Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2020-06-17
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-06-17

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. Buyers showed mostly moderate demand for light offerings. Several buyers showed interest in today's limited offering of feeders. CME August feeder cattle traded up 0.70 to close at 133.575. Market activity was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand this sale. Cow quality today was mostly average to attractive. Feeding buyers were less active this week allowing packers to purchase more cows for immediate harvest. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly moderate, with good demand seen for cows offering good weigh up conditions. Slaughter cows sold steady to 1.00 lower. Feeding cows sold steady to weak. Quality overall this week was not as attractive as last week. Weigh up conditions were mixed this sale. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 2.00 lower, on a lower quality offering. Young age cows suitable to feed or re-breed sold mostly 5.00 lower. Demand for re-breed cows was lower again this week with fewer market participants. Quality was average.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $142.58/cwt on 154 head.

Average price

$142.58

154 head · 698 lb average

Value per head Derived

$995

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$206

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

$36.04/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−4.06

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	692	143.04	990	152
Large 1	1,118	107.00	1,196	2thin

One grade step is worth $36.04/cwt here — about −$206 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 sale154 hd

142.58

—

MT average3 barns · 708 hd

146.64

−4.06

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	1,832	86.06	1,577	46
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,463	63.32	926	65
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,719	61.54	1,058	12
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,260	60.07	757	47

Every lot, as filed

36 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 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	752	139.75/cwt	139.75–139.75	1,051	71
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	120	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	150	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	168	100.00/cwt	100.00–100.00	168	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	678	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	827	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	603	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	772	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	691	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	850	8
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,470	65.35/cwt	65.25–67.50	961	21
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	998	54.24/cwt	51.00–57.50	541	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,474	58.48/cwt	57.00–59.50	862	8
Bulls	—	—	1,601	78.13/cwt	75.00–81.50	1,251	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,460	56.00/cwt	56.00–56.00	818	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,265	56.56/cwt	49.00–58.00	715	16
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,456	63.21/cwt	59.50–64.50	920	36
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,733	61.65/cwt	59.75–63.50	1,068	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,278	61.86/cwt	59.00–64.00	791	25
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,255	65.83/cwt	65.00–68.00	826	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,835	66.00/cwt	66.00–66.00	1,211	1
Bulls	—	—	2,089	92.78/cwt	89.50–96.00	1,938	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	729	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	897	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	663	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	842	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,486	60.24/cwt	57.00–61.00	895	18
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,207	55.46/cwt	55.00–56.00	669	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,374	64.08/cwt	58.00–69.50	880	55
Bulls	—	—	1,743	84.66/cwt	82.00–87.50	1,476	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	557	137.04/cwt	131.00–138.00	763	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	680	146.50/cwt	146.50–146.50	996	37
Steers	Large 1	—	1,118	107.00/cwt	107.00–107.00	1,196	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,048	79.00/cwt	63.00–94.00	828	58
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,247	65.94/cwt	61.00–73.00	822	37
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	835	62.00/cwt	62.00–62.00	518	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	808	113.50/cwt	113.50–113.50	917	15
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	471	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	589	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	464	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	724	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	598	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	915	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	918	113.50/cwt	113.50–113.50	1,042	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	798	107.00/cwt	107.00–107.00	854	10

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 →