Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2022-02-16
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2022-02-16

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week, feeders were not well tested last week, so no trend is available. Demand was very good on a light selection of good quality cattle. Slaughter cows and bulls were steady.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $179.02/cwt on 239 head.

Average price

$179.02

239 head · 682 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,221

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$86

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

$30.94/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−3.98

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	685	180.84	1,239	221
Medium and Large 2	388	170.33	661	6thin
Medium and Large 1-2	770	149.90	1,154	12thin

One grade step is worth $30.94/cwt here — about $86 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 sale239 hd

179.02

—

MT average3 barns · 1,972 hd

183.01

−3.98

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	1,689	93.73	1,583	41
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	Average	1,742	76.84	1,339	26
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,542	72.94	1,125	119
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,399	69.92	978	86
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,154	63.52	733	62

Every lot, as filed

57 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
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	395	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	948	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	556	199.76/cwt	199.50–200.00	1,111	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	843	143.32/cwt	143.00–145.00	1,208	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	510	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	969	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	485	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	849	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	300	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	525	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	521	183.90/cwt	181.00–192.00	958	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	880	133.50/cwt	133.50–133.50	1,175	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	568	160.67/cwt	160.00–162.00	913	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	870	155.50/cwt	155.50–155.50	1,353	74
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	770	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	1,163	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	724	149.48/cwt	146.00–153.00	1,082	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	662	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	986	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	335	181.54/cwt	175.00–182.50	608	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	334	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	668	8
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	645	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	948	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	661	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	1,157	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	718	159.67/cwt	154.00–163.00	1,146	52
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	505	179.00/cwt	179.00–179.00	904	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	561	170.05/cwt	169.00–175.00	954	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	740	143.64/cwt	143.50–144.00	1,063	45
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	1,742	76.84/cwt	75.00–77.00	1,339	26
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,159	69.37/cwt	69.00–73.00	804	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,504	71.89/cwt	67.00–73.50	1,081	27
Bulls	—	—	1,478	86.72/cwt	83.00–90.00	1,282	17
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,567	72.81/cwt	72.00–74.50	1,141	77
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,535	69.00/cwt	69.00–69.00	1,059	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,063	53.65/cwt	52.00–56.00	570	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,140	60.82/cwt	57.00–65.00	693	21
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,180	68.30/cwt	66.00–73.00	806	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,446	70.49/cwt	67.50–74.00	1,019	44
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,432	59.11/cwt	59.00–60.00	846	7
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,477	75.93/cwt	75.00–76.00	1,121	14
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,498	76.00/cwt	76.00–76.00	1,138	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,513	63.00/cwt	63.00–63.00	953	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,297	71.30/cwt	68.00–74.00	925	29
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,214	65.31/cwt	64.00–67.00	793	11
Bulls	—	—	1,938	106.32/cwt	106.00–106.50	2,060	6
Bulls	—	—	1,805	96.15/cwt	91.00–101.00	1,736	18
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,078	80.91/cwt	78.00–85.00	872	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,208	101.65/cwt	93.00–114.00	1,228	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	550	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	781	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	416	170.39/cwt	170.00–172.00	709	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	455	177.50/cwt	177.50–177.50	808	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	626	159.13/cwt	157.50–167.00	996	56
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	380	207.31/cwt	192.50–210.00	788	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	609	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	889	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	830	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	1,295	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	519	219.41/cwt	213.00–223.00	1,139	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	446	231.00/cwt	231.00–231.00	1,030	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	515	197.50/cwt	197.50–197.50	1,017	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	575	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	978	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	605	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	1,035	1
Bulls	Medium 1-2	—	740	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	1,080	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	449	203.00/cwt	203.00–203.00	911	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	750	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	1,050	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	623	186.15/cwt	184.00–188.00	1,160	13

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 →