Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2021-11-12
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-11-12

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Friday: All yearlings were too scarcely tested last week to develop any market trend. Demand for yearlings was mostly moderate. Steer calves under 450 lbs sold 3.00-5.00 lower, 450-599 lbs sold steady to 4.00 higher, steers over 600 lbs sold mostly steady to 4.00 higher. Heifer calves under 500lbs sold 3.00-6.00 higher, heifers over 500lbs sold 4.00-6.00 higher. Quality this week was average to very attractive. Demand was stronger and more consistent today as trucks have started to loosen up. Vaccinations remain vital to getting front end prices this year. Calves with two rounds of vaccinations sold with strong demand. Price spreads remain large. Market activity this week was moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Slaughter cows and feeding cows sold steady to weak in a narrow comparison. All cows and bulls were packing lots of fill as they sold late in the sale. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady to firm. Bull quality was mostly average this sale. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, firm undertones were noticed.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $163.83/cwt on 2,109 head.

Average price

$163.83

2,109 head · 534 lb average

Value per head Derived

$874

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$352

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$41.08/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−6.87

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	558	166.99	932	1,509
Medium 1	471	163.04	768	60
Medium and Large 1-2	473	155.68	736	529
Large 1	461	125.91	580	11thin

One grade step is worth $41.08/cwt here — about $352 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 sale2,109 hd

163.83

—

MT average5 barns · 5,592 hd

170.70

−6.87

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	1,339	85.58	1,146	9thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,623	52.50	852	5thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,421	51.31	729	18
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,230	40.82	502	98

Every lot, as filed

96 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	—	806	150.50/cwt	150.50–150.50	1,213	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	482	156.92/cwt	148.00–166.00	756	125
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	527	150.08/cwt	141.00–157.00	791	32
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	346	172.30/cwt	170.00–174.00	596	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	679	155.54/cwt	152.00–160.00	1,056	87
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	785	154.50/cwt	154.50–154.50	1,213	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	574	148.50/cwt	148.00–149.00	852	8
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	522	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	632	5
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	410	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	533	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	610	137.28/cwt	132.50–151.00	837	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	586	158.71/cwt	156.00–160.00	930	33
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	427	197.38/cwt	188.00–198.00	843	34
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	490	173.00/cwt	173.00–173.00	848	45
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	724	147.30/cwt	142.00–150.00	1,066	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	448	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	703	263
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	344	190.59/cwt	185.00–201.00	656	53
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	566	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	798	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	902	150.50/cwt	150.50–150.50	1,358	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	612	158.55/cwt	151.00–164.50	970	106
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	509	163.50/cwt	163.50–163.50	832	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	513	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	785	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	673	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	935	2
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	492	128.81/cwt	122.50–135.00	634	6
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	562	143.44/cwt	139.00–144.00	806	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	393	162.44/cwt	161.00–167.50	638	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	423	164.32/cwt	147.00–177.50	695	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	764	154.42/cwt	146.00–163.00	1,180	33
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	413	178.50/cwt	178.50–178.50	737	30
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	430	192.60/cwt	180.00–206.00	828	108
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	476	156.26/cwt	145.00–161.00	744	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	522	169.91/cwt	165.00–171.00	887	190
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	572	146.53/cwt	134.00–155.00	838	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	477	183.55/cwt	173.00–196.00	876	111
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	384	188.59/cwt	180.00–215.00	724	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	569	161.37/cwt	151.00–166.50	918	370
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	711	157.99/cwt	153.00–159.50	1,123	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	622	156.20/cwt	150.50–162.00	972	129
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	666	151.47/cwt	145.00–159.50	1,009	70
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	342	196.45/cwt	195.00–202.50	672	10
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	616	133.40/cwt	133.00–135.00	822	10
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	511	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	772	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	258	192.50/cwt	192.50–192.50	497	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	382	171.12/cwt	160.00–175.00	654	101
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	591	142.64/cwt	141.00–145.00	843	85
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	509	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	697	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	878	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	1,203	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	615	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	830	16
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	468	160.49/cwt	141.00–169.00	751	31
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,182	44.83/cwt	41.00–46.00	530	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,214	32.32/cwt	29.00–33.00	392	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,255	37.63/cwt	34.00–40.50	472	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,623	52.50/cwt	52.50–52.50	852	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,414	45.59/cwt	37.00–47.00	645	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,260	46.24/cwt	45.00–51.00	583	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,183	34.15/cwt	30.00–35.50	404	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,250	40.74/cwt	38.00–43.00	509	50
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	925	58.00/cwt	58.00–58.00	537	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,430	58.47/cwt	56.00–60.00	836	8
Bulls	—	—	1,755	70.10/cwt	67.50–74.50	1,230	2
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,220	90.00/cwt	90.00–90.00	1,098	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,000	74.88/cwt	70.00–80.00	749	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	812	96.13/cwt	75.00–98.50	781	61
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	581	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	790	4
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	388	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	582	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	378	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	529	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	532	142.78/cwt	140.00–144.50	760	53
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	493	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	705	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	778	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,011	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	511	149.36/cwt	142.00–156.00	763	277
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	509	131.86/cwt	127.00–139.00	671	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	439	163.55/cwt	145.00–164.50	718	62
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	290	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	423	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Spayed	—	817	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	1,176	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	529	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	767	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	440	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	664	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	629	151.66/cwt	151.00–153.00	954	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	395	170.25/cwt	159.00–175.50	672	53
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	622	139.19/cwt	136.00–140.25	866	64
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	421	163.29/cwt	150.00–168.50	687	78
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	440	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	660	3
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	396	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	602	4
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	517	139.50/cwt	139.50–139.50	721	27
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	484	154.41/cwt	147.00–156.00	747	282
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	733	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,100	50
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	279	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	449	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	319	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	447	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	422	142.60/cwt	140.00–145.00	602	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	337	168.69/cwt	165.00–183.00	568	53
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	670	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	945	4
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	479	139.87/cwt	131.50–148.00	670	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	482	135.07/cwt	133.00–142.00	651	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	581	146.30/cwt	140.00–156.00	850	169
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	551	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	749	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	390	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	585	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	301	176.00/cwt	176.00–176.00	530	28
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	493	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	680	6

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 →