Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2021-11-19
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-11-19

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 mostly 10.00 higher, 450-599 lbs sold sharply higher, steers over 600 lbs sold mostly steady to 3.00 lower. Heifer calves under 500lbs sold steady to 3.00 higher, heifers over 500lbs sold steady to 2.00 higher. Quality this week was average to 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. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light offerings. Slaughter cows and feeding cows sold steady on a light test this week. 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, steady undertones were noticed.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $150.54/cwt on 869 head.

Average price

$150.54

869 head · 503 lb average

Value per head Derived

$757

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$22

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

$13.83/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+0.17

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	500	152.81	764	720
Medium 1	459	141.51	649	36
Medium and Large 1-2	534	138.97	742	113

One grade step is worth $13.83/cwt here — about $22 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 sale869 hd

150.54

—

MT average5 barns · 3,939 hd

150.37

+0.17

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	2,380	62.00	1,476	1thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,795	62.18	1,116	2thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Very Low	1,322	48.11	636	60
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,127	40.44	456	100

Every lot, as filed

84 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	Large 1Unweaned	—	567	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	788	3
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	527	123.33/cwt	120.00–133.00	650	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	470	155.82/cwt	153.00–160.00	732	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	572	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	864	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	338	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	592	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	621	145.06/cwt	139.00–151.50	901	10
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	488	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	634	9
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	400	197.00/cwt	197.00–197.00	788	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	678	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	1,037	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	468	194.00/cwt	194.00–194.00	908	41
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	575	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	748	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	358	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	627	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	592	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	953	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	539	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	755	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	400	202.00/cwt	202.00–202.00	808	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	479	164.13/cwt	145.00–169.50	786	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Full	—	507	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	705	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	502	186.00/cwt	186.00–186.00	934	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	371	167.80/cwt	164.00–174.00	623	45
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	619	138.92/cwt	130.00–143.00	860	67
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	504	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	615	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	412	210.07/cwt	192.00–217.00	865	63
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	513	148.87/cwt	144.00–184.50	764	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	658	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	954	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	324	211.34/cwt	197.00–217.50	685	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	728	139.49/cwt	138.00–141.00	1,015	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	443	156.68/cwt	156.00–157.50	694	13
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	465	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	809	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	531	169.40/cwt	164.00–175.00	900	123
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	377	201.22/cwt	191.00–210.00	759	46
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	476	195.45/cwt	188.50–198.00	930	32
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	575	185.10/cwt	160.00–198.50	1,064	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	791	150.42/cwt	133.00–157.00	1,190	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	662	152.00/cwt	150.00–153.50	1,006	98
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	633	154.77/cwt	149.00–158.50	980	75
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	518	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	829	50
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	908	116.00/cwt	116.00–116.00	1,053	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	461	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	830	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	583	127.50/cwt	127.50–127.50	743	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	750	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	1,005	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	522	154.87/cwt	150.00–160.00	808	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	384	197.50/cwt	197.50–197.50	758	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,043	28.67/cwt	23.50–32.00	299	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,107	38.04/cwt	34.00–42.50	421	9
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,291	47.15/cwt	44.00–48.00	609	13
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,505	35.00/cwt	35.00–35.00	527	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,288	44.52/cwt	42.00–46.00	573	33
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,301	46.69/cwt	45.00–48.00	607	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,055	38.89/cwt	34.00–40.50	410	57
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,795	62.18/cwt	59.00–65.00	1,116	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,309	49.50/cwt	49.50–49.50	648	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,399	56.30/cwt	55.00–56.50	788	14
Bulls	—	—	2,380	62.00/cwt	62.00–62.00	1,476	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,026	110.00/cwt	110.00–110.00	1,129	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,082	61.69/cwt	51.00–75.00	667	19
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,075	70.00/cwt	70.00–70.00	753	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,130	47.00/cwt	47.00–47.00	531	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	439	164.24/cwt	154.00–172.00	721	57
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	533	145.46/cwt	140.00–148.00	775	55
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	573	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	774	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	625	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	813	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	351	152.50/cwt	152.50–152.50	535	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	837	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	979	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	327	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	556	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	595	134.50/cwt	134.50–134.50	800	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	531	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	717	12
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	431	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	612	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	278	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	487	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	479	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	766	34
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	603	133.34/cwt	132.00–136.00	804	15
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	459	144.50/cwt	144.50–144.50	663	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	338	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	524	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	511	135.53/cwt	133.00–137.50	693	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	571	132.01/cwt	129.00–134.00	754	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	622	131.44/cwt	126.00–138.00	818	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	512	152.30/cwt	142.00–165.00	780	124
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	327	172.64/cwt	165.00–178.00	565	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	475	156.89/cwt	150.00–178.00	745	107
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	394	159.24/cwt	155.00–162.00	627	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	579	137.99/cwt	135.00–140.50	799	74
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	486	142.24/cwt	132.00–148.00	691	17
Steers	Large 1	—	546	137.50/cwt	137.50–137.50	751	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Full	—	463	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	713	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	425	164.44/cwt	154.00–169.50	699	86

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 →