Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2022-10-12
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2022-10-12

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Steer and heifer calves were too lightly tested either this sale or last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however steer calves under 550 lbs sold with higher undertones, steer calves over 550 sold with steady to weak undertones. Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any trend. Heifer calves sold with steady to lower undertones, yearling heifers sold with steady to higher undertones. Demand today was light to moderate for light offerings. Quality was mostly plain to average. Most feeders were offered in small package sizes, with many singles in the offering. Market activity was mostly slow to moderate today. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand and mostly moderate offerings. Slaughter cows sold 1.00-3.00 lower on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold mostly 2.00-5.00 lower. Feeding cows sold 2.00-3.00 lower this week. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher. Demand from packers for feeding bulls was good and helped push all bull offerings higher. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average this sale for buyers as most cows were wet, having freshly weaned calves. Cow and bull quality this week was average to very attractive, with many cows off reputation ranches. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold steady to 3.00 higher. Quality this week was average to very attractive. Demand for these offerings was moderate to good, with several order buyers purchasing high quality offerings to rebreed.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $196.09/cwt on 180 head.

Average price

$196.09

180 head · 512 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,003

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

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

$17.47/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−1.12

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	503	199.29	1,003	147
Medium and Large 1-2	549	181.82	999	33

One grade step is worth $17.47/cwt here — about $4 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 sale180 hd

196.09

—

MT average5 barns · 3,023 hd

197.21

−1.12

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	1,737	94.87	1,648	43
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,624	78.42	1,274	42
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,413	71.36	1,008	320
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,231	61.19	753	152

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	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,234	$1,350	11
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,085	$1,146	7

Every lot, as filed

71 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 1	—	1,075	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	1,548	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	479	179.43/cwt	178.50–183.00	859	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	480	160.80/cwt	150.00–174.00	772	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	412	178.45/cwt	176.00–180.00	735	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	566	169.33/cwt	162.00–174.00	958	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	433	186.42/cwt	184.00–191.50	807	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	868	163.00/cwt	163.00–163.00	1,415	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	620	178.56/cwt	177.00–182.00	1,107	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	393	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	825	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	668	176.00/cwt	176.00–176.00	1,176	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	937	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	1,602	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	590	162.81/cwt	157.00–164.00	961	11
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	659	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	1,021	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	467	205.94/cwt	203.00–210.00	962	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	479	186.03/cwt	185.00–187.50	891	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	340	226.65/cwt	225.00–240.00	771	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	408	197.00/cwt	197.00–197.00	804	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	680	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	1,136	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	500	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	775	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	521	184.43/cwt	183.00–187.00	961	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	559	187.64/cwt	187.50–188.00	1,049	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	382	221.00/cwt	221.00–221.00	844	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	414	210.66/cwt	209.00–211.00	872	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	594	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	980	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	506	172.10/cwt	169.00–173.00	871	9
Dairy Steers	Large 3	—	970	60.00/cwt	60.00–60.00	582	1
Dairy Steers	Large 3-4	—	889	47.00/cwt	47.00–47.00	418	6
Dairy Steers	Large 3	—	1,047	60.00/cwt	60.00–60.00	628	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	513	197.29/cwt	190.00–198.50	1,012	64
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,059	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	1,546	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	703	169.00/cwt	169.00–169.00	1,188	4
Bulls	Large 1-2	—	1,100	102.00/cwt	102.00–102.00	1,122	1
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,109	107.00/cwt	107.00–107.00	1,187	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	357	221.00/cwt	221.00–221.00	789	10
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,060	111.00/cwt	111.00–111.00	1,177	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,560	82.57/cwt	81.50–83.50	1,288	15
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,424	80.50/cwt	79.00–83.00	1,146	17
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,234	56.98/cwt	53.00–65.00	703	52
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,253	69.30/cwt	65.00–75.00	868	17
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,517	80.75/cwt	80.00–81.00	1,225	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,370	67.58/cwt	65.00–69.00	926	37
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,467	80.52/cwt	77.00–82.00	1,181	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,401	69.68/cwt	67.00–75.00	976	56
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	720	62.50/cwt	62.50–62.50	450	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,426	74.61/cwt	70.00–78.50	1,064	142
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,153	48.00/cwt	48.00–48.00	553	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,266	66.29/cwt	65.00–69.00	839	31
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,409	64.28/cwt	58.00–67.50	906	62
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,211	60.14/cwt	53.00–64.00	728	49
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,708	75.95/cwt	73.50–78.00	1,297	18
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,599	73.00/cwt	73.00–73.00	1,167	5
Bulls	—	—	1,937	94.88/cwt	91.00–98.00	1,838	6
Bulls	—	—	1,628	82.67/cwt	75.00–87.00	1,346	6
Bulls	—	—	2,015	103.64/cwt	99.00–108.00	2,088	10
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,456	84.33/cwt	77.00–88.50	1,228	6
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,883	103.00/cwt	103.00–103.00	1,939	7
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,403	93.83/cwt	90.00–102.00	1,316	8
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,101	1,200.00/head	1,200.00–1,200.00	1,200	4
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,330	87.00/cwt	87.00–87.00	1,157	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,089	66.88/cwt	64.00–71.00	728	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,144	86.59/cwt	70.00–96.00	991	45
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	977	110.66/cwt	93.00–122.00	1,081	160
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	1,110	58.00/cwt	58.00–58.00	644	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,245	65.00/cwt	65.00–65.00	809	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,063	1,075.00/head	1,075.00–1,075.00	1,075	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,234	1,350.00/head	1,350.00–1,350.00	1,350	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	972	160.48/cwt	156.00–161.50	1,560	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	658	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	1,053	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	385	208.00/cwt	208.00–208.00	801	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	875	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	1,286	3
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	579	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	909	8

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 →