Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2020-05-20

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2020-05-20
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-05-20

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, May 20

● Final44 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← May 13May 20Jun 3 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

225 head

▼ 2,749 vs last sale 2,974▲ 114 vs year ago 111 · +102.7%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

155 head

▲ 25 vs last sale 130▲ 93 vs year ago 62 · +150.0%

Replacement Cattle receipts

320 head

▼ 327 vs last sale 647▲ 44 vs year ago 276 · +15.9%

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 an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on all feeders on offer. Quality this week was mostly plain to average and offered in mostly small packages or as singles. Buyers showed mostly light to moderate demand for all feeder cattle today. Market activity this week was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand and light to moderate offerings. Packer buyers showed mostly light to moderate demand for cows for immediate harvest this week. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-2.00 lower on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed as packers allowed feeding buyers to buy the majority of this class. Packers purchased most of the cow offering to put away on feed. Feeding cows sold fully steady as packers showed moderate demand for high quality cows. Cow and bull quality this week was mostly average to very attractive. Weigh up conditions were mixed this week, cows sold later in the sale were pushing heavier amounts of fill. Young age cows suitable to feed or re-breed sold generally steady to firm on moderate demand. Quality was mostly average.

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 $132.23/cwt on 66 head.

Average price

$132.23

66 head · 568 lb average

Value per head Derived

$751

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$368

per head · Medium 2 over Large 1

$25.32/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+4.39

vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 2	351	142.82	502	17thin
Medium and Large 1	628	134.07	841	24
Medium and Large 1-2	627	125.50	787	18thin
Large 1	740	117.50	870	7thin

One grade step is worth $25.32/cwt here — about −$368 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 sale66 hd

132.23

—

MT average3 barns · 261 hd

127.83

+4.39

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	1,814	81.55	1,480	47
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,690	60.00	1,014	1thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,434	55.71	799	26
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,204	53.92	649	72

Every lot

44 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 · Steers5 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	480	167.50/cwt	167.50–167.50	804	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	710	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	966	11
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	740	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	910	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	804	124.50/cwt	124.50–124.50	1,001	7
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	954	106.00/cwt	106.00–106.00	1,011	5
Feeder Cattle · Heifers12 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium 2	320	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	467	8
Heifers	—	Medium 2	379	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	531	9
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	509	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	743	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	566	142.60/cwt	141.00–143.00	807	5
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	574	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	746	5
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	604	138.03/cwt	134.00–142.00	834	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	630	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	737	5
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	658	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	862	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	659	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	844	8
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	716	121.50/cwt	121.50–121.50	870	5
Heifers	—	Large 1	740	117.50/cwt	117.50–117.50	870	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	783	118.50/cwt	118.50–118.50	928	2
Feeder Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	773	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	904	2
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2	775	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	814	5
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	969	101.88/cwt	99.00–104.00	987	7
Bulls	—	Large 1	1,089	95.00/cwt	95.00–95.00	1,035	6
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Light Weight	1,160	66.00/cwt	66.00–66.00	766	4
Bulls	—	—	1,658	74.60/cwt	69.00–79.50	1,237	15
Bulls	—	—	1,872	84.56/cwt	81.00–89.00	1,583	16
Bulls	—	—	2,086	93.79/cwt	91.00–99.00	1,956	11
Bulls	—	—Heavy Weight	2,870	65.00/cwt	65.00–65.00	1,866	1
Slaughter Cattle · Cows9 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	937	47.16/cwt	41.00–53.00	442	3
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,170	63.11/cwt	62.75–63.50	738	7
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,187	52.34/cwt	46.00–56.00	621	40
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,260	57.47/cwt	55.00–59.50	724	18
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,383	42.70/cwt	42.00–45.00	591	4
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,432	54.56/cwt	51.50–56.50	781	14
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,433	58.24/cwt	57.00–60.50	835	11
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,470	44.00/cwt	44.00–44.00	647	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,690	60.00/cwt	60.00–60.00	1,014	1
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows8 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	880	65.00/cwt	65.00–65.00	572	2
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	920	74.77/cwt	72.00–80.00	688	3
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,060	87.88/cwt	73.00–105.00	932	48
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,157	52.05/cwt	43.00–55.50	602	13
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,162	54.76/cwt	53.50–55.75	636	6
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,210	66.04/cwt	57.50–79.00	799	41
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,324	61.05/cwt	54.50–67.00	808	85
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,420	58.25/cwt	51.00–65.50	827	70
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs1 lot · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs	—	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	1,478	1,150.00/cwt	1,150.00–1,150.00	16,997	6

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 May 20, 2020

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 225Last week 2,974Year ago 111

Slaughter CattleReceipts 155Last week 130Year ago 62

Replacement CattleReceipts 320Last week 647Year ago 276

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	954	106.00	106.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	480	167.50	167.50
2	—	740	123.00	123.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	804	124.50	124.50
11	—	710	136.00	136.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,089	95.00	95.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	773	117.00	117.00
7	—	969	99.00–104.00	101.88

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	775	105.00	105.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	658	131.00	131.00
5	—	716	121.50	121.50
2	—	783	118.50	118.50
5	—	566	141.00–143.00	142.60
4	—	604	134.00–142.00	138.03
4	—	509	146.00	146.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	574	130.00	130.00
5	—	630	117.00	117.00
8	—	659	128.00	128.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	320	146.00	146.00
9	—	379	140.00	140.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	740	117.50	117.50

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	2,086	91.00–99.00	93.79
15	—	1,658	69.00–79.50	74.60
16	—	1,872	81.00–89.00	84.56

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,160	66.00	66.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,870	65.00	65.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	937	41.00–53.00	47.16

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	1,433	57.00–60.50	58.24
1	—	1,470	44.00	44.00
14	—	1,432	51.50–56.50	54.56

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
18	—	1,260	55.00–59.50	57.47
7	—	1,170	62.75–63.50	63.11
4	—	1,383	42.00–45.00	42.70
40	—	1,187	46.00–56.00	52.34

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,690	60.00	60.00

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
(<2 yrs)	Open	48	—	1,060	73.00–105.00	87.88
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	41	—	1,210	57.50–79.00	66.04
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	70	—	1,420	51.00–65.50	58.25
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	85	—	1,324	54.50–67.00	61.05

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	—	880	65.00	65.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	3	—	920	72.00–80.00	74.77
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	6	—	1,162	53.50–55.75	54.76
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	13	—	1,157	43.00–55.50	52.05

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	6	—	1,478	1,150.00	1,150.00

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.