Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2020-12-11
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-12-11

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to two weeks ago: Yearling steers and heifers were not well compared. A moderate offering of yearlings was seen this sale. These offerings sold on mostly light demand. Yearlings were mostly out of backgrounding lots, however these offerings were in light to moderate flesh. Weaned and unweaned steers under 500 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower; 500-549 lbs steers sold steady to 5.00 higher; 550 lbs steers and heavier sold mostly 3.00-7.00 lower on a much lower quality offering compared to last sale. All weaned and unweaned heifers sold steady to 5.00 higher. Demand this sale was mostly moderate for light to moderate offerings. Demand for heifers was stronger than demand for steers as buyers started to purchase heifers to run on grass. Market activity this week was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Feeding buyers were the driving force behind the market as they pushed to fill loads for the week. Slaughter cows sold 1.00-3.00 higher. Feeding cows sold steady to 1.00 higher. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average this sale as most cows were pushing heavy amounts of fill. Slaughter bulls sold on mostly good demand as well. Bulls were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Two year old to young age cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand this sale. Quality was average. This class of cows was too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $158.33/cwt on 845 head.

Average price

$158.33

845 head · 573 lb average

Value per head Derived

$908

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$37

per head · Medium and Large 2 over Medium 2

$57.00/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−5.83

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 2	341	167.00	569	6thin
Medium and Large 1	575	159.38	917	743
Medium and Large 1-2	565	154.30	872	69
Medium 1	592	144.05	853	22
Medium 2	551	110.00	606	5thin

One grade step is worth $57.00/cwt here — about −$37 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 sale845 hd

158.33

—

MT average4 barns · 4,593 hd

164.16

−5.83

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	1,902	78.12	1,486	22
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,576	64.61	1,018	6thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,350	57.10	771	96
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,147	48.39	555	111

Every lot, as filed

90 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	—	795	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	1,057	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	715	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	965	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	364	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	622	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	792	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	1,053	13
Dairy Steers	Large 3	—	516	66.00/cwt	66.00–66.00	341	9
Dairy Heifers	Large 3	—	930	59.00/cwt	59.00–59.00	549	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	846	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	1,108	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	500	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	750	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	586	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	844	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	661	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	912	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	484	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	799	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	527	171.55/cwt	165.00–176.50	904	115
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	389	174.29/cwt	172.00–180.00	678	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	453	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	643	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	396	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	622	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	569	140.82/cwt	140.00–141.00	801	28
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	619	147.91/cwt	146.00–149.00	916	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	980	121.75/cwt	121.75–121.75	1,193	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	472	171.07/cwt	170.00–174.00	807	45
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	346	195.16/cwt	187.50–197.00	675	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	727	131.26/cwt	126.00–132.25	954	26
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	338	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	575	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	829	136.50/cwt	136.50–136.50	1,132	87
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	425	186.89/cwt	185.00–190.00	794	32
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	387	183.90/cwt	183.00–185.00	712	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	421	183.00/cwt	183.00–183.00	770	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	448	161.13/cwt	159.50–165.00	722	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	672	143.80/cwt	140.00–145.00	966	15
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	454	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	699	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	538	161.53/cwt	159.00–178.50	869	66
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	685	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	980	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	579	137.50/cwt	137.50–137.50	796	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	579	151.82/cwt	148.00–155.00	879	121
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	482	152.40/cwt	150.00–158.00	735	46
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	471	176.69/cwt	171.00–184.00	832	84
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	519	142.45/cwt	142.00–144.50	739	27
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	707	125.50/cwt	125.50–125.50	887	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	634	134.78/cwt	131.00–135.50	855	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	930	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,163	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	353	165.09/cwt	163.00–168.00	583	12
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	723	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	918	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	424	162.92/cwt	160.00–165.00	691	50
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	594	148.13/cwt	146.00–151.00	880	66
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	573	141.12/cwt	135.00–144.25	809	82
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	608	149.93/cwt	148.25–151.00	912	52
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,315	58.21/cwt	51.00–61.00	765	58
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,387	62.45/cwt	61.50–66.00	866	14
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,361	54.21/cwt	54.00–56.50	738	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,461	48.38/cwt	44.50–50.00	707	12
Bulls	—	—	1,578	68.27/cwt	62.00–75.00	1,077	3
Bulls	—	—	1,869	81.35/cwt	79.00–83.00	1,520	9
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,162	52.09/cwt	49.25–53.25	605	44
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,113	46.04/cwt	40.00–50.00	512	37
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,175	37.50/cwt	37.50–37.50	441	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,148	43.56/cwt	42.00–49.00	500	16
Bulls	—	—	2,135	75.50/cwt	75.50–75.50	1,612	1
Bulls	—	—	2,018	78.46/cwt	76.00–83.00	1,583	9
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,270	52.55/cwt	52.50–53.00	667	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,600	68.00/cwt	68.00–68.00	1,088	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,500	59.00/cwt	59.00–59.00	885	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,589	65.16/cwt	63.50–67.00	1,035	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	903	38.00/cwt	38.00–38.00	343	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	960	40.00/cwt	40.00–40.00	384	1
Dairy Steers	Large 3-4	—	419	60.00/cwt	60.00–60.00	251	4
Dairy Steers	Large 3	—	707	68.50/cwt	68.50–68.50	484	9
Dairy Heifers	Large 3	—	835	60.50/cwt	60.50–60.50	505	13
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,081	100.55/cwt	95.00–103.00	1,087	29
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	934	64.90/cwt	51.00–78.00	606	23
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	903	82.16/cwt	69.00–93.00	742	62
Steers	Medium 2	—	551	110.00/cwt	110.00–110.00	606	5
Steers	Medium 1	—	762	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	968	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	343	157.50/cwt	157.50–157.50	540	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	501	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	656	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	720	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	907	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	523	151.03/cwt	151.00–153.00	790	78
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	806	134.25/cwt	134.25–134.25	1,082	108
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	388	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	582	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	623	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	872	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	478	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	645	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	341	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	569	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	580	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	800	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	430	171.50/cwt	171.50–171.50	737	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	688	128.89/cwt	128.25–129.00	887	46
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	627	131.36/cwt	127.00–134.00	824	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	879	131.07/cwt	129.00–133.50	1,152	46
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	476	158.50/cwt	158.50–158.50	754	43
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	929	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	1,124	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	362	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	655	6
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	424	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	623	5
Steers	Medium 1	—	388	164.50/cwt	164.50–164.50	638	10

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 →