2	—	1,198	800.00	800.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	4	—	1,173	1,000.00	1,000.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	6	—	1,160	875.00	875.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	820	32.50	32.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
25	—	1,235	42.00–50.00	46.95
20	—	1,321	50.00–55.00	52.71
7	—	1,180	32.00–40.00	34.53

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,468	64.00–65.00	64.48

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
20	—	1,448	53.00–57.00	54.62
5	—	1,430	47.00–48.00	47.80
2	—	1,723	60.00–64.50	62.27

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,730	82.00	82.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
19	—	1,750	63.00–73.00	70.71
16	—	1,985	74.00–85.00	79.92
4	—	2,025	86.00–87.00	86.77

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.