Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2022-06-29
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2022-06-29

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested either this week or last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on both steers and heifers. Demand was mostly moderate to good for light to moderate offerings. Demand for grass cattle continues to be good. Some sets of cattle were sold from drought stricken areas off grass. Market activity was mostly moderate today. Weigh up cows and bulls comprised most of the offering this week. Slaughter cow demand remains very good as western packers continuing to drive the market higher. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to firm on breaking and boning cows. Lean cows sold 3.00-4.00 higher. Feeding cows sold generally steady. Weigh up conditions were average to below average this week. Cattle coming off grass are starting to loose some of the increased yields seen from earlier in the summer. Many cows today were pushing some fill, however demand remains good and buyers pushed many cows higher despite lower yielding conditions. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 3.00 higher. Demand for high yielding bulls was very good this sale. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Quality was mostly plain to average this week. Several sets of cow-calf pairs were seen this week and many were out of drought stricken areas. Most of the cows were very thin fleshed but the calves were of very attractive quality. Cow-calf demand remains good with many ranchers on hand actively bidding on these offerings.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $158.98/cwt on 151 head.

Average price

$158.98

151 head · 667 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,060

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$408

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

$13.08/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−0.61

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	703	160.58	1,128	87
Medium and Large 1-2	625	157.26	983	61
Medium and Large 2	488	147.50	720	3thin

One grade step is worth $13.08/cwt here — about $408 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 sale151 hd

158.98

—

MT average2 barns · 169 hd

159.59

−0.61

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	1,795	110.45	1,983	115
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,667	85.50	1,425	28
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,404	84.86	1,191	201
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,204	83.59	1,006	125

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age

Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.

Class	Stage	Age	Avg wt	$/head	Head
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,073	$2,326	50
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,169	$1,985	8
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,704	$1,860	37
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,542	$1,450	8
Heifer Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	877	$2,075	46

Every lot, as filed

66 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
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,085	102.82/cwt	91.00–114.00	1,116	17
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,542	1,450.00/head	1,450.00–1,450.00	1,450	8
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,169	1,985.00/head	1,985.00–1,985.00	1,985	8
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,058	2,387.26/head	2,350.00–2,400.00	2,387	45
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,447	1,525.00/head	1,525.00–1,525.00	1,525	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	1,563	118.66/cwt	112.00–125.00	1,855	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	1,278	116.00/cwt	116.00–116.00	1,482	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	608	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	1,034	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	595	163.00/cwt	163.00–163.00	970	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	710	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	1,044	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	634	158.05/cwt	156.00–162.00	1,002	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	488	147.50/cwt	147.50–147.50	720	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	923	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	1,246	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	657	182.00/cwt	182.00–182.00	1,196	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	680	164.16/cwt	160.00–167.00	1,116	48
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	740	155.52/cwt	151.00–158.00	1,151	32
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	580	168.00/cwt	168.00–168.00	974	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	520	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	832	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	693	154.12/cwt	145.00–156.00	1,068	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	786	157.37/cwt	152.00–161.00	1,237	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	548	182.00/cwt	182.00–182.00	997	3
Steers	Large 1	—	732	158.00/cwt	158.00–158.00	1,157	15
Steers	Large 1	—	1,165	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	1,445	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	717	171.50/cwt	170.00–172.00	1,230	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	827	162.66/cwt	162.00–164.00	1,345	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	917	147.49/cwt	145.00–148.00	1,352	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	586	179.98/cwt	178.00–182.00	1,055	7
Bulls	Large 1-2	—	1,080	113.00/cwt	113.00–113.00	1,220	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	790	138.31/cwt	138.00–142.00	1,093	13
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,212	111.71/cwt	107.50–117.50	1,354	19
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,057	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	1,279	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	998	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	1,228	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	615	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	966	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,210	82.42/cwt	81.00–87.00	997	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,040	79.50/cwt	79.50–79.50	827	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,640	80.00/cwt	80.00–80.00	1,312	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,266	89.78/cwt	89.00–90.00	1,137	15
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,400	84.26/cwt	83.50–87.00	1,180	60
Bulls	—	—	1,640	98.92/cwt	85.00–107.00	1,622	19
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,203	90.72/cwt	88.00–92.00	1,091	19
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,238	79.05/cwt	71.00–82.00	979	39
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,191	85.07/cwt	82.00–87.50	1,013	51
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,708	86.62/cwt	86.00–89.00	1,479	9
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,682	89.84/cwt	89.50–92.00	1,511	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,146	89.27/cwt	88.50–92.00	1,023	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,466	91.14/cwt	89.00–94.00	1,336	17
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,402	84.89/cwt	81.00–88.50	1,190	78
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,456	79.81/cwt	70.50–82.00	1,162	27
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,391	82.45/cwt	81.00–83.00	1,147	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	995	78.50/cwt	78.50–78.50	781	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,270	62.79/cwt	61.00–64.50	797	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,619	81.73/cwt	79.00–83.50	1,323	9
Bulls	—	—	2,059	123.62/cwt	117.00–134.00	2,545	34
Bulls	—	—	1,819	110.77/cwt	106.00–116.00	2,015	43
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,315	107.00/cwt	107.00–107.00	1,407	6
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,275	92.26/cwt	92.00–95.00	1,176	11
Bulls	—Heavy Weight	—	2,505	99.00/cwt	99.00–99.00	2,480	1
Bulls	—Heavy Weight	—	2,650	100.00/cwt	100.00–100.00	2,650	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	923	78.00/cwt	78.00–78.00	720	2
Heifer Pairs	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	877	2,075.00/head	2,075.00–2,075.00	2,075	46
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,399	1,600.00/head	1,600.00–1,600.00	1,600	5
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,728	1,975.00/head	1,975.00–1,975.00	1,975	15
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,908	1,964.73/head	1,850.00–1,975.00	1,965	12
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,203	1,775.00/head	1,775.00–1,775.00	1,775	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,119	90.42/cwt	80.00–95.50	1,012	22
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,017	95.44/cwt	83.00–102.00	971	6

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 →