Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2020-10-30
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-10-30

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Friday: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Unweaned steers sold mostly 2.00-5.00 higher on all weights. Unweaned heifers 400-549 lbs sold mostly 5.00-8.00 higher; 550-649 lbs heifers sold steady to firm. Demand was mostly moderate today for moderate offerings. Quality this sale was plain to attractive. Calves with 2 rounds of preconditioning shots sold with the best demand. Several sets of calves sold this sale that were short weaned. Most short weaned calves showed signs of stress and sold a large discount. Warmer, drier weather coupled with higher CME positions led to better demand this week. Market activity was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light demand for light offerings. Packers showed lighter demand for both feeding cows and slaughter cows this sale. Cows and bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average this week with many cows pushing heavy amounts of fill.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $153.23/cwt on 1,122 head.

Average price

$153.23

1,122 head · 557 lb average

Value per head Derived

$854

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$115

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

$4.11/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−2.62

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	566	153.61	869	1,010
Medium and Large 2	365	151.32	552	19thin
Medium and Large 1-2	504	149.50	754	93

One grade step is worth $4.11/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 sale1,122 hd

153.23

—

MT average5 barns · 4,981 hd

155.85

−2.62

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	1,835	72.15	1,324	12
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,616	53.75	869	13
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,436	48.98	703	49
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,187	43.62	518	48

Every lot, as filed

57 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	—	713	126.68/cwt	124.00–131.75	903	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	903	114.50/cwt	114.50–114.50	1,034	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	888	109.00/cwt	109.00–109.00	968	11
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	563	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	687	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	436	137.68/cwt	133.00–145.00	600	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	510	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	704	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	381	172.00/cwt	172.00–172.00	655	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,442	53.01/cwt	50.50–60.00	764	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,292	49.25/cwt	47.00–50.00	636	8
Bulls	—	—	1,872	77.33/cwt	76.50–78.50	1,448	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	520	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	712	5
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	402	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	583	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	435	164.11/cwt	162.50–170.00	714	26
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,231	45.44/cwt	44.50–47.00	559	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,473	45.05/cwt	43.50–48.00	664	12
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,616	53.75/cwt	53.75–53.75	869	13
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	314	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	502	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,203	53.00/cwt	53.00–53.00	638	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,484	51.82/cwt	50.00–58.50	769	7
Bulls	—	—	1,897	68.26/cwt	65.00–73.50	1,295	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,134	40.33/cwt	33.00–43.00	457	26
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,437	41.81/cwt	41.50–42.50	601	5
Bulls	—	—	2,085	82.00/cwt	82.00–82.00	1,710	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,350	49.23/cwt	47.50–50.00	665	10
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,726	69.40/cwt	63.00–74.50	1,198	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,030	79.66/cwt	64.00–85.00	820	12
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,337	1,050.00/cwt	1,050.00–1,050.00	14,039	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,082	66.43/cwt	58.00–77.00	719	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	456	187.00/cwt	187.00–187.00	853	37
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	665	130.50/cwt	130.50–130.50	868	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	480	145.35/cwt	141.50–148.50	698	249
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	526	154.48/cwt	145.00–161.00	813	137
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	681	140.15/cwt	138.50–144.75	954	66
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	575	146.40/cwt	141.00–151.00	842	268
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	617	123.50/cwt	123.00–124.00	762	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	963	121.50/cwt	121.50–121.50	1,170	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	708	135.33/cwt	131.50–137.75	958	32
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	840	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	1,075	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	424	152.23/cwt	146.00–156.50	645	90
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	369	152.59/cwt	152.00–154.00	563	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	625	143.86/cwt	137.50–148.00	899	167
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	775	128.58/cwt	127.00–129.50	996	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	344	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	530	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	922	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	1,226	27
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	519	141.69/cwt	135.50–145.00	735	179
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	778	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	1,113	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	423	177.90/cwt	170.00–182.50	753	76
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	624	131.10/cwt	128.00–134.00	818	33
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	520	134.50/cwt	134.50–134.50	699	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	374	196.89/cwt	185.00–205.00	736	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	572	139.95/cwt	139.00–141.00	801	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	478	165.93/cwt	155.00–184.00	793	156
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	531	139.98/cwt	136.00–149.00	743	32
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	497	154.50/cwt	154.50–154.50	768	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	373	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	492	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	573	136.48/cwt	132.50–139.50	782	111
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	478	137.57/cwt	132.00–144.00	658	38

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 →