Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2020-11-25
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-11-25

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed; Yearling steers not well compared. Unweaned steer and heifer calves were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend however lower undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. Limited calf offerings impeded demand this sale as this was the last sale of the week and buyers showed little interest in purchasing calves before the holiday. Demand was mostly light for light offerings. Market activity was slow. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand and offerings. Both packer and feeding buyers both showed stronger demand for cows this week compared to last. Thin fleshed, short term feeding cows sold with the best demand this week as both packers and farmer feeders showed interest in this class of cow. Feeding cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher. Slaughter cows sold generally steady. Packers showed mostly light demand for slaughter cows, however competition between feeding buyers and packer buyers kept this class of cows near steady. Buyers looking for bred cows being sold as weigh ups also helped support the market this sale. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady. A portion of the bull offering continues to go to feed. Two year old to young age cows sold on mostly moderate demand this sale. Quality was average and not as attractive as last week. This class of cows sold sold 5.00-10.00 lower. No load lots were seen this week.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $127.46/cwt on 240 head.

Average price

$127.46

240 head · 639 lb average

Value per head Derived

$814

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$16

per head · Medium 1 over Small 2

$66.00/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−13.26

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	321	147.00	472	5thin
Medium and Large 1	624	136.40	851	170
Medium and Large 1-2	755	126.71	957	27
Large 1	1,105	105.00	1,160	7thin
Small 2	563	81.00	456	31

One grade step is worth $66.00/cwt here — about $16 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 sale240 hd

127.46

—

MT average5 barns · 4,069 hd

140.71

−13.26

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	1,717	76.36	1,311	43
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,508	65.82	993	19
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,385	55.41	767	126
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,171	48.27	565	558

Every lot, as filed

55 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
Bulls	—	—	1,617	68.72/cwt	64.00–72.50	1,111	9
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,363	65.78/cwt	61.00–67.50	897	41
Bulls	—	—	1,890	78.74/cwt	76.00–81.00	1,488	10
Bulls	—	—	1,944	84.63/cwt	81.50–86.00	1,645	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	446	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	656	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	985	114.00/cwt	114.00–114.00	1,123	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	543	133.52/cwt	131.00–134.50	725	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	376	156.48/cwt	155.00–159.00	588	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	551	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	793	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	470	154.20/cwt	154.00–155.00	725	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	516	155.54/cwt	155.00–157.00	803	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	729	128.86/cwt	128.00–130.00	939	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	795	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	994	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	807	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	1,017	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	324	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	518	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	981	68.71/cwt	56.00–80.00	674	61
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	376	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	602	7
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,094	1,025.00/cwt	1,025.00–1,025.00	11,214	10
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	941	77.87/cwt	60.00–88.00	733	151
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,235	50.00/cwt	50.00–50.00	618	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	416	165.20/cwt	155.00–171.00	687	17
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,105	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	1,160	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	412	141.68/cwt	140.00–145.00	584	6
Steers	Large 1	—	1,052	114.00/cwt	114.00–114.00	1,199	3
Bulls	Medium 1Unweaned	—	537	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	671	3
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	321	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	472	5
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,336	52.00/cwt	52.00–52.00	695	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,241	35.35/cwt	30.00–38.50	439	27
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	887	55.30/cwt	53.00–57.00	491	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,393	52.92/cwt	49.50–58.50	737	44
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,486	65.88/cwt	64.00–67.50	979	16
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,840	57.50/cwt	57.50–57.50	1,058	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,520	69.50/cwt	69.50–69.50	1,056	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,455	36.00/cwt	36.00–36.00	524	1
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	618	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	816	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,188	38.00/cwt	38.00–38.00	451	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,107	40.41/cwt	38.75–47.50	447	135
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,202	61.94/cwt	59.00–63.00	745	13
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,620	77.86/cwt	76.00–79.50	1,261	16
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	932	34.98/cwt	32.00–37.00	326	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,152	45.75/cwt	39.00–50.00	527	47
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,390	49.11/cwt	48.00–53.00	683	28
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,449	45.71/cwt	43.00–48.00	662	9
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,234	49.43/cwt	47.00–52.00	610	20
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,297	44.66/cwt	44.00–46.00	579	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	899	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	1,088	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	313	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	501	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	428	179.01/cwt	177.00–183.00	766	26
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	464	141.42/cwt	134.00–151.50	656	47
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	926	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	1,130	28
Heifers	Small 2	—	563	81.00/cwt	81.00–81.00	456	31
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	830	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,079	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	876	124.81/cwt	123.00–127.00	1,093	11
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,669	73.36/cwt	67.00–75.00	1,224	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,193	52.78/cwt	49.50–54.00	630	310

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 →