Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2019-10-02
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2019-10-02

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. The best test for yearling heifers was for 850-899 lbs which sold fully steady. Demand was moderate for light offerings. A light offering of calves was seen this week and these offerings were met with mostly moderate to good demand. Calf offerings have been very limited over the last few weeks with too few sales to establish any market trend. Calf and yearling quality was mostly average this week. Market activity was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for light offerings. Packers were less aggressive as they bid on cows this week. With little to no push from feeding buyers packers were able to purchase both feeding and slaughter cows lower. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 lower. Feeding cows sold steady to 4.00 lower. Cow quality this week was average to attractive. Cows and bulls both offered below average weigh up conditions as rain/snow and colder temperatures had all offerings very full. Young age cows suitable to re-breed sold on mostly moderate to good demand this week. A larger and higher quality supply of young cows were seen again this week; these offerings sold fully steady.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $129.54/cwt on 112 head.

Average price

$129.54

112 head · 778 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,007

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$199

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$12.52/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−4.61

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	768	130.67	1,003	95
Medium and Large 1-2	629	129.00	811	8thin
Large 1	1,017	118.15	1,202	9thin

One grade step is worth $12.52/cwt here — about −$199 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 sale112 hd

129.54

—

MT average3 barns · 960 hd

134.16

−4.61

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	1,823	80.18	1,461	31
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,683	64.73	1,089	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Very Low	1,423	61.37	873	30
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,265	58.62	741	63

Every lot, as filed

34 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	Large 1	—	1,017	118.15/cwt	116.00–120.50	1,202	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	908	127.50/cwt	127.50–127.50	1,158	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	999	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,249	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	819	132.75/cwt	132.75–132.75	1,087	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	894	130.46/cwt	130.25–131.50	1,166	35
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	461	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	645	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	658	123.51/cwt	119.50–126.00	813	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	553	131.66/cwt	131.00–132.00	728	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	423	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	571	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	483	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	652	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	912	119.00/cwt	119.00–119.00	1,085	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	607	138.50/cwt	138.50–138.50	841	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	466	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	792	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	568	145.11/cwt	144.00–146.00	824	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	681	134.95/cwt	134.50–135.50	919	33
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,143	1,025.00/cwt	1,025.00–1,025.00	11,716	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,193	1,100.00/cwt	1,100.00–1,100.00	13,123	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,500	65.60/cwt	63.00–68.50	984	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,473	64.87/cwt	63.00–66.50	956	50
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,021	85.10/cwt	74.50–95.00	869	72
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,116	71.78/cwt	65.00–79.50	801	36
Bulls	—	—	2,028	86.79/cwt	85.50–87.50	1,760	6
Bulls	—	—	1,738	75.20/cwt	72.50–78.00	1,307	12
Bulls	—	—	1,806	81.73/cwt	79.00–84.50	1,476	13
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,659	54.50/cwt	54.50–54.50	904	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,312	65.08/cwt	63.50–68.00	854	9
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,426	61.03/cwt	57.00–63.00	870	17
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,642	66.70/cwt	66.50–67.00	1,095	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,712	63.32/cwt	61.00–65.50	1,084	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,325	70.00/cwt	70.00–70.00	928	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,388	48.95/cwt	48.50–49.50	679	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,259	62.00/cwt	61.50–64.50	781	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,279	58.24/cwt	52.00–62.50	745	46
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	960	54.69/cwt	52.00–56.00	525	3

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 →