Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2023-10-18
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-10-18

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested either this sale or last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all steers calves on offer; heifer calves sold with steady undertones; yearling heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Feeders were limited as todays sale mostly featured bred cows and weigh ups. Quality was mostly average to attractive and better overall compared to last week. Demand for feeders was mostly moderate to good. Most calves were offered in small packages or as singles again this week. Market activity was mostly moderate to active this sale with more buyer participation seen. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Slaughter cows sold on light demand again this week, however the majority of the cow offering was purchased to feed. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00 to 3.00 lower on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold mostly 4.00 to 7.00 lower. Feeding cow demand was moderate this sale. Several buyers were active in buying thin cows to feed or turn out on corn stalks this winter. These cows sold 3.00-5.00 lower. High quality feeding cows suitable to feed to premium white sold 2.00-3.00 lower on a lower quality offering. Cows overall were not as attractive as last week. Packers joined private feeders in buying thin cows this week as they purchased cows to put away for the upcoming holidays. Most of these cows were very thin and low or very low dressing. Notably, packers have opted to start buying holiday cows unseasonably early(2-3 weeks), as concerns of beef cow supplies weigh on buying decisions. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady. Weigh up conditions were mixed. Cow quality today was mostly plain to average today. Several packages of young age cows sold this week. Demand for these offerings was mostly good as feeding and rebreeding buyers competed over attractive offerings. Young age cows sold 3.00-5.00 higher on an attractive quality offering. A heavy offering of bred cows sold today. Demand was mostly good with several local ranchers and order buyers active in bidding on offerings. Quality was average to very attractive.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $235.25/cwt on 89 head.

Average price

$235.25

89 head · 762 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,792

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$536

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$57.62/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−27.32

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	648	250.06	1,620	63
Medium and Large 1-2	879	212.47	1,868	9thin
Large 1	1,121	192.44	2,157	17thin

One grade step is worth $57.62/cwt here — about −$536 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 sale89 hd

235.25

—

MT average5 barns · 1,789 hd

262.58

−27.32

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	—	Average	1,743	105.79	1,844	37
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,650	103.72	1,712	30
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,423	94.53	1,345	248
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,207	86.06	1,039	321

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	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,101	$2,298	92
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,413	$2,051	22
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,188	$2,001	37
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,374	$1,824	44
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,073	$1,800	4thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,557	$1,700	6
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,349	$1,320	13
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,266	$1,310	15
Bred Heifers	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	(<2 yrs)	878	$2,302	94
Bred Heifers	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	(<2 yrs)	841	$1,632	12

Every lot, as filed

64 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	Large 1	—	1,118	194.50/cwt	194.50–194.50	2,175	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	389	293.56/cwt	290.00–310.00	1,142	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	940	204.00/cwt	204.00–204.00	1,918	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	495	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	1,436	2
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,155	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	1,906	2
Heifers	Large 1Full	—	1,127	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	2,113	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	996	207.50/cwt	207.50–207.50	2,067	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	862	214.89/cwt	212.00–217.00	1,852	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	595	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,458	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	629	243.00/cwt	243.00–243.00	1,528	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	419	382.50/cwt	382.50–382.50	1,603	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	520	257.00/cwt	257.00–257.00	1,336	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	928	210.53/cwt	210.00–212.00	1,954	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	315	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	977	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	687	253.34/cwt	251.50–255.00	1,740	32
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	340	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	1,394	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	516	288.24/cwt	285.00–295.00	1,487	9
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,215	107.00/cwt	107.00–107.00	1,300	26
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,266	1,310.00/head	1,310.00–1,310.00	1,310	15
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,557	1,700.00/head	1,700.00–1,700.00	1,700	6
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,374	1,823.68/head	1,400.00–1,925.00	1,824	44
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	886	2,175.00/head	2,175.00–2,175.00	2,175	24
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,349	1,319.52/head	1,300.00–1,350.00	1,320	13
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,046	138.17/cwt	104.00–175.00	1,445	118
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,073	1,800.00/head	1,800.00–1,800.00	1,800	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,170	2,077.25/head	1,800.00–2,200.00	2,077	33
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	768	164.14/cwt	140.00–170.00	1,261	13
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,168	2,366.93/head	2,100.00–2,500.00	2,367	65
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,191	92.12/cwt	91.00–94.00	1,097	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,245	92.00/cwt	92.00–92.00	1,145	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	960	167.97/cwt	130.00–187.00	1,613	227
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,210	102.50/cwt	102.50–102.50	1,240	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,413	2,051.39/head	2,000.00–2,225.00	2,051	22
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,377	1,800.00/head	1,800.00–1,800.00	1,800	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,333	1,375.00/head	1,375.00–1,375.00	1,375	4
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	841	1,631.63/head	1,375.00–1,800.00	1,632	12
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	878	2,302.27/head	1,975.00–2,425.00	2,302	94
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	989	111.98/cwt	102.50–117.50	1,107	6
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,465	111.17/cwt	107.00–118.00	1,629	5
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,431	102.62/cwt	95.00–106.50	1,468	8
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,160	89.00/cwt	89.00–89.00	1,032	1
Bulls	—	—	1,989	110.45/cwt	107.00–113.50	2,197	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,207	84.10/cwt	78.00–88.00	1,015	129
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,147	75.02/cwt	74.00–76.00	860	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,602	107.50/cwt	107.50–107.50	1,722	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,633	102.00/cwt	102.00–102.00	1,666	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,395	86.30/cwt	83.00–92.00	1,204	77
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,416	98.69/cwt	94.00–104.50	1,397	126
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	943	50.00/cwt	50.00–50.00	472	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,448	93.67/cwt	93.50–94.00	1,356	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,155	88.91/cwt	88.00–90.00	1,027	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,217	81.80/cwt	77.00–86.00	996	16
Bulls	—	—	1,940	121.38/cwt	117.00–125.00	2,355	3
Bulls	—	—	1,903	100.07/cwt	91.00–105.00	1,904	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,635	104.65/cwt	103.50–105.50	1,711	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,656	107.22/cwt	105.50–110.00	1,776	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,492	107.44/cwt	105.00–108.00	1,603	20
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,420	111.00/cwt	111.00–111.00	1,576	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,221	91.27/cwt	89.00–98.00	1,114	104
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,231	99.57/cwt	99.00–102.50	1,226	33
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,980	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	2,277	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,662	99.34/cwt	96.00–103.00	1,651	13
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,474	85.20/cwt	80.00–91.50	1,256	19
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,178	70.22/cwt	62.00–76.00	827	29

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 →