Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2020-05-13
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-05-13

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were all too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however sharply higher undertones were noticed on steer weighing less than 600 lbs and higher undertones were noticed on 600 lbs and heavier. Feeder heifers sold with higher undertones as well. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Feeders were offered in mostly moderate size packages and load lots. Buyers showed mostly moderate to good demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Demand for light weight feeders was mostly good to very good. Market activity this week was moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Packer buyers showed light to moderate demand for cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold steady on all classes of cows. Packers purchased the majority of the cow offering to put away on feed. Cows were purchased both to feed to premium white and as short term feeding cows to hold for the Memorial day holiday. Feeding cow demand was mostly good with both packers and feeding buyers actively bidding on offerings. Feeding cows were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady. Cow and bull quality this week was average to attractive. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average. Cows and bulls sold at the end of the sale and many were pushing fill as temperatures warmed in the afternoon. Young age cows suitable to feed or re-breed sold on mixed demand. Young age cows sold unevenly steady. With increased demand seen for re-breed cows and lighter demand seen for feeding quality cows.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $132.53/cwt on 1,411 head.

Average price

$132.53

1,411 head · 631 lb average

Value per head Derived

$837

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$237

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

$27.09/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+1.72

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	635	134.14	852	1,184
Medium and Large 1-2	616	127.69	787	188
Medium 1-2	575	107.05	616	39

One grade step is worth $27.09/cwt here — about $237 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 sale1,411 hd

132.53

—

MT average3 barns · 1,915 hd

130.81

+1.72

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	—	Low	1,742	80.41	1,401	36
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,421	58.47	831	43
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,714	58.21	998	5thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,230	56.85	699	36

Every lot, as filed

78 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
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,439	1,185.93/cwt	1,160.00–1,200.00	17,066	28
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,655	1,322.39/cwt	1,175.00–1,435.00	21,886	13
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,171	66.26/cwt	58.50–82.00	776	66
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	520	147.86/cwt	145.00–150.25	769	128
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,430	1,580.88/cwt	1,550.00–1,585.00	22,607	16
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,243	1,085.00/cwt	1,085.00–1,085.00	13,487	3
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,526	1,779.69/cwt	1,750.00–1,810.00	27,158	17
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,382	1,683.67/cwt	1,675.00–1,725.00	23,268	12
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,721	1,700.00/cwt	1,700.00–1,700.00	29,257	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,005	91.35/cwt	70.00–105.00	918	98
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,360	59.39/cwt	55.00–63.50	808	54
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,317	56.84/cwt	56.00–57.00	749	20
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,009	66.00/cwt	66.00–66.00	666	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,248	1,350.00/cwt	1,350.00–1,350.00	16,848	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,227	1,414.61/cwt	1,400.00–1,425.00	17,357	7
Heifer Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,348	1,700.00/cwt	1,700.00–1,700.00	22,916	2
Heifer Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,245	1,585.00/cwt	1,585.00–1,585.00	19,733	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	538	176.02/cwt	174.00–183.00	947	26
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	861	121.51/cwt	118.00–122.50	1,046	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	942	113.50/cwt	113.50–113.50	1,069	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	492	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	891	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	905	106.64/cwt	102.00–110.00	965	31
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	676	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	926	10
Steers	Medium 1-2	—	459	157.50/cwt	157.50–157.50	723	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	490	141.78/cwt	141.00–143.00	695	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	595	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	809	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	739	124.25/cwt	124.25–124.25	918	120
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	766	124.63/cwt	121.50–126.00	955	24
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	563	142.57/cwt	138.50–147.50	803	329
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	673	129.16/cwt	126.00–137.00	869	278
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	724	122.77/cwt	121.00–127.00	889	171
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,465	54.55/cwt	53.00–56.00	799	5
Steers	Medium 1	—	746	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	985	16
Steers	Large 1	—	759	129.50/cwt	129.50–129.50	983	30
Steers	Large 1	—	728	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	925	15
Steers	Large 1	—	857	116.00/cwt	116.00–116.00	994	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	690	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	842	74
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	611	126.25/cwt	122.00–130.00	771	70
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	547	143.50/cwt	143.50–143.50	785	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	426	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	575	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	504	187.00/cwt	187.00–187.00	942	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	771	133.10/cwt	127.00–136.50	1,026	257
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	579	163.27/cwt	156.50–171.00	945	138
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	738	137.15/cwt	135.75–142.00	1,012	98
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	637	153.12/cwt	150.00–154.00	975	98
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	812	125.04/cwt	119.00–127.50	1,015	84
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	660	146.50/cwt	141.00–150.00	967	82
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	568	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	858	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	626	135.67/cwt	134.50–140.00	849	106
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	474	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	687	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	771	119.71/cwt	118.00–121.50	923	10
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	562	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	646	5
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	376	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	508	4
Heifers	Medium 1-2Full	—	604	102.00/cwt	102.00–102.00	616	30
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	800	103.50/cwt	103.50–103.50	828	12
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,328	1,400.00/cwt	1,400.00–1,400.00	18,592	2
Steers	Medium 1-2	—	540	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	842	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	840	45.00/cwt	45.00–45.00	378	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,244	58.94/cwt	57.00–61.50	733	19
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,237	55.10/cwt	53.00–56.50	682	16
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,732	60.03/cwt	59.00–60.50	1,040	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,688	55.49/cwt	55.00–56.00	937	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,415	58.99/cwt	57.50–60.50	835	38
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	644	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	947	8
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,726	1,500.00/cwt	1,500.00–1,500.00	25,890	6
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,519	1,425.00/cwt	1,425.00–1,425.00	21,646	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	1,085	1,475.22/cwt	1,400.00–1,500.00	16,006	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	874	106.87/cwt	103.00–114.00	934	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	500	152.50/cwt	152.50–152.50	763	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	708	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	949	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	690	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	952	4
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,534	1,481.64/cwt	1,360.00–1,525.00	22,728	10
Bulls	—	—	1,599	73.60/cwt	67.00–80.50	1,177	16
Bulls	—	—	1,833	83.88/cwt	81.00–87.00	1,538	15
Bulls	—	—	1,927	91.80/cwt	88.00–98.00	1,769	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,207	55.67/cwt	55.00–56.00	672	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,242	53.57/cwt	51.00–55.00	665	9
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,059	65.00/cwt	65.00–65.00	688	4

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 →