Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2021-09-29
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-09-29

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Steer calves were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Heifer calves sold were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Quality this sale was mostly average to attractive and overall better than last week. Calves were mostly offered in small lots. Demand was light to moderate for light offerings. Market activity was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Packers continue to show need for cows for immediate harvest as farmers and dairymen are busy with harvest. Slaughter cows sold fully steady on boning and lean cows, breaking cows sold 1.00-4.00 lower. Feeding cows sold generally steady. Weigh up conditions were were mostly below average this sale with many very full cows and bulls on offer. Weigh up conditions were lower than last sale. Young age cows suitable to rebreed sold on mostly good demand, with several buyers actively bidding on this class of cow. Young cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $152.67/cwt on 414 head.

Average price

$152.67

414 head · 537 lb average

Value per head Derived

$820

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$474

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$27.68/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−6.44

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	524	155.03	812	314
Medium and Large 1-2	558	148.10	827	74
Medium and Large 2	409	143.13	585	16thin
Large 1	1,010	127.35	1,286	10thin

One grade step is worth $27.68/cwt here — about −$474 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 sale414 hd

152.67

—

MT average3 barns · 3,316 hd

159.10

−6.44

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	1,974	85.89	1,695	24
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,697	72.44	1,229	22
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,450	64.21	931	170
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,201	53.01	637	295

Every lot, as filed

75 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.

Class	Grade / description	Weight	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,506	71.31/cwt	68.00–73.00	1,074	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,247	56.29/cwt	55.00–64.00	702	96
Bulls	—	—	2,055	84.53/cwt	80.00–87.00	1,737	7
Bulls	—	—	1,978	78.00/cwt	78.00–78.00	1,543	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,219	55.35/cwt	54.50–57.00	675	20
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,811	73.61/cwt	71.00–78.00	1,333	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,436	54.07/cwt	51.00–58.00	776	33
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,633	81.00/cwt	81.00–81.00	1,323	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,500	57.08/cwt	54.00–59.00	856	19
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,417	72.36/cwt	71.50–75.00	1,025	44
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	943	44.30/cwt	43.00–45.00	418	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	578	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	850	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	381	167.50/cwt	167.50–167.50	638	18
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	503	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	775	14
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	483	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	744	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	811	141.25/cwt	141.00–141.50	1,146	16
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,010	127.35/cwt	126.00–130.50	1,286	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	566	166.60/cwt	165.00–169.00	943	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	422	180.32/cwt	174.00–184.00	761	79
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	230	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	495	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	960	140.50/cwt	140.50–140.50	1,349	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	538	169.30/cwt	165.50–172.50	911	132
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	724	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,086	5
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	501	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	726	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	517	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	796	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	278	229.00/cwt	229.00–229.00	637	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	515	150.07/cwt	143.00–153.00	773	63
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	278	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	503	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	583	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	822	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	721	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	1,060	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	662	151.56/cwt	147.50–153.00	1,003	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	440	168.00/cwt	168.00–168.00	739	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	384	170.42/cwt	168.00–177.00	654	34
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	690	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	966	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	404	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	610	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	368	193.05/cwt	180.00–201.00	710	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	622	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	964	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	483	171.96/cwt	171.50–175.00	831	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	960	131.63/cwt	129.00–134.50	1,264	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	486	156.39/cwt	150.00–158.00	760	81
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	732	144.82/cwt	144.00–145.50	1,060	31
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	361	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	581	10
Steers	Large 1	—	1,066	136.50/cwt	136.50–136.50	1,455	7
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,400	79.00/cwt	79.00–79.00	1,106	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,479	61.39/cwt	58.50–64.00	908	12
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	979	48.21/cwt	47.00–53.00	472	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	995	55.00/cwt	55.00–55.00	547	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,475	46.17/cwt	44.00–48.50	681	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,159	44.75/cwt	43.00–47.00	519	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,199	51.88/cwt	47.50–54.00	622	106
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,666	69.78/cwt	68.00–71.00	1,163	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,444	65.88/cwt	62.00–70.00	951	45
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,179	50.68/cwt	47.00–54.00	598	45
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,297	68.00/cwt	68.00–68.00	882	3
Bulls	—	—	2,092	90.07/cwt	87.50–95.00	1,884	9
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,701	83.85/cwt	83.00–85.50	1,426	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	860	52.50/cwt	52.50–52.50	452	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,111	48.00/cwt	48.00–48.00	533	4
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,058	1,110.00/cwt	1,110.00–1,110.00	11,744	9
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,175	60.44/cwt	55.00–69.50	710	13
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	945	100.92/cwt	73.00–108.50	954	171
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,093	53.00/cwt	53.00–53.00	579	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,032	78.76/cwt	59.00–92.00	813	85
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	800	84.00/cwt	84.00–84.00	672	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,285	59.04/cwt	54.00–61.00	759	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,289	800.00/cwt	800.00–800.00	10,312	17
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,172	1,166.43/cwt	1,160.00–1,175.00	13,671	26
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,214	825.00/cwt	825.00–825.00	10,016	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	484	145.15/cwt	144.00–149.00	703	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	445	161.50/cwt	161.50–161.50	719	32
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	607	142.79/cwt	141.00–144.00	867	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	379	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	550	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	538	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	726	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	771	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	1,149	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	874	149.47/cwt	145.00–151.00	1,306	4

How this sale compares

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 →