Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2019-11-20
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2019-11-20

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: All feeder cattle were too lightly tested this week and last week to develop an accurate market trend, higher undertones were noticed on all calves under 550 lbs, calves over 550 lbs sold with lower undertones. Yearling heifers offered the best comparisons to last week, these offerings sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher. Quality was mostly average today and offered in small packages or as singles. Calves were cleaner appearing this week as pens have dried up with warmer weather seen over the last few days. Demand for all feeder cattle was moderate for light offerings. Market activity was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for heavy offerings. Over 1,800 weigh up cows sold today. Slaughter cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand. Packers picked around the edges as they purchased mostly blemished cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold generally steady this week on like quality cattle. The quality of cows destined for harvest was lower this week as packers opted to feed anything that was sound and blemish free. Feeding cows sold mostly steady with the exception of high quality, long bodied, fleshy cow which sold mostly 3.00 higher. Thin feeding cows continue to sell on good demand as packers and feeders both stash this class of cows away for the holiday lull. Weigh up conditions were average today with some above average conditions seen at times. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to re-breed sold mostly 8.00-10.00 higher as more takers for these type offerings were seen this week. Quality was mostly average to attractive.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $137.57/cwt on 210 head.

Average price

$137.57

210 head · 734 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,009

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$591

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

$14.31/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−4.19

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	531	139.87	743	60
Medium and Large 1	760	139.08	1,057	123
Large 1	1,062	125.56	1,333	27

One grade step is worth $14.31/cwt here — about −$591 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 sale210 hd

137.57

—

MT average5 barns · 3,527 hd

141.75

−4.19

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	1,834	74.92	1,374	21
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,457	50.97	743	39
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,200	45.28	543	71

Every lot, as filed

64 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	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	478	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	741	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	515	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	819	17
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,120	118.50/cwt	118.50–118.50	1,327	2
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,082	125.06/cwt	121.50–127.00	1,353	9
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,019	130.32/cwt	128.00–131.50	1,328	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	983	133.20/cwt	132.50–136.00	1,309	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	899	138.75/cwt	138.75–138.75	1,247	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	821	138.04/cwt	137.50–143.50	1,133	34
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	578	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	728	11
Heifers	Large 1Full	—	1,048	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	1,289	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	469	149.45/cwt	148.50–150.50	701	29
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,010	114.50/cwt	114.00–115.00	1,156	2
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,058	108.00/cwt	108.00–108.00	1,143	2
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,162	88.00/cwt	88.00–88.00	1,023	17
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	954	118.00/cwt	118.00–118.00	1,126	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	777	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	1,018	21
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	937	114.00/cwt	114.00–114.00	1,068	3
Heifers	Large 1Full	—	1,095	119.00/cwt	119.00–119.00	1,303	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,283	55.00/cwt	55.00–55.00	706	28
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	817	78.00/cwt	78.00–78.00	637	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	918	52.27/cwt	47.00–54.00	480	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,124	53.09/cwt	47.00–55.50	597	11
Bulls	—	—	2,188	84.75/cwt	84.50–85.00	1,854	2
Bulls	—	—	1,640	63.09/cwt	60.00–65.00	1,035	4
Bulls	—	—	1,838	76.77/cwt	72.00–80.00	1,411	15
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,895	70.00/cwt	70.00–70.00	1,327	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,332	57.50/cwt	57.50–57.50	766	9
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,314	1,000.00/cwt	1,000.00–1,000.00	13,140	10
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,155	1,096.57/cwt	1,000.00–1,150.00	12,665	31
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,203	1,089.09/cwt	1,025.00–1,150.00	13,102	18
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,276	800.00/cwt	800.00–800.00	10,208	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,222	700.00/cwt	700.00–700.00	8,554	26
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,234	51.00/cwt	51.00–51.00	629	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	990	46.67/cwt	43.00–48.50	462	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,404	52.94/cwt	51.00–55.00	743	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	340	177.50/cwt	177.50–177.50	604	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,476	48.67/cwt	44.00–51.50	718	22
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,233	55.00/cwt	55.00–55.00	678	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,130	34.66/cwt	32.00–40.00	392	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,232	52.50/cwt	52.00–54.00	647	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,228	44.87/cwt	41.00–51.50	551	38
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	935	36.00/cwt	36.00–36.00	337	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,186	47.96/cwt	40.00–51.00	569	150
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,243	50.56/cwt	44.00–53.50	628	66
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	915	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,190	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	858	132.40/cwt	132.00–133.00	1,136	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	825	134.41/cwt	133.00–135.00	1,109	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	530	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	700	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	573	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	711	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	389	150.45/cwt	150.00–154.00	585	16
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,170	117.25/cwt	117.25–117.25	1,372	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,186	675.00/cwt	675.00–675.00	8,006	21
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,279	56.30/cwt	52.00–63.00	720	110
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,395	62.89/cwt	53.00–73.50	877	150
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	949	83.14/cwt	61.00–94.00	789	147
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,102	66.10/cwt	60.00–72.00	728	69
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,288	62.75/cwt	56.00–75.00	808	63
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	431	176.50/cwt	176.50–176.50	761	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	415	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	589	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	956	137.50/cwt	137.50–137.50	1,315	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	422	183.00/cwt	183.00–183.00	772	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	474	164.17/cwt	160.00–167.50	778	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	397	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	734	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	607	144.09/cwt	143.00–144.25	875	15

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 →