Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2019-05-15
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2019-05-15

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: The best test for feeder steers was for 700-749 lbs which sold steady to 5.00 lower. All other weights of steers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on 550-699 lbs steers suitable to run on grass, all other weights of steers sold with lower undertones. Feeder heifers 500-749 lbs sold generally steady. All other weights of heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Quality this week was average to attractive. Buyers purchased cattle on mostly moderate to good demand for cattle suitable to run on grass, while all other offerings sold on light to moderate demand. Heavy offerings were seen this sale. Flesh conditions varied. Most backgrounded cattle were in moderate to moderate plus flesh. Strong premiums were seen for thin fleshed cattle suitable to go to grass. CME positions lost ground again today as all contracts traded 0.075-0.60 lower. Buyers remain cautious as they bid on heavy weight cattle going directly to feed. Market activity today was moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light to moderate offerings. Packer buyers remain aggressive as they bid on cows for immediate harvest as well as to put on feed. Feeding buyers remain aggressive as well as they push to fill orders. Slaughter cows sold steady to 3.00 higher. Feeding cows sold generally steady to firm. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady. Young age cows sold unevenly steady. Demand for re-breed type cows helped push offerings higher in places. Feeding demand remains light. Feeding offerings sold weak. A heavy offering of cow calf pairs sold this week. These offerings were met with light to moderate demand. Quality was mostly average to attractive.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $146.93/cwt on 1,462 head.

Average price

$146.93

1,462 head · 754 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,108

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$103

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$32.31/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−0.82

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	740	148.93	1,102	1,327
Medium and Large 1-2	723	139.77	1,010	62
Large 1	1,033	116.62	1,205	73

One grade step is worth $32.31/cwt here — about −$103 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 sale1,462 hd

146.93

—

MT average2 barns · 1,586 hd

147.75

−0.82

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	1,853	84.91	1,573	45
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,422	68.77	978	28
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,618	65.47	1,059	2thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,169	62.49	730	47

Every lot, as filed

102 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	Large 1	—	1,012	114.00/cwt	114.00–114.00	1,154	13
Steers	Large 1	—	957	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	1,120	16
Steers	Large 1	—	1,127	111.98/cwt	109.50–112.50	1,262	40
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	944	116.00/cwt	116.00–116.00	1,095	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	876	115.21/cwt	109.00–119.50	1,009	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	624	161.24/cwt	157.00–169.00	1,006	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	775	137.27/cwt	135.00–140.00	1,064	28
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,618	65.47/cwt	65.00–66.00	1,059	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	688	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	867	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	743	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	892	64
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	826	116.53/cwt	115.00–116.75	963	173
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	909	110.00/cwt	110.00–110.00	1,000	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	819	120.83/cwt	120.00–123.00	990	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	426	160.41/cwt	160.00–161.00	683	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	858	114.81/cwt	113.00–116.00	985	28
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	479	179.10/cwt	178.00–180.00	858	41
Steers	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	649	176.00/cwt	176.00–176.00	1,142	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	654	167.11/cwt	163.00–167.50	1,093	94
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	742	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	1,031	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	932	119.00/cwt	119.00–119.00	1,109	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Replacement	—	829	119.25/cwt	119.25–119.25	989	38
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	619	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	879	49
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	850	87.50/cwt	87.50–87.50	744	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,220	52.00/cwt	52.00–52.00	634	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,388	70.75/cwt	70.50–71.00	982	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,251	67.27/cwt	64.00–70.00	842	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,155	60.06/cwt	54.00–63.00	694	22
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	825	43.00/cwt	43.00–43.00	355	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	941	63.60/cwt	62.00–64.00	598	5
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,480	1,489.84/cwt	1,485.00–1,510.00	22,050	27
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,377	1,450.00/cwt	1,450.00–1,450.00	19,967	11
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,366	1,225.00/cwt	1,225.00–1,225.00	16,734	7
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,476	1,205.29/cwt	1,200.00–1,210.00	17,790	22
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,492	1,214.78/cwt	1,100.00–1,285.00	18,125	8
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,493	1,400.00/cwt	1,400.00–1,400.00	20,902	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,243	1,400.00/cwt	1,400.00–1,400.00	17,402	4
Steers	Large 1	—	471	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	801	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	723	149.98/cwt	145.00–152.00	1,084	46
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	690	153.89/cwt	150.00–155.50	1,062	49
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	944	121.11/cwt	120.25–124.00	1,143	112
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	825	132.92/cwt	129.00–136.25	1,097	121
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	521	177.79/cwt	175.00–179.50	926	142
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	974	117.80/cwt	115.50–119.00	1,147	149
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	868	127.37/cwt	124.50–128.25	1,106	192
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,356	1,400.00/cwt	1,400.00–1,400.00	18,984	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	769	126.03/cwt	124.00–127.00	969	47
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	675	133.87/cwt	133.50–134.00	904	52
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	719	129.86/cwt	126.00–133.50	934	104
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	510	153.28/cwt	150.00–155.00	782	112
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	639	145.83/cwt	139.00–148.00	932	215
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	525	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	756	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	479	153.22/cwt	153.00–153.50	734	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	589	175.68/cwt	167.00–177.50	1,035	281
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,100	64.00/cwt	64.00–64.00	704	1
Bulls	—	—	2,147	96.68/cwt	93.50–104.00	2,076	6
Bulls	—	—	1,816	88.13/cwt	84.50–93.00	1,600	12
Bulls	—	—	1,804	80.87/cwt	71.00–84.50	1,459	27
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,568	59.50/cwt	59.50–59.50	933	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,391	72.23/cwt	71.50–74.00	1,005	8
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,419	68.26/cwt	66.00–70.50	969	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	688	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	874	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	496	173.00/cwt	173.00–173.00	858	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	508	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	818	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	411	173.00/cwt	173.00–173.00	711	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	581	151.52/cwt	148.00–154.00	880	45
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	785	134.19/cwt	131.00–136.00	1,053	24
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	1,284	1,474.70/cwt	1,400.00–1,550.00	18,935	10
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,331	1,475.00/cwt	1,475.00–1,475.00	19,632	6
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,350	1,569.07/cwt	1,510.00–1,600.00	21,182	69
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,414	1,809.86/cwt	1,700.00–1,910.00	25,591	30
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,457	1,492.30/cwt	1,400.00–1,525.00	21,743	159
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,494	1,320.30/cwt	1,300.00–1,335.00	19,725	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	871	119.34/cwt	117.00–120.50	1,039	15
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,071	99.50/cwt	99.50–99.50	1,066	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	615	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	966	29
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	786	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	951	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	703	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	921	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	351	186.00/cwt	186.00–186.00	653	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	818	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,023	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	873	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	1,048	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	538	150.96/cwt	150.00–152.00	812	34
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	396	172.00/cwt	172.00–172.00	681	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	933	97.50/cwt	97.50–97.50	910	2
Heifers	Medium 1	—	432	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	639	13
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	417	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	563	9
Heifers	Medium 2	—	538	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	699	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	707	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	983	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	630	137.50/cwt	137.50–137.50	866	7
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,571	1,381.77/cwt	1,275.00–1,400.00	21,708	26
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,353	1,075.00/cwt	1,075.00–1,075.00	14,545	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,309	68.40/cwt	61.00–71.00	895	43
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,381	69.65/cwt	64.00–72.50	962	56
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	908	103.00/cwt	77.00–110.00	935	54
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,099	78.02/cwt	67.00–96.00	857	16
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,343	70.54/cwt	68.00–74.50	947	27
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,081	58.51/cwt	55.00–61.00	632	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	792	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	911	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	442	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	690	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	624	136.87/cwt	135.00–137.00	854	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	544	145.50/cwt	145.50–145.50	792	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	578	140.67/cwt	140.00–141.00	813	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	724	122.27/cwt	113.00–124.00	885	22

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 →