Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2019-11-15
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2019-11-15

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Fridays sale: Yearling steers and heifers were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Steer calves weighing less than 500 lbs sold sharply lower, with most sale 10.00-15.00 lower; steers 500-599 lbs sold fully steady; 600-699 lbs steers sold unevenly steady from 3.00 lower to 3.00 higher. Heifer calves weighing less than 550 lbs sold steady to 4.00 higher, 550-699 lbs heifers sold mostly 2.00-3.00 lower. Quality this week was mostly plain to average with the exception of a few limited offerings. Cattle were offered in mostly small packages this week forcing buyers to piece together loads. Additionally, limited offerings of calves with 2 rounds of vaccinations were seen this sale which further limited demand as several buyers showed limited interest in calves without two rounds of preconditioning shots. Market activity this week was mostly slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light offerings. All classes of slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to weak undertones were noticed. Packers opted to feed the majority of the offering this week. Feeding cows sold unevenly steady on a limited mixed quality offering. All cows and bulls were full again this sale offering buyers below average weigh up conditions. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Young age cows suitable to re-breed were too lightly tested to develop any market trend.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $153.84/cwt on 793 head.

Average price

$153.84

793 head · 559 lb average

Value per head Derived

$860

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$115

per head · Medium 1 over Medium and Large 2

$42.25/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−4.88

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	340	176.00	598	42
Medium 1-2	395	165.00	652	10thin
Medium and Large 1	581	153.41	892	625
Medium and Large 1-2	531	149.97	796	96
Medium and Large 2	534	133.75	714	20

One grade step is worth $42.25/cwt here — about −$115 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 sale793 hd

153.84

—

MT average5 barns · 5,368 hd

158.72

−4.88

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	1,827	72.28	1,320	4thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,509	62.76	947	4thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,401	53.15	745	12
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,202	45.63	548	27

Every lot, as filed

69 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
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	424	160.56/cwt	154.50–162.00	681	50
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	739	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	998	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	945	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	1,285	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	960	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	1,315	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	826	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	1,198	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	555	153.50/cwt	153.50–153.50	852	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	333	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	486	8
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	583	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	746	5
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	536	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	702	10
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	480	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	696	5
Bulls	—	—	1,935	74.00/cwt	74.00–74.00	1,432	1
Bulls	—	—	2,305	83.00/cwt	83.00–83.00	1,913	1
Bulls	—	—	1,533	66.05/cwt	61.00–70.50	1,013	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,495	59.50/cwt	59.50–59.50	890	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,408	56.00/cwt	56.00–56.00	788	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,387	51.29/cwt	47.00–52.00	711	8
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,509	62.76/cwt	62.00–65.00	947	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,146	32.90/cwt	31.00–41.00	377	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,316	54.27/cwt	54.00–54.50	714	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,185	46.83/cwt	43.00–51.00	555	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	508	127.50/cwt	127.50–127.50	648	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	364	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	480	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	526	132.95/cwt	131.00–134.00	699	35
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	427	143.91/cwt	140.00–148.00	614	35
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	489	139.14/cwt	135.00–151.00	680	33
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	605	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	756	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	570	130.24/cwt	129.00–131.00	742	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	315	192.00/cwt	192.00–192.00	605	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	571	143.29/cwt	139.50–145.50	818	31
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	657	138.62/cwt	138.00–139.00	911	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	377	176.71/cwt	175.00–177.50	666	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	528	146.23/cwt	145.00–148.00	772	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	636	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	859	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	314	177.50/cwt	177.50–177.50	557	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	493	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	744	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	645	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	890	3
Steers	Medium 1-2	—	395	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	652	10
Steers	Medium 1	—	340	176.00/cwt	176.00–176.00	598	42
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,120	51.00/cwt	51.00–51.00	571	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,042	51.26/cwt	48.00–52.00	534	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,139	47.29/cwt	43.00–53.00	539	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Full	—	405	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	624	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	523	158.12/cwt	151.00–163.75	827	198
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	627	145.35/cwt	142.00–149.50	911	128
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	582	152.94/cwt	150.00–157.00	890	115
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	672	147.52/cwt	141.00–151.00	991	46
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	433	175.08/cwt	164.00–178.00	758	39
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	485	160.25/cwt	157.50–163.00	777	32
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	708	143.96/cwt	137.00–148.50	1,019	26
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,156	63.95/cwt	60.00–72.00	739	15
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,013	74.12/cwt	71.00–75.00	751	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,276	57.40/cwt	52.00–65.00	732	22
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,211	53.60/cwt	50.00–55.00	649	9
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,067	1,000.00/cwt	1,000.00–1,000.00	10,670	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	391	142.50/cwt	142.50–142.50	557	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	987	125.50/cwt	125.50–125.50	1,239	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Full	—	444	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	599	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	518	143.77/cwt	135.00–148.50	745	130
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	613	132.70/cwt	127.00–135.00	813	118
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	565	133.78/cwt	130.00–136.50	756	100
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	469	151.52/cwt	145.00–159.00	711	68
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,200	60.66/cwt	57.00–63.00	728	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	664	130.91/cwt	130.00–132.00	869	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	714	126.41/cwt	123.50–129.00	903	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	917	130.33/cwt	129.00–131.50	1,195	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	621	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	820	14
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	518	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	684	12
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	596	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	781	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	632	126.54/cwt	125.00–128.00	800	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 →