Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2021-01-27
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-01-27

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand was light to moderate for very light offerings. Quality was mostly plain to average. Not enough feeder cattle sold today for buyers to be able to put together loads, which limited demand. Market activity was mostly slow. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light offerings. Winter weather near the packing plants has tightened supplies delivered to the plant so packers are looking for supplies to meet immediate kill needs. This pushed all cow prices higher as feeding buyers and packer buyers competed over offerings. Feeding cows sold mostly mostly 3.00-4.00 higher. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher in a narrow comparison on all classes. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Cow and bull quality this week was mostly plain to average. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average today with many very full cows on offer. Young age cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand this sale. Quality was average. Young age cows sold generally steady in a narrow comparison.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $153.78/cwt on 43 head.

Average price

$153.78

43 head · 605 lb average

Value per head Derived

$930

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$54

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

$11.18/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−15.64

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	602	157.68	948	28
Medium and Large 1-2	611	146.50	895	15thin

One grade step is worth $11.18/cwt here — about $54 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 sale43 hd

153.78

—

MT average4 barns · 2,381 hd

169.41

−15.64

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	1,741	84.50	1,471	44
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	Average	1,745	59.25	1,034	6thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,468	57.70	847	66
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,374	54.97	756	66
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,148	52.57	604	174

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
Bulls	—	—	1,905	91.50/cwt	91.50–91.50	1,743	1
Bulls	—	—	1,584	80.25/cwt	76.50–83.50	1,271	7
Bulls	—	—	1,939	86.10/cwt	84.00–90.50	1,669	9
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,328	77.00/cwt	77.00–77.00	1,023	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,362	55.06/cwt	54.00–58.50	750	15
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,366	52.19/cwt	51.00–53.50	713	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	410	180.83/cwt	180.00–182.50	741	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	865	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	1,090	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	505	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	833	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	582	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	786	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	490	172.00/cwt	172.00–172.00	843	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	627	143.65/cwt	142.50–144.50	901	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	553	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	885	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	396	182.50/cwt	182.50–182.50	723	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	915	103.50/cwt	103.50–103.50	947	2
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,305	96.50/cwt	96.50–96.50	1,259	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	732	126.50/cwt	126.50–126.50	926	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,014	86.86/cwt	82.00–92.00	881	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,085	67.32/cwt	55.00–79.00	730	46
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	720	128.50/cwt	128.50–128.50	925	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	483	154.69/cwt	153.00–156.00	747	7
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,453	58.03/cwt	57.50–58.25	843	48
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	510	172.00/cwt	172.00–172.00	877	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,361	56.79/cwt	56.00–61.50	773	24
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,172	52.14/cwt	45.00–54.25	611	65
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,663	51.00/cwt	51.00–51.00	848	3
Heifers	Large 1Fleshy	—	1,139	94.00/cwt	94.00–94.00	1,071	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	944	47.79/cwt	47.00–48.50	451	4
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,100	102.50/cwt	102.50–102.50	1,128	4
Bulls	—Natural	—	1,650	80.60/cwt	77.00–83.50	1,330	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,437	55.83/cwt	55.00–56.25	802	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,222	54.09/cwt	54.00–55.50	661	23
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	1,745	59.25/cwt	59.25–59.25	1,034	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,494	60.00/cwt	60.00–60.00	896	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,486	58.53/cwt	58.00–60.00	870	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,403	52.03/cwt	51.00–53.00	730	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,109	52.73/cwt	44.00–54.50	585	55
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,235	73.00/cwt	73.00–73.00	902	1
Bulls	—Natural	—	1,891	89.88/cwt	89.75–90.25	1,700	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,040	35.00/cwt	35.00–35.00	364	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,149	54.93/cwt	54.00–58.00	631	24

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 →