Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2019-09-11
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2019-09-11

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last reported sale(8-28-19): Yearling steers under 800 lbs sold mostly 1.00-2.00 higher in a narrow comparison, Yearling steers over 800 lbs sold mostly steady. Yearling heifers 850-1049 lbs sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower. Demand today was mostly moderate to good despite steady to lower prices compared to two weeks ago. CME positions have shown strong positive movement over the past couple days and buyers bid aggressively as a result. Yearlings were in mostly light flesh and coming off grass. Quality was average to attractive. Market activity was mostly active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand and offerings. This week there was a sharp divide between slaughter cows and feeding cows driven by lighter demand for thin cows and wet bagged cows fresh off weaning. Packer buyers showed significantly lighter demand for cows to send to harvest. Slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower on lean and boning cows. Fleshy breaking cows were too lightly tested to trend as most of these cows returned to feed. The best demand for cows was for large framed heavily fleshed cows which can quickly finish once put on feed. Feeding buyers would buy thin fleshed cows too, just at a heavy discount. Feeding cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 5.00-7.00 lower. All cows were very full this sale offering buyers mostly below average weigh up conditions.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $141.98/cwt on 506 head.

Average price

$141.98

506 head · 756 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,074

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$175

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$36.81/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+2.80

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	738	144.08	1,063	450
Medium and Large 1-2	702	140.14	984	30
Large 1-2	1,068	110.70	1,183	5thin
Large 1	1,154	107.26	1,238	21

One grade step is worth $36.81/cwt here — about −$175 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 sale506 hd

141.98

—

MT average3 barns · 1,057 hd

139.19

+2.80

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	1,920	79.41	1,525	60
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,673	63.25	1,058	2thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,454	58.31	848	36
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,221	54.18	661	37

Every lot, as filed

62 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 1	—	738	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	989	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	941	118.50/cwt	118.50–118.50	1,115	7
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	659	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	857	7
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	731	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	877	4
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	638	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	836	2
Heifers	Medium 1	—	674	136.95/cwt	136.00–138.00	923	35
Heifers	Medium 1	—	784	129.75/cwt	129.75–129.75	1,017	11
Heifers	Large 1-2	—	1,020	109.50/cwt	109.50–109.50	1,117	5
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,016	115.83/cwt	114.00–118.00	1,177	12
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,066	116.16/cwt	111.00–116.75	1,238	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	425	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	591	13
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	426	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	690	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	838	124.98/cwt	124.00–127.00	1,047	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	966	119.63/cwt	117.00–120.25	1,156	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	886	125.34/cwt	123.00–127.00	1,111	42
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	912	123.52/cwt	120.00–124.25	1,127	53
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	420	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	605	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	374	145.33/cwt	145.00–146.00	544	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	454	142.80/cwt	142.00–143.00	648	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	883	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	1,077	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	949	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	1,110	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	340	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	483	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	792	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	927	7
Steers	Large 1Fleshy	—	1,145	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	1,202	4
Steers	Large 1Fleshy	—	1,151	108.50/cwt	108.50–108.50	1,249	5
Steers	Large 1Full	—	1,158	107.50/cwt	107.50–107.50	1,245	12
Steers	Large 1-2	—	1,108	108.00/cwt	108.00–108.00	1,197	2
Steers	Large 1-2	—	1,042	112.50/cwt	112.50–112.50	1,172	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	836	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	1,129	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	967	127.56/cwt	127.00–127.75	1,234	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	929	131.11/cwt	129.50–133.00	1,218	37
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	845	47.00/cwt	47.00–47.00	397	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,237	54.44/cwt	50.00–62.00	673	31
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,093	47.24/cwt	45.00–48.50	516	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,350	64.09/cwt	63.00–65.00	865	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,730	66.00/cwt	66.00–66.00	1,142	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,615	60.50/cwt	60.50–60.50	977	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,445	57.04/cwt	53.00–60.00	824	29
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,390	61.39/cwt	61.00–62.00	853	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,750	69.00/cwt	69.00–69.00	1,208	2
Bulls	—	—	1,935	80.75/cwt	77.00–84.00	1,563	24
Bulls	—	—	2,077	85.23/cwt	84.00–89.50	1,770	18
Bulls	—	—	1,743	71.79/cwt	65.00–76.00	1,251	18
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,141	59.00/cwt	59.00–59.00	673	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,249	56.34/cwt	55.00–57.00	704	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,213	56.82/cwt	54.00–57.00	689	23
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,237	70.17/cwt	66.50–78.00	868	19
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	905	97.00/cwt	97.00–97.00	878	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,632	64.59/cwt	60.00–67.00	1,054	22
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,489	61.02/cwt	57.50–69.00	909	35
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	424	157.42/cwt	154.00–161.00	667	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	981	121.66/cwt	121.00–122.00	1,193	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	681	143.50/cwt	143.50–143.50	977	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	863	129.80/cwt	129.00–131.00	1,120	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	843	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,096	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	544	146.85/cwt	146.00–156.50	799	58
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	460	168.00/cwt	168.00–168.00	773	52
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	396	175.50/cwt	175.50–175.50	695	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1Natural	—	885	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	1,204	69
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	876	134.63/cwt	132.50–135.50	1,179	76
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	730	145.39/cwt	141.00–147.00	1,061	64
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	781	141.18/cwt	139.00–141.75	1,103	43

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 →