Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2020-01-29
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-01-29

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend for steers, however lower undertones were noticed. Feeder heifers 500-699 lbs sold 3.00-6.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Quality this week was mostly plain to average and offered in small packages or as singles. Feeder cattle sold on mostly light demand for light offerings. Market activity was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light demand for light to moderate offerings. Packers showed lighter demand for all types and classes of cows this week. Fewer feeding buyers in the market allowed packers to purchase the majority of the offering this week. Slaughter cows sold mostly 4.00-5.00 lower on boning and lean cows, breaking cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Feeding cows sold 2.00-5.00 lower. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. A small portion of the bull offering returned to the country to feed this week. Young age cows suitable to re-breed sold steady to weak in a narrow comparison. Quality was average.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $139.04/cwt on 96 head.

Average price

$139.04

96 head · 642 lb average

Value per head Derived

$892

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$436

per head · Medium 1 over Large 1

$23.02/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−9.94

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	547	145.00	793	11thin
Medium 1-2	366	142.50	522	5thin
Medium and Large 1	646	139.70	902	72
Medium and Large 1-2	610	125.00	763	2thin
Large 1	1,008	121.98	1,230	6thin

One grade step is worth $23.02/cwt here — about −$436 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 sale96 hd

139.04

—

MT average4 barns · 2,556 hd

148.98

−9.94

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	1,931	76.91	1,485	29
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,803	58.15	1,048	2thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,398	53.61	749	22
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,136	46.99	534	146

Every lot, as filed

41 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
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,803	58.15/cwt	55.00–61.00	1,048	2
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	366	142.50/cwt	142.50–142.50	522	5
Heifers	Medium 1	—	547	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	793	11
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,008	121.98/cwt	119.50–122.50	1,230	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	534	152.52/cwt	150.00–157.50	814	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	670	132.61/cwt	130.00–133.50	888	27
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	881	125.04/cwt	124.50–127.50	1,102	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	517	164.55/cwt	161.00–166.00	851	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	439	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	790	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	456	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	798	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	610	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	763	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	710	129.50/cwt	129.00–130.00	919	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	628	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	842	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,280	910.00/cwt	910.00–910.00	11,648	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	640	150.29/cwt	149.50–155.00	962	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	678	146.90/cwt	144.00–149.00	996	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	704	143.25/cwt	143.25–143.25	1,008	11
Steers	Medium 1-2	—	383	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	670	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	395	182.50/cwt	182.50–182.50	721	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,063	71.93/cwt	55.00–95.00	765	131
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,363	60.87/cwt	55.00–63.00	830	69
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,386	56.27/cwt	51.00–61.00	780	31
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,148	59.00/cwt	59.00–59.00	677	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,365	56.50/cwt	53.00–58.50	771	13
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	677	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	907	3
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,050	113.00/cwt	113.00–113.00	1,187	3
Bulls	—	—	1,930	80.54/cwt	75.00–83.00	1,554	19
Bulls	—	—	1,711	63.73/cwt	60.00–71.00	1,090	7
Bulls	—	—	2,330	84.00/cwt	84.00–84.00	1,957	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,270	63.00/cwt	63.00–63.00	800	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,130	35.40/cwt	34.00–39.00	400	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,252	54.17/cwt	52.00–57.50	678	28
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,135	48.41/cwt	40.00–51.50	549	91
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,445	49.43/cwt	46.00–51.50	714	9
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,156	52.08/cwt	52.00–52.50	602	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,058	55.13/cwt	51.50–61.00	583	8
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,220	51.68/cwt	51.00–52.00	630	10
Bulls	—Heavy Weight	—	2,505	85.00/cwt	85.00–85.00	2,129	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	970	50.95/cwt	50.00–54.00	494	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	979	26.00/cwt	26.00–26.00	255	14
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	953	47.69/cwt	46.00–49.50	454	2

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 →