Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2020-01-08

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2020-01-08
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-01-08

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Jan 8

● Final78 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← Dec 18Jan 8Jan 15 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

655 head

▲ 230 vs last sale 425▲ 655 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago

Slaughter Cattle receipts

160 head

▼ 94 vs last sale 254▲ 160 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago

Replacement Cattle receipts

1,121 head

▲ 120 vs last sale 1,001▲ 1,121 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago

Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: All feeder cattle were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all feeders on offer. Quality this week was plain to average. The best demand for cattle was for lightweight calves suitable to develop into yearlings. Cattle were offered in mostly small packages. Demand overall was mostly moderate to good for light offerings. Market activity was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for heavy offerings. Quality this sale was average to attractive. Packers showed mostly light to moderate demand for cows this week which allowed feeding buyers to purchase most of the cow offering. Feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-6.00 higher this sale. Cows were in noticeably heavier flesh overall compared to last sale. Many cows have put on weight after having calves weaned off them and many consignments have fed offerings. Several sets of cows were hard fed and buyers showed good demand for these offerings, however feeding buyers purchased most of these offerings and are listed as fleshy below. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 lower on boning and lean cows. However, the quality of cows going to harvest was lower this sale compared to last making slaughter cows higher on a dressed basis. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady on like quality offerings. Young age cows suitable to re-breed sold with higher undertones. Quality was mostly average.

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 $166.28/cwt on 241 head.

Average price

$166.28

241 head · 543 lb average

Value per head Derived

$902

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$59

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

$31.34/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−5.46

vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	536	170.74	915	169
Medium and Large 1-2	526	161.85	851	47
Medium 1	631	149.00	940	12thin
Large 1-2	617	143.00	882	3thin
Medium and Large 2	614	139.40	856	10thin

One grade step is worth $31.34/cwt here — about $59 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 sale241 hd

166.28

—

MT average2 barns · 951 hd

171.73

−5.46

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	1,937	77.13	1,494	36
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,610	57.25	922	5thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,528	47.67	729	3thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,262	39.42	497	75

Every lot

78 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 · Steers25 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	419	177.50/cwt	177.50–177.50	744	9
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	428	188.00/cwt	188.00–188.00	805	16
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	433	175.83/cwt	174.00–179.00	761	8
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	451	168.00/cwt	168.00–168.00	758	4
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	460	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	782	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	462	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	711	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	474	175.33/cwt	174.00–177.00	831	38
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	508	169.40/cwt	169.00–169.50	861	10
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	518	179.37/cwt	175.00–180.00	929	48
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	524	161.13/cwt	160.00–162.00	844	7
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	576	164.02/cwt	162.00–171.00	945	13
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	577	165.65/cwt	162.50–167.00	956	10
Steers	—	Medium and Large 2	587	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	822	7
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	589	154.50/cwt	154.50–154.50	910	6
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	598	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	909	5
Steers	—	Large 1-2Unweaned	617	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	882	3
Steers	—	Medium 1Unweaned	631	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	940	12
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	636	150.50/cwt	150.50–150.50	957	5
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	648	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	959	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	660	149.20/cwt	147.00–152.00	985	9
Steers	—	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	677	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	934	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	720	144.38/cwt	141.50–147.00	1,040	13
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	720	138.68/cwt	138.00–140.00	998	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	730	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	1,088	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	760	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	1,041	2
Feeder Cattle · Heifers24 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	349	173.00/cwt	173.00–173.00	604	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	355	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	550	5
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	420	157.55/cwt	155.00–162.00	662	13
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	424	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	666	9
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	448	163.00/cwt	163.00–163.00	730	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	460	164.87/cwt	163.00–166.00	758	19
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	485	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	669	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	498	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	742	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	513	150.00/cwt	147.00–160.00	770	12
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	526	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	757	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	573	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	802	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	578	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	798	8
Heifers	—	Medium 1Unweaned	586	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	803	9
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	625	138.60/cwt	135.00–142.00	866	14
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	645	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	845	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	645	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	839	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	655	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	799	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	703	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	900	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	910	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,138	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	918	134.32/cwt	134.25–134.50	1,233	22
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	985	133.24/cwt	133.00–134.00	1,312	4
Heifers	—	Large 1	1,032	130.70/cwt	129.50–131.50	1,349	10
Heifers	—	Large 1-2	1,053	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	1,232	3
Heifers	—	Large 1	1,070	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	1,359	3
Feeder Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	658	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	862	5
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	719	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	942	12
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	760	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	935	4
Bulls	—	Large 1	1,075	103.00/cwt	103.00–103.00	1,107	2
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—	1,714	64.30/cwt	61.00–69.50	1,102	5
Bulls	—	—	1,925	77.72/cwt	72.50–83.50	1,496	26
Bulls	—	—	2,224	86.91/cwt	85.00–92.50	1,933	5
Slaughter Cattle · Cows7 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	915	36.61/cwt	35.00–38.00	335	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,217	35.49/cwt	30.00–36.50	432	10
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,280	40.13/cwt	37.00–47.50	514	63
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,505	49.01/cwt	48.00–50.00	738	2
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,575	45.00/cwt	45.00–45.00	709	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,603	63.02/cwt	60.00–66.00	1,010	2
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,615	53.40/cwt	50.00–57.50	862	3
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows6 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,086	950.00/cwt	950.00–950.00	10,317	4
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,156	1,050.00/cwt	1,050.00–1,050.00	12,138	4
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,279	635.00/cwt	635.00–635.00	8,122	7
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,358	43.00/cwt	43.00–43.00	584	4
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,466	54.70/cwt	54.00–55.00	802	12
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,540	58.50/cwt	58.50–58.50	901	4
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows9 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,026	76.36/cwt	60.00–95.00	783	156
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,133	54.76/cwt	53.00–58.00	620	4
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,205	49.68/cwt	44.00–53.00	599	42
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,232	46.40/cwt	35.50–51.00	572	80
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,397	57.27/cwt	51.50–62.50	800	114
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,407	61.39/cwt	56.00–67.00	864	118
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,548	66.82/cwt	61.50–68.25	1,034	63
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	1,624	62.92/cwt	61.00–63.50	1,022	5
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	1,738	66.41/cwt	64.00–68.00	1,154	20

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 Jan 8, 2020

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 655Last week 425Year ago 0

Slaughter CattleReceipts 160Last week 254Year ago 0

Replacement CattleReceipts 1,121Last week 1,001Year ago 0

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	576	162.00–171.00	164.02
16	—	428	188.00	188.00
38	—	474	174.00–177.00	175.33
48	—	518	175.00–180.00	179.37
3	—	730	149.00	149.00
9	—	660	147.00–152.00	149.20

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	451	168.00	168.00
5	—	636	150.50	150.50
10	—	508	169.00–169.50	169.40
10	—	577	162.50–167.00	165.65
13	—	720	141.50–147.00	144.38

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	617	143.00	143.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	631	149.00	149.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	598	152.00	152.00
2	—	760	137.00	137.00
8	—	433	174.00–179.00	175.83
2	—	648	148.00	148.00
2	—	460	170.00	170.00
7	—	524	160.00–162.00	161.13

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	587	140.00	140.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	677	138.00	138.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	419	177.50	177.50
6	—	589	154.50	154.50
3	—	720	138.00–140.00	138.68
3	—	462	154.00	154.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	485	138.00	138.00
5	—	355	155.00	155.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	586	137.00	137.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	578	138.00	138.00
2	—	645	131.00	131.00
3	—	703	128.00	128.00
9	—	424	157.00	157.00
12	—	513	147.00–160.00	150.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
22	—	918	134.25–134.50	134.32
19	—	460	163.00–166.00	164.87
14	—	625	135.00–142.00	138.60
7	—	349	173.00	173.00
4	—	985	133.00–134.00	133.24
4	—	573	140.00	140.00
4	—	448	163.00	163.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,053	117.00	117.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	1,032	129.50–131.50	130.70
3	—	1,070	127.00	127.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	526	144.00	144.00
2	—	498	149.00	149.00
3	—	645	130.00	130.00
3	—	655	122.00	122.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	910	125.00	125.00
13	—	420	155.00–162.00	157.55

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	760	123.00	123.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	719	131.00	131.00
5	—	658	131.00	131.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,075	103.00	103.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	12	—	1,466	54.00–55.00	54.70
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	4	—	1,540	58.50	58.50
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	4	—	1,086	950.00	950.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	4	—	1,156	1,050.00	1,050.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	4	—	1,358	43.00	43.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	7	—	1,279	635.00	635.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	5	—	1,624	61.00–63.50	62.92
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	20	—	1,738	64.00–68.00	66.41

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	156	—	1,026	60.00–95.00	76.36
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	118	—	1,407	56.00–67.00	61.39
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	114	—	1,397	51.50–62.50	57.27
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	63	—	1,548	61.50–68.25	66.82

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	80	—	1,232	35.50–51.00	46.40
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	42	—	1,205	44.00–53.00	49.68
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	4	—	1,133	53.00–58.00	54.76

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,575	45.00	45.00
2	—	1,505	48.00–50.00	49.01

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,603	60.00–66.00	63.02
3	—	1,615	50.00–57.50	53.40

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	1,217	30.00–36.50	35.49
63	—	1,280	37.00–47.50	40.13

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	915	35.00–38.00	36.61

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,714	61.00–69.50	64.30
5	—	2,224	85.00–92.50	86.91
26	—	1,925	72.50–83.50	77.72

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.