Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2020-04-08

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2020-04-08
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-04-08

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

● Final31 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← Apr 1Apr 8Apr 15 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

175 head

▼ 143 vs last sale 318▼ 95 vs year ago 270 · −35.2%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

45 head

▼ 73 vs last sale 118▼ 183 vs year ago 228 · −80.3%

Replacement Cattle receipts

183 head

▼ 170 vs last sale 353▲ 38 vs year ago 145 · +26.2%

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 an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly light on light offerings. Quality this week was very plain and buyers showed limited demand for cattle as a result. Cattle were mostly offered in small packages or as singles. CME positions continue to trade with lots of volatility. CME positions today were up 4.95 on the April, 5.575 in the May and 6.55 on the August as expanded limits were seen today after yesterdays limits were reached. Market activity this week was slow. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light demand for light offerings. Packers purchased cows for harvest on very light demand. Slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00-6.00 lower. Feeding cows sold mostly 4.00-7.00 lower as packer buyers showed light demand for cows for feed or slaughter. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 1.00-2.00 lower. Young age cows suitable to feed or re-breed sold generally steady. Demand from feeding buyers remains moderate as buyers opt to feed low cost animals.

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 $138.90/cwt on 52 head.

Average price

$138.90

52 head · 649 lb average

Value per head Derived

$902

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$22

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

$18.92/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+5.76

vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	642	140.72	903	47
Medium and Large 1-2	723	121.80	881	5thin

One grade step is worth $18.92/cwt here — about $22 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 sale52 hd

138.90

—

MT average3 barns · 1,436 hd

133.14

+5.76

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	1,893	72.14	1,366	13
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,529	45.55	696	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,750	41.51	726	2thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,125	38.39	432	9thin

Every lot

31 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 · Steers6 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	567	155.86/cwt	151.00–158.00	884	23
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	615	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	892	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	625	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	825	1
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	660	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	871	1
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	722	124.50/cwt	124.50–124.50	899	22
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	777	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	894	3
Feeder Cattle · Heifers5 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	505	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	712	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	540	127.50/cwt	127.50–127.50	689	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	556	135.79/cwt	135.00–143.00	755	10
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	676	126.50/cwt	126.50–126.50	855	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	770	114.00/cwt	114.00–114.00	878	2
Feeder Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	380	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	627	2
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	757	102.00/cwt	102.00–102.00	772	3
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2	862	89.99/cwt	88.00–91.00	776	3
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	968	95.50/cwt	94.00–97.00	924	4
Bulls	—	Large 1-2	1,075	92.00/cwt	92.00–92.00	989	1
Bulls	—	Large 1	1,080	93.00/cwt	93.00–93.00	1,004	2
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—	1,775	63.80/cwt	62.00–66.00	1,132	3
Bulls	—	—	1,898	74.16/cwt	69.00–76.00	1,408	9
Bulls	—	—	2,200	79.00/cwt	79.00–79.00	1,738	1
Slaughter Cattle · Cows6 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	990	24.00/cwt	24.00–24.00	238	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,055	47.00/cwt	47.00–47.00	496	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,182	41.75/cwt	41.00–43.50	493	6
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,482	47.00/cwt	47.00–47.00	697	5
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,575	44.09/cwt	43.00–46.00	694	5
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,750	41.51/cwt	41.00–42.00	726	2
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows5 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	945	83.30/cwt	61.00–96.00	787	64
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,138	62.40/cwt	52.00–75.00	710	34
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,305	41.70/cwt	41.00–43.50	544	3
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,314	50.91/cwt	44.00–58.00	669	30
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,402	48.08/cwt	44.00–55.00	674	16

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 Apr 8, 2020

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 175Last week 318Year ago 270

Slaughter CattleReceipts 45Last week 118Year ago 228

Replacement CattleReceipts 183Last week 353Year ago 145

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,080	93.00	93.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,075	92.00	92.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	380	165.00	165.00
3	—	757	102.00	102.00
4	—	968	94.00–97.00	95.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	862	88.00–91.00	89.99

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	777	115.00	115.00
1	—	625	132.00	132.00
1	—	660	132.00	132.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	615	145.00	145.00
22	—	722	124.50	124.50
23	—	567	151.00–158.00	155.86

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	676	126.50	126.50
10	—	556	135.00–143.00	135.79

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	505	141.00	141.00
2	—	770	114.00	114.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	540	127.50	127.50

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
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	30	—	1,314	44.00–58.00	50.91
(<2 yrs)	Open	64	—	945	61.00–96.00	83.30
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	34	—	1,138	52.00–75.00	62.40
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	16	—	1,402	44.00–55.00	48.08

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	3	—	1,305	41.00–43.50	41.70

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,750	41.00–42.00	41.51

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,055	47.00	47.00
6	—	1,182	41.00–43.50	41.75

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,482	47.00	47.00
5	—	1,575	43.00–46.00	44.09

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	990	24.00	24.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,775	62.00–66.00	63.80
9	—	1,898	69.00–76.00	74.16
1	—	2,200	79.00	79.00

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.