Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2023-04-12
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-04-12

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed on all feeders on offer. Demand for feeders was mostly very good for moderate to heavy offerings. Demand was strong and strengthened throughout the sale which stretched late into the evening. Quality this week was mixed from plain to very attractive. Package sizes varied greatly, but buyers were able to piece together loads of like quality cattle as a heavy offering was seen. Demand for cattle suitable to run on grass, as well as replacement quality heifers, was very good. Ranchers and order buyers both competed over high quality heifer offerings pushing them sharply higher. Buyers purchased steers up to 775 lbs and heifers up to 725 lbs to go to grass this week. Lightweight offerings saw sharply higher prices as well as these offerings have benefited from higher deferred CME feeder cattle contract prices. Market activity was mostly active this sale with many buyers actively bidding both in the stands and on the internet. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light offerings. Slaughter cows sold generally steady to firm on all offerings. Quality this week was average to attractive. Weigh up conditions were mixed. Packer buyers opted to send a few set of cows to feed again this week. Feeding cows sold steady on an attractive offering. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on mostly good demand. Buyers showed the best demand for high quality cows which had lost calves. Young offerings sold 5.00-10.00 higher.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $220.73/cwt on 1,333 head.

Average price

$220.73

1,333 head · 650 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,434

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$291

per head · Medium 1 over Medium 2-3

$89.50/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−1.45

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	444	249.50	1,107	39
Medium and Large 1-2	563	228.30	1,285	220
Medium and Large 1	677	219.07	1,484	1,034
Large 1	641	213.15	1,367	18thin
Medium and Large 2	621	184.52	1,146	16thin
Medium 2-3	510	160.00	816	6thin

One grade step is worth $89.50/cwt here — about $291 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 sale1,333 hd

220.73

—

MT average3 barns · 1,703 hd

222.17

−1.45

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	1,799	118.00	2,123	15
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,625	95.88	1,558	19
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,423	95.68	1,362	58
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,171	90.96	1,065	68

Every lot, as filed

106 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 1-2	—	631	238.03/cwt	232.00–245.00	1,502	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	433	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,212	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	748	201.00/cwt	201.00–201.00	1,503	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	921	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	1,658	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	806	186.50/cwt	186.50–186.50	1,503	40
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	631	251.66/cwt	246.00–255.50	1,588	169
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	501	212.50/cwt	212.50–212.50	1,065	4
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	688	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	1,273	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	872	176.00/cwt	176.00–176.00	1,535	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	775	1,566.70/head	1,560.00–1,575.00	1,567	88
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	818	1,625.00/head	1,625.00–1,625.00	1,625	126
Steers	Large 1	—	575	226.00/cwt	226.00–226.00	1,300	11
Steers	Large 1	—	542	262.50/cwt	262.50–262.50	1,423	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	526	266.30/cwt	257.50–269.00	1,401	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	737	206.00/cwt	206.00–206.00	1,518	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	769	201.06/cwt	199.00–205.50	1,546	74
Heifers	Medium 1	—	534	248.00/cwt	248.00–248.00	1,324	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	933	173.00/cwt	173.00–173.00	1,614	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	581	252.50/cwt	252.50–252.50	1,467	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	822	183.00/cwt	183.00–183.00	1,504	5
Heifers	Large 1	—	818	173.00/cwt	173.00–173.00	1,415	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	621	230.79/cwt	220.00–239.00	1,433	194
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	445	272.66/cwt	265.00–277.50	1,213	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	862	1,725.00/head	1,725.00–1,725.00	1,725	52
Heifers	Large 1	—	583	227.22/cwt	219.00–230.00	1,325	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	860	185.96/cwt	185.50–187.00	1,599	70
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	582	248.60/cwt	246.00–252.50	1,447	11
Steers	Large 1	—	948	177.00/cwt	177.00–177.00	1,678	9
Steers	Medium 1	—	352	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	933	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	726	217.19/cwt	212.00–224.00	1,577	121
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	397	312.50/cwt	312.50–312.50	1,241	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	673	229.06/cwt	221.00–238.00	1,542	230
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,040	175.50/cwt	175.50–175.50	1,825	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	721	186.00/cwt	186.00–186.00	1,341	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	525	278.95/cwt	272.50–289.00	1,464	113
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	576	262.99/cwt	254.00–266.50	1,515	74
Steers	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	656	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,640	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	553	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,548	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	818	190.74/cwt	187.00–195.00	1,560	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	688	212.56/cwt	200.00–220.00	1,462	31
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	461	274.05/cwt	272.00–280.00	1,263	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	975	178.00/cwt	178.00–178.00	1,736	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	460	291.12/cwt	282.00–295.00	1,339	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	902	178.76/cwt	178.50–179.00	1,612	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	430	299.20/cwt	292.50–303.00	1,287	32
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	774	196.87/cwt	196.00–208.00	1,524	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	766	224.00/cwt	224.00–224.00	1,716	80
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	688	194.50/cwt	194.00–195.00	1,338	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	561	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	1,318	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	543	257.50/cwt	257.50–257.50	1,398	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	643	219.00/cwt	219.00–219.00	1,408	2
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,315	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	1,749	4
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,149	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,724	4
Bulls	—	—	1,768	115.39/cwt	109.00–121.00	2,040	9
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,421	85.57/cwt	85.00–87.00	1,216	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,602	105.04/cwt	104.00–107.00	1,683	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,193	83.18/cwt	81.00–87.00	992	23
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,167	92.31/cwt	87.00–97.00	1,077	26
Bulls	—	—	1,992	134.36/cwt	132.00–140.00	2,676	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,347	104.27/cwt	102.00–107.00	1,405	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,472	95.86/cwt	92.00–99.00	1,411	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	886	84.16/cwt	78.00–87.00	746	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,217	102.44/cwt	97.00–106.50	1,247	14
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,638	91.08/cwt	88.00–94.50	1,492	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,709	97.04/cwt	95.50–98.00	1,658	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,414	94.81/cwt	90.00–99.00	1,341	22
Bulls	—	—	1,735	100.00/cwt	100.00–100.00	1,735	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,255	101.00/cwt	101.00–101.00	1,268	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,525	93.79/cwt	93.00–95.00	1,430	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,454	90.40/cwt	89.00–92.00	1,314	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,390	103.95/cwt	101.00–105.00	1,445	4
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,375	94.00/cwt	94.00–94.00	1,293	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	705	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	987	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	980	101.00/cwt	101.00–101.00	990	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,102	112.53/cwt	94.50–145.00	1,240	20
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	963	162.49/cwt	150.00–181.00	1,565	28
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	693	169.50/cwt	169.50–169.50	1,175	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	748	192.00/cwt	192.00–192.00	1,436	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	645	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	1,387	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	729	203.90/cwt	197.50–208.50	1,486	250
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	512	255.81/cwt	250.00–267.00	1,310	79
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	812	175.75/cwt	175.00–176.00	1,427	8
Heifers	Medium 1	—	337	265.54/cwt	260.00–272.50	895	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	479	265.17/cwt	255.00–268.00	1,270	47
Heifers	Large 1	—	638	209.00/cwt	209.00–209.00	1,333	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	580	247.50/cwt	240.00–256.00	1,436	102
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	535	207.66/cwt	197.00–215.00	1,111	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	426	249.19/cwt	245.00–255.00	1,062	32
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	869	182.54/cwt	180.00–186.00	1,586	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	662	216.36/cwt	209.00–222.00	1,432	71
Heifers	Medium 1	—	379	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	985	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	581	232.36/cwt	217.00–238.00	1,350	82
Heifers	Medium 1	—	694	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	1,388	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	524	233.87/cwt	217.50–245.00	1,225	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	802	191.87/cwt	191.00–193.00	1,539	39
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	380	271.64/cwt	270.00–275.00	1,032	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	762	197.51/cwt	194.00–198.00	1,505	8
Heifers	Medium 1	—	560	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	1,176	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	572	186.00/cwt	186.00–186.00	1,064	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	478	240.17/cwt	240.00–242.50	1,148	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	735	195.00/cwt	195.00–195.00	1,433	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	670	201.24/cwt	194.50–206.50	1,348	33
Heifers	Medium 2-3	—	510	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	816	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	920	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,380	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	500	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,150	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	490	250.36/cwt	245.00–252.50	1,227	7

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 →