Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2019-12-04
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2019-12-04

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to two weeks ago: This sale was not covered last week so all comparisons are to two weeks ago. All feeder cattle were too lightly tested either this week and last sale to develop an accurate market trend however, lower undertones were noticed on all calves on offer. Quality was mostly plain to average today and offered in small packages or as singles. With limited offerings buyers showed light demand as many were concerned with getting loads out. Demand overall was light for light offerings. Market activity was slow today. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Feeding and packer buyers both showed good demand for cows today. Cow quality was average to attractive. Cows offered buyers mostly below average weigh conditions as most showed moderate to heavy amounts of fill. High quality feeding cows sold steady to firm, while thin short term feeding cows sold mostly 1.00-2.00 higher. Packers also showed good demand for cows for immediate harvest and demand for slaughter cows increased as the sale progressed. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were not tested last week as most of these offerings sold to feeding buyers. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher. Young age cows suitable to re-breed sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower. Quality was mostly average to attractive.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $131.52/cwt on 133 head.

Average price

$131.52

133 head · 628 lb average

Value per head Derived

$826

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$263

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

$5.97/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−7.32

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	484	136.09	659	17thin
Medium and Large 1	625	131.16	819	82
Medium 1-2	708	130.12	922	34

One grade step is worth $5.97/cwt here — about −$263 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 sale133 hd

131.52

—

MT average3 barns · 712 hd

138.84

−7.32

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	1,896	76.28	1,446	40
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,468	64.48	947	2thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,465	53.92	790	27
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,252	47.21	591	53

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
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	423	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	723	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	745	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	961	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	378	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	718	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	670	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	911	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	508	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	767	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	483	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	715	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,162	53.66/cwt	53.00–54.00	624	8
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,174	52.39/cwt	48.00–59.00	615	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	582	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	762	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	913	132.50/cwt	132.50–132.50	1,210	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	508	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	691	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	465	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	656	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	885	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	1,142	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	510	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	673	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	445	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	761	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	583	143.82/cwt	140.00–145.00	838	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	481	158.45/cwt	155.00–160.00	762	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	611	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	813	13
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	720	116.00/cwt	116.00–116.00	835	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	474	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	664	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	434	157.50/cwt	157.50–157.50	684	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	496	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	684	48
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	700	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	868	5
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	474	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	602	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,337	56.24/cwt	51.00–63.00	752	117
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,357	60.60/cwt	55.00–70.00	822	131
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,072	68.00/cwt	68.00–68.00	729	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	700	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	882	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	536	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	708	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	477	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	639	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	574	128.92/cwt	127.00–130.50	740	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	478	137.50/cwt	137.50–137.50	657	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	448	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	627	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	542	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	688	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	748	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	950	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	813	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	1,130	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	320	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	560	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	398	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	693	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,473	875.00/cwt	875.00–875.00	12,889	12
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,198	800.00/cwt	800.00–800.00	9,584	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	820	32.50/cwt	32.50–32.50	267	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,235	46.95/cwt	42.00–50.00	580	25
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,321	52.71/cwt	50.00–55.00	696	20
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,180	34.53/cwt	32.00–40.00	407	7
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,468	64.48/cwt	64.00–65.00	947	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,448	54.62/cwt	53.00–57.00	791	20
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,430	47.80/cwt	47.00–48.00	684	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,723	62.27/cwt	60.00–64.50	1,073	2
Bulls	—Heavy Weight	—	2,730	82.00/cwt	82.00–82.00	2,239	1
Bulls	—	—	1,750	70.71/cwt	63.00–73.00	1,237	19
Bulls	—	—	1,985	79.92/cwt	74.00–85.00	1,586	16
Bulls	—	—	2,025	86.77/cwt	86.00–87.00	1,757	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	915	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,190	1
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	785	132.50/cwt	132.50–132.50	1,040	22
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	830	66.38/cwt	65.00–67.50	551	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,187	52.38/cwt	48.50–54.00	622	36
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,161	49.25/cwt	45.00–53.50	572	83
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,335	63.63/cwt	58.50–74.00	849	52
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,165	67.62/cwt	61.00–77.00	788	72
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,011	78.57/cwt	65.00–92.00	794	120
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,173	1,000.00/cwt	1,000.00–1,000.00	11,730	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,160	875.00/cwt	875.00–875.00	10,150	6

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 →