Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2019-04-24
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2019-04-24

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: All feeder cattle were too lightly tested this week to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed on all offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain to average and much lower than last weeks very attractive offering. Feeder buyers were forced to piece together loads this sale as feeders were offered in mostly small packages or as singles. CME positions traded sharply lower today and buyers showed caution as they bid on all offerings. Market activity this week was mostly slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand on moderate to heavy offerings. Packers and feeding buyers both showed good demand for all offerings. Packers pushed to own the majority of the cow offering this week, however feeding buyers showed stronger demand for cows and were able to purchased a large portion of the cow offering this week. Despite aggressive bidding from feeding buyers packers were able to chip away and put together loads for harvest, however prices this week were the highest so far this year. Cow quality was attractive overall. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to above average for buyers as cows and bulls showed little excess fill this sale. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all classes. Feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher on all ages. Fleshy cows sold on very good demand this week as packers and feeding buyers both desired these offerings. Demand for cows strengthened throughout today's sale as both packers and feeders both tested each others price limits as the sale pushed into the afternoon. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. 2-3 year olds sold on good demand again this week. Ranchers and order buyers both were actively bidding on offering this sale. Theses offerings sold generally steady as a result.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $142.99/cwt on 188 head.

Average price

$142.99

188 head · 648 lb average

Value per head Derived

$926

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$120

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

$28.72/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−6.90

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	645	148.72	959	94
Medium and Large 2	570	138.77	790	13thin
Medium and Large 1-2	662	137.91	913	77
Medium 1-2	699	120.00	839	4thin

One grade step is worth $28.72/cwt here — about $120 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 sale188 hd

142.99

—

MT average3 barns · 1,743 hd

149.90

−6.90

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	—	High	1,876	84.38	1,583	61
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,610	66.81	1,075	14
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,432	66.18	948	48
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,198	60.90	730	73

Every lot, as filed

61 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	—	513	171.06/cwt	169.00–179.00	878	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	481	152.97/cwt	151.00–155.00	736	10
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	699	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	839	4
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,127	97.28/cwt	93.50–110.00	1,096	13
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,210	1,185.00/cwt	1,185.00–1,185.00	14,339	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,096	57.00/cwt	56.00–58.00	625	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	90	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	180	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,338	64.22/cwt	62.00–67.00	859	36
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	555	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	966	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	620	162.61/cwt	157.00–163.00	1,008	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	582	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	792	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	528	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	781	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	728	155.49/cwt	154.00–157.00	1,132	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,125	1,450.00/cwt	1,450.00–1,450.00	16,313	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,120	83.30/cwt	67.00–108.00	933	66
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,039	99.31/cwt	81.50–121.00	1,032	151
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	—	725	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	1,037	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	754	151.22/cwt	146.00–153.00	1,140	13
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,619	66.37/cwt	66.00–67.00	1,075	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	617	170.81/cwt	169.00–176.50	1,054	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	514	152.76/cwt	150.00–154.00	785	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	448	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	840	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	763	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	984	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	533	160.92/cwt	160.00–161.00	858	24
Bulls	—	—	2,203	93.28/cwt	90.00–97.00	2,055	14
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,544	68.62/cwt	68.00–70.50	1,059	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,467	68.21/cwt	67.00–70.00	1,001	10
Bulls	—	—	1,855	84.85/cwt	79.00–92.50	1,574	31
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,255	63.91/cwt	61.00–66.00	802	27
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,426	65.93/cwt	63.00–67.50	940	36
Bulls	—	—	1,632	75.67/cwt	72.00–80.50	1,235	16
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,152	57.98/cwt	52.50–62.00	668	36
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	905	50.00/cwt	50.00–50.00	453	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,368	60.50/cwt	58.50–62.50	828	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,790	63.50/cwt	63.50–63.50	1,137	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,288	67.07/cwt	66.00–68.00	864	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	920	46.00/cwt	46.00–46.00	423	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	690	138.86/cwt	137.00–139.00	958	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	692	156.38/cwt	156.00–157.00	1,082	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	800	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	1,024	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	630	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	920	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	—	836	119.00/cwt	119.00–119.00	995	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	555	147.50/cwt	147.50–147.50	819	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	793	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	991	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	60	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	90	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	868	131.19/cwt	129.00–134.00	1,139	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	784	141.52/cwt	140.00–142.00	1,110	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	633	152.77/cwt	152.00–153.50	967	33
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	672	166.81/cwt	163.00–171.00	1,121	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	676	146.08/cwt	144.00–152.00	988	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	565	179.92/cwt	177.00–181.00	1,017	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	571	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	885	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	—	851	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	979	16
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,364	67.67/cwt	66.00–70.00	923	34
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	508	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	919	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	783	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	1,073	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	818	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	1,014	16
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	972	118.00/cwt	118.00–118.00	1,147	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	710	140.50/cwt	138.00–143.00	998	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,145	81.00/cwt	81.00–81.00	927	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,418	66.57/cwt	62.00–69.00	944	50

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 →