Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2021-08-11
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-08-11

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale (7-28-21): Yearling steers were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Steer calves sold 12.00-15.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Yearling heifers under 800 lbs sold fully steady in a narrow comparison. Heifers over 800 lbs sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher. Heifer calves sold mostly 13.00-19.00 higher than two weeks ago. Quality this week was average to attractive. Many sets of replacement heifers were seen this week and consigners offered to abort these heifers at their expense if they were purchased to feed. Only one set of heifers was retained as replacements this week. Demand was mostly good for all yearlings on offer while calves sold on mostly moderate demand. Market activity this week was mostly active. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for heavy offerings. Cows offered buyers noticeably poorer yields this week as many thin cows were on offer. Many cows had freshly weaned calves and had big bags as a result. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 lower. Feeding cows sold steady to weak. Buyers were forced to pick through cow offerings this week as they searched for cows suitable to feed. Slaughter bulls sold steady to weak. Most bulls have been out breeding cows and offered buyers lower yields as a result. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average this sale. Young age cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher. Several sets of cow calf pairs sold this week. Demand for these offerings was moderate to good.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $152.38/cwt on 507 head.

Average price

$152.38

507 head · 693 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,056

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$321

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$24.83/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+2.35

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	683	153.29	1,047	476
Medium and Large 1-2	588	150.60	886	10thin
Medium 1	660	146.00	964	5thin
Large 1	1,065	128.46	1,367	16thin

One grade step is worth $24.83/cwt here — about −$321 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 sale507 hd

152.38

—

MT average3 barns · 1,837 hd

150.03

+2.35

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	1,684	87.12	1,467	132
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,637	75.16	1,230	21
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,416	64.31	911	205
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,218	59.68	727	285

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
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	855	1,200.00/cwt	1,200.00–1,200.00	10,260	16
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,093	55.75/cwt	55.75–55.75	609	18
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,279	59.95/cwt	59.50–61.50	767	39
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,298	950.00/cwt	950.00–950.00	12,331	8
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,070	73.59/cwt	70.00–76.00	787	8
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,298	1,000.00/cwt	1,000.00–1,000.00	12,980	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,402	61.81/cwt	60.00–65.00	867	52
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,202	70.70/cwt	67.00–72.00	850	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,240	60.41/cwt	59.50–63.50	749	141
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,441	73.22/cwt	68.00–79.00	1,055	52
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,516	1,592.75/cwt	1,460.00–1,650.00	24,146	26
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,422	1,728.08/cwt	1,550.00–1,750.00	24,573	34
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,591	1,366.52/cwt	1,350.00–1,450.00	21,741	36
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,014	82.30/cwt	70.00–92.00	835	59
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	838	145.93/cwt	145.00–146.25	1,223	34
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	952	147.53/cwt	145.00–148.00	1,404	26
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	981	131.05/cwt	130.00–134.50	1,286	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	324	206.87/cwt	190.00–211.50	670	30
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	630	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	983	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	937	146.50/cwt	146.50–146.50	1,373	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	552	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	878	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	278	207.19/cwt	201.00–214.00	576	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	408	180.14/cwt	180.00–181.00	735	36
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	414	162.29/cwt	158.50–164.00	672	44
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	768	147.66/cwt	145.00–150.25	1,134	63
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	779	156.47/cwt	154.00–161.00	1,219	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	835	153.70/cwt	152.00–156.00	1,283	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	719	150.63/cwt	149.50–151.50	1,083	45
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	862	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	1,345	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	272	176.00/cwt	176.00–176.00	479	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	459	169.51/cwt	164.00–175.00	778	28
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	477	160.01/cwt	155.00–168.00	763	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	323	170.53/cwt	168.00–175.00	551	26
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	349	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	607	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	419	166.00/cwt	166.00–166.00	696	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	376	168.82/cwt	164.00–174.00	635	46
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	925	138.96/cwt	137.00–140.25	1,285	28
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	930	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	1,181	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	985	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,231	2
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,148	1,625.00/cwt	1,625.00–1,625.00	18,655	2
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,305	1,300.00/cwt	1,300.00–1,300.00	16,965	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,395	58.06/cwt	51.00–60.00	810	40
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,505	81.00/cwt	81.00–81.00	1,219	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,442	85.45/cwt	81.00–88.00	1,232	49
Bulls	—	—	1,607	79.23/cwt	73.00–83.00	1,273	16
Bulls	—	—	1,998	94.94/cwt	90.00–101.00	1,897	30
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,241	63.76/cwt	61.00–66.00	791	17
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,835	58.00/cwt	58.00–58.00	1,064	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,354	60.48/cwt	59.00–72.00	819	21
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,633	78.03/cwt	74.00–83.50	1,274	12
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,618	73.01/cwt	70.00–75.00	1,181	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,215	69.00/cwt	69.00–69.00	838	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,194	56.93/cwt	52.00–59.00	680	105
Bulls	—	—	1,790	86.55/cwt	82.00–90.00	1,549	36
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,165	58.35/cwt	58.00–59.00	680	9
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	760	57.50/cwt	57.50–57.50	437	1
Steers	Medium 1	—	676	163.10/cwt	157.00–165.00	1,103	21
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,033	131.50/cwt	131.50–131.50	1,358	2
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,069	128.03/cwt	125.50–130.00	1,369	14
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,105	108.00/cwt	108.00–108.00	1,193	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,456	64.26/cwt	60.50–67.00	936	40
Steers	Medium 1-2	—	683	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	1,038	13
Heifers	Medium 1	—	660	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	964	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	374	189.53/cwt	187.00–200.00	709	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	874	144.03/cwt	141.50–145.50	1,259	83
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	305	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	500	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	419	158.83/cwt	155.00–168.00	665	14
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,380	1,100.00/cwt	1,100.00–1,100.00	15,180	2
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,564	1,625.00/cwt	1,625.00–1,625.00	25,415	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	825	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	1,172	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	865	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,125	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	658	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	961	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	506	175.17/cwt	170.00–176.00	886	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	790	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,185	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	711	153.50/cwt	153.50–153.50	1,091	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	355	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	582	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	805	158.25/cwt	158.25–158.25	1,274	50
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	646	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	943	5

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 →