Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2024-02-21
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-02-21

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle offerings were were too lightly tested both this week and last to develop any market trend. Quality today was mostly plain to average. Most cattle were offered in small packages or as singles. Demand was mostly moderate despite a light, plain offering. Market activity today was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows comprised most of the sale this week. Demand was mostly good to very good for light to moderate offerings. Packers continue to buy both feeding and slaughter cows. Packers showed good demand for both feeding and slaughter cows this week as they pushed to own as much of the offering as possible. Quality today was average to very attractive with several sets of high quality cows off reputation ranchers on offer. Slaughter cows sold 5.00-9.00 higher on all classes. Slaughter cow prices around the country spiked this week as supplies of cows available are very tight. Both packers and feeding buyers showed very good demand for cows to feed as the heaviest demand months for ground beef are yet to come. Feeding cows sold mostly 4.00-9.00 higher. Weigh up conditions were mixed today but better than last week. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 4.00-7.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Young age cows were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, steady to higher undertones were noticed. Demand from feeding and rebreed cow buyers continues to be good.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $284.82/cwt on 107 head.

Average price

$284.82

107 head · 658 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,874

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$104

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

$130.02/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−18.03

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	570	311.02	1,773	45
Large 1	525	300.00	1,575	3thin
Medium and Large 1-2	704	271.76	1,912	54
Medium and Large 2	1,037	181.00	1,877	5thin

One grade step is worth $130.02/cwt here — about −$104 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 sale107 hd

284.82

—

MT average3 barns · 1,470 hd

302.85

−18.03

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	1,845	122.15	2,254	64
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,539	114.20	1,757	65
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,378	110.29	1,519	228
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,159	102.32	1,186	207

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	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1,355	$2,225	2thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,357	$2,025	11
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,411	$1,913	26
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,428	$2,250	9

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
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	957	157.37/cwt	114.00–175.00	1,506	9
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	985	180.63/cwt	151.00–217.50	1,779	69
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	958	118.95/cwt	115.50–122.50	1,140	8
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,357	2,025.00/head	2,025.00–2,025.00	2,025	11
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,355	2,225.00/head	2,225.00–2,225.00	2,225	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS	—	1,430	1,900.00/head	1,900.00–1,900.00	1,900	13
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,392	1,926.91/head	1,925.00–1,950.00	1,927	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	979	205.78/cwt	197.50–208.00	2,015	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	609	290.41/cwt	285.00–294.00	1,769	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	400	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	1,480	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,022	191.88/cwt	190.50–194.00	1,961	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	573	314.00/cwt	314.00–314.00	1,799	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	573	269.00/cwt	269.00–269.00	1,541	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	673	266.00/cwt	266.00–266.00	1,790	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	675	263.00/cwt	263.00–263.00	1,775	2
Steers	Large 1	—	525	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,575	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	379	356.15/cwt	350.00–365.00	1,350	7
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	1,037	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	1,877	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	659	236.44/cwt	230.00–243.00	1,558	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	467	354.72/cwt	351.00–355.00	1,657	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	720	253.97/cwt	252.00–256.00	1,829	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	521	320.49/cwt	320.00–322.50	1,670	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	473	335.75/cwt	332.50–337.50	1,588	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	535	273.21/cwt	270.00–280.00	1,462	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	516	297.34/cwt	292.00–301.00	1,534	11
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	475	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,520	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	1,086	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	2,172	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	415	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	1,473	1
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,158	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	2,096	4
Bulls	—	—	1,888	122.79/cwt	117.00–128.50	2,318	27
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,290	101.52/cwt	97.50–106.00	1,310	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,300	113.73/cwt	113.25–114.50	1,478	49
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,170	107.41/cwt	105.00–110.00	1,257	55
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,116	99.47/cwt	90.00–104.00	1,110	58
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,235	112.66/cwt	111.00–116.00	1,391	27
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,393	110.44/cwt	107.00–113.00	1,538	92
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,503	113.40/cwt	110.00–114.50	1,704	35
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,365	112.79/cwt	109.00–115.00	1,540	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,417	110.31/cwt	106.00–111.00	1,563	58
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,384	100.69/cwt	92.00–104.00	1,394	9
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,115	83.60/cwt	75.00–88.00	932	12
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,160	106.08/cwt	104.00–109.00	1,231	11
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,551	112.18/cwt	111.00–114.00	1,740	9
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,654	117.52/cwt	115.50–118.00	1,944	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	954	101.00/cwt	101.00–101.00	964	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight	—	2,040	121.50/cwt	121.50–121.50	2,479	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,513	116.11/cwt	115.00–117.50	1,757	12
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,685	107.00/cwt	107.00–107.00	1,803	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,388	102.26/cwt	95.00–106.00	1,419	14
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,193	97.08/cwt	92.50–104.00	1,158	39
Bulls	—	—	2,030	132.28/cwt	129.00–139.00	2,685	17
Bulls	—	—	1,625	110.35/cwt	104.00–116.00	1,793	13
Bulls	—Heavy Weight	—	2,695	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	3,261	1
Bulls	—Heavy Weight	—	2,500	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	3,600	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,155	103.00/cwt	103.00–103.00	1,190	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,283	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	1,591	2
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,428	2,250.00/head	2,250.00–2,250.00	2,250	9
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,024	142.58/cwt	110.00–175.00	1,460	72

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 →