Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2023-01-11
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-01-11

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested this sale to develop any market trend as todays sale featured mostly bred cows and heifers. Feeder cattle quality was mostly plain. Most calves were offered in small packages or as singles. Demand was mostly light to moderate for light offerings. Market activity was slow. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand and offerings. Eastern packers showed lighter demand for slaughter cows this week, however demand from western packers remains moderate too good. Slaughter cows sold steady to weak on all offerings. Demand improved late in the sale as additional buyers entered the market. Feeding cows sold generally steady to firm on a light offering. Demand for feeding cows was mostly good this week, however quality was mostly plain to average, with a limited offering of attractive quality cows seen. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 lower. Young age cows sold generally steady on a light offering. Yearlings were included in the stock cow section of the report below. Todays sale featured mostly bred cow offerings. Demand was mostly light to moderate for moderate to heavy offerings. Quality today was mixed from plain to attractive, but mostly average. The best demand was for cattle off complete dispersions. A good crowd was on hand for todays sale which streached late into the evening.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $168.34/cwt on 47 head.

Average price

$168.34

47 head · 579 lb average

Value per head Derived

$974

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$324

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

$11.38/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−19.40

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	624	172.38	1,076	16thin
Medium and Large 1-2	572	167.57	958	23
Large 1	633	167.00	1,057	2thin
Medium and Large 2	467	161.00	752	6thin

One grade step is worth $11.38/cwt here — about $324 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 sale47 hd

168.34

—

MT average3 barns · 1,927 hd

187.75

−19.40

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	1,758	88.71	1,559	32
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,616	71.26	1,151	18
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,390	66.74	928	98
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,174	59.28	696	228

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/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,086	$1,784	154
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,300	$1,567	148
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,139	$1,475	15
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,367	$1,445	20
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,295	$1,384	10
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,336	$1,330	297
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,105	$1,275	33
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1,331	$1,250	6
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1,165	$1,150	3thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,287	$1,097	17
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,155	$1,058	16
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,304	$1,056	258
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,300	$1,042	51
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,385	$970	12
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,244	$780	11
Bred Heifers	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	1,060	$1,725	77
Bred Heifers	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	966	$1,626	180
Bred Heifers	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	(<2 yrs)	916	$1,213	37

Every lot, as filed

79 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	—	1,234	785.00/head	785.00–785.00	785	5
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,057	1,235.42/head	1,200.00–1,310.00	1,235	12
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,096	1,298.85/head	1,175.00–1,400.00	1,299	29
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,253	1,250.00/head	1,250.00–1,250.00	1,250	9
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,155	1,057.69/head	1,000.00–1,085.00	1,058	16
Bred Heifers	Medium 1	—	923	1,421.19/head	1,285.00–1,450.00	1,421	17
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	971	1,664.37/head	1,575.00–1,725.00	1,664	157
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	953	144.83/cwt	112.00–153.00	1,380	56
Bred Cows	Medium 1	—	1,240	1,050.00/head	1,050.00–1,050.00	1,050	5
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,290	1,450.00/head	1,450.00–1,450.00	1,450	13
Bred Cows	Medium 1	—	955	1,306.93/head	1,275.00–1,325.00	1,307	11
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	855	82.00/cwt	82.00–82.00	701	16
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	875	55.00/cwt	55.00–55.00	481	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,011	94.38/cwt	60.00–113.00	954	130
Bred Heifers	Medium 1	—	849	1,201.54/head	1,125.00–1,410.00	1,202	25
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,065	1,741.32/head	1,500.00–1,850.00	1,741	73
Bred Heifers	Medium 1	—	974	1,425.00/head	1,425.00–1,425.00	1,425	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,068	71.00/cwt	71.00–71.00	758	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	948	56.00/cwt	56.00–56.00	531	2
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	935	82.00/cwt	82.00–82.00	767	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,206	881.94/head	825.00–910.00	882	39
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,253	775.00/head	775.00–775.00	775	6
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,139	1,475.00/head	1,475.00–1,475.00	1,475	15
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	1,215	2,012.66/head	1,975.00–2,075.00	2,013	40
Bred Cows	Large 1	—	1,503	1,200.00/head	1,200.00–1,200.00	1,200	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	1,001	2,050.00/head	2,050.00–2,050.00	2,050	83
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	523	212.00/cwt	212.00–212.00	1,109	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	649	183.00/cwt	183.00–183.00	1,188	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	660	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	1,016	4
Heifers	Large 1	—	633	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	1,057	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	497	176.00/cwt	176.00–176.00	875	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	573	168.43/cwt	167.00–169.00	965	14
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	493	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	986	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	603	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	1,055	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	724	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	1,158	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	467	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	752	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	555	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	1,005	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	675	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	1,026	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	583	173.00/cwt	173.00–173.00	1,009	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,540	64.00/cwt	64.00–64.00	986	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,592	69.74/cwt	65.00–72.50	1,110	11
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,608	75.50/cwt	74.00–76.50	1,214	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,374	69.03/cwt	66.00–77.00	948	47
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,405	64.66/cwt	62.00–65.50	908	22
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,102	60.00/cwt	58.00–61.00	661	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	915	53.61/cwt	52.00–55.00	491	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	995	59.00/cwt	59.00–59.00	587	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,466	62.33/cwt	60.00–65.00	914	18
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,111	45.02/cwt	42.00–51.00	500	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,154	56.21/cwt	52.00–60.00	649	76
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,241	62.16/cwt	60.00–64.00	771	86
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,800	74.77/cwt	74.50–75.00	1,346	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,302	68.31/cwt	66.00–74.00	889	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	850	42.00/cwt	42.00–42.00	357	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,280	74.00/cwt	74.00–74.00	947	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,161	63.51/cwt	60.50–66.00	737	39
Bulls	—	—	1,688	83.60/cwt	74.00–91.00	1,411	20
Bulls	—	—	2,008	102.59/cwt	101.00–105.00	2,060	3
Bulls	—	—	1,900	95.98/cwt	92.00–102.00	1,824	8
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,265	91.00/cwt	91.00–91.00	1,151	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,298	1,253.47/head	1,175.00–1,350.00	1,253	16
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,336	1,447.37/head	1,410.00–1,525.00	1,447	85
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,270	910.00/head	910.00–910.00	910	5
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,325	850.00/head	850.00–850.00	850	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	1,283	800.00/head	800.00–800.00	800	7
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,185	921.76/head	900.00–935.00	922	9
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,295	1,383.75/head	1,375.00–1,400.00	1,384	10
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,174	1,100.00/head	1,100.00–1,100.00	1,100	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,332	1,088.85/head	1,025.00–1,200.00	1,089	37
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,338	1,339.98/head	1,000.00–1,610.00	1,340	289
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,385	970.05/head	950.00–1,000.00	970	12
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,331	1,250.00/head	1,250.00–1,250.00	1,250	6
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,367	1,445.32/head	1,100.00–1,525.00	1,445	20
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,165	1,150.00/head	1,150.00–1,150.00	1,150	3
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS	—	952	1,200.00/head	1,200.00–1,200.00	1,200	6
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,209	1,519.54/head	1,400.00–1,585.00	1,520	47
Bred Cows	Medium 1	—	1,229	1,185.00/head	1,185.00–1,185.00	1,185	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,326	925.00/head	925.00–925.00	925	8
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,323	1,096.00/head	950.00–1,275.00	1,096	212

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 →