Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2019-10-16
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2019-10-16

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: All yearling cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Spring born steer calves weighing less than 500 lbs sold sharply higher with most sales 10.00-20.00 higher; steer calves over 500 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher all comparisons are narrow. Heifers under 500 lbs were too lightly tested last sale to develop any market trend; heifer calves over 500 lbs sold 5.00-10.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Feeder cattle quality this week was mostly average to attractive and significantly higher than last week. Calves were fresh off the cow and still looked fresh and clean. Demand for calves was mostly moderate to good on moderate offerings. Yearlings were scarcely tested today. Market activity was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light demand for heavy offerings. Packers started the sale out purchasing cows near steady with last week, however demand diminished quickly as they began to filled loads. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-6.00 lower. A large portion of the cow market is destined for feed this week as some packers opted to feed thin fleshed cows in order to add some value back to them. Feeding cows sold mostly sharply lower than last week with mostly sales 5.00-8.00 lower. The majority of cows were in thin body condition this week, with most having freshly weaned calves. Cow quality was mostly average to attractive. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 6.00-8.00 lower on significantly lighter packer demand. Young age cows suitable to re-breed sold mostly 6.00-8.00 higher. Demand for these offerings was mostly good. Quality was average to attractive.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $165.71/cwt on 333 head.

Average price

$165.71

333 head · 517 lb average

Value per head Derived

$856

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$248

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

$21.35/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+11.34

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	522	166.35	869	302
Medium and Large 1-2	471	163.67	770	24
Medium and Large 2	428	145.00	621	7thin

One grade step is worth $21.35/cwt here — about $248 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 sale333 hd

165.71

—

MT average5 barns · 2,559 hd

154.37

+11.34

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	1,853	76.98	1,427	45
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,474	56.48	832	80
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,258	52.53	661	216

Every lot, as filed

52 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
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,137	69.92/cwt	60.00–81.00	795	94
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	941	90.35/cwt	76.00–99.50	850	142
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,330	850.00/cwt	850.00–850.00	11,305	5
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,153	1,098.22/cwt	1,075.00–1,110.00	12,662	58
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	692	141.41/cwt	140.25–145.00	979	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	312	206.10/cwt	199.00–212.50	643	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	510	157.72/cwt	156.00–160.00	804	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	396	186.00/cwt	186.00–186.00	737	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	437	174.78/cwt	173.00–179.00	764	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	632	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	790	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	474	166.72/cwt	161.00–171.00	790	59
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	428	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	621	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	455	142.47/cwt	142.00–145.00	648	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	610	132.13/cwt	131.00–132.50	806	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	423	142.08/cwt	141.00–143.00	601	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	518	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	699	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	580	131.63/cwt	130.00–133.00	763	15
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	481	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	712	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	913	38.24/cwt	36.00–41.00	349	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	1,125	44.50/cwt	44.50–44.50	501	17
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,011	52.38/cwt	50.00–56.00	530	8
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,137	55.82/cwt	55.00–57.00	635	8
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,370	53.19/cwt	51.50–55.00	729	39
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,284	52.05/cwt	47.50–54.50	668	45
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	912	60.00/cwt	60.00–60.00	547	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,110	995.18/cwt	960.00–1,100.00	11,046	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	912	135.71/cwt	135.00–136.00	1,238	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	970	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	1,164	4
Heifers	Medium 1	—	715	135.36/cwt	135.00–135.50	968	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,282	54.00/cwt	49.00–56.50	692	151
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,170	45.29/cwt	39.00–49.00	530	36
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,356	825.00/cwt	825.00–825.00	11,187	8
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,180	49.50/cwt	49.50–49.50	584	12
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,521	61.38/cwt	56.00–70.00	934	38
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,439	59.39/cwt	55.00–67.00	855	58
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,243	61.65/cwt	57.50–65.00	766	27
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,315	57.15/cwt	55.00–60.50	752	24
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,438	55.40/cwt	49.00–58.00	797	52
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,540	58.50/cwt	57.50–59.50	901	28
Bulls	—	—	1,910	77.34/cwt	74.50–81.50	1,477	33
Bulls	—	—	1,590	73.66/cwt	71.00–74.50	1,171	9
Bulls	—	—	2,022	83.00/cwt	83.00–83.00	1,678	3
Heifers	Large 1Full	—	1,057	112.00/cwt	112.00–112.00	1,184	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	379	197.61/cwt	193.00–200.00	749	52
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	619	146.83/cwt	145.00–149.00	909	56
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	443	168.23/cwt	168.00–169.00	745	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	353	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	614	33
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	409	167.79/cwt	153.00–169.00	686	56
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	505	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	667	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	387	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	600	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	294	152.50/cwt	152.50–152.50	448	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	554	152.52/cwt	152.50–153.00	845	21

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 →