Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2023-07-19
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-07-19

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale(6-28-23): Feeder cattle were too lightly tested either this sale or last to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Demand for feeders was mostly good. Quality this week was mostly plain to average, with a few offerings of attractive cattle seen. Several small packages of cattle coming off grass were seen this sale. Demand for light fleshed yearlings was very good. A few offerings of fall born calves which had been running on grass were seen. These offerings were met with mostly moderate demand. Market activity remains active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand today. The last reported sale was nearly one month ago making comparisons difficult. Slaughter cows all sold sharply higher than last sale with most sales 3.00-7.00 higher on all classes. Packers showed very good demand for slaughter cows early in the sale, however late in the sale packers mostly purchased cows to feed. Feeding cows sold sharply higher, with most sales 6.00-8.00 higher than last month. Cow quality today was mostly average to very attractive. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to above average today. Slaughter bulls sold sharply higher than last sale, most offerings sold 6.00-12.00 higher. However, bull prices were lower than other reported sales last week. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady. Quality was average to attractive this week.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $206.40/cwt on 95 head.

Average price

$206.40

95 head · 846 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,747

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$361

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 2

$37.04/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−1.55

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	829	218.47	1,810	30
Medium and Large 1-2	690	216.36	1,493	22
Large 1	994	197.01	1,959	29
Medium and Large 2	843	189.00	1,593	3thin
Large 1-2	850	186.00	1,581	4thin
Medium 2	799	181.43	1,449	7thin

One grade step is worth $37.04/cwt here — about $361 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 sale95 hd

206.40

—

MT average2 barns · 138 hd

207.96

−1.55

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	—	High	1,731	121.81	2,109	70
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,401	111.96	1,568	284
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,627	110.78	1,802	8thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,172	101.78	1,193	90

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
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1,717	$2,360	5

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
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,458	1,925.00/head	1,925.00–1,925.00	1,925	2
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,890	2,650.00/head	2,650.00–2,650.00	2,650	3
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,018	198.57/cwt	193.00–200.00	2,021	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	713	212.00/cwt	212.00–212.00	1,512	4
Heifers	Medium 2	—	838	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	1,508	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	843	189.00/cwt	189.00–189.00	1,593	3
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,070	186.00/cwt	186.00–186.00	1,990	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	878	216.00/cwt	216.00–216.00	1,896	13
Steers	Large 1-2	—	1,038	195.00/cwt	195.00–195.00	2,024	6
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	562	250.98/cwt	250.00–252.50	1,411	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	923	217.00/cwt	217.00–217.00	2,003	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	814	206.00/cwt	206.00–206.00	1,677	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	975	199.00/cwt	199.00–199.00	1,940	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	561	247.00/cwt	247.00–247.00	1,386	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	910	206.50/cwt	206.50–206.50	1,879	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	822	227.00/cwt	227.00–227.00	1,866	7
Steers	Large 1	—	1,055	194.00/cwt	194.00–194.00	2,047	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	427	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,025	6
Heifers	Large 1-2	—	850	186.00/cwt	186.00–186.00	1,581	4
Steers	Medium 1-2	—	843	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	1,602	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	843	209.00/cwt	209.00–209.00	1,762	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	975	206.00/cwt	206.00–206.00	2,009	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	974	209.00/cwt	209.00–209.00	2,036	8
Heifers	Medium 2	—	783	182.00/cwt	182.00–182.00	1,425	5
Heifers	Large 1	—	780	203.00/cwt	203.00–203.00	1,583	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	748	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	1,571	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	790	216.00/cwt	216.00–216.00	1,706	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	861	218.00/cwt	218.00–218.00	1,877	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	603	254.00/cwt	254.00–254.00	1,532	4
Bulls	—	—	2,036	142.07/cwt	139.00–147.00	2,893	10
Bulls	—	—	1,836	130.14/cwt	121.00–144.00	2,389	24
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,663	111.40/cwt	108.50–114.50	1,853	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,621	93.97/cwt	91.00–100.00	1,523	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,408	115.01/cwt	113.00–119.00	1,619	155
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,378	108.51/cwt	102.00–113.00	1,495	89
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,049	95.00/cwt	95.00–95.00	997	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,196	114.02/cwt	112.00–116.00	1,364	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,323	102.00/cwt	102.00–102.00	1,349	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,463	106.67/cwt	101.00–111.50	1,561	9
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,077	81.00/cwt	81.00–81.00	872	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,259	111.54/cwt	109.50–114.50	1,404	21
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,590	114.50/cwt	114.50–114.50	1,821	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,189	102.54/cwt	98.00–109.00	1,219	13
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,162	91.21/cwt	85.00–96.00	1,060	18
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,658	105.95/cwt	105.00–107.00	1,757	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,705	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	1,995	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,355	113.24/cwt	111.00–115.00	1,534	22
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	915	93.51/cwt	93.00–94.00	856	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,148	104.08/cwt	97.00–107.50	1,195	19
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,538	110.00/cwt	110.00–110.00	1,692	2
Bulls	—	—	1,651	112.01/cwt	92.00–118.00	1,849	30
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,205	90.00/cwt	90.00–90.00	1,085	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,170	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	1,451	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,215	102.00/cwt	102.00–102.00	1,239	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	932	144.66/cwt	120.00–152.00	1,348	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,075	155.48/cwt	134.00–169.00	1,671	46
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	934	110.58/cwt	106.00–115.00	1,033	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,112	120.98/cwt	112.50–135.00	1,345	17

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 →