Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2023-01-18
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-01-18

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Public auction yards had back to back feeder specials last friday and again today. Compairsons are to last fridays feeder special. Feeder steers under 600 lbs sold steady to firm, steers over 600 lbs sold steady to 5.00 lower. Feeder heifers under 650 lbs sold generally steady, heifers over 650 lbs sold mostly 2.00 lower. Feeder cattle quality was mixed from plain to very attractive. Several large load lots of reputation feeders were seen this sale. Demand remains good for both sexes of feeders suitable to develop into yearlings. Demand for heavy weight feeders was slightly lighter this sale as many roads and interstates to the plains and corn belt are closed after recieving heavy amounts of snow and wind. Several buyers remarked they were out of the market as a result. Market activity was mostly active again this sale and a large crowd was on hand for todays sale which pushed late into the evening. Demand remained constant as most buyers stayed the length of the sale. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Eastern packer buyers showed slightly stronger demand for slaughter cows this sale as they pushed western packer buyers over offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-2.00 higher on boning and lean cow offerings; breaking cows sold 3.00-5.00 higher in a narrow compairson, as feeding buyers looking for fat cows helped push all breaking cow offerings higher. Slaughter bulls sold 2.00-3.00 higher. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady in a narrow compaison.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $188.81/cwt on 1,126 head.

Average price

$188.81

1,126 head · 542 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,023

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$12

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

$37.69/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−4.35

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	566	190.69	1,080	892
Medium 1-2	510	188.50	961	7thin
Medium and Large 1-2	466	186.32	867	80
Medium 1	431	179.15	772	145
Medium and Large 2	698	153.00	1,068	2thin

One grade step is worth $37.69/cwt here — about $12 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 sale1,126 hd

188.81

—

MT average4 barns · 3,674 hd

193.16

−4.35

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	1,840	92.89	1,709	37
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,609	80.95	1,303	13
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,376	69.34	954	127
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,155	63.52	734	117

Every lot, as filed

87 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 1	—	387	192.05/cwt	188.50–200.00	743	49
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	526	199.18/cwt	189.00–212.00	1,048	250
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	466	186.56/cwt	182.00–197.00	869	27
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	544	185.17/cwt	179.00–188.50	1,007	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	636	174.10/cwt	170.00–174.50	1,107	87
Heifers	Medium 1	—	410	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	718	28
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	615	184.30/cwt	177.00–186.50	1,133	133
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	546	178.38/cwt	175.00–187.00	974	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	568	188.99/cwt	181.50–195.00	1,073	125
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	663	179.50/cwt	179.50–179.50	1,190	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	527	216.14/cwt	200.00–219.00	1,139	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	426	267.86/cwt	253.00–273.50	1,141	34
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	698	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	1,068	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	768	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	1,190	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	387	282.89/cwt	272.50–299.00	1,095	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	627	198.39/cwt	190.00–205.00	1,244	103
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	594	196.00/cwt	196.00–196.00	1,164	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	485	232.97/cwt	225.00–237.00	1,130	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	484	201.00/cwt	201.00–201.00	973	4
Heifers	Medium 1	—	598	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	987	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	525	232.55/cwt	224.00–236.50	1,221	97
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	583	217.06/cwt	202.50–224.50	1,265	366
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	470	256.00/cwt	256.00–256.00	1,203	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	847	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	1,448	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	725	179.79/cwt	168.00–180.75	1,303	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	345	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,035	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	656	196.65/cwt	183.00–200.00	1,290	148
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	564	218.00/cwt	218.00–218.00	1,230	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	505	236.00/cwt	236.00–236.00	1,192	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	650	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	1,219	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	422	228.54/cwt	225.00–252.50	964	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	628	186.27/cwt	182.00–189.00	1,170	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	734	171.02/cwt	168.00–172.00	1,255	24
Steers	Large 1	—	664	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	1,202	14
Steers	Large 1	—	596	188.00/cwt	188.00–188.00	1,120	60
Steers	Large 1	—	623	177.00/cwt	177.00–177.00	1,103	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	474	250.91/cwt	235.00–262.00	1,189	88
Bulls	Medium 1	—	487	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	731	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	688	175.04/cwt	148.00–177.50	1,204	46
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	591	182.00/cwt	182.00–182.00	1,076	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	472	212.50/cwt	212.50–212.50	1,003	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	769	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,154	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	700	165.50/cwt	165.50–165.50	1,159	34
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,068	42.82/cwt	37.00–48.00	457	2
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,245	65.00/cwt	65.00–65.00	809	1
Bulls	—	—	2,073	105.00/cwt	104.00–106.00	2,177	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,385	65.35/cwt	62.00–67.50	905	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,174	68.60/cwt	67.00–69.00	805	21
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	900	56.91/cwt	55.00–59.00	512	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,555	83.00/cwt	83.00–83.00	1,291	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	969	55.54/cwt	52.00–59.00	538	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	990	60.00/cwt	60.00–60.00	594	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,151	75.14/cwt	72.00–75.50	865	8
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,405	61.96/cwt	55.00–67.50	871	24
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,425	68.71/cwt	67.50–74.50	979	13
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,395	78.00/cwt	78.00–78.00	1,088	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,739	91.09/cwt	84.00–93.50	1,584	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,635	67.97/cwt	67.00–69.00	1,111	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,151	59.57/cwt	50.00–61.00	686	32
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,608	72.00/cwt	72.00–72.00	1,158	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,358	72.24/cwt	68.00–76.50	981	79
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,183	63.89/cwt	62.00–68.50	756	47
Bulls	—	—	1,830	81.00/cwt	81.00–81.00	1,482	1
Bulls	—	—	1,935	97.09/cwt	95.00–98.50	1,879	12
Bulls	—	—	1,848	84.66/cwt	63.00–93.00	1,565	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	731	165.93/cwt	161.00–167.00	1,213	44
Heifers	Medium 1	—	482	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	824	57
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	674	170.16/cwt	165.50–175.00	1,147	52
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	443	219.00/cwt	219.00–219.00	970	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	383	191.45/cwt	190.00–192.00	733	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	433	192.61/cwt	185.00–201.00	834	23
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	510	188.50/cwt	188.50–188.50	961	7
Heifers	Medium 1	—	307	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	553	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	480	206.06/cwt	199.00–218.00	989	168
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	569	167.11/cwt	160.00–177.00	951	5
Bulls	Medium 1	—	510	152.50/cwt	152.50–152.50	778	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	502	203.00/cwt	203.00–203.00	1,019	16
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	578	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	884	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	532	175.75/cwt	160.00–185.00	935	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	581	194.46/cwt	177.00–199.00	1,130	19
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	620	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	1,060	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,004	136.63/cwt	81.00–152.00	1,372	30
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,078	85.05/cwt	62.00–109.00	917	100
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	853	92.00/cwt	92.00–92.00	785	3
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,315	97.27/cwt	92.00–99.00	1,279	4
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,265	81.91/cwt	78.00–86.00	1,036	2
Bulls	—	—	2,227	99.17/cwt	98.00–101.00	2,209	5

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 →