Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2020-11-04

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2020-11-04
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-11-04

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Nov 4

● Final78 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← Oct 28Nov 4Nov 11 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

989 head

▲ 786 vs last sale 203▼ 121 vs year ago 1,110 · −10.9%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

1,617 head

▲ 783 vs last sale 834▲ 1,387 vs year ago 230 · +603.0%

Replacement Cattle receipts

1,045 head

▲ 810 vs last sale 235▼ 135 vs year ago 1,180 · −11.4%

Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Unweaned steer and heifer calves were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly average. Calves were offered in mostly small to moderate size packages. Demand was mostly light to moderate. Fewer buyers were on hand this sale. Market activity was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for heavy offerings. This week packers started to purchase short term feeding cows for the upcoming holiday season. Most of these cows were thin to very thin and some had a slight blemish. Cow quality this week was mixed but high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white sold with the best demand. Many long strings of very attractive quality cows sold this week off reputation ranches. Feeding cows sold steady to 4.00 lower, with high quality feeding cows selling steady to 2.00 lower and lower yielding short term feeding cows selling mostly 3.00-4.00 lower. Slaughter cows mostly 3.00-5.00 lower, however only very poor quality, low yielding cows were purchased for immediate harvest this week. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady. 2-3 year old suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady to 3.00 lower. 3-4 year old cows sold with lighter demand this week as lighter feeding cow demand allowed them to follow feeding cow prices lower. Quality was mixed, however many thin cows that didn't rebreed continue to be seen.

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 $131.44/cwt on 334 head.

Average price

$131.44

334 head · 546 lb average

Value per head Derived

$718

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$583

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

$24.66/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−10.14

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	422	135.00	570	54
Medium and Large 1	536	132.93	712	244
Medium 1	431	125.00	539	14thin
Large 1	1,045	110.34	1,153	22

One grade step is worth $24.66/cwt here — about −$583 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 sale334 hd

131.44

—

MT average5 barns · 3,846 hd

141.58

−10.14

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	—	Average	1,703	78.14	1,330	56
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,652	62.16	1,027	36
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,404	55.67	781	305
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,199	44.51	534	318

Every lot

78 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 1Unweaned	357	172.65/cwt	170.00–178.00	616	9
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	422	164.90/cwt	162.00–167.00	696	44
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	477	156.13/cwt	147.00–168.00	745	27
Steers	—	Medium 1Unweaned	492	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	699	9
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	496	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	724	10
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	519	143.88/cwt	139.00–150.00	747	55
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	580	140.42/cwt	137.00–146.00	814	123
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Full	594	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	778	14
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	621	135.77/cwt	134.00–139.00	843	17
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	925	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	1,240	9
Steers	—	Large 1	1,028	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	1,275	2
Feeder Cattle · Heifers19 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	311	147.50/cwt	147.50–147.50	459	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	328	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	492	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	374	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	542	21
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	375	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	525	12
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	420	135.32/cwt	134.00–137.00	568	17
Heifers	—	Medium 1Unweaned	431	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	539	14
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	432	141.99/cwt	141.50–143.00	613	37
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	468	140.55/cwt	140.00–142.00	658	21
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	480	128.38/cwt	127.00–131.00	616	14
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	535	128.75/cwt	127.00–133.00	689	94
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	555	130.29/cwt	126.00–131.50	723	42
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	563	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	676	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	648	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	823	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	668	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	802	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	930	122.67/cwt	122.00–123.00	1,141	6
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	968	117.92/cwt	117.00–118.00	1,141	13
Heifers	—	Large 1	1,012	118.50/cwt	118.50–118.50	1,199	8
Heifers	—	Large 1Full	1,062	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	1,115	13
Heifers	—	Large 1	1,085	114.50/cwt	114.50–114.50	1,242	1
Feeder Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	434	142.50/cwt	142.50–142.50	618	6
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	508	130.85/cwt	127.00–132.00	665	18
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	566	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	730	5
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	604	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	767	4
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2	918	98.00/cwt	98.00–98.00	900	5
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,618	75.53/cwt	68.00–78.50	1,222	15
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,642	79.05/cwt	76.00–81.00	1,298	32
Bulls	—	—	1,950	74.00/cwt	74.00–74.00	1,443	1
Bulls	—	—	2,041	78.57/cwt	77.00–81.00	1,604	6
Bulls	—	—	2,165	83.96/cwt	83.00–85.00	1,818	2
Slaughter Cattle · Cows18 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	882	33.02/cwt	30.00–35.00	291	8
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	965	40.00/cwt	40.00–40.00	386	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,134	38.83/cwt	38.00–39.00	440	13
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,145	34.39/cwt	31.00–38.00	394	39
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,193	58.00/cwt	58.00–58.00	692	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,193	44.19/cwt	40.00–49.00	527	47
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,206	41.62/cwt	37.50–45.00	502	55
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,216	48.00/cwt	48.00–48.00	584	18
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,238	49.32/cwt	45.00–55.00	611	135
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,381	45.45/cwt	44.00–46.50	628	23
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,392	62.92/cwt	60.50–67.50	876	117
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,403	52.71/cwt	47.00–60.00	740	146
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,487	44.36/cwt	43.00–46.00	660	9
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,523	47.80/cwt	46.50–50.50	728	10
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,595	57.48/cwt	54.00–60.00	917	6
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,643	62.86/cwt	61.50–64.00	1,033	25
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,739	64.99/cwt	64.00–66.00	1,130	4
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,870	61.50/cwt	61.50–61.50	1,150	1
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows3 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	842	80.00/cwt	80.00–80.00	674	2
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	981	77.86/cwt	63.00–87.50	764	109
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,051	63.57/cwt	51.00–76.50	668	37
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows13 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	983	925.00/cwt	925.00–925.00	9,093	8
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,032	875.73/cwt	800.00–950.00	9,038	6
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,093	957.43/cwt	950.00–975.00	10,465	24
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,152	604.78/cwt	585.00–625.00	6,967	28
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,178	46.00/cwt	46.00–46.00	542	3
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,190	974.14/cwt	850.00–1,050.00	11,592	68
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,196	1,165.27/cwt	1,035.00–1,275.00	13,937	100
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,216	45.00/cwt	45.00–45.00	547	4
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	1,241	49.00/cwt	49.00–49.00	608	7
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,265	800.00/cwt	800.00–800.00	10,120	15
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,284	778.40/cwt	725.00–810.00	9,995	44
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,309	936.57/cwt	900.00–975.00	12,260	28
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	1,327	753.56/cwt	650.00–785.00	10,000	176
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers4 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers	—	Medium 1	759	700.00/cwt	700.00–700.00	5,313	12
Bred Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	803	810.00/cwt	810.00–810.00	6,504	6
Bred Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	886	1,177.89/cwt	1,075.00–1,225.00	10,436	117
Bred Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	1,015	1,275.00/cwt	1,275.00–1,275.00	12,941	11

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 Nov 4, 2020

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 989Last week 203Year ago 1,110

Slaughter CattleReceipts 1,617Last week 834Year ago 230

Replacement CattleReceipts 1,045Last week 235Year ago 1,180

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
32	—	1,642	76.00–81.00	79.05
15	—	1,618	68.00–78.50	75.53

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	2,165	83.00–85.00	83.96
1	—	1,950	74.00	74.00
6	—	2,041	77.00–81.00	78.57

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
146	—	1,403	47.00–60.00	52.71
117	—	1,392	60.50–67.50	62.92
23	—	1,381	44.00–46.50	45.45

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,739	64.00–66.00	64.99
6	—	1,595	54.00–60.00	57.48
25	—	1,643	61.50–64.00	62.86

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
18	—	1,216	48.00	48.00
39	—	1,145	31.00–38.00	34.39
55	—	1,206	37.50–45.00	41.62

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
135	—	1,238	45.00–55.00	49.32
2	—	1,193	58.00	58.00
13	—	1,134	38.00–39.00	38.83
47	—	1,193	40.00–49.00	44.19

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,487	43.00–46.00	44.36
10	—	1,523	46.50–50.50	47.80

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,870	61.50	61.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	965	40.00	40.00
8	—	882	30.00–35.00	33.02

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
18	—	508	127.00–132.00	130.85
5	—	566	129.00	129.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	434	142.50	142.50
4	—	604	127.00	127.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	918	98.00	98.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
55	—	519	139.00–150.00	143.88
27	—	477	147.00–168.00	156.13
17	—	621	134.00–139.00	135.77
123	—	580	137.00–146.00	140.42
44	—	422	162.00–167.00	164.90
9	—	357	170.00–178.00	172.65

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	925	134.00	134.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	594	131.00	131.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	492	142.00	142.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,028	124.00	124.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	496	146.00	146.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
21	—	468	140.00–142.00	140.55
94	—	535	127.00–133.00	128.75
42	—	555	126.00–131.50	130.29
4	—	328	150.00	150.00
3	—	668	120.00	120.00
21	—	374	145.00	145.00
37	—	432	141.50–143.00	141.99
3	—	648	127.00	127.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	930	122.00–123.00	122.67
13	—	968	117.00–118.00	117.92

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,085	114.50	114.50
8	—	1,012	118.50	118.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	431	125.00	125.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	1,062	105.00	105.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	311	147.50	147.50
4	—	563	120.00	120.00
14	—	480	127.00–131.00	128.38
12	—	375	140.00	140.00
17	—	420	134.00–137.00	135.32

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	109	—	981	63.00–87.50	77.86
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	37	—	1,051	51.00–76.50	63.57

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	—	842	80.00	80.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	4	—	1,216	45.00	45.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	—	1,178	46.00	46.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	28	—	1,152	585.00–625.00	604.78

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	8	—	983	925.00	925.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	6	—	1,032	800.00–950.00	875.73

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	68	—	1,190	850.00–1,050.00	974.14
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	28	—	1,309	900.00–975.00	936.57
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	15	—	1,265	800.00	800.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	100	—	1,196	1,035.00–1,275.00	1,165.27
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	24	—	1,093	950.00–975.00	957.43
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	44	—	1,284	725.00–810.00	778.40

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	7	—	1,241	49.00	49.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	176	—	1,327	650.00–785.00	753.56

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	12	—	759	700.00	700.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	117	—	886	1,075.00–1,225.00	1,177.89
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	11	—	1,015	1,275.00	1,275.00
(<2 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	6	—	803	810.00	810.00

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.