Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2024-09-11
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-09-11

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale (8/28/24): Feeder calves were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on a higher quality offering. Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however steady to weak undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers under 800 lbs sold mostly 3.00 higher in a narrow comparison, while heifers 800-999 lbs sold steady to 2.00 lower, heifers over 1000 lbs sold 2.00-5.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Quality today was mostly plain to average, with a limited offering of attractive cattle seen. Quality today was not as attractive as last sale. Higher CME positions were seen over the last few days which helped keep prices close to steady. Many packages of yearlings sold off grass and were in mostly light flesh. Many sets of yearlings were pushing some fill as they filled up on hay once in the yards. Market activity was mostly moderate today, with fewer buyers noticed compared to last sale. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for light offerings. Packers showed lighter demand for all offerings this week. Slaughter cows sold steady to 3.00 lower on all classes. Feeding cows sold with the best demand this week. Packers showed lighter demand for feeding cows compared to private buyers this week. Packers seemed content to buy cows lower but were forced to become more active in order to buy any of the offering. Any cows suitable to feed sold at a strong premium to slaughter cows. Feeding cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 lower driven mostly by lighter demand from packer buyers. Cow quality was mostly average and overall not as attractive as last sale. Yielding conditions continue to deteriorate as dry conditions are lowering cow yields. Weigh conditions overall were average to below average. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-4.00 lower. Feeding bull demand was very light this sale as packer buyers were the only buyers to purchase bulls to feed. Quality today was mostly average for all bulls on offer. Feeding bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand for very high quality offering was mostly good.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $249.87/cwt on 19 head. That ranks 1 of 19 comparable sales and sits −171.67 against this barn's trailing median of $421.54.

Average price

$249.87

19 head · 534 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,334

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$6

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 1

$26.00/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−5.62

vs MT average

+11.26 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	527	261.00	1,375	5thin
Medium and Large 1-2	508	251.95	1,280	9thin
Medium 1	588	235.00	1,382	5thin

One grade step is worth $26.00/cwt here — about −$6 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 700–800 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

19 sales

Heifers 500–600 lb: high $464.07, low $350.88, median $421.54 across 19 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 sale19 hd

249.87

—

MT average2 barns · 74 hd

255.49

−5.62

National average182 barns · 14,937 hd

238.61

+11.26

This barn, trailing median19 sales

421.54

−171.67

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	—	Low	1,698	145.43	2,469	81
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,636	134.00	2,192	43
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,415	130.22	1,843	99
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,184	124.81	1,477	45

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)	1,283	$2,000	2thin

Every lot, as filed

97 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 1-2	700–750	737	236.78/cwt	234.00–239.00	1,745	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	555	276.57/cwt	276.50–277.00	1,535	84
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,032	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	1,961	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	538	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,345	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	250–300	265	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	914	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,020	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,530	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	565	253.00/cwt	253.00–253.00	1,429	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	822	226.95/cwt	226.00–229.00	1,866	20
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,167	143.46/cwt	139.00–157.50	1,674	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	250–300	274	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	884	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	527	261.00/cwt	261.00–261.00	1,375	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	468	277.74/cwt	260.00–282.00	1,300	31
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	960	198.00/cwt	198.00–198.00	1,901	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	484	294.65/cwt	290.00–297.50	1,426	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	706	242.36/cwt	240.00–247.00	1,711	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	408	299.00/cwt	299.00–299.00	1,220	16
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,048	164.60/cwt	150.00–182.50	1,725	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,008	203.61/cwt	203.00–204.00	2,052	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	778	250.76/cwt	250.00–251.00	1,951	34
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	921	215.91/cwt	211.00–219.50	1,989	38
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	1050–1100	1,095	189.00/cwt	189.00–189.00	2,070	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	406	321.00/cwt	321.00–321.00	1,303	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	977	209.76/cwt	203.00–214.00	2,049	43
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	758	239.50/cwt	239.50–239.50	1,815	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	915	217.65/cwt	214.00–221.50	1,991	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	870	228.54/cwt	221.00–236.50	1,988	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	662	247.00/cwt	247.00–247.00	1,635	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	783	222.43/cwt	218.00–225.00	1,742	35
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	742	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,818	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	786	238.60/cwt	233.00–241.00	1,875	62
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	825	238.00/cwt	238.00–238.00	1,964	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	600–650	645	228.00/cwt	228.00–228.00	1,471	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	968	195.23/cwt	190.00–202.00	1,890	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	933	208.95/cwt	208.50–209.50	1,950	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	585	237.00/cwt	237.00–237.00	1,386	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	250–300	268	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	898	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	425	263.00/cwt	263.00–263.00	1,118	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	432	290.63/cwt	281.00–300.00	1,256	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	888	213.00/cwt	213.00–213.00	1,891	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	844	217.99/cwt	215.00–221.00	1,840	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	1050–1100	1,079	188.00/cwt	188.00–188.00	2,029	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	642	248.00/cwt	248.00–248.00	1,592	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,417	134.70/cwt	130.00–139.50	1,909	48
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,825	140.50/cwt	140.50–140.50	2,564	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,385	140.66/cwt	140.00–141.00	1,948	3
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,312	130.54/cwt	125.00–136.00	1,713	5
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,483	138.35/cwt	131.00–145.00	2,052	20
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,580	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	2,402	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,210	122.03/cwt	116.00–124.00	1,477	21
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,130	139.81/cwt	136.00–142.00	1,580	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,374	123.31/cwt	117.00–125.50	1,694	26
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,690	136.99/cwt	134.50–138.00	2,315	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,589	131.87/cwt	130.00–133.50	2,095	14
Bulls	—	—	1,621	140.22/cwt	132.00–146.00	2,273	22
Bulls	—	—	1,941	155.25/cwt	148.00–160.00	3,013	33
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,166	107.97/cwt	105.00–113.00	1,259	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,177	132.33/cwt	126.00–136.50	1,558	11
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,599	128.52/cwt	124.00–132.00	2,055	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,280	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	1,562	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,580	121.95/cwt	115.00–125.00	1,927	3
Bulls	Large 1-2	1100–1150	1,146	174.23/cwt	171.00–184.00	1,997	4
Heifers	Large 1-2	750–800	788	196.00/cwt	196.00–196.00	1,544	3
Heifers	Large 1-2	1050–1100	1,067	191.12/cwt	190.00–194.50	2,039	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,020	97.50/cwt	97.50–97.50	995	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,668	137.52/cwt	134.50–140.00	2,294	14
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,445	128.04/cwt	125.00–136.00	1,850	19
Bulls	Large 1	1100–1150	1,134	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	2,155	9
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	550–600	554	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,330	4
Heifers	Large 1	1050–1100	1,082	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	2,164	36
Heifers	Large 1	1100–1150	1,106	194.57/cwt	194.00–198.00	2,152	7
Heifers	Large 1	1150–1200	1,150	193.50/cwt	193.50–193.50	2,225	1
Bulls	Large 1	1200–1250	1,202	182.00/cwt	182.00–182.00	2,188	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	905	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	2,036	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	800–850	848	234.00/cwt	234.00–234.00	1,984	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	723	254.50/cwt	254.50–254.50	1,840	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	462	296.94/cwt	280.00–302.00	1,372	36
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	885	221.98/cwt	219.50–223.00	1,965	43
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	562	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	1,546	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	970	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	2,134	4
Steers	Medium and Large 2	850–900	890	206.00/cwt	206.00–206.00	1,833	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	800–850	849	218.00/cwt	218.00–218.00	1,851	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,283	2,000.00/head	2,000.00–2,000.00	2,000	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,360	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	2,013	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	875	238.63/cwt	237.00–239.50	2,088	40
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Full	600–650	607	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	1,335	3
Steers	Medium 1	700–750	721	239.00/cwt	239.00–239.00	1,723	7
Heifers	Medium 1Full	550–600	588	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	1,382	5
Steers	Medium and Large 2	750–800	798	226.00/cwt	226.00–226.00	1,803	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	497	254.00/cwt	254.00–254.00	1,262	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	508	251.95/cwt	237.50–256.00	1,280	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	367	279.23/cwt	245.00–301.00	1,025	11
Heifers	Medium 2	750–800	761	207.50/cwt	207.50–207.50	1,579	6
Heifers	Medium 1-2	700–750	748	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	1,608	4
Heifers	Medium 1-2	650–700	673	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,548	5
Steers	Medium 1-2	600–650	648	259.50/cwt	259.50–259.50	1,682	12
Heifers	Medium 1	600–650	624	239.00/cwt	239.00–239.00	1,491	5
Heifers	Medium 1	750–800	779	222.00/cwt	222.00–222.00	1,729	25

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 →