Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2021-10-15
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-10-15

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Friday: All yearlings were not well compared as different weights and classes sold this week. No trend is available. Most yearlings were out of a grow lot this week and demand was light to moderate. Steer calves under 450 lbs sold steady in a narrow comparison, steer calves 450-549 lbs sold steady to 5.00 lower, steer calves over 550 lbs sold unevenly steady from weak to firm. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher, heifer calves 450-549 lbs sold steady weak, heifers over 550 lbs sold steady to firm. Demand for calves remains slightly uneven as transportation remains the biggest factor limiting demand. Buyers focused on buying front end calves, especially ones with two rounds of vaccinations and passed or discounted average quality calves or calves with only spring shots. This led to wide price spreads throughout the sale. Calf quality this sale was mostly average to very attractive. Many high quality calves were seen this week. Most of these calves usually weigh in well over 600 lbs, however with drought conditions seen this summer, calves were weighing around 100 lbs lighter than last years averages. Demand for light weight calves suitable to develop into yearlings was good to very good. Market activity this week was moderate. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for light offerings. Slaughter cows sold steady to firm with last weeks prices as buyers tried to finish loads for the week. Feeding cows sold steady to 5.00 higher after last weeks big decline in price. Again most increase in price was caused by buyers trying to square loads. Weight up conditions were mostly below average this sale as cows sold late in the afternoon. Many cows tanked up off fresh clean water and good feed. Young age cows sold sharply lower on very light demand. Very few buyers were bidding on this class of cows.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $153.96/cwt on 1,551 head.

Average price

$153.96

1,551 head · 540 lb average

Value per head Derived

$831

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$147

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

$33.81/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−2.46

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	539	154.81	834	1,422
Medium and Large 1-2	474	150.92	715	56
Medium 1	591	145.70	861	47
Medium and Large 2	444	138.96	617	12thin
Medium 1-2	811	121.00	981	14thin

One grade step is worth $33.81/cwt here — about −$147 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 sale1,551 hd

153.96

—

MT average5 barns · 4,767 hd

156.43

−2.46

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	1,723	77.35	1,332	12
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,706	68.42	1,167	7thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,400	57.86	810	84
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,165	42.10	490	130

Every lot, as filed

80 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	—	616	140.50/cwt	140.50–140.50	865	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	497	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	820	15
Steers	Medium 1	—	449	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	813	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	311	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	482	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	284	179.14/cwt	175.00–180.00	509	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	539	127.50/cwt	127.50–127.50	687	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	573	145.81/cwt	140.00–150.25	835	104
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	627	160.74/cwt	156.00–163.00	1,008	52
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	328	217.00/cwt	217.00–217.00	712	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	520	151.64/cwt	144.00–156.75	789	482
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	675	144.64/cwt	142.50–146.00	976	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	532	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	745	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	822	146.75/cwt	146.75–146.75	1,206	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	581	144.67/cwt	144.00–147.00	841	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	533	160.88/cwt	159.50–163.00	857	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	728	141.50/cwt	141.50–141.50	1,030	28
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	397	166.00/cwt	166.00–166.00	659	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	419	172.60/cwt	160.00–182.00	723	189
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	522	167.62/cwt	161.00–176.00	875	300
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	285	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	670	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	432	195.08/cwt	185.00–209.00	843	93
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	320	210.20/cwt	210.00–211.00	673	5
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	505	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	783	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	497	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	830	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	476	167.84/cwt	158.00–175.00	799	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	365	192.82/cwt	182.50–211.00	704	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	420	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	714	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	654	162.16/cwt	152.00–164.50	1,061	48
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	377	219.86/cwt	219.00–224.00	829	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	568	162.63/cwt	153.50–168.50	924	226
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	472	183.13/cwt	176.00–191.00	864	146
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	732	158.18/cwt	158.00–158.50	1,158	17
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	532	159.27/cwt	159.00–159.50	847	13
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	395	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	790	2
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,188	95.00/cwt	95.00–95.00	1,129	11
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,108	98.00/cwt	98.00–98.00	1,086	2
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,098	100.00/cwt	100.00–100.00	1,098	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	768	114.00/cwt	114.00–114.00	876	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	450	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	657	14
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	498	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	772	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,760	58.98/cwt	54.50–64.00	1,038	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,632	73.00/cwt	73.00–73.00	1,191	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,378	53.60/cwt	46.00–55.25	739	18
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,763	71.00/cwt	71.00–71.00	1,252	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,198	47.49/cwt	45.00–51.50	569	53
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,295	44.50/cwt	44.50–44.50	576	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,332	45.83/cwt	45.00–46.00	610	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,411	43.84/cwt	40.50–48.00	619	14
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	883	30.18/cwt	25.00–33.00	266	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	925	35.00/cwt	35.00–35.00	324	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,118	41.14/cwt	39.00–45.00	460	37
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,195	55.50/cwt	55.50–55.50	663	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,162	33.39/cwt	31.00–36.50	388	28
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,356	68.67/cwt	66.00–69.00	931	18
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,430	60.17/cwt	56.50–63.00	860	34
Bulls	—	—	1,725	80.70/cwt	78.00–85.00	1,392	6
Bulls	—	—	1,720	74.00/cwt	72.00–75.00	1,273	6
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	855	985.00/cwt	985.00–985.00	8,422	11
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,253	60.47/cwt	55.00–61.50	758	12
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,088	65.35/cwt	60.00–77.00	711	22
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,111	52.12/cwt	52.00–53.00	579	8
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	937	86.52/cwt	71.00–95.00	811	48
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,032	124.75/cwt	124.75–124.75	1,287	25
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	485	147.50/cwt	147.50–147.50	715	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	329	178.54/cwt	175.00–181.00	587	32
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	469	153.06/cwt	149.00–157.50	718	49
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	499	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	724	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	787	130.50/cwt	130.50–130.50	1,027	25
Heifers	Medium 1	—	733	135.50/cwt	135.50–135.50	993	24
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	376	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	602	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	419	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	641	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	—	799	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	967	9
Heifers	Medium 1-2Fleshy	—	811	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	981	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	878	135.50/cwt	135.50–135.50	1,190	87
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	560	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	767	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	473	157.07/cwt	149.50–165.50	743	239
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	363	179.79/cwt	174.00–186.00	653	92
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	911	137.25/cwt	137.25–137.25	1,250	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	892	139.50/cwt	139.50–139.50	1,244	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	812	139.94/cwt	139.50–140.00	1,136	40

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 →