Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2022-11-09
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2022-11-09

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Steer and heifer calves were both too lightly tested today to develop any market trend. Limited offerings were of plain to average quality and many looked stressed due to extreme cold and snowy conditions seen over the last 3 days. Todays sale featured mostly bred cows and weigh ups. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for heavy offerings. Quality today was mostly average to attractive. The majority of the cow offering continues to be purchased to feed, either for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday or to feed to premium white. Short term feeding cows sold fully steady. Most of these cows are located in the report as low dressing lean or boning cows returning to feed. High quality cows suitable to feed to premium white sold fully steady as well. Slaughter cows sold steady on all classes. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady. Weigh up conditions were mostly average this sale as most cows were worked through the chute for todays bred cow special. Todays bred cow offering was average to attractive with several complete dispersions on offer. Demand was stronger for bred cows this sale compared to last months bred cow sale. A large crowd was on hand for todays sale which sold well into the evening. Demand remained strong for todays entire offering of bred cows. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on mostly light to moderate demand. These offerings sold mostly 5.00-10.00 lower. Quality was not as attractive on young cows this week and fewer taker were noticed.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $201.36/cwt on 48 head.

Average price

$201.36

48 head · 465 lb average

Value per head Derived

$936

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$412

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 2

$105.13/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−2.75

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	464	215.13	998	29
Medium and Large 1-2	436	212.82	928	13thin
Medium 2	533	110.00	586	6thin

One grade step is worth $105.13/cwt here — about $412 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 sale48 hd

201.36

—

MT average5 barns · 3,396 hd

204.11

−2.75

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	1,902	89.93	1,710	21
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,589	79.33	1,261	24
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,394	68.14	950	140
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,182	60.21	712	280

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)	1,095	$1,763	232
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,295	$1,469	200
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,071	$1,437	53
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,221	$1,359	42
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,141	$1,300	9
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,325	$1,256	467
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1,339	$1,235	4thin
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,291	$1,136	28
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,303	$1,087	356
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,328	$950	4thin
Bred Heifers	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	(<2 yrs)	1,024	$1,671	72

Every lot, as filed

54 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
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,260	966.50/head	950.00–985.00	967	25
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,283	1,031.09/head	1,010.00–1,050.00	1,031	34
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,094	1,774.42/head	1,425.00–1,900.00	1,774	225
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,203	1,035.00/head	1,035.00–1,035.00	1,035	8
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,306	1,096.15/head	1,000.00–1,200.00	1,096	331
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,336	1,288.66/head	1,075.00–1,385.00	1,289	406
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	669	110.00/cwt	110.00–110.00	736	21
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	918	105.39/cwt	83.00–118.00	967	114
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,092	78.16/cwt	64.00–87.50	854	31
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	943	79.13/cwt	78.00–82.50	746	4
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,024	1,670.55/head	1,460.00–1,725.00	1,671	72
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS	—	1,233	1,300.00/head	1,300.00–1,300.00	1,300	6
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,328	950.00/head	950.00–950.00	950	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS	—	1,212	1,060.00/head	1,060.00–1,060.00	1,060	19
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS	—	1,142	1,410.00/head	1,410.00–1,410.00	1,410	7
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,139	985.00/head	985.00–985.00	985	7
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,342	1,186.74/head	1,085.00–1,300.00	1,187	21
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	973	1,310.00/head	1,310.00–1,310.00	1,310	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	619	167.70/cwt	166.00–168.00	1,038	7
Steers	Medium 2Unweaned	—	533	110.00/cwt	110.00–110.00	586	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	490	188.00/cwt	188.00–188.00	921	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	356	254.58/cwt	250.00–255.00	906	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	485	201.00/cwt	201.00–201.00	975	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	420	220.26/cwt	217.50–221.00	925	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	455	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	796	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	378	199.28/cwt	197.50–200.00	753	9
Heifers	Medium 1-2Unweaned	—	485	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	679	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,102	41.13/cwt	31.00–48.00	453	20
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,152	53.19/cwt	49.00–59.00	613	20
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,224	64.70/cwt	62.00–71.00	792	127
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,157	57.70/cwt	52.00–62.00	668	94
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,177	74.20/cwt	73.00–74.50	873	15
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,510	85.00/cwt	85.00–85.00	1,284	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,389	63.30/cwt	55.00–69.00	879	59
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,386	82.21/cwt	82.00–82.50	1,139	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,376	74.85/cwt	71.00–80.00	1,030	48
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,705	74.76/cwt	73.50–75.50	1,275	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,421	59.46/cwt	54.00–65.00	845	19
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,488	72.32/cwt	66.50–76.00	1,076	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,260	61.00/cwt	61.00–61.00	769	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,627	81.39/cwt	80.00–83.00	1,324	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	962	53.01/cwt	49.00–55.00	510	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,523	81.04/cwt	80.50–82.00	1,234	8
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,588	78.00/cwt	78.00–78.00	1,239	7
Bulls	—	—	1,958	92.65/cwt	90.00–95.00	1,814	13
Bulls	—	—	1,861	82.00/cwt	72.00–85.00	1,526	6
Bulls	—	—	2,055	102.00/cwt	102.00–102.00	2,096	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,265	90.00/cwt	90.00–90.00	1,139	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,339	1,235.00/head	1,235.00–1,235.00	1,235	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,097	1,470.64/head	1,325.00–1,625.00	1,471	42
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,299	1,275.00/head	1,275.00–1,275.00	1,275	7
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,221	1,359.16/head	1,250.00–1,450.00	1,359	42
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,141	1,300.00/head	1,300.00–1,300.00	1,300	9
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,297	1,481.47/head	1,325.00–1,625.00	1,481	187

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 →