Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2021-09-15
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-09-15

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were scarcely tested last sale so no trend is available. Steer calves sold 5.00-10.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Yearling heifers under 850 lbs sold 2.00-5.00 lower, while over 850 lbs sold steady to weak. Heifer calves sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower. Quality this week was average to attractive for calves and mostly average for yearlings. Demand was light to moderate for all feeder cattle on offer. Weaned calves were left untagged. Many Midwestern farmer feeders are beginning harvest soon and many are not willing to take calves yet. Market activity this week was slow to moderate. Fewer buyers were seen this week. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Packers showed lighter demand for low yielding cows allowing many of these cows to sell to feeding buyers. Demand for average to high yielding cows was stronger this sale than last. Breaking cows sold steady to firm, while boning and lean cows sold unevenly steady. Feeding cows sold unevenly steady, high quality cows sold higher, while thin feeding cows sold mostly lower. Slaughter bulls sold steady. Many very thin cows continue to be seen. Most of these cows have freshly weaned calves and many have big bags. Young age cows sold generally steady. Demand for these offerings as well as older replacement offerings was moderate to good.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $178.39/cwt on 821 head.

Average price

$178.39

821 head · 488 lb average

Value per head Derived

$871

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$163

per head · Medium 1 over Medium 2

$67.63/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−14.23

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	366	190.13	695	17thin
Medium and Large 1	494	180.23	890	749
Medium and Large 1-2	487	163.68	797	31
Small and Medium 1	317	150.00	476	8thin
Medium 2	435	122.50	533	16thin

One grade step is worth $67.63/cwt here — about $163 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 sale821 hd

178.39

—

MT average3 barns · 2,622 hd

192.62

−14.23

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	1,674	80.96	1,356	37
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,600	75.91	1,214	32
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,404	64.64	908	184
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,193	52.19	623	344

Every lot, as filed

86 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	—	554	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	909	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	879	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	1,239	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	295	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	561	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	481	180.17/cwt	170.00–184.00	867	203
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	749	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	1,161	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	514	152.96/cwt	150.00–155.50	786	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	320	186.56/cwt	182.50–191.00	597	38
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	604	145.62/cwt	143.00–150.00	880	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	434	183.83/cwt	180.50–187.50	798	195
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	369	200.40/cwt	189.00–210.00	739	64
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	467	167.17/cwt	159.00–171.50	781	34
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	458	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	756	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	435	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	705	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	553	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	741	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	629	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	1,006	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	723	165.75/cwt	165.75–165.75	1,198	56
Heifers	Medium 1-2Unweaned	—	363	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	555	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	864	145.55/cwt	138.00–145.75	1,258	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	810	145.56/cwt	145.50–146.50	1,179	69
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	434	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	677	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	435	170.49/cwt	167.00–177.00	742	100
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	382	174.47/cwt	172.50–181.00	666	126
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	477	161.19/cwt	152.00–172.00	769	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	531	165.23/cwt	164.00–168.50	877	49
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	322	217.54/cwt	207.50–220.00	700	34
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	634	159.78/cwt	159.50–160.00	1,013	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	517	155.46/cwt	150.00–161.00	804	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	566	164.53/cwt	156.00–166.50	931	73
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	424	175.90/cwt	174.00–179.00	746	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	387	173.52/cwt	165.00–185.00	672	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	738	164.50/cwt	164.50–164.50	1,214	11
Steers	Small and Medium 1Unweaned	—	317	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	476	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	555	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	794	2
Steers	Medium 2Unweaned	—	435	122.50/cwt	122.50–122.50	533	16
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	270	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	581	5
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	369	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	692	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	275	227.34/cwt	225.00–230.00	625	17
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,210	96.00/cwt	96.00–96.00	1,162	1
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,081	113.00/cwt	113.00–113.00	1,222	4
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,120	106.00/cwt	106.00–106.00	1,187	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	517	149.49/cwt	145.00–151.00	773	20
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	726	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	1,045	11
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	396	173.00/cwt	173.00–173.00	685	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,397	65.55/cwt	61.00–69.00	916	104
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,256	56.61/cwt	55.00–58.00	711	64
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	975	58.00/cwt	58.00–58.00	566	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,042	46.00/cwt	44.00–47.50	479	22
Bulls	—	—	1,928	92.52/cwt	91.00–94.00	1,784	6
Bulls	—	—	1,866	86.05/cwt	84.00–88.50	1,606	9
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,732	72.42/cwt	71.50–73.00	1,254	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,555	62.00/cwt	62.00–62.00	964	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,598	82.80/cwt	81.00–85.50	1,323	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,490	62.04/cwt	59.00–63.50	924	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,433	75.15/cwt	72.00–78.00	1,077	31
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,432	56.92/cwt	53.50–58.00	815	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,230	51.84/cwt	49.00–53.50	638	130
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,609	76.12/cwt	74.00–77.50	1,225	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	930	44.65/cwt	44.00–45.00	415	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	995	51.00/cwt	51.00–51.00	507	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,240	56.09/cwt	54.00–59.00	696	41
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,391	55.49/cwt	52.00–58.75	772	40
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,379	73.50/cwt	73.50–73.50	1,014	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,118	49.21/cwt	48.00–52.50	550	82
Bulls	—	—	1,746	73.94/cwt	72.00–77.00	1,291	6
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,444	70.05/cwt	68.00–75.50	1,012	7
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,445	81.33/cwt	78.00–88.00	1,175	9
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	873	54.00/cwt	54.00–54.00	471	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,159	1,076.90/cwt	1,050.00–1,100.00	12,481	21
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	925	61.00/cwt	61.00–61.00	564	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,018	75.28/cwt	58.00–81.50	766	55
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	954	83.36/cwt	71.50–92.00	795	112
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	945	72.00/cwt	72.00–72.00	680	2
Heifers	Large 1Full	—	1,006	119.50/cwt	119.50–119.50	1,202	5
Heifers	Medium 2Unweaned	—	378	122.50/cwt	122.50–122.50	463	6
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	262	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	419	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	918	136.51/cwt	133.50–138.00	1,253	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	753	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	1,107	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	395	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	751	56
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	849	143.50/cwt	143.50–143.50	1,218	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	264	196.20/cwt	190.00–200.00	518	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	504	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	716	5
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,073	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,395	2
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,009	133.10/cwt	131.00–133.25	1,343	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	812	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	1,137	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	982	132.43/cwt	131.00–134.00	1,300	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	573	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	860	20

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 →