Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2019-10-25
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2019-10-25

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Fridays sale: Yearling steers and heifers were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. All weights of steer calves sold unevenly steady from 2.00 lower to 2.00 higher, with the exception of 500-549 lbs steers which sold steady to 4.00 lower. Heifer calves all sold generally steady this week, with the exception of 400-449 lbs heifers which sold mostly 2.00-4.00 lower. Calf quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. A few load or part loads of calves were offered this sale, however most calves were offered in small to medium size packages. Buyers showed mostly good to very good demand for calves with two rounds of vaccinations this week. Calves with two rounds of vaccinations offered mostly a 8.00-10.00 premium over non preconditioned calves or calves with only spring preconditioning shots. Calves were in mostly light to moderate flesh this week. Many calves have already seen a snowstorm or two and have lost some condition despite coming straight off the cow. Despite higher CME contract prices many feedlots are slow to take cattle due to wet conditions. Farmer feeders have yet to become active market participants either as a late harvest means many are still in the field and are not willing to take cattle yet. Market activity this sale was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on very light to moderate demand. Packers showed mostly very light demand for slaughter cows this week. Seasonally heavy volumes of slaughter cows continue to weigh on the slaughter cow market. Packers are only sending the worst cows directly to slaughter as shackle space is limited this time of year. Packers opted to feed the majority of cows they purchased this week. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 lower. All cows and bulls offered mostly below average weigh up conditions similar to last week. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $153.19/cwt on 1,042 head.

Average price

$153.19

1,042 head · 568 lb average

Value per head Derived

$870

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$161

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

$16.32/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−0.99

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	498	154.32	769	152
Medium and Large 1	579	153.14	886	882
Large 1	674	138.00	930	8thin

One grade step is worth $16.32/cwt here — about −$161 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 sale1,042 hd

153.19

—

MT average5 barns · 5,773 hd

154.19

−0.99

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	1,926	70.97	1,366	4thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,424	41.89	597	19
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,270	36.59	465	31

Every lot, as filed

62 lots · USDA AMS · Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Fri)

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
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	503	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	714	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	750	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	960	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	348	177.50/cwt	177.50–177.50	618	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	495	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	713	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	433	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	680	15
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	679	129.88/cwt	122.50–133.00	882	23
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	373	167.42/cwt	160.00–182.50	624	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	379	191.47/cwt	185.00–198.00	726	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	495	138.24/cwt	138.00–139.00	684	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	404	144.85/cwt	144.00–148.00	585	40
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	788	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	1,040	2
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	636	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	890	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	716	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	981	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	770	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	1,140	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	328	203.89/cwt	200.00–207.50	669	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	293	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	527	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	565	134.96/cwt	132.50–137.50	763	170
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	500	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	655	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	621	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	801	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	320	142.50/cwt	142.50–142.50	456	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	370	151.36/cwt	147.50–154.00	560	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	617	139.51/cwt	138.00–141.00	861	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	725	144.11/cwt	138.50–148.00	1,045	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	415	176.10/cwt	170.50–181.00	731	36
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	466	166.38/cwt	159.00–174.00	775	77
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	664	145.79/cwt	142.00–150.50	968	87
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	528	152.63/cwt	150.00–154.00	806	154
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	581	149.83/cwt	147.00–154.00	871	175
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	628	149.22/cwt	145.50–153.50	937	307
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	425	153.14/cwt	150.00–155.00	651	63
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,051	113.50/cwt	113.50–113.50	1,193	11
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,373	42.00/cwt	42.00–42.00	577	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	519	139.80/cwt	134.00–145.50	726	83
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	475	146.45/cwt	140.00–154.50	696	136
Bulls	—	—	2,018	67.10/cwt	61.00–73.50	1,354	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,373	46.00/cwt	46.00–46.00	632	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,430	41.41/cwt	40.00–43.50	592	17
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,325	31.11/cwt	25.00–36.00	412	12
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,251	40.16/cwt	37.50–45.00	502	18
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	945	38.00/cwt	38.00–38.00	359	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	612	134.56/cwt	130.00–136.00	824	67
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	353	192.50/cwt	192.50–192.50	680	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	680	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	938	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	524	148.30/cwt	145.00–149.50	777	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	476	152.28/cwt	148.00–155.00	725	32
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	574	142.25/cwt	137.00–147.00	817	39
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	417	170.39/cwt	162.00–175.00	711	40
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,239	950.00/cwt	950.00–950.00	11,771	12
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	524	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	723	54
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,384	49.24/cwt	39.00–60.00	681	41
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,359	44.12/cwt	41.00–48.00	600	24
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,317	39.99/cwt	34.00–44.00	527	54
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,130	68.44/cwt	63.00–75.00	773	36
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,028	70.00/cwt	70.00–70.00	720	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,403	59.60/cwt	52.50–64.00	836	62
Bulls	—	—	1,833	74.83/cwt	73.00–77.00	1,372	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	392	161.50/cwt	161.00–164.00	633	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	671	135.43/cwt	134.00–136.00	909	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	850	132.50/cwt	132.50–132.50	1,126	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	956	123.50/cwt	123.50–123.50	1,181	6
Heifers	Medium 1-2Unweaned	—	321	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	462	5
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	534	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	705	7

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 →