Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2020-03-11

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2020-03-11
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-03-11

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Mar 11

● Final47 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← Mar 4Mar 11Mar 18 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

405 head

▲ 238 vs last sale 167▲ 405 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago

Slaughter Cattle receipts

105 head

▼ 80 vs last sale 185▲ 105 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago

Replacement Cattle receipts

153 head

▼ 102 vs last sale 255▲ 153 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago

Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026

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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed on all offerings. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly light for light offerings. Quality this week was mostly average and offered in small groups or as singles. CME positions continue to slide lower as COVID-19 virus worry grips financial and commodity markets. CME prices sold sharply lower with most differed contracts down the limit as of today's close. Market activity was mostly slow. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Packers were more aggressive as they purchased the majority of the cow offering. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed on boning and lean cows, breaking cows sold with lower undertones. Feeding cows sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady. Young age cows suitable to feed or re-breed sold mostly 6.00-12.00 lower. Lighter demand from feeding buyers due to sharply lower live cattle contracts continues to push the market young cows lower.

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 $148.27/cwt on 207 head.

Average price

$148.27

207 head · 533 lb average

Value per head Derived

$791

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$23

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

$19.20/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−1.67

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	443	154.06	682	9thin
Medium and Large 1	550	151.44	833	157
Medium and Large 2	489	134.85	659	41

One grade step is worth $19.20/cwt here — about $23 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 sale207 hd

148.27

—

MT average3 barns · 691 hd

149.94

−1.67

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	1,918	80.01	1,535	22
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,583	57.43	909	37
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,490	55.54	827	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,195	52.00	621	24

Every lot

47 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 · Steers11 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	424	181.42/cwt	180.00–183.00	769	6
Steers	—	Medium and Large 2	495	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	747	13
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	505	163.00/cwt	163.00–163.00	823	4
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	528	170.50/cwt	170.50–170.50	900	25
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	589	146.32/cwt	146.00–148.50	862	24
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	615	144.18/cwt	140.00–148.50	887	4
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	637	150.50/cwt	150.50–150.50	959	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	673	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,010	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	762	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	1,013	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	798	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	974	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	831	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	1,072	10
Feeder Cattle · Heifers13 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	380	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	627	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	382	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	520	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	435	161.20/cwt	161.00–161.50	701	20
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	456	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	679	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	459	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	629	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	479	161.53/cwt	160.00–164.00	774	33
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	524	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	702	27
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	526	158.97/cwt	154.00–163.00	836	60
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	574	142.50/cwt	142.50–142.50	818	8
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	625	135.99/cwt	134.00–138.00	850	15
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	640	130.50/cwt	130.50–130.50	835	1
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	760	120.19/cwt	120.00–120.25	913	16
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	842	116.00/cwt	116.00–116.00	977	5
Feeder Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2	473	159.50/cwt	159.50–159.50	754	3
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	893	119.00/cwt	119.00–119.00	1,063	6
Bulls	—	Large 1	1,090	96.50/cwt	96.50–96.50	1,052	3
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—	1,749	71.72/cwt	64.00–76.00	1,254	5
Bulls	—	—	1,946	81.37/cwt	76.00–84.50	1,583	14
Bulls	—	—	2,072	87.50/cwt	86.00–90.50	1,813	3
Slaughter Cattle · Cows10 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	950	49.12/cwt	45.00–53.50	467	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,199	52.48/cwt	48.00–54.50	629	15
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,242	57.48/cwt	56.50–58.00	714	3
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,245	43.34/cwt	42.00–44.00	540	3
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,335	60.00/cwt	60.00–60.00	801	1
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,424	53.84/cwt	53.50–54.50	767	6
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,517	56.45/cwt	55.00–59.00	856	3
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,550	55.20/cwt	54.50–56.50	856	9
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,593	58.15/cwt	57.00–59.50	926	28
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,800	63.00/cwt	63.00–63.00	1,134	1
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows7 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium 1	674	91.42/cwt	90.00–92.00	616	7
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	863	72.85/cwt	64.00–79.50	629	2
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,044	84.01/cwt	73.00–95.00	877	31
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,158	56.09/cwt	53.00–58.00	650	7
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,202	64.38/cwt	56.00–72.50	774	32
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,298	58.11/cwt	55.00–59.50	754	7
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,333	59.47/cwt	56.00–63.00	793	21

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 Mar 11, 2020

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 405Last week 167Year ago 0

Slaughter CattleReceipts 105Last week 185Year ago 0

Replacement CattleReceipts 153Last week 255Year ago 0

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	615	140.00–148.50	144.18
24	—	589	146.00–148.50	146.32
4	—	505	163.00	163.00
2	—	798	122.00	122.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	637	150.50	150.50
3	—	673	150.00	150.00
25	—	528	170.50	170.50
10	—	831	129.00	129.00
6	—	424	180.00–183.00	181.42
3	—	762	133.00	133.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	495	151.00	151.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	842	116.00	116.00
33	—	479	160.00–164.00	161.53
60	—	526	154.00–163.00	158.97
20	—	435	161.00–161.50	161.20
8	—	574	142.50	142.50
15	—	625	134.00–138.00	135.99
16	—	760	120.00–120.25	120.19

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
27	—	524	134.00	134.00
7	—	382	136.00	136.00
7	—	459	137.00	137.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	640	130.50	130.50
4	—	380	165.00	165.00
4	—	456	149.00	149.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,090	96.50	96.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	473	159.50	159.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	893	119.00	119.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,517	55.00–59.00	56.45
6	—	1,424	53.50–54.50	53.84
1	—	1,800	63.00	63.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,550	54.50–56.50	55.20
28	—	1,593	57.00–59.50	58.15

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,335	60.00	60.00
3	—	1,242	56.50–58.00	57.48
3	—	1,245	42.00–44.00	43.34
15	—	1,199	48.00–54.50	52.48

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	950	45.00–53.50	49.12

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	2,072	86.00–90.50	87.50
14	—	1,946	76.00–84.50	81.37
5	—	1,749	64.00–76.00	71.72

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 (2-4 yrs)	Open	7	—	1,158	53.00–58.00	56.09

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	21	—	1,333	56.00–63.00	59.47
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	7	—	1,298	55.00–59.50	58.11
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	32	—	1,202	56.00–72.50	64.38
(<2 yrs)	Open	31	—	1,044	73.00–95.00	84.01

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	7	—	674	90.00–92.00	91.42

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	2	—	863	64.00–79.50	72.85

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.