Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2020-10-16
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-10-16

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week, all classes of feeder cattle sold steady with a firm market undertone. Buyer demand for feeder cattle was moderate to good on a moderate to heavy supply, with quality of cattle being plain to attractive. Calves were primarily offered in small to medium sized packages. Slaughter bulls, cows and cows returning to feed sold weak, with moderate demand for lean, thin fleshed cattle and moderate to good demand for fleshier cows. Overall demand for slaughter cattle was moderate on a heavy supply.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $157.37/cwt on 1,428 head.

Average price

$157.37

1,428 head · 546 lb average

Value per head Derived

$859

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$51

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

$13.39/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−0.32

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	537	158.78	852	1,277
Medium and Large 1-2	621	145.39	904	151

One grade step is worth $13.39/cwt here — about −$51 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 sale1,428 hd

157.37

—

MT average5 barns · 5,533 hd

157.69

−0.32

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	1,826	72.51	1,324	13
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,502	60.30	905	27
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,189	53.96	642	85
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,131	46.99	532	144

Every lot, as filed

85 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
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,189	46.38/cwt	42.00–47.50	551	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,715	67.50/cwt	67.50–67.50	1,158	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,320	57.50/cwt	57.50–57.50	759	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,043	62.63/cwt	59.00–68.00	653	16
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	840	60.00/cwt	60.00–60.00	504	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,095	36.84/cwt	32.00–40.00	403	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,000	51.19/cwt	51.00–55.00	512	20
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,336	51.15/cwt	48.00–54.00	683	8
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,888	72.95/cwt	72.50–74.00	1,377	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,253	51.08/cwt	48.00–52.00	640	32
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,543	56.75/cwt	56.50–57.00	876	2
Bulls	—	—	1,903	63.78/cwt	60.00–67.00	1,214	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,483	62.22/cwt	59.50–65.50	923	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	310	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	434	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	495	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	619	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	569	112.00/cwt	112.00–112.00	637	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	447	146.76/cwt	145.00–147.00	656	41
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	426	134.94/cwt	125.00–147.00	575	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	956	131.75/cwt	131.75–131.75	1,260	36
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	426	148.21/cwt	137.50–158.75	631	180
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	914	125.01/cwt	124.00–126.00	1,143	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	555	144.28/cwt	136.00–146.00	801	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	450	117.50/cwt	117.50–117.50	529	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	1,045	116.50/cwt	116.50–116.50	1,217	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	616	127.92/cwt	125.00–128.50	788	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	583	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	758	15
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	660	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	838	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	778	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	910	14
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,268	56.04/cwt	54.00–59.00	711	33
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	412	115.45/cwt	115.00–120.00	476	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	670	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	831	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	696	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	954	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	397	184.00/cwt	184.00–184.00	730	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Spayed	—	838	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	1,022	2
Bulls	—	—	1,781	75.68/cwt	72.00–79.50	1,348	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	750	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	953	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	835	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	1,052	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	486	156.06/cwt	155.00–160.00	758	33
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	623	131.50/cwt	122.00–137.00	819	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	732	136.37/cwt	131.00–139.00	998	46
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	531	136.62/cwt	132.00–143.00	725	132
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	887	127.71/cwt	127.50–131.00	1,133	47
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	735	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	1,000	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	644	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	869	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	665	132.48/cwt	122.00–133.50	881	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	771	139.09/cwt	131.00–142.00	1,072	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	810	139.55/cwt	135.00–147.50	1,130	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	367	159.62/cwt	146.00–167.50	586	102
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	661	125.25/cwt	124.00–126.50	828	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	522	131.37/cwt	120.00–134.00	686	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	379	201.97/cwt	192.00–215.00	765	111
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	519	152.09/cwt	140.00–159.00	789	351
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	623	142.29/cwt	132.50–145.75	886	179
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	579	135.49/cwt	132.00–137.50	784	123
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	754	131.58/cwt	111.00–137.00	992	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	630	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	914	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	321	225.26/cwt	218.00–231.00	723	45
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	536	135.50/cwt	135.50–135.50	726	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	671	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	872	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	909	131.81/cwt	129.00–132.50	1,198	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	287	165.69/cwt	147.50–167.50	476	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	715	133.92/cwt	124.50–136.50	958	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	439	179.82/cwt	168.00–186.00	789	114
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	507	140.68/cwt	139.00–147.00	713	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	670	141.88/cwt	139.00–144.00	951	34
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	464	152.84/cwt	140.00–161.00	709	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	481	160.94/cwt	152.00–173.00	774	157
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	475	147.47/cwt	134.00–156.00	700	242
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	850	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	1,139	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	338	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	710	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,051	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	1,230	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	523	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	717	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	457	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	617	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	574	146.21/cwt	139.00–151.00	839	176
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	515	149.67/cwt	149.50–150.00	771	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,054	38.00/cwt	38.00–38.00	401	20
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,127	48.70/cwt	47.00–49.00	549	20
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,328	48.75/cwt	48.75–48.75	647	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,109	44.93/cwt	42.00–47.00	498	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,156	45.81/cwt	43.50–48.00	530	54
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	645	27.50/cwt	27.50–27.50	177	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	228	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	319	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	333	163.42/cwt	156.00–170.00	544	31
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	351	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	446	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,004	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	1,205	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 →