Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2019-07-17
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2019-07-17

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last reported sale(6-26-19): All feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Feeder cattle supplies continue to be light. Demand for feeders was light to moderate. Several packages of feeders out of grow lots were on offer. These offerings were very fleshy and buyers discounted them heavily. Market activity was slow. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand and offerings. Packers showed moderate demand for cows for immediate harvest as well as cows to put on feed. Cow quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Cows started the day offering buyers good weigh up conditions, however as the sale ran into the afternoon cows showed considerably more fill. Slaughter cows sold steady to 1.00 higher on boning and lean cows, breaking cows were too lightly tested to trend, as most sold to feed. Feeding cows sold generally steady. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 lower. Young age cows were too lightly tested to trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Quality for young age cows remains plain to average.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $115.16/cwt on 129 head.

Average price

$115.16

129 head · 764 lb average

Value per head Derived

$879

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$211

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

$24.09/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−12.17

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	652	124.09	809	35
Medium and Large 1	856	114.80	983	63
Medium 2	562	107.27	603	22
Large 1	1,063	104.00	1,106	5thin
Large 1-2	1,020	100.00	1,020	4thin

One grade step is worth $24.09/cwt here — about −$211 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 sale129 hd

115.16

—

MT average2 barns · 279 hd

127.33

−12.17

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	—	Low	1,933	82.47	1,594	65
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,630	64.38	1,049	6thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,463	61.89	906	31
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,147	58.63	673	77

Every lot, as filed

43 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
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,700	64.00/cwt	64.00–64.00	1,088	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,601	65.69/cwt	65.50–65.75	1,052	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,375	66.69/cwt	66.00–67.00	917	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,513	58.82/cwt	54.00–61.00	890	12
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,675	56.50/cwt	56.50–56.50	946	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	935	111.50/cwt	111.50–111.50	1,043	35
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	789	112.50/cwt	112.50–112.50	888	18
Heifers	Large 1-2Fleshy	—	1,020	100.00/cwt	100.00–100.00	1,020	4
Heifers	Large 1Fleshy	—	1,063	104.00/cwt	104.00–104.00	1,106	5
Heifers	Medium 2	—	495	117.50/cwt	117.50–117.50	582	4
Bulls	—	—	1,644	76.48/cwt	71.00–78.50	1,257	14
Bulls	—	—	1,970	82.69/cwt	79.00–85.50	1,629	38
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,390	65.00/cwt	65.00–65.00	904	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,249	62.54/cwt	61.00–64.50	781	25
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,209	57.03/cwt	51.00–61.50	689	32
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,442	63.30/cwt	61.00–64.75	913	16
Bulls	—Heavy Weight	—	2,550	78.50/cwt	78.50–78.50	2,002	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	857	57.76/cwt	57.00–60.00	495	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	880	53.39/cwt	50.00–57.00	470	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	499	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	649	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	559	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	878	11
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,675	59.50/cwt	59.50–59.50	997	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	647	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	983	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	663	126.89/cwt	125.00–129.00	841	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	873	108.71/cwt	105.00–112.50	949	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	613	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	809	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	701	130.50/cwt	130.50–130.50	915	10
Heifers	Medium 2	—	577	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	606	18
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,350	62.98/cwt	59.00–65.50	850	70
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,075	62.00/cwt	62.00–62.00	667	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	845	60.00/cwt	60.00–60.00	507	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,475	58.00/cwt	58.00–58.00	856	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,293	64.42/cwt	62.50–66.50	833	26
Cow-Calf Pairs	Small and Medium 2	—	1,010	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	5,050	10
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,236	68.00/cwt	63.50–78.00	840	14
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,063	79.64/cwt	70.00–100.00	847	21
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,419	63.82/cwt	60.00–66.50	906	131
Bulls	—	—	2,104	89.07/cwt	85.50–95.00	1,874	12
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	975	122.01/cwt	120.00–123.00	1,190	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	935	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	1,122	2
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,158	112.00/cwt	112.00–112.00	1,297	3
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,133	109.51/cwt	108.00–111.00	1,241	2
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,003	114.50/cwt	113.00–116.00	1,148	2

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 →