Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2020-03-25

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2020-03-25
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-03-25

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Mar 25

● Final27 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← Mar 18Mar 25Apr 1 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

165 head

▲ 30 vs last sale 135▲ 165 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago

Slaughter Cattle receipts

303 head

▲ 191 vs last sale 112▲ 303 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago

Replacement Cattle receipts

443 head

▲ 408 vs last sale 35▲ 443 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 cattle were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly moderate for light offerings. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. CME positions have pushed sharply higher over the last few days giving buyers some confidence in the market. Market activity this week was moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for moderate offerings. Packers continue to show good to very good demand for cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher on all classes of cows. Packers showed the best demand for lean cows as they search for lean grinding materials to blend down fed cow trimmings. Packers were also active in purchasing high quality cows to put on feed. Feeding cows were not tested last week as most offerings were destined for harvest, thus no trend can be established. Demand for feeding cows was mostly good this week. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00 higher. Young age cows suitable to feed or re-breed sold 2.00-5.00 higher as improved feeding demand and higher fed cattle prices helped improve demand.

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 $143.85/cwt on 96 head.

Average price

$143.85

96 head · 603 lb average

Value per head Derived

$867

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$259

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

$9.55/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−6.74

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	404	153.00	618	4thin
Medium and Large 1	612	143.45	877	92

One grade step is worth $9.55/cwt here — about −$259 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 sale96 hd

143.85

—

MT average3 barns · 402 hd

150.59

−6.74

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	1,781	83.94	1,495	21
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,437	67.19	966	101
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,603	65.48	1,050	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,209	64.13	776	122

Every lot

27 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 · Steers2 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	569	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	950	6
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	642	152.50/cwt	152.50–152.50	979	7
Feeder Cattle · Heifers4 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	404	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	618	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	473	163.00/cwt	163.00–163.00	771	10
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	612	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	881	69
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	716	125.50/cwt	125.50–125.50	899	13
Feeder Cattle · Bulls1 lot · lightest first
Bulls	—	Large 1	1,003	103.00/cwt	103.00–103.00	1,033	3
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—	1,666	86.10/cwt	82.00–90.00	1,434	10
Bulls	—	—	1,796	77.20/cwt	65.00–80.00	1,387	8
Bulls	—	—	2,123	94.72/cwt	93.00–95.50	2,011	3
Slaughter Cattle · Cows9 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	953	55.49/cwt	55.00–56.00	529	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,175	62.06/cwt	53.00–64.50	729	61
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,245	70.50/cwt	70.50–70.50	878	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,254	66.49/cwt	65.00–68.50	834	58
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,407	63.69/cwt	61.00–64.50	896	10
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,439	67.51/cwt	64.00–70.00	971	89
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,505	70.50/cwt	70.50–70.50	1,061	2
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,562	66.47/cwt	65.50–67.00	1,038	6
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,665	64.00/cwt	64.00–64.00	1,066	4
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows1 lot · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,418	1,325.00/cwt	1,325.00–1,325.00	18,789	9
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Bred Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	1,108	1,325.00/cwt	1,325.00–1,325.00	14,681	2
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows6 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	992	87.89/cwt	71.00–100.50	872	72
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,053	58.88/cwt	58.50–59.00	620	26
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,125	59.00/cwt	59.00–59.00	664	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,173	69.20/cwt	64.50–77.00	812	48
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,331	67.81/cwt	63.00–73.00	903	91
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,338	66.18/cwt	64.75–70.50	885	72

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 25, 2020

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 165Last week 135Year ago 0

Slaughter CattleReceipts 303Last week 112Year ago 0

Replacement CattleReceipts 443Last week 35Year ago 0

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,003	103.00	103.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	473	163.00	163.00
13	—	716	125.50	125.50
69	—	612	144.00	144.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	404	153.00	153.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	569	167.00	167.00
7	—	642	152.50	152.50

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	1,796	65.00–80.00	77.20
10	—	1,666	82.00–90.00	86.10
3	—	2,123	93.00–95.50	94.72

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,505	70.50	70.50
10	—	1,407	61.00–64.50	63.69
89	—	1,439	64.00–70.00	67.51

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,665	64.00	64.00
6	—	1,562	65.50–67.00	66.47

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,245	70.50	70.50
58	—	1,254	65.00–68.50	66.49
61	—	1,175	53.00–64.50	62.06

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	953	55.00–56.00	55.49

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
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	9	—	1,418	1,325.00	1,325.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	2	—	1,108	1,325.00	1,325.00

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	72	—	1,338	64.75–70.50	66.18
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	91	—	1,331	63.00–73.00	67.81
(<2 yrs)	Open	72	—	992	71.00–100.50	87.89
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	48	—	1,173	64.50–77.00	69.20

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	26	—	1,053	58.50–59.00	58.88
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,125	59.00	59.00

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.