Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2022-11-30
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2022-11-30

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Steer and heifer calves were all too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all feeder offerings. Quality today was mostly plain to average, but better overall compared to last week. Most calves were offered in small lots or as singles. Demand was mostly light to moderate, but noticeably stronger than last weeks pre-holiday sale. A larger buyer pool was on hand for todays sale compared to last week. Market activity was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Cow quality today was mostly plain to average. Most of the cow offering continues to be purchased to feed, either for the upcoming holidays, to turn out on corn stalks, or to feed to premium white. Demand for thin cows was stronger from private buyers this week as they pushed to own a significant portion of the cow supply today. Short term feeding cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher. Feeding cows suitable to feed to premium white sold sold steady to 3.00 higher, with the biggest increase seen for plainer quality cows which private feeding buyers pushed higher. Slaughter cows sold 1.00-3.00 higher on boning and lean cows, breaking cows sold unevenly steady. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average this week with many full cows and bulls on offer. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold sharply higher, with most sales 10.00-20.00 higher. Additional buyers entered the market this week looking for high quality rebreed type cows.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $194.39/cwt on 160 head.

Average price

$194.39

160 head · 554 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,076

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$266

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

$21.75/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−20.29

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	398	212.74	847	25
Medium and Large 1	582	190.99	1,113	135

One grade step is worth $21.75/cwt here — about −$266 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 sale160 hd

194.39

—

MT average3 barns · 1,297 hd

214.68

−20.29

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	1,751	84.31	1,476	68
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,574	72.34	1,138	73
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,398	69.63	973	184
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,217	57.98	706	381

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)	1,185	$1,250	8
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,084	$1,150	11
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,099	$1,009	6

Every lot, as filed

58 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 1Broken Mouth	—	1,360	63.44/cwt	58.00–64.00	863	19
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,099	1,009.17/head	1,000.00–1,050.00	1,009	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	431	182.52/cwt	181.00–185.00	787	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	566	150.48/cwt	146.00–154.00	852	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	532	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	963	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	395	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	751	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	450	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	770	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	852	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	1,355	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	605	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	1,059	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	688	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	1,080	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	928	155.28/cwt	155.00–155.50	1,441	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	722	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	1,264	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	775	168.00/cwt	168.00–168.00	1,302	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	358	222.50/cwt	222.50–222.50	797	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	402	207.50/cwt	207.50–207.50	834	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	535	163.00/cwt	163.00–163.00	872	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	575	160.33/cwt	157.00–170.00	922	26
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	693	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	1,185	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	480	203.00/cwt	203.00–203.00	974	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	576	187.19/cwt	186.00–194.00	1,078	45
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	478	202.00/cwt	202.00–202.00	966	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	516	204.04/cwt	203.00–206.00	1,053	39
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	621	186.84/cwt	186.50–190.00	1,160	41
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	614	178.34/cwt	172.00–179.00	1,095	11
Bulls	Large 1-2	—	1,130	106.00/cwt	106.00–106.00	1,198	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	485	157.50/cwt	157.50–157.50	764	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	680	168.97/cwt	168.00–171.00	1,149	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	834	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,084	5
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,085	118.00/cwt	118.00–118.00	1,280	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,780	80.00/cwt	80.00–80.00	1,424	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,574	75.75/cwt	74.00–78.00	1,192	23
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,140	71.00/cwt	71.00–71.00	809	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,465	81.00/cwt	81.00–81.00	1,187	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,380	72.99/cwt	67.00–78.00	1,007	118
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,183	54.46/cwt	47.00–58.50	644	67
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,193	53.17/cwt	47.50–57.50	634	53
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,439	71.51/cwt	66.00–75.00	1,029	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,208	71.20/cwt	70.50–74.50	860	8
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,360	75.00/cwt	75.00–75.00	1,020	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,434	63.27/cwt	56.00–66.00	907	37
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,253	60.48/cwt	58.00–64.00	758	21
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	820	33.00/cwt	33.00–33.00	271	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,560	73.00/cwt	73.00–73.00	1,139	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,574	70.43/cwt	65.00–73.50	1,109	47
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,412	59.03/cwt	55.00–71.00	834	18
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,074	42.48/cwt	40.00–45.00	456	20
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,246	61.15/cwt	58.00–65.50	762	211
Bulls	—	—	1,731	81.07/cwt	72.00–86.00	1,403	46
Bulls	—	—	1,756	90.89/cwt	87.00–96.00	1,596	16
Bulls	—	—	2,112	98.18/cwt	98.00–98.50	2,074	3
Bulls	—Heavy Weight	—	2,590	94.00/cwt	94.00–94.00	2,435	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,290	90.00/cwt	90.00–90.00	1,161	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	975	113.50/cwt	78.00–132.00	1,107	140
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	970	55.00/cwt	55.00–55.00	534	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,107	72.41/cwt	62.00–99.00	802	76
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	795	75.00/cwt	75.00–75.00	596	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,185	1,250.00/head	1,250.00–1,250.00	1,250	8
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,084	1,150.00/head	1,150.00–1,150.00	1,150	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 →