Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2021-05-05
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-05-05

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed on all offerings. Feeder cattle quality was mostly plain to average today. Demand was mostly light for light offerings. Corn and other feeds continue to trade higher. The May corn contract closed today at 754'2, while new crop December corn closed at 604'6. Feeder cattle contracts have fallen sharply since last week as corn and soybeans continue to push new contract highs. Buyers showed significantly lighter demand for feeder cattle this week as a result. Market activity this week was slow. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for moderate offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00 lower on breaking cows, and 3.00-5.00 lower on boning and lean cows. Heavy supplies are starting to be seen as drought conditions have ranchers marketing cows. Cow quality was mostly plain to average today with many thin and lower dressing cows in the offering. Feeding cows sold steady to 1.00 lower. Demand for feeding cows remains mostly moderate, with good demand seen at times for young age high quality cows. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average today as many full cows and bulls were on offer. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 lower. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 5.00 lower. Feeding demand for these offerings has diminished drastically as feed costs have risen.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $137.34/cwt on 98 head.

Average price

$137.34

98 head · 628 lb average

Value per head Derived

$862

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$145

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

$1.31/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−3.39

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	545	138.31	754	25
Medium and Large 1	656	137.00	899	73

One grade step is worth $1.31/cwt here — about −$145 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 sale98 hd

137.34

—

MT average3 barns · 2,167 hd

140.73

−3.39

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	1,651	82.33	1,360	38
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,651	65.53	1,081	20
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,443	62.96	909	99
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,183	56.61	670	162

Every lot, as filed

50 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 1-2	—	468	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	758	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	621	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	807	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	669	138.34/cwt	134.00–139.50	925	23
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	70	250.00/cwt	225.00–275.00	175	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	556	150.87/cwt	150.00–151.00	839	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	630	139.45/cwt	133.00–140.50	879	21
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	515	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	659	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	687	144.32/cwt	139.00–147.00	991	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	727	135.01/cwt	134.50–136.00	982	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	563	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	901	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	822	120.50/cwt	120.50–120.50	991	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	725	126.55/cwt	125.00–129.00	917	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	480	133.80/cwt	132.50–135.00	642	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	811	111.00/cwt	111.00–111.00	900	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	543	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	896	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	955	105.50/cwt	105.50–105.50	1,008	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	810	109.00/cwt	109.00–109.00	883	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	638	152.16/cwt	150.00–156.00	971	27
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	917	108.00/cwt	108.00–108.00	990	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,234	65.69/cwt	62.00–68.00	811	12
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	988	53.38/cwt	52.50–56.00	527	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,467	60.94/cwt	57.00–63.00	894	20
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,182	55.34/cwt	52.00–61.50	654	68
Bulls	—	—	1,812	87.01/cwt	83.00–91.00	1,577	14
Bulls	—	—	1,978	95.52/cwt	95.00–96.00	1,889	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	810	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	948	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,283	93.59/cwt	92.00–101.00	1,201	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,127	73.76/cwt	63.00–85.50	831	32
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	427	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	576	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	708	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	828	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	600	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	888	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	486	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	690	6
Bulls	—	—	1,540	79.00/cwt	79.00–79.00	1,217	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,616	67.76/cwt	66.50–69.50	1,095	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	596	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	763	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	579	140.07/cwt	130.00–142.00	811	12
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,220	62.00/cwt	62.00–62.00	756	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	885	86.00/cwt	86.00–86.00	761	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,685	63.29/cwt	62.00–65.00	1,066	10
Bulls	—	—	1,625	77.34/cwt	73.00–82.00	1,257	13
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	987	89.67/cwt	80.00–104.00	885	82
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	918	114.00/cwt	114.00–114.00	1,047	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,404	71.33/cwt	69.50–72.50	1,001	11
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,433	66.42/cwt	64.00–68.50	952	33
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,255	77.08/cwt	74.00–82.00	967	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,390	63.00/cwt	63.00–63.00	876	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,213	59.01/cwt	57.00–64.50	716	32
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,125	93.00/cwt	93.00–93.00	1,046	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,168	54.73/cwt	47.00–57.50	639	46
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,455	57.94/cwt	53.00–62.50	843	33

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 →