Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2021-01-15
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-01-15

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale(December 11th): Yearling steers and heifers were not well compared. Steers under 600 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher, 600 lbs and heavier sold steady to 4.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Heifers weighing less than 550 lbs sold steady to 5.00 lower, heifers over 550 lbs sold steady to 3.00 higher. Demand was mostly moderate for moderate to heavy offerings. Demand did diminish late in the afternoon as buyers filled loads. Quality today was average to very attractive. Cattle were mostly long weaned today with many sets weaned 60-90 days. Cattle were very clean and open haired. Despite mild winter weather most cattle were in light flesh. Buyers continue to buy cattle suitable to run on grass on good demand. Buyers purchased calves up to 600 lbs for steers and 575 lbs for heifers to run on grass and develop into yearlings. Market activity this sale was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for light offerings. Not enough cows or bulls sold to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed as buyers fought over limited offerings to fill loads for the week.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $143.97/cwt on 1,887 head.

Average price

$143.97

1,887 head · 540 lb average

Value per head Derived

$777

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$78

per head · Medium 1 over Large 1

$18.41/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+1.30

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	477	146.85	701	66
Medium and Large 1	547	144.50	791	1,598
Medium and Large 1-2	474	142.41	674	174
Large 1	606	128.44	779	49

One grade step is worth $18.41/cwt here — about −$78 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 sale1,887 hd

143.97

—

MT average4 barns · 2,681 hd

142.68

+1.30

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	2,046	82.71	1,692	9thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,355	57.50	779	1thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,442	54.78	790	3thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,223	49.61	606	27

Every lot, as filed

74 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 1-2	—	594	129.22/cwt	122.00–131.50	768	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	622	147.56/cwt	140.00–153.50	918	214
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	795	120.50/cwt	120.50–120.50	958	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	541	135.50/cwt	135.50–135.50	733	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	432	152.82/cwt	150.00–154.00	660	41
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	546	144.50/cwt	144.50–144.50	789	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	397	142.50/cwt	142.50–142.50	566	28
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	527	148.55/cwt	139.50–154.50	783	344
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	434	159.40/cwt	156.00–166.00	692	187
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	589	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	707	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	358	160.25/cwt	160.00–162.00	574	55
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	430	188.38/cwt	184.00–199.00	810	82
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	343	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	556	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	480	170.50/cwt	170.50–170.50	818	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	770	129.09/cwt	128.00–130.00	994	67
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	573	141.13/cwt	135.00–144.00	809	298
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	376	192.56/cwt	190.00–202.50	724	79
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	338	183.06/cwt	180.00–197.50	619	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	524	175.26/cwt	165.00–180.00	918	193
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	519	146.50/cwt	146.50–146.50	760	42
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	461	154.05/cwt	148.00–156.00	710	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	579	156.81/cwt	150.00–165.00	908	134
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	676	139.94/cwt	138.00–140.50	946	47
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	479	155.17/cwt	149.00–160.50	743	145
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	475	182.56/cwt	177.50–189.00	867	135
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	727	138.35/cwt	133.00–139.50	1,006	146
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	393	157.50/cwt	157.50–157.50	619	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	585	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	848	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	519	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	815	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	716	128.90/cwt	124.00–136.00	923	32
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	825	119.00/cwt	119.00–119.00	982	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,262	49.46/cwt	49.00–51.00	624	4
Bulls	—	—	2,140	84.88/cwt	79.50–86.50	1,816	5
Bulls	—	—	1,792	76.00/cwt	76.00–76.00	1,362	3
Bulls	—	—	2,335	92.00/cwt	92.00–92.00	2,148	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,355	57.50/cwt	57.50–57.50	779	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,288	60.00/cwt	60.00–60.00	773	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	395	182.15/cwt	180.00–185.00	719	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	724	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	963	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	544	157.38/cwt	149.00–159.00	856	74
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	615	133.69/cwt	128.50–138.75	822	287
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	660	129.93/cwt	125.00–132.00	858	139
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	618	127.33/cwt	122.00–130.00	787	26
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	690	122.50/cwt	122.50–122.50	845	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	515	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	819	12
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	873	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	1,004	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	341	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	515	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	567	137.30/cwt	133.00–146.00	778	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	492	143.31/cwt	142.00–145.00	705	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	405	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	729	13
Heifers	Medium 1	—	654	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	831	6
Heifers	Medium 1	—	432	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	665	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	476	173.61/cwt	171.50–176.00	826	55
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	848	112.50/cwt	112.50–112.50	954	12
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,144	57.49/cwt	54.00–60.00	658	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	812	129.32/cwt	127.00–131.00	1,050	55
Heifers	Large 1	—	714	121.87/cwt	121.50–122.00	870	4
Heifers	Large 1	—	754	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	950	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	471	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	730	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	393	153.46/cwt	150.00–154.00	603	14
Steers	Medium 1	—	496	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	794	5
Steers	Medium 1	—	703	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	879	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,220	47.00/cwt	47.00–47.00	573	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,398	52.92/cwt	49.50–55.50	740	2
Heifers	Medium 1	—	485	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	698	31
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	612	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	973	93
Steers	Large 1	—	1,024	108.00/cwt	108.00–108.00	1,106	4
Heifers	Large 1	—	569	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	740	37
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,530	58.50/cwt	58.50–58.50	895	1
Steers	Large 1	—	609	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	816	8
Heifers	Large 1	—	678	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	827	3
Steers	Medium 1	—	598	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	718	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,177	44.49/cwt	42.50–45.50	524	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,232	53.08/cwt	52.50–55.50	654	9

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 →