Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2020-04-29

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2020-04-29
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-04-29

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Apr 29

● Final37 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← Apr 22Apr 29May 6 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

160 head

▼ 983 vs last sale 1,143▼ 206 vs year ago 366 · −56.3%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

326 head

▲ 81 vs last sale 245▲ 84 vs year ago 242 · +34.7%

Replacement Cattle receipts

222 head

▼ 45 vs last sale 267▼ 88 vs year ago 310 · −28.4%

Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain to average and offered in mostly very small packages or as singles. Warm weather had many feeders pushing heavy amounts of fill. Demand was mostly light for light offerings. Market activity this week was slow. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for moderate offerings. Packer buyers showed mostly good demand for cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher on lean and boning cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested to trend as most fleshy offerings sold to feed. Feeding cow demand was moderate to good this week and buyers pushed packers on high quality cows throughout the sale. Feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-4.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average today as warm weather had most cows tanked up and very full. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 3.00 higher. Cow and bull quality this week was average to attractive. Young age cows suitable to feed or re-breed sold on mostly moderate to good demand. Young age cows sold steady to 5.00 higher with higher quality, re-breed type cows showing the biggest increase in price this week.

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 $119.10/cwt on 40 head.

Average price

$119.10

40 head · 542 lb average

Value per head Derived

$646

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$1

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

$18.32/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−10.27

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	457	136.00	622	3thin
Medium 1	653	118.00	771	6thin
Medium and Large 2	529	117.68	623	31

One grade step is worth $18.32/cwt here — about −$1 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 sale40 hd

119.10

—

MT average2 barns · 875 hd

129.37

−10.27

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	1,746	78.69	1,374	52
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,448	56.81	822	92
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,784	55.28	986	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,258	54.24	682	107

Every lot

37 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 · Steers4 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium and Large 2	585	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	831	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Full	725	125.60/cwt	125.00–126.50	911	5
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Full	767	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	897	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Full	837	108.00/cwt	108.00–108.00	904	3
Feeder Cattle · Heifers5 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	441	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	529	6
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	457	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	622	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	539	118.00/cwt	118.00–118.00	636	14
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	565	116.00/cwt	116.00–116.00	655	11
Heifers	—	Medium 1	653	118.00/cwt	118.00–118.00	771	6
Feeder Cattle · Bulls7 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	98	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	270	2
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 2	430	142.50/cwt	142.50–142.50	613	2
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2	718	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	754	2
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	808	102.00/cwt	102.00–102.00	824	2
Bulls	—	Large 1	1,008	92.00/cwt	92.00–92.00	927	2
Bulls	—	Large 1-2	1,035	87.00/cwt	87.00–87.00	900	3
Bulls	—	Large 1	1,081	96.21/cwt	93.50–98.00	1,040	5
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Light Weight	1,290	69.00/cwt	69.00–69.00	890	2
Bulls	—	—	1,644	75.20/cwt	71.50–78.00	1,236	21
Bulls	—	—	1,786	79.97/cwt	78.50–86.50	1,428	23
Bulls	—	—	2,099	89.22/cwt	87.00–91.50	1,873	6
Slaughter Cattle · Cows10 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	995	52.50/cwt	52.50–52.50	522	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,060	42.60/cwt	41.00–45.00	452	5
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,265	52.94/cwt	48.00–56.00	670	63
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,269	62.16/cwt	61.50–63.50	789	3
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,280	57.61/cwt	56.00–61.00	737	35
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,444	54.68/cwt	50.00–56.50	790	40
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,447	58.24/cwt	56.50–61.00	843	50
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,533	63.52/cwt	63.00–64.00	974	2
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,697	53.65/cwt	53.50–54.00	910	6
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,915	57.72/cwt	55.50–58.50	1,105	4
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows7 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	780	81.00/cwt	81.00–81.00	632	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	993	53.59/cwt	52.00–56.00	532	4
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,056	85.36/cwt	74.00–107.00	901	78
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,106	47.50/cwt	47.50–47.50	525	5
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,182	68.23/cwt	57.00–86.00	806	55
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,292	54.29/cwt	53.00–56.50	701	9
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,434	58.76/cwt	57.50–62.50	843	41

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 29, 2020

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 160Last week 1,143Year ago 366

Slaughter CattleReceipts 326Last week 245Year ago 242

Replacement CattleReceipts 222Last week 267Year ago 310

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	767	117.00	117.00
3	—	837	108.00	108.00
5	—	725	125.00–126.50	125.60

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	585	142.00	142.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,008	92.00	92.00
5	—	1,081	93.50–98.00	96.21

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,035	87.00	87.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	808	102.00	102.00
2	—	98	275.00	275.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	718	105.00	105.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	430	142.50	142.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	457	136.00	136.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	441	120.00	120.00
11	—	565	116.00	116.00
14	—	539	118.00	118.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	653	118.00	118.00

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
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	55	—	1,182	57.00–86.00	68.23
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	9	—	1,292	53.00–56.50	54.29
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	41	—	1,434	57.50–62.50	58.76
(<2 yrs)	Open	78	—	1,056	74.00–107.00	85.36

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	1	—	780	81.00	81.00

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	5	—	1,106	47.50	47.50
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	4	—	993	52.00–56.00	53.59

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
63	—	1,265	48.00–56.00	52.94
3	—	1,269	61.50–63.50	62.16
5	—	1,060	41.00–45.00	42.60
35	—	1,280	56.00–61.00	57.61

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,915	55.50–58.50	57.72
6	—	1,697	53.50–54.00	53.65

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,533	63.00–64.00	63.52
40	—	1,444	50.00–56.50	54.68
50	—	1,447	56.50–61.00	58.24

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	995	52.50	52.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
21	—	1,644	71.50–78.00	75.20
23	—	1,786	78.50–86.50	79.97
6	—	2,099	87.00–91.50	89.22

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,290	69.00	69.00

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.