Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2021-12-01
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-12-01

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested either this week or last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noted on both steers and heifers. Quality this week was average to attractive. Demand was mostly moderate to good. CME positions were mostly higher today and have been trending up the past couple weeks. Market activity was mostly active with several buyers actively bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for heavy offerings. Packers showed slightly lighter demand for slaughter cows this week especially early in the sale, however with strong demand seen from feeding buyers, packers were forced to get more aggressive in order to secure offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher on lean cows. Boning cows sold steady to 1.00 higher. Breaking cows were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Feeding cows sold steady to 3.00 higher. The best demand seen today was for thin cows to feed until the market improves or for the upcoming holiday break. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 higher. Again, demand from feeding buyers helped keep and push prices higher. Quality this week was average to very attractive with many long strings of cows and bulls off reputation ranches. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady to weak. Quality this week was average to attractive.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $146.77/cwt on 237 head.

Average price

$146.77

237 head · 656 lb average

Value per head Derived

$962

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$406

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

$36.37/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−9.67

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	618	150.97	933	180
Medium and Large 1-2	627	145.00	909	20
Large 1	1,022	132.66	1,355	26
Medium 1-2	460	114.60	527	11thin

One grade step is worth $36.37/cwt here — about $406 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 sale237 hd

146.77

—

MT average3 barns · 900 hd

156.45

−9.67

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	1,803	87.33	1,574	87
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	Low	2,075	66.00	1,370	2thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,601	60.78	973	28
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,411	54.22	765	181
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,202	47.66	573	364

Every lot, as filed

76 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
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,300	44.00/cwt	44.00–44.00	572	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,675	78.00/cwt	78.00–78.00	1,307	2
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,842	89.38/cwt	82.00–90.50	1,646	18
Bulls	—Natural	—	1,808	77.78/cwt	75.00–84.00	1,406	7
Bulls	—	—	1,847	84.99/cwt	80.00–86.00	1,570	12
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,213	45.22/cwt	39.00–47.00	549	31
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,214	49.52/cwt	47.00–55.00	601	164
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,206	49.00/cwt	46.00–53.00	591	75
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,385	62.90/cwt	62.00–63.00	871	39
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,203	43.03/cwt	37.00–46.00	518	50
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,417	53.84/cwt	51.00–59.00	763	89
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,518	64.63/cwt	63.00–68.00	981	14
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,369	51.00/cwt	50.50–53.00	698	5
Bulls	—	—	2,195	72.00/cwt	72.00–72.00	1,580	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,618	56.18/cwt	54.50–63.00	909	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	931	38.65/cwt	35.00–43.00	360	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,995	58.00/cwt	58.00–58.00	1,157	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,800	63.00/cwt	63.00–63.00	1,134	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,204	58.53/cwt	58.00–61.00	705	20
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,413	50.59/cwt	49.00–52.00	715	20
Bulls	—Natural	—	1,773	89.28/cwt	84.00–90.50	1,583	47
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,138	33.35/cwt	31.00–35.00	380	19
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	2,075	66.00/cwt	66.00–66.00	1,370	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,436	46.49/cwt	40.00–49.00	668	28
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	793	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	1,071	3
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,220	107.00/cwt	107.00–107.00	1,305	3
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,049	111.00/cwt	111.00–111.00	1,164	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	595	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	774	5
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,180	104.00/cwt	104.00–104.00	1,227	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	988	119.00/cwt	119.00–119.00	1,176	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	537	175.47/cwt	167.50–178.00	942	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	689	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	1,096	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	543	189.00/cwt	189.00–189.00	1,026	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	458	184.00/cwt	184.00–184.00	843	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	779	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,013	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	565	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	983	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	450	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	752	8
Steers	Medium 1	—	453	183.00/cwt	183.00–183.00	829	3
Steers	Medium 1	—	447	182.71/cwt	179.00–195.00	817	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	469	198.00/cwt	198.00–198.00	929	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	524	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	755	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	520	151.57/cwt	150.00–152.00	788	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	634	163.73/cwt	161.00–164.50	1,038	35
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	438	169.00/cwt	169.00–169.00	740	37
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	620	143.99/cwt	143.50–146.00	893	42
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	476	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	747	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	867	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	1,214	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	903	131.50/cwt	131.50–131.50	1,187	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	761	158.00/cwt	158.00–158.00	1,202	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	905	136.50/cwt	136.50–136.50	1,235	10
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,108	42.00/cwt	42.00–42.00	465	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,230	53.50/cwt	53.50–53.50	658	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,139	1,282.95/cwt	1,250.00–1,300.00	14,613	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,141	48.49/cwt	43.00–64.00	553	39
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	898	47.87/cwt	41.00–55.00	430	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	656	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	689	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,218	36.00/cwt	36.00–36.00	438	4
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	1,095	52.00/cwt	52.00–52.00	569	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,054	68.08/cwt	49.00–82.50	718	86
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	958	70.12/cwt	63.00–75.00	672	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	935	93.66/cwt	67.00–113.00	876	188
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,155	38.00/cwt	38.00–38.00	439	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	995	45.00/cwt	45.00–45.00	448	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,519	1,071.67/cwt	1,050.00–1,150.00	16,279	15
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,027	910.43/cwt	810.00–1,075.00	9,350	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	662	137.67/cwt	132.00–139.00	911	11
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,050	127.50/cwt	127.50–127.50	1,339	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	788	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	1,064	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	418	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	665	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	963	140.15/cwt	139.50–140.25	1,350	15
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,050	111.00/cwt	111.00–111.00	1,166	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	385	169.39/cwt	165.00–174.00	652	16
Heifers	Large 1Fleshy	—	1,063	119.00/cwt	119.00–119.00	1,265	6
Heifers	Large 1Fancy	—	1,007	137.25/cwt	137.25–137.25	1,382	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	955	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	1,222	2
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	460	114.60/cwt	110.00–120.00	527	11

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 →