Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2024-06-19
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-06-19

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle offerings were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Demand for feeder cattle was good to very good for light to moderate offerings. Package sizes were small to moderate today and larger than the last two weeks. Quality was mostly plain to average today. Many strings of blemished feeder cattle were seen today as backgrounders cleaned out lots for turn out. Market activity was mostly active with several buyers bidding ringside as well as over the internet. Weigh up cows sold very good demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Additional Packers were in the market this week and they showed very good demand for cows for immediate harvest. Packer buyers trying to buy high quality cows to feed were forced to pay up significantly for cows this week in order to secure offerings. Slaughter cows sold 4.00-8.00 higher on boning and breaking cows, lean cows sold mostly 2.00-5.00 higher. Feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-9.00 higher on high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white. Thin, short term feeding cows destined for harvest around the 4th of July sold 2.00-3.00 higher. Cow quality was mostly attractive to very attractive today, and overall better than last week. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to above average this week. Slaughter bulls sold 2.00-5.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Bulls Quality today was mostly attractive. Packers opted to feed several sets of light to middle weight bulls again this week. Demand for bulls suitable to feed was very good. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold steady to 5.00 lower. Demand for very high quality offerings remains very good. However, quality this week was average to attractive and overall not as attractive as last week. Around 350 pairs were on offer for todays sale. Quality was average to attractive. Demand for pairs was mostly good. A large crowd was on hand in the afternoon for todays pair special. Market activity for was mostly active with lots of buyers actively bidding on offerings.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $325.99/cwt on 47 head. That ranks 1 of 11 comparable sales and sits −165.46 against this barn's trailing median of $491.45.

Average price

$325.99

47 head · 568 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,853

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$195

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

$6.33/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−1.45

vs MT average

+25.33 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	584	328.01	1,916	32
Medium and Large 1-2	535	321.68	1,721	15thin

One grade step is worth $6.33/cwt here — about $195 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 800–900 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

11 sales

Steers 500–600 lb: high $510.69, low $452.33, median $491.45 across 11 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale47 hd

325.99

—

MT average3 barns · 56 hd

327.44

−1.45

National average144 barns · 7,865 hd

300.66

+25.33

This barn, trailing median11 sales

491.45

−165.46

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	1,882	165.02	3,106	62
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,357	145.32	1,972	284
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,565	144.52	2,262	43
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,183	135.98	1,609	76
Dairy Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,582	139.84	2,212	4thin
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,359	124.94	1,698	4thin

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 (2-4 yrs)	1,165	$2,188	4thin
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,128	$2,109	9
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,142	$1,985	5
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	845	$1,974	18
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,221	$3,072	118
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,440	$2,925	3thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,593	$2,829	57
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,413	$2,327	66
Heifer Pairs	Open	(<2 yrs)	967	$3,091	63

Every lot, as filed

115 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	Medium and Large 1	750–800	757	244.00/cwt	244.00–244.00	1,847	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	813	256.95/cwt	256.00–257.00	2,089	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	822	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,891	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	703	252.00/cwt	252.00–252.00	1,772	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	508	317.50/cwt	317.50–317.50	1,613	32
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	100–150	116	666.81/head	600.00–725.00	667	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	100–150	140	675.00/head	675.00–675.00	675	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	719	289.00/cwt	289.00–289.00	2,078	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	685	266.00/cwt	266.00–266.00	1,822	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	955	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	2,149	6
Heifer Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	978	3,161.97/head	3,150.00–3,175.00	3,162	59
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,440	2,925.00/head	2,925.00–2,925.00	2,925	3
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,542	2,535.11/head	2,450.00–2,550.00	2,535	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	860	231.50/cwt	231.50–231.50	1,991	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	850–900	868	231.71/cwt	228.00–234.00	2,011	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	600–650	626	281.00/cwt	281.00–281.00	1,759	7
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,255	3,296.66/head	3,000.00–3,400.00	3,297	72
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,618	2,350.00/head	2,350.00–2,350.00	2,350	2
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS	—	1,277	2,400.00/head	2,400.00–2,400.00	2,400	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	584	328.01/cwt	323.00–337.50	1,916	32
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,245	2,775.00/head	2,775.00–2,775.00	2,775	13
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,248	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	1,922	8
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,597	2,844.76/head	2,450.00–3,000.00	2,845	55
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	50–100	70	125.00/head	125.00–125.00	125	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,128	2,109.17/head	1,900.00–2,325.00	2,109	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	300–350	336	430.00/cwt	430.00–430.00	1,445	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	954	226.00/cwt	226.00–226.00	2,156	9
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	938	175.18/cwt	167.50–185.00	1,643	7
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	998	1,850.00/head	1,850.00–1,850.00	1,850	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,373	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,716	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	535	321.68/cwt	315.00–325.00	1,721	15
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,238	2,075.00/head	2,075.00–2,075.00	2,075	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	399	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,257	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	690	282.00/cwt	282.00–282.00	1,946	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	874	225.29/cwt	222.50–226.00	1,969	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	594	283.00/cwt	283.00–283.00	1,681	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	768	234.66/cwt	233.00–237.00	1,802	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,047	188.23/cwt	153.50–220.00	1,971	128
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	302	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	1,117	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	532	302.50/cwt	302.50–302.50	1,609	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	971	216.00/cwt	216.00–216.00	2,097	32
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	443	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,395	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	485	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	1,504	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	655	256.00/cwt	256.00–256.00	1,677	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	765	255.61/cwt	255.00–256.00	1,955	5
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,302	2,203.37/head	2,000.00–2,350.00	2,203	11
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,322	2,117.96/head	2,000.00–2,350.00	2,118	15
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,470	2,400.00/head	2,400.00–2,400.00	2,400	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	621	275.20/cwt	255.00–279.00	1,709	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	817	247.94/cwt	241.00–255.00	2,026	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	942	222.14/cwt	221.00–223.00	2,093	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,180	135.18/cwt	131.00–137.00	1,595	7
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,651	158.00/cwt	158.00–158.00	2,609	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,108	125.74/cwt	125.00–127.00	1,393	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,425	133.76/cwt	132.00–135.00	1,906	11
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,450	153.18/cwt	148.00–155.50	2,221	17
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,378	142.38/cwt	142.00–144.00	1,962	6
Steers	Medium and Large 2	850–900	870	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	1,958	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	50–100	90	600.00/head	600.00–600.00	600	2
Stock Cows	Medium 2	—	705	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	1,199	2
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	795	202.50/cwt	202.50–202.50	1,610	1
Bred Cows	Medium 1	—	786	1,873.69/head	1,800.00–1,950.00	1,874	9
Bred Cows	Medium 1Registered	—	904	2,075.00/head	2,075.00–2,075.00	2,075	9
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium 1	—	1,039	2,916.02/head	2,910.00–2,950.00	2,916	19
Heifers	Medium 1	650–700	699	254.00/cwt	254.00–254.00	1,775	9
Bulls	Large 1-2	1150–1200	1,155	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	2,166	1
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,024	152.96/cwt	147.50–165.00	1,566	15
Bulls	Large 1	1100–1150	1,105	207.50/cwt	207.50–207.50	2,293	1
Steers	Large 1	900–950	935	223.00/cwt	223.00–223.00	2,085	2
Steers	Large 1Fleshy	1200–1250	1,221	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	2,198	20
Heifer Pairs	Medium 1-2	—	805	2,050.00/head	2,050.00–2,050.00	2,050	4
Beef/Dairy Heifers	Large 1-2	750–800	783	224.00/cwt	224.00–224.00	1,754	15
Steers	Large 1-2	1050–1100	1,058	191.00/cwt	191.00–191.00	2,021	14
Beef/Dairy Steers	Large 1-2	950–1000	966	218.00/cwt	218.00–218.00	2,106	14
Bulls	Large 1	1000–1050	1,018	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	2,240	6
Bulls	Large 1	1050–1100	1,062	217.16/cwt	216.00–217.50	2,306	9
Bulls	Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,010	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	2,071	1
Beef/Dairy Steers	Large 1-2	850–900	883	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	2,031	21
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,396	128.21/cwt	118.00–136.00	1,790	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	860	122.90/cwt	117.50–128.00	1,057	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,255	143.47/cwt	141.00–151.00	1,801	5
Beef/Dairy Steers	Large 3	700–750	715	227.50/cwt	227.50–227.50	1,627	2
Beef/Dairy Heifers	Large 1-2	850–900	897	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	1,929	24
Dairy Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,582	139.84/cwt	138.00–141.00	2,212	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,183	135.93/cwt	128.00–138.00	1,608	37
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,525	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	2,349	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	500–550	523	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	1,517	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	557	294.00/cwt	294.00–294.00	1,638	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	857	256.75/cwt	252.00–257.00	2,200	40
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	800–850	838	234.00/cwt	234.00–234.00	1,961	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	540	307.50/cwt	307.50–307.50	1,661	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	610	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,952	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	753	268.00/cwt	268.00–268.00	2,018	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,144	158.15/cwt	143.00–192.50	1,809	39
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,237	2,250.00/head	2,250.00–2,250.00	2,250	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	687	295.03/cwt	289.00–306.00	2,027	28
Bred Cows	Medium 1	—	950	2,000.00/head	2,000.00–2,000.00	2,000	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	1,238	2,150.00/head	2,150.00–2,150.00	2,150	9
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,268	2,400.00/head	2,400.00–2,400.00	2,400	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	661	229.00/cwt	229.00–229.00	1,514	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%Natural	—	1,463	151.50/cwt	151.50–151.50	2,216	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	905	102.00/cwt	102.00–102.00	923	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,319	141.21/cwt	136.00–147.00	1,863	64
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,514	135.94/cwt	132.00–138.00	2,058	11
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,614	144.30/cwt	140.00–148.00	2,329	19
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,176	123.95/cwt	118.00–127.00	1,458	4
Bulls	—	—	2,092	177.61/cwt	171.00–189.50	3,716	25
Bulls	—	—	1,670	144.73/cwt	143.00–149.00	2,417	6
Bulls	—	—	1,881	163.62/cwt	152.00–169.00	3,078	21
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,382	149.57/cwt	146.00–154.00	2,067	110
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,317	143.50/cwt	137.00–148.00	1,890	75
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,232	142.41/cwt	139.00–149.50	1,754	17
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,359	124.94/cwt	122.00–126.00	1,698	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,615	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	2,358	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,524	153.04/cwt	152.50–156.00	2,332	9

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 →