Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2019-11-22
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2019-11-22

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 higher, with most sales 10.00-15.00 higher; steers 500-649 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher; 650 lbs steers and heavier were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, lower undertones were noticed. All weights of heifer calves sold steady to 3.00 lower. Quality this sale was average to attractive, and higher than last weeks sale. Buyers were able to purchase calves in load lots and large packages this sale making it easy to put together loads. Rain is in the forecast for the west coast this helped improve demand for lightweight calves suitable to run on grass. Weaned calves are staring to be marketed. Buyers showed good demand for healthy appearing, weaned calves which were given two rounds of shots and weaned over 45 days. Many sets of weaned calves showed signs of stress this week. Calves with fall preconditioning shots continue to sell with a premium to non vaccinated of calves with only one round of preconditioning shots. Market activity this week was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly very light to light demand for light offerings. Lean and boning cows all sold sharply lower. With heavy supplies of cows seen over the last month packers have filled feedlots and have dropped prices due to heavy supplies. Feeding cows sold sharply lower as well on light offerings. All cows and bulls were full again this sale offering buyers below average weigh up conditions. Cow quality this week was mostly poor. 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 $155.95/cwt on 1,311 head.

Average price

$155.95

1,311 head · 567 lb average

Value per head Derived

$885

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$18

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

$20.43/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−2.53

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	156.98	895	1,095
Medium and Large 1-2	543	152.32	828	192
Medium and Large 2	432	150.00	648	3thin
Small and Medium 2	643	136.55	878	21

One grade step is worth $20.43/cwt here — about $18 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 sale1,311 hd

155.95

—

MT average5 barns · 4,698 hd

158.49

−2.53

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	—	High	1,891	74.95	1,418	23
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Very Low	1,468	39.06	573	6thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,181	30.29	358	65

Every lot, as filed

71 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	—	488	149.45/cwt	145.00–153.00	729	103
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	574	135.18/cwt	130.00–137.50	776	114
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	531	139.92/cwt	135.00–148.00	743	287
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	869	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,086	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	544	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	729	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	607	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	759	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	414	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	596	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	572	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	766	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	941	130.50/cwt	130.50–130.50	1,228	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	675	130.71/cwt	130.00–132.00	882	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	614	133.72/cwt	131.50–134.75	821	56
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	611	131.22/cwt	129.00–132.00	802	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	662	129.47/cwt	127.00–134.00	857	32
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	376	156.83/cwt	154.00–162.00	590	35
Steers	Small and Medium 2	—	621	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	838	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	544	129.17/cwt	127.00–133.00	703	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	366	156.04/cwt	150.00–162.00	571	15
Heifers	Small and Medium 1-2	—	587	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	675	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	492	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	768	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	595	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	863	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	807	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	1,089	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	777	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	1,096	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,225	53.00/cwt	53.00–53.00	649	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	684	139.11/cwt	134.00–143.00	952	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	464	154.56/cwt	153.00–155.00	717	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	577	146.51/cwt	146.00–149.00	845	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	628	140.23/cwt	137.00–142.00	881	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	526	151.47/cwt	144.50–155.50	797	30
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	428	173.33/cwt	171.00–178.00	742	31
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	432	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	648	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	730	137.50/cwt	137.50–137.50	1,004	7
Steers	Small and Medium 2	—	656	137.50/cwt	137.50–137.50	902	13
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,440	48.09/cwt	46.00–49.50	692	10
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,449	49.71/cwt	44.00–57.00	720	21
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,165	67.96/cwt	63.00–72.00	792	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,327	61.19/cwt	55.00–64.00	812	15
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,306	40.00/cwt	40.00–40.00	522	9
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,347	44.02/cwt	42.00–45.00	593	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	482	149.24/cwt	148.00–150.50	719	12
Bulls	—	—	2,143	81.00/cwt	81.00–81.00	1,736	3
Bulls	—	—	1,704	68.19/cwt	63.00–70.00	1,162	7
Bulls	—	—	1,934	77.20/cwt	75.00–77.50	1,493	13
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,445	35.00/cwt	35.00–35.00	506	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,472	39.87/cwt	36.00–43.00	587	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,114	23.38/cwt	20.00–28.00	260	28
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,232	35.52/cwt	32.00–42.00	438	37
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	679	142.65/cwt	139.00–145.00	969	79
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	610	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	824	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	454	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	749	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	674	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	876	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	563	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	777	9
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	403	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	592	5
Heifers	Medium 2	—	754	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	920	5
Heifers	Medium 2	—	666	123.80/cwt	120.00–126.00	825	42
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	520	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	738	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	852	143.50/cwt	143.50–143.50	1,223	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	657	145.74/cwt	145.50–146.00	958	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	589	153.29/cwt	150.00–154.00	903	33
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	757	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	1,037	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	724	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	999	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	364	189.86/cwt	187.50–196.00	691	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	425	183.57/cwt	179.00–187.00	780	41
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	494	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	721	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	480	175.47/cwt	168.50–182.00	842	98
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	619	150.10/cwt	145.00–156.00	929	137
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	521	161.67/cwt	153.00–167.00	842	147
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	572	154.91/cwt	150.00–157.25	886	450
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	536	152.50/cwt	152.50–152.50	817	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	594	148.02/cwt	146.00–148.50	879	41
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	363	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	635	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	441	155.42/cwt	151.00–162.00	685	78

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 →