Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2020-10-09
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-10-09

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

This is the first Friday sale of the fall run thus no comparisons can be made. Quality thus week was mixed from plain to attractive. Calves were offered in mostly small to medium size packages. Buyers showed mostly light demand for unweaned calves and mostly moderate to good demand for yearlings. Dry and dusty conditions coupled with warmer weather can be devastating to calves health. Buyers showed reserve as they bid on calves this week as a result. CME positions showed triple digit losses during the trading session however prices recovered some for the close. The October contract closed 0.20 higher at 138.25 and the November closed 0.925 lower at 135.525. Buyer attendance was good. Market activity was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mixed demand with good to very good demand for boning and breaking flesh cows and mostly light demand for lean, thin fleshed cows. Cows and bulls both offered average to below average weigh conditions this week. Prices were steady with Wednesdays sale.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $152.90/cwt on 906 head.

Average price

$152.90

906 head · 568 lb average

Value per head Derived

$869

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$183

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$20.71/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−0.51

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	564	154.21	869	741
Medium 1	478	150.70	721	65
Medium and Large 1-2	669	145.64	975	91
Medium and Large 2	434	135.00	585	6thin
Large 1	788	133.50	1,052	3thin

One grade step is worth $20.71/cwt here — about −$183 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 sale906 hd

152.90

—

MT average4 barns · 2,199 hd

153.42

−0.51

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	1,709	70.79	1,210	19
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,377	59.10	814	7thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,615	57.83	934	6thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,170	51.79	606	22

Every lot, as filed

78 lots · USDA AMS · Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Fri)

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 1Unweaned	—	609	127.42/cwt	127.00–130.00	776	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	393	154.51/cwt	153.00–160.00	607	30
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	680	143.47/cwt	143.00–145.00	976	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	473	137.73/cwt	137.50–138.00	651	55
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	478	152.00/cwt	146.00–158.00	727	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	313	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	587	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	408	167.50/cwt	167.50–167.50	683	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	587	138.86/cwt	138.00–140.00	815	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	539	134.46/cwt	133.00–135.00	725	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	610	144.25/cwt	137.00–148.75	880	76
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	956	130.99/cwt	129.00–133.00	1,252	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	681	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	1,015	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	798	138.13/cwt	137.50–138.50	1,102	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	421	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	556	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	572	133.53/cwt	128.00–137.50	764	22
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,367	59.07/cwt	57.50–62.50	807	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,157	55.41/cwt	54.00–57.00	641	8
Bulls	—	—	2,004	78.54/cwt	77.00–79.50	1,574	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,565	67.00/cwt	67.00–67.00	1,049	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,323	52.00/cwt	52.00–52.00	688	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	601	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	829	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,130	49.80/cwt	47.00–51.00	563	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,633	53.50/cwt	53.50–53.50	874	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,423	51.50/cwt	51.50–51.50	733	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,435	65.25/cwt	63.50–67.00	936	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,298	63.00/cwt	63.00–63.00	818	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	2,010	70.00/cwt	70.00–70.00	1,407	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,080	42.00/cwt	42.00–42.00	454	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	838	39.00/cwt	39.00–39.00	327	2
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,567	69.57/cwt	62.00–72.75	1,090	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,275	49.18/cwt	48.00–49.50	627	4
Bulls	—	—	1,654	65.95/cwt	58.00–74.00	1,091	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,335	53.01/cwt	52.50–53.50	708	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	665	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	924	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	485	127.77/cwt	127.00–128.00	620	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	508	130.30/cwt	130.00–131.00	662	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	728	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	903	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	366	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	512	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	344	153.74/cwt	152.50–155.00	529	10
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	443	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	696	23
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	396	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	653	6
Heifers	Large 1Full	—	1,080	119.50/cwt	119.50–119.50	1,291	3
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,130	82.00/cwt	82.00–82.00	927	1
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,183	80.00/cwt	80.00–80.00	946	2
Steers	Large 1	—	788	133.50/cwt	133.50–133.50	1,052	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	398	132.50/cwt	132.50–132.50	527	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	469	137.49/cwt	130.00–151.50	645	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	461	112.50/cwt	112.50–112.50	519	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	943	133.65/cwt	133.00–133.75	1,260	15
Steers	Medium 1	—	662	147.50/cwt	147.50–147.50	976	3
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	501	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	721	33
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,088	71.84/cwt	70.00–81.00	782	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	901	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	1,261	40
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	513	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	708	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	474	129.50/cwt	129.50–129.50	614	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	952	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	1,180	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	825	138.50/cwt	138.50–138.50	1,143	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	644	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	786	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	918	133.50/cwt	133.50–133.50	1,226	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	840	139.50/cwt	139.50–139.50	1,172	13
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	518	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	741	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	422	173.01/cwt	168.00–187.50	730	59
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	965	72.00/cwt	72.00–72.00	695	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	779	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	1,083	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	745	138.50/cwt	138.50–138.50	1,032	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	571	147.38/cwt	143.00–150.75	842	168
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	617	142.96/cwt	141.00–145.00	882	44
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	414	151.55/cwt	148.00–155.00	627	43
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	560	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	700	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	337	213.15/cwt	209.00–216.00	718	28
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	687	150.50/cwt	150.50–150.50	1,034	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	361	197.84/cwt	195.00–205.00	714	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	784	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	996	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	532	149.66/cwt	147.00–154.00	796	116
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	880	132.68/cwt	132.00–133.50	1,168	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	725	132.62/cwt	128.00–137.00	961	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	477	163.79/cwt	155.00–173.00	781	118
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	313	174.41/cwt	172.50–180.00	546	8

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 →