Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2022-07-27
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2022-07-27

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: The last sale was held June 29 making all comparisons difficult. Demand for yearling cattle was very good. A few offerings of calves were seen this week, these were met with light to moderate demand as most buyers say its too early and to hot to take unweaned calves. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today. Weigh up cows and bulls comprised most of the offering this week. Slaughter cow demand was good from western packers, however eastern packers showed lighter demand for cows which allowed prices to slip. No comparisons are available for cows or bulls as it has been a month since the last sale. Feeding cow demand was light to moderate. Very few cows were purchased to feed this week. Weigh up conditions were average to below average this week. Cattle coming off grass offered seasonally high yields, however many were pushing excess fill today. Quality was mostly average to attractive on both cows and bulls. Bull prices saw the largest decline this week as demand for bulls was light. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were very lightly tested this sale. Quality was mostly plain to average this week. Demand for these offerings was light to moderate.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $160.21/cwt on 67 head.

Average price

$160.21

67 head · 771 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,236

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$256

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$18.20/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−0.46

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	756	161.71	1,222	54
Medium and Large 1-2	778	157.10	1,223	10thin
Large 1	1,030	143.51	1,478	3thin

One grade step is worth $18.20/cwt here — about −$256 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 sale67 hd

160.21

—

MT average3 barns · 399 hd

160.67

−0.46

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	1,788	94.50	1,690	80
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,630	83.79	1,366	43
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,393	81.90	1,140	155
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,178	78.98	931	42

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	Medium and Large 1	—	850	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	1,301	1
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,115	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	1,461	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	920	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	1,334	2
Bulls	Large 1-2	—	1,058	131.34/cwt	131.00–132.00	1,390	3
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,158	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,448	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	965	152.35/cwt	151.00–155.00	1,470	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	492	177.00/cwt	177.00–177.00	871	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	396	194.50/cwt	194.50–194.50	770	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	856	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	1,464	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	804	168.00/cwt	168.00–168.00	1,351	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	726	159.50/cwt	159.50–159.50	1,158	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	887	163.00/cwt	163.00–163.00	1,446	31
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	813	155.50/cwt	155.50–155.50	1,264	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	399	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	654	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	403	166.00/cwt	166.00–166.00	669	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	455	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	723	3
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,030	143.51/cwt	140.50–145.00	1,478	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,209	87.23/cwt	81.00–101.00	1,055	32
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,053	100.92/cwt	88.00–105.50	1,063	30
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,342	104.65/cwt	99.50–106.50	1,404	9
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,350	84.00/cwt	84.00–84.00	1,134	1
Bulls	—	—	1,707	86.85/cwt	82.00–90.00	1,483	20
Bulls	—	—	1,882	93.57/cwt	89.00–96.00	1,761	30
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,343	82.00/cwt	82.00–82.00	1,101	8
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,333	88.00/cwt	88.00–88.00	1,173	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,592	84.42/cwt	82.00–86.50	1,344	33
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,153	85.52/cwt	85.00–86.00	986	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,180	81.25/cwt	78.00–85.00	959	22
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,721	79.23/cwt	72.00–81.00	1,364	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,085	68.00/cwt	68.00–68.00	738	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,394	82.44/cwt	79.00–86.50	1,149	114
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,444	76.52/cwt	73.00–79.00	1,105	20
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,356	87.57/cwt	87.00–88.00	1,187	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,743	87.00/cwt	87.00–87.00	1,516	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,425	76.00/cwt	76.00–76.00	1,083	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,130	75.00/cwt	75.00–75.00	848	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight	—	2,035	88.50/cwt	88.50–88.50	1,801	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	925	72.87/cwt	71.00–75.00	674	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,195	76.79/cwt	70.00–79.00	918	14
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,510	63.00/cwt	63.00–63.00	951	1
Bulls	—	—	1,951	99.49/cwt	96.00–107.00	1,941	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 →