Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2020-11-20
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-11-20

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Friday: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Unweaned steers under 400 lbs sold sharply lower with most sales 20.00 lower; 400 lbs and heavier steers sold mostly 3.00-6.00 lower. Unweaned heifer calves under 400 lbs not well compared; heifers over 400 lbs sold 4.00-7.00 lower. Quality this week was plain to average and significantly lower than last week. Many calves were dirty this sale. Many sets were short weaned and buyers discounted these calves, as most were very dirty, full and not eye appealing. Demand was mostly light to moderate for moderate to heavy offerings. CME positions were lower throughout much of the week and were sharply lower this morning before closing down 0.95 on the January and down 0.575 on the March. The cattle on feed report was released this afternoon and it showed on feed 1% higher than last year, placements 11% lower than last year and marketings slightly lower than last year. Market activity was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for light offerings. Offerings were too lightly tested either this week or last week to develop an accurate market trend. Feeding buyers showed good demand for all cows this week as buyers tried to finish loads for the week. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to trend. Most bulls sold to feeding buyers this sale. 2-3 year olds were too lightly tested to trend. Demand was moderate. Quality was plain to average.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $149.53/cwt on 1,172 head.

Average price

$149.53

1,172 head · 576 lb average

Value per head Derived

$861

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$499

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

$36.23/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−11.26

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	484	153.78	744	192
Medium and Large 1	570	150.31	856	932
Large 1	1,057	117.54	1,243	48

One grade step is worth $36.23/cwt here — about −$499 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 sale1,172 hd

149.53

—

MT average5 barns · 7,494 hd

160.79

−11.26

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	1,746	70.34	1,228	5thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,573	59.00	928	2thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,381	54.50	753	68
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,135	47.90	543	118

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
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	613	143.32/cwt	135.50–146.50	879	78
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	418	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	757	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	318	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	525	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	472	142.89/cwt	142.00–143.00	674	37
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	532	153.14/cwt	148.75–164.00	815	188
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	465	146.47/cwt	144.00–152.00	681	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	539	137.56/cwt	136.50–138.00	741	27
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	443	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	669	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	392	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	615	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	425	150.35/cwt	148.00–154.00	639	158
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	531	139.91/cwt	135.50–142.50	743	218
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	300	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	480	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	634	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	824	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	518	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	684	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	424	161.81/cwt	156.00–164.00	686	45
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	617	141.72/cwt	133.50–145.25	874	174
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	635	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	851	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	719	129.51/cwt	128.00–132.00	931	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	497	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	666	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	531	129.41/cwt	127.00–131.00	687	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	549	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	791	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	934	129.23/cwt	126.00–129.50	1,207	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	467	166.75/cwt	162.00–174.00	779	50
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	532	154.13/cwt	152.50–160.00	820	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	673	135.22/cwt	133.00–139.00	910	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	915	121.50/cwt	121.50–121.50	1,112	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	587	146.77/cwt	145.50–147.00	862	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	819	135.50/cwt	135.50–135.50	1,110	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	566	147.78/cwt	144.00–151.00	836	199
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	470	143.19/cwt	140.00–151.00	673	102
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	573	131.35/cwt	128.00–135.50	753	79
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	733	133.15/cwt	132.50–133.50	976	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	658	137.40/cwt	132.00–143.50	904	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	563	134.31/cwt	128.00–137.00	756	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	376	180.02/cwt	178.00–183.00	677	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	347	182.00/cwt	182.00–182.00	632	3
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	463	131.60/cwt	131.00–132.00	609	18
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	548	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	723	29
Steers	Large 1	—	1,127	108.50/cwt	108.50–108.50	1,223	17
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,023	115.22/cwt	115.00–115.50	1,179	16
Steers	Large 1Fancy	—	1,019	122.50/cwt	122.50–122.50	1,248	31
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	439	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	619	15
Bulls	—	—	2,028	72.00/cwt	72.00–72.00	1,460	2
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,453	62.11/cwt	57.00–66.00	902	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,392	47.92/cwt	47.00–50.00	667	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,573	59.00/cwt	59.00–59.00	928	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,116	47.31/cwt	43.00–51.50	528	75
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,060	38.00/cwt	38.00–38.00	403	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,505	62.00/cwt	62.00–62.00	933	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,770	83.50/cwt	83.50–83.50	1,478	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,204	54.50/cwt	54.50–54.50	656	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,363	51.00/cwt	51.00–51.00	695	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,177	51.32/cwt	49.50–53.00	604	28
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,117	37.76/cwt	37.00–40.00	422	8
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,051	63.29/cwt	54.00–77.00	665	40
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,165	1,037.55/cwt	1,025.00–1,050.00	12,087	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	941	81.01/cwt	66.00–95.00	762	21
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,106	985.00/cwt	985.00–985.00	10,894	4
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	432	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	626	15
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,285	50.00/cwt	50.00–50.00	643	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	424	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	632	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	685	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	870	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	555	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	788	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	668	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	848	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	516	150.42/cwt	136.00–155.00	776	113
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	614	127.56/cwt	124.50–132.50	783	60
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	589	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	760	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	770	125.18/cwt	122.50–128.00	964	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	454	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	726	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	330	144.48/cwt	142.50–148.00	477	31
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	486	136.50/cwt	136.50–136.50	663	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	511	135.94/cwt	134.50–146.00	695	49
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	489	137.24/cwt	128.00–139.00	671	47
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	351	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	562	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	416	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	612	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	433	174.96/cwt	172.00–178.00	758	71
Heifers	Medium 1	—	371	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	538	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	569	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	734	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	413	131.92/cwt	130.00–137.00	545	31
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	374	137.50/cwt	137.50–137.50	514	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	497	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	621	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	348	177.50/cwt	177.50–177.50	618	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,384	55.38/cwt	51.00–61.00	766	56
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	556	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	767	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	436	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	632	8

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 →