Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2022-09-14
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2022-09-14

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Steer calves under 500 lbs sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower in a narrow comparison, steer calves over 500 lbs sold mostly 10.00-15.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Yearling steers were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Heifer calves all sold mostly 15.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Yearling heifers were all too lightly tested either this sale or last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on heifers under 1000 lbs and lower undertones were noticed on heifers over 1000 lbs. Demand today was light to moderate for light to moderate offerings. Quality was mixed from plain to attractive. Package sizes were mostly small today, with many singles in the offering. Corn prices continue to weigh on the market as the Dec contract inches closer to 7.00 a bushel. Today the Dec corn contract closed at 6.8225. Calf buyers showed lighter demand for calves today. Fewer buyers were on hand this sale as many order buyers report feeders are busy with harvest. Market activity was mostly slow to moderate today. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for mostly light offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was significantly lighter this sale as buyers purchased most offerings to return to feed. Slaughter cows sold mostly 4.00-5.00 lower on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady undertones were noticed. Feeding cow buyers were active again this week buying cows for feed. Packer buyers purchased most offerings to feed this week as well. Feeding cows sold steady to 3.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls sold 4.00-7.00 lower. Many bulls seen today were coming off range and remain thin from breeding season. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average today with many full cows and bulls in the offering. Cow and bull quality was plain to average this sale, many cows had big bags from freshly weaning calves. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on a higher quality offering.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $162.60/cwt on 266 head.

Average price

$162.60

266 head · 800 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,301

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$431

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 2

$27.30/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−6.25

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	739	170.21	1,258	142
Medium 1	727	160.67	1,168	27
Medium and Large 1-2	758	158.67	1,202	6thin
Medium 1-2	662	156.55	1,037	22
Large 1	1,083	151.31	1,639	58
Medium 2	579	142.91	828	11thin

One grade step is worth $27.30/cwt here — about $431 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 sale266 hd

162.60

—

MT average3 barns · 1,355 hd

168.85

−6.25

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	1,716	94.54	1,622	104
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,810	86.59	1,567	7thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,455	83.53	1,216	90
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,197	75.41	903	47

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age

Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.

Class	Stage	Age	Avg wt	$/head	Head
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,169	$1,079	5

Every lot, as filed

75 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
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	492	178.97/cwt	173.00–185.00	881	17
Heifers	Medium 2	—	518	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	730	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	928	163.81/cwt	163.75–164.00	1,520	16
Heifers	Medium 1	—	763	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	1,160	14
Heifers	Medium 1	—	688	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	1,170	13
Heifers	Large 1Replacement	—	1,012	160.50/cwt	160.50–160.50	1,624	8
Steers	Large 1	—	1,033	163.50/cwt	163.50–163.50	1,689	4
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	618	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	958	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	832	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	1,373	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	823	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	1,284	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	913	169.00/cwt	169.00–169.00	1,543	2
Heifers	Large 1Replacement	—	1,084	152.41/cwt	151.25–156.00	1,652	36
Steers	Medium 1	—	763	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	1,335	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	369	204.88/cwt	200.00–210.00	756	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	894	166.50/cwt	166.50–166.50	1,489	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	720	168.00/cwt	168.00–168.00	1,210	2
Steers	Large 1	—	1,168	147.50/cwt	147.50–147.50	1,723	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	479	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	1,030	27
Steers	Large 1-2Unweaned	—	500	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	725	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	821	183.50/cwt	183.50–183.50	1,507	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	421	197.00/cwt	197.00–197.00	829	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	573	152.65/cwt	145.00–155.00	875	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	530	186.00/cwt	186.00–186.00	986	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	627	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	1,160	35
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	575	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	1,041	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	409	227.00/cwt	227.00–227.00	928	12
Steers	Large 1	—	1,144	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	1,682	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	797	183.40/cwt	183.00–183.50	1,462	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	880	177.63/cwt	176.25–180.25	1,563	42
Steers	Large 1-2Unweaned	—	469	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	708	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	519	201.03/cwt	192.50–204.00	1,043	28
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	943	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	1,330	5
Bulls	Large 1-2	—	1,079	116.00/cwt	116.00–116.00	1,252	4
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,000	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	1,350	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	377	211.00/cwt	211.00–211.00	795	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	446	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	892	9
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,130	116.00/cwt	116.00–116.00	1,311	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	905	57.88/cwt	56.00–60.00	524	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,462	92.58/cwt	91.00–94.50	1,354	15
Bulls	—	—	2,075	106.35/cwt	105.00–110.00	2,207	9
Bulls	—	—	1,642	85.06/cwt	71.00–92.00	1,397	32
Bulls	—	—	1,760	106.00/cwt	106.00–106.00	1,866	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,384	78.38/cwt	74.00–81.00	1,085	27
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,192	82.06/cwt	79.00–85.00	978	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,247	78.45/cwt	77.00–79.00	978	18
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,855	85.22/cwt	84.50–87.00	1,581	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,698	90.00/cwt	90.00–90.00	1,528	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,552	79.24/cwt	78.00–81.00	1,230	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,195	71.93/cwt	67.00–79.00	860	19
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,515	88.96/cwt	88.00–90.00	1,348	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,568	83.28/cwt	81.00–86.50	1,306	13
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	950	75.50/cwt	75.50–75.50	717	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,450	83.98/cwt	81.00–90.00	1,218	29
Bulls	—Heavy Weight	—	2,710	101.00/cwt	101.00–101.00	2,737	1
Bulls	—	—	1,942	98.48/cwt	93.00–104.00	1,912	34
Bulls	—	—	2,090	97.00/cwt	97.00–97.00	2,027	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,336	98.55/cwt	95.00–102.00	1,317	10
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,376	82.14/cwt	82.00–83.00	1,130	7
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,298	104.50/cwt	104.50–104.50	1,356	9
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,193	90.57/cwt	85.00–96.00	1,081	10
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,275	87.50/cwt	87.50–87.50	1,116	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,056	107.86/cwt	96.50–113.50	1,139	23
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,169	1,079.06/head	1,050.00–1,100.00	1,079	5
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,033	155.50/cwt	155.50–155.50	1,606	6
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	792	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	1,117	7
Heifers	Medium 2	—	614	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	884	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	725	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	1,160	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	985	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	1,379	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	865	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	1,306	6
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,232	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,602	5
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,153	138.25/cwt	137.00–139.50	1,594	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	703	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	1,132	4
Heifers	Large 1Full	—	1,035	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	1,511	1
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	598	166.00/cwt	166.00–166.00	993	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	971	164.09/cwt	162.50–165.50	1,593	28

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 →