Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2023-04-19
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-04-19

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested today to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed on all feeders on offer. Demand for feeders was mostly very good for light offerings. Quality this sale was plain to average and not as attractive as last weeks feeder special. However, demand remains strong as CME feeder cattle prices continue to creep higher. Package sizes were mostly small with lots of singles on offer. Market activity was mostly active this sale as both ranchers and order-buyers competed over limited offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for moderate offerings. Slaughter cows sold generally steady to firm on breaking cows, boning cows sold generally steady, lean cows sold steady to 2.00 lower. Quality this week was mixed from plain 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. Slaughter bulls sold 2.00-5.00 higher. 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 generally steady.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $228.85/cwt on 168 head.

Average price

$228.85

168 head · 576 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,318

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$22

per head · Medium 1 over Medium and Large 2

$39.50/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+5.56

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	427	240.00	1,025	3thin
Medium and Large 1	589	234.01	1,378	111
Medium and Large 1-2	561	219.39	1,231	49
Medium and Large 2	522	200.50	1,047	5thin

One grade step is worth $39.50/cwt here — about −$22 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 sale168 hd

228.85

—

MT average3 barns · 330 hd

223.30

+5.56

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	1,687	117.46	1,981	57
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,653	97.08	1,605	57
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,402	93.66	1,313	133
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,174	87.97	1,033	162

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
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,355	$1,750	3thin

Every lot, as filed

84 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
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	678	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	1,187	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	722	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	1,516	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	700	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	1,155	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	495	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	1,015	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	570	217.94/cwt	210.00–229.00	1,242	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	425	222.50/cwt	222.50–222.50	946	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	462	232.85/cwt	230.00–235.00	1,076	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	635	219.89/cwt	207.50–226.00	1,396	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	386	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	946	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	415	249.94/cwt	240.00–252.50	1,037	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	376	257.16/cwt	255.00–267.50	967	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	781	161.74/cwt	160.00–163.00	1,263	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	699	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	1,433	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	345	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	897	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	774	200.18/cwt	193.00–207.50	1,549	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	439	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	1,295	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	563	241.00/cwt	241.00–241.00	1,357	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	673	220.69/cwt	215.00–227.00	1,485	29
Heifers	Medium 1	—	427	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,025	3
Steers	Large 1-2	—	558	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,283	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	480	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,152	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	510	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,352	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	444	273.26/cwt	270.00–280.00	1,213	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	591	251.00/cwt	251.00–251.00	1,483	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	498	262.50/cwt	262.50–262.50	1,307	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	457	287.03/cwt	275.00–295.00	1,312	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	645	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,613	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	713	218.10/cwt	215.00–223.00	1,555	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	683	229.36/cwt	224.00–242.00	1,567	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	573	260.12/cwt	257.00–265.00	1,490	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	730	208.00/cwt	208.00–208.00	1,518	1
Dairy Steers	Large 1-2	—	683	199.00/cwt	199.00–199.00	1,359	24
Dairy Steers	Large 1-2	—	850	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	1,530	20
Dairy Heifers	Large 1-2	—	779	168.50/cwt	168.50–168.50	1,313	11
Dairy Heifers	Large 1-2	—	679	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	1,134	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	513	272.50/cwt	272.50–272.50	1,398	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	760	196.00/cwt	196.00–196.00	1,490	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	—	533	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	1,146	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	905	169.00/cwt	169.00–169.00	1,529	1
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,110	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	1,543	1
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,252	129.50/cwt	129.50–129.50	1,621	3
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,222	131.84/cwt	131.00–133.50	1,611	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,180	96.49/cwt	96.00–97.00	1,139	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,203	89.43/cwt	85.00–95.00	1,076	44
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,656	93.40/cwt	93.00–93.50	1,547	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,577	98.90/cwt	96.00–100.50	1,560	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,401	94.19/cwt	91.00–100.00	1,320	45
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,445	89.50/cwt	89.50–89.50	1,293	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,185	100.72/cwt	100.00–102.00	1,194	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,193	89.17/cwt	86.50–95.00	1,064	72
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,753	90.06/cwt	87.00–93.50	1,579	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,615	103.73/cwt	101.50–108.00	1,675	11
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,648	97.27/cwt	94.00–100.50	1,603	25
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,440	104.72/cwt	102.00–110.00	1,508	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,400	93.31/cwt	89.00–100.50	1,306	61
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,459	103.00/cwt	103.00–103.00	1,503	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	970	73.00/cwt	73.00–73.00	708	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	937	78.81/cwt	74.00–85.00	738	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	955	87.00/cwt	87.00–87.00	831	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,148	83.62/cwt	76.00–86.50	960	33
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,373	87.23/cwt	84.00–89.00	1,198	15
Bulls	—	—	1,793	116.66/cwt	111.00–127.00	2,092	20
Bulls	—	—	1,616	104.64/cwt	92.00–111.00	1,691	7
Bulls	—	—	1,919	135.65/cwt	127.00–146.00	2,603	10
Bulls	—Heavy Weight	—	2,555	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	3,296	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,439	109.15/cwt	103.00–112.00	1,571	10
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,427	116.96/cwt	109.00–125.00	1,669	9
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	924	99.01/cwt	93.00–104.00	915	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,125	114.36/cwt	90.00–146.00	1,287	84
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,071	128.46/cwt	120.00–151.00	1,376	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,004	160.75/cwt	125.00–197.00	1,614	163
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	685	152.50/cwt	152.50–152.50	1,045	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,355	1,750.00/head	1,750.00–1,750.00	1,750	3
Bulls	Large 1-2	—	1,105	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	1,414	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	480	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,152	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	409	240.60/cwt	235.00–242.50	984	4
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,178	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	1,637	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	995	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	1,552	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	817	176.00/cwt	176.00–176.00	1,438	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	503	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	1,132	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	522	256.34/cwt	255.00–257.00	1,338	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	419	269.10/cwt	257.50–275.00	1,128	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	491	266.46/cwt	255.00–267.50	1,308	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	755	169.00/cwt	169.00–169.00	1,276	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 →