Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2023-06-21
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-06-21

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed on both steers and heifers. Demand for feeders was mostly moderate to good, however demand was not as strong as it was the last sale as CME feeder contracts have lost significant ground in the last week of trading. The best demand continues to be for cattle suitable to run on grass as order buyers and ranchers continue to compete over offerings. Quality today was mostly plain to average. Market activity remains active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for moderate offerings. Slaughter cows sold generally steady to 1.00 lower on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Demand for feeding cows remains good to very good. Feeding cows sold steady to 3.00 lower on a poorer quality offering. Cow quality today was mostly plain to average. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average today as cool and rainy conditions were seen and many sets of cows were pushing fill. Slaughter bulls sold unevenly steady from 2.00 lower to 3.00 higher. Very attractive, high dressing bulls sold with very good demand this week as most high dressing bulls sold higher. However the bulk of the bulls seen were average and low yielding bulls and the bulk of these bulls sold lower. Bull quality was mixed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady to weak. A large portion of this class of cows are returning to the country to feed as many have already turned out cows and bulls for the season. Quality was average this week.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $206.35/cwt on 222 head.

Average price

$206.35

222 head · 685 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,413

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$322

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

$29.35/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−6.09

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	562	223.35	1,256	89
Medium and Large 2	392	205.00	804	7thin
Medium 2	457	200.00	914	9thin
Medium and Large 1	813	194.00	1,578	117

One grade step is worth $29.35/cwt here — about −$322 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 sale222 hd

206.35

—

MT average2 barns · 287 hd

212.44

−6.09

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	1,786	116.93	2,089	112
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,607	101.80	1,636	15
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,403	100.19	1,406	236
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,206	91.64	1,105	121

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/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1,423	$1,450	2thin
Bred Heifers	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	(<2 yrs)	892	$1,898	251
Bulls	N/A	(<2 yrs)	1,071	$2,275	14
Cow-Calf Pairs	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,341	$2,800	14
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,327	$2,745	43
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,659	$2,575	11
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,377	$2,328	66
Cow-Calf Pairs	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,406	$2,300	13
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1,341	$2,238	8
Cow-Calf Pairs	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,423	$2,085	9
Heifer Pairs	Open	(<2 yrs)	1,071	$2,573	28

Every lot, as filed

96 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
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	655	209.00/cwt	209.00–209.00	1,369	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	550	252.50/cwt	252.50–252.50	1,389	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	384	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	787	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	884	179.00/cwt	179.00–179.00	1,582	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	518	232.58/cwt	222.50–242.50	1,205	53
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	540	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,296	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	427	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	982	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	748	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	1,421	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	655	204.23/cwt	201.00–215.00	1,338	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	567	229.06/cwt	220.00–237.50	1,299	3
Heifers	Medium 2	—	457	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	914	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	717	206.59/cwt	202.00–212.00	1,481	33
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	886	184.78/cwt	181.00–190.00	1,637	58
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,030	191.00/cwt	191.00–191.00	1,967	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	937	182.00/cwt	182.00–182.00	1,705	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	781	194.23/cwt	192.00–195.00	1,517	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	820	194.00/cwt	194.00–194.00	1,591	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	486	231.41/cwt	222.50–240.00	1,125	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	403	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	826	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	1,078	2,311.53/head	2,100.00–2,700.00	2,312	13
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	975	1,800.00/head	1,800.00–1,800.00	1,800	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,423	2,085.00/head	2,085.00–2,085.00	2,085	9
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,195	2,400.00/head	2,400.00–2,400.00	2,400	7
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,369	2,893.94/head	2,750.00–3,150.00	2,894	30
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	616	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,417	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	466	273.23/cwt	265.00–275.00	1,273	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	635	254.56/cwt	240.00–262.50	1,616	9
Steers	Large 1	—	1,025	186.00/cwt	186.00–186.00	1,907	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	913	194.50/cwt	194.00–195.00	1,776	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	895	203.00/cwt	203.00–203.00	1,817	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	705	232.50/cwt	232.50–232.50	1,639	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	843	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	1,770	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	653	247.50/cwt	247.50–247.50	1,616	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	765	217.50/cwt	217.50–217.50	1,664	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	360	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	918	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	608	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,733	3
Steers	Large 2	—	1,012	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	1,670	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	765	224.90/cwt	220.00–230.00	1,720	2
Steers	Medium 2	—	490	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	1,029	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	663	276.16/cwt	262.50–281.00	1,831	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	727	246.79/cwt	240.00–250.00	1,794	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	560	232.50/cwt	232.50–232.50	1,302	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	1,004	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	1,717	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	438	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,161	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	810	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	1,519	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	469	251.00/cwt	251.00–251.00	1,177	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	838	207.00/cwt	207.00–207.00	1,735	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	990	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	1,782	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,266	102.64/cwt	100.00–108.00	1,299	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,186	93.94/cwt	89.00–98.00	1,114	37
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,529	102.50/cwt	101.00–103.00	1,567	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,445	113.00/cwt	113.00–113.00	1,633	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,372	98.44/cwt	96.00–103.00	1,351	91
Bulls	—	—	1,692	107.62/cwt	97.00–117.00	1,821	22
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,400	97.16/cwt	94.00–100.00	1,360	22
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,444	104.17/cwt	101.50–109.00	1,504	14
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,232	83.45/cwt	77.00–91.00	1,028	22
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,208	101.02/cwt	100.00–102.00	1,220	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,241	93.66/cwt	91.00–97.50	1,162	43
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,185	86.78/cwt	85.00–90.00	1,028	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,654	99.32/cwt	98.00–100.50	1,643	8
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,620	104.00/cwt	104.00–104.00	1,685	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,374	93.86/cwt	89.00–94.50	1,290	19
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,427	106.10/cwt	104.00–111.00	1,514	76
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	946	82.99/cwt	77.00–89.00	785	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,483	88.90/cwt	86.00–93.00	1,318	14
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,695	105.50/cwt	105.50–105.50	1,788	1
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,314	100.14/cwt	89.00–106.00	1,316	7
Bulls	—	—	1,862	119.18/cwt	114.00–127.00	2,219	41
Bulls	—	—	2,415	114.00/cwt	114.00–114.00	2,753	1
Bulls	—	—	2,026	130.26/cwt	124.00–140.00	2,639	27
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,456	106.62/cwt	100.00–109.00	1,552	13
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,260	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	1,562	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,340	2,200.00/head	2,200.00–2,200.00	2,200	4
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,269	2,402.99/head	2,350.00–2,500.00	2,403	6
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,350	1,900.00/head	1,900.00–1,900.00	1,900	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,341	2,275.00/head	2,275.00–2,275.00	2,275	4
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,582	1,950.00/head	1,950.00–1,950.00	1,950	3
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,659	2,575.00/head	2,575.00–2,575.00	2,575	11
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,400	101.00/cwt	101.00–101.00	1,414	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,225	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	1,580	1
Heifer Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,071	2,572.68/head	2,560.00–2,650.00	2,573	28
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,406	2,300.00/head	2,300.00–2,300.00	2,300	13
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,341	2,800.00/head	2,800.00–2,800.00	2,800	14
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,875	2,700.00/head	2,700.00–2,700.00	2,700	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,128	92.47/cwt	92.00–93.00	1,043	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,086	103.47/cwt	98.50–112.50	1,124	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	995	141.66/cwt	141.00–143.00	1,410	3
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	892	1,897.86/head	1,700.00–2,000.00	1,898	251
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,423	1,450.00/head	1,450.00–1,450.00	1,450	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,420	116.00/cwt	116.00–116.00	1,647	1
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,068	123.92/cwt	113.00–135.00	1,323	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	998	152.69/cwt	131.00–187.50	1,524	22
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,133	120.77/cwt	100.00–149.00	1,368	60
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	695	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	1,147	3
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,359	2,347.94/head	2,200.00–2,450.00	2,348	61

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 →