Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2024-01-10
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-01-10

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: Feeder cattle offerings were limited today as this sale featured bred cows and weigh ups. Most feeders were off tested open yearling heifers. Quality was average to attractive. Demand was mostly good for very light offerings. Market activity was moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher on breaking cows, boing cows sold steady to 1.00 higher and lean cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. Only a small portion of the cow offering was purchased for slaughter this week as both packers and private buyers put most of the offering away on feed. Packer buyers, in a surprising move, put a few thin cows away on feed. Usually these type offerings are only purchased in November and December for the holiday lull, however packers showed concern for supplies going forward and purchased several sets of thin cows to hold for the coming months. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 higher for high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white. A large pool of feeding cow buyers were seen again this week and cows suitable to feed sold with the best demand. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Weigh up conditions were mixed. Slaughter bulls traded mostly 2.00-3.00 higher with the best demand seen for high quality, high yielding bulls. Young age cows sold mostly steady in a narrow comparison. Demand from rebreed buyers was slightly better this week as a few buyers purchased cows for that purpose. Quality was mostly average today. Todays sale featured almost 1000 head of bred cows and heifers. Demand was mostly moderate for light to moderate offerings.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $201.19/cwt on 56 head.

Average price

$201.19

56 head · 791 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,591

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$212

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

$25.65/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−64.59

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	856	204.99	1,754	14thin
Medium and Large 1-2	754	203.36	1,532	36
Medium and Large 2	860	179.33	1,543	6thin

One grade step is worth $25.65/cwt here — about $212 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 sale56 hd

201.19

—

MT average3 barns · 987 hd

265.78

−64.59

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	1,674	101.53	1,699	25
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,639	98.11	1,608	32
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,373	91.83	1,261	199
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,160	81.34	944	271

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)	1,190	$2,295	94
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1,381	$2,228	9
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,403	$1,689	18
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,223	$1,675	3thin
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,420	$1,665	142
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,329	$1,547	131
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,475	$1,510	1thin
Bred Heifers	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	1,059	$2,305	122
Bred Heifers	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	888	$1,858	45
Bred Heifers	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	(<2 yrs)	802	$1,410	5

Every lot, as filed

62 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 1-2Non-Legible BANGS	—	1,233	1,450.00/head	1,450.00–1,450.00	1,450	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,223	1,675.00/head	1,675.00–1,675.00	1,675	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,095	2,132.65/head	2,060.00–2,160.00	2,133	29
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	981	137.06/cwt	122.50–170.00	1,345	78
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	905	100.00/cwt	100.00–100.00	905	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,276	1,425.00/head	1,425.00–1,425.00	1,425	5
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,425	1,674.18/head	1,525.00–1,825.00	1,674	137
Bred Heifers	Medium 1	—	868	1,877.55/head	1,800.00–2,100.00	1,878	32
Bred Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	802	1,410.00/head	1,410.00–1,410.00	1,410	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	978	118.81/cwt	98.00–135.00	1,162	12
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,135	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	1,192	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,404	1,585.87/head	1,550.00–1,625.00	1,586	11
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,528	2,150.00/head	2,150.00–2,150.00	2,150	4
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,065	2,324.20/head	2,150.00–2,410.00	2,324	106
Bred Heifers	Medium 1	—	1,021	2,175.00/head	2,175.00–2,175.00	2,175	16
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Non-Legible BANGS	—	1,089	2,050.00/head	2,050.00–2,050.00	2,050	8
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS	—	1,271	2,300.00/head	2,300.00–2,300.00	2,300	8
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,546	104.00/cwt	104.00–104.00	1,608	7
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,384	93.64/cwt	92.50–94.50	1,296	9
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,367	2,250.00/head	2,250.00–2,250.00	2,250	5
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,329	1,546.92/head	1,450.00–1,585.00	1,547	131
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	870	196.00/cwt	196.00–196.00	1,705	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	721	204.75/cwt	202.00–205.00	1,476	24
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	814	201.00/cwt	201.00–201.00	1,636	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,008	195.00/cwt	195.00–195.00	1,966	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	887	203.36/cwt	201.00–207.00	1,804	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	803	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	1,445	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	975	178.00/cwt	178.00–178.00	1,736	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	905	197.00/cwt	197.00–197.00	1,783	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	771	211.00/cwt	211.00–211.00	1,627	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	525	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,260	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,475	1,510.00/head	1,510.00–1,510.00	1,510	1
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,107	2,225.00/head	2,225.00–2,225.00	2,225	5
Bred Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	831	1,550.00/head	1,550.00–1,550.00	1,550	8
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,250	2,430.80/head	2,200.00–2,700.00	2,431	49
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,398	2,200.00/head	2,200.00–2,200.00	2,200	4
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,145	112.50/cwt	112.50–112.50	1,288	1
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,422	86.66/cwt	82.00–91.00	1,232	3
Bulls	—	—	1,920	126.26/cwt	123.00–128.00	2,424	5
Bulls	—	—	1,677	95.91/cwt	81.00–101.00	1,608	16
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,624	103.75/cwt	102.50–104.00	1,685	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,361	92.79/cwt	85.00–98.00	1,263	164
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,154	93.82/cwt	93.00–95.00	1,083	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,118	79.41/cwt	72.50–84.50	888	107
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,650	97.42/cwt	96.50–98.00	1,607	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,080	63.84/cwt	55.00–66.00	689	20
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,151	86.71/cwt	83.00–89.00	998	9
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,600	103.50/cwt	103.50–103.50	1,656	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,598	95.21/cwt	93.00–96.50	1,521	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	905	60.00/cwt	60.00–60.00	543	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,378	83.51/cwt	79.00–85.00	1,151	13
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight	—	2,215	102.00/cwt	102.00–102.00	2,259	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	950	78.00/cwt	78.00–78.00	741	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,314	92.43/cwt	92.00–93.00	1,215	9
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,381	80.06/cwt	78.00–83.00	1,106	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,494	103.50/cwt	103.50–103.50	1,546	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,603	91.54/cwt	91.00–92.00	1,467	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,423	88.38/cwt	85.00–96.00	1,258	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,194	78.24/cwt	71.00–83.50	934	40
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,212	87.35/cwt	82.00–93.50	1,059	76
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,690	85.00/cwt	85.00–85.00	1,437	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,638	100.88/cwt	100.00–102.00	1,652	4

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 →