Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2021-12-03
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-12-03

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to two weeks ago: All yearlings were scarcely tested thus no trend is available. Steer calves under 500 lbs traded mostly 10.00-15.00 higher, with instances of higher sales noted. Steers over 500 lbs traded mostly steady to 10.00 higher. Heifers under 500 lbs traded mostly 8.00-12.00 higher, heifers over 500 lbs traded steady to 5.00 higher. Quality this week was average to very attractive. A heavy offering of weaned cattle were seen this week as todays sale featured weaned calves with a full health protocol. Most calves were weaned 45 days or more this sale, with some sets weaned 90 days or longer. Demand for cattle suitable to develop into yearlings was very good. Several load lots of cattle were on offer this sale and these offerings were met with good demand. Transportation has loosened some and demand improved on all classes as a result. Most calves had two rounds of vaccinations this sale. Price spreads were the tightest seen all fall. CME positions have inched higher since last sale as higher prices for finished cattle has helped improve all feeder contract prices. Market activity this sale was mostly active with a large buyer pool actively bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for light offerings. Too few cows sold to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $185.85/cwt on 1,553 head.

Average price

$185.85

1,553 head · 538 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,000

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$349

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

$34.87/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+2.39

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	188.39	1,016	1,317
Medium and Large 1-2	507	182.42	925	117
Medium 1	580	162.54	942	100
Medium and Large 2	435	153.52	667	19thin

One grade step is worth $34.87/cwt here — about $349 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 sale1,553 hd

185.85

—

MT average5 barns · 4,128 hd

183.46

+2.39

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
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,402	54.30	761	5thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,198	50.83	609	21

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
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	408	222.15/cwt	214.50–225.00	906	110
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	662	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	907	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	717	142.50/cwt	142.50–142.50	1,022	9
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	436	149.19/cwt	135.00–172.00	650	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	448	209.00/cwt	209.00–209.00	936	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	412	174.01/cwt	165.00–174.50	717	77
Steers	Medium 1	—	546	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	950	24
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	457	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	754	6
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	385	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	558	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	575	175.80/cwt	170.00–179.75	1,011	172
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	629	152.76/cwt	152.00–154.00	961	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	628	164.66/cwt	158.00–170.00	1,034	123
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	367	231.05/cwt	229.00–233.00	848	47
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	719	160.71/cwt	156.00–162.00	1,156	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	463	212.08/cwt	164.00–217.00	982	238
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	528	187.13/cwt	185.00–194.50	988	75
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	349	216.00/cwt	216.00–216.00	754	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	383	210.35/cwt	207.50–214.00	806	18
Steers	Medium 1	—	605	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	938	38
Steers	Medium 1	—	559	164.58/cwt	159.00–166.00	920	34
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	795	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	1,153	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	303	213.00/cwt	213.00–213.00	645	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	508	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	869	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	667	163.34/cwt	157.00–169.00	1,089	96
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	641	168.24/cwt	166.00–170.50	1,078	69
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	713	152.50/cwt	152.50–152.50	1,087	32
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	566	175.84/cwt	170.00–179.50	995	151
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	677	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	1,131	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	423	212.42/cwt	209.00–214.50	899	15
Steers	Medium 1	—	720	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	1,066	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	521	189.00/cwt	189.00–189.00	985	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	396	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	851	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	482	202.57/cwt	199.00–210.00	976	96
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	643	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	997	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	615	141.52/cwt	137.00–144.00	870	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	659	143.32/cwt	138.00–147.00	944	14
Heifers	Medium 1	—	440	163.00/cwt	163.00–163.00	717	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	575	146.38/cwt	146.00–147.00	842	16
Bulls	Large 1	—	619	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	842	7
Bulls	Large 1	—	495	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	812	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,182	51.17/cwt	48.00–54.00	605	14
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,395	55.50/cwt	55.50–55.50	774	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,175	45.00/cwt	45.00–45.00	529	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,405	45.00/cwt	45.00–45.00	632	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,373	59.00/cwt	59.00–59.00	810	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,238	51.00/cwt	51.00–51.00	631	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,465	53.00/cwt	53.00–53.00	776	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,083	67.00/cwt	67.00–67.00	726	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	995	90.00/cwt	90.00–90.00	896	1
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,005	1,100.00/cwt	1,100.00–1,100.00	11,055	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	377	169.99/cwt	165.00–172.50	641	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	503	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	739	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	760	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	1,041	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	384	183.27/cwt	180.00–185.00	704	159
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	574	150.17/cwt	142.00–154.00	862	236
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	452	178.00/cwt	178.00–178.00	805	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	425	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	663	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	487	149.50/cwt	149.50–149.50	728	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	550	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	770	2
Heifers	Large 1	—	577	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	808	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	443	175.45/cwt	165.00–184.00	777	183
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	321	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	530	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	336	195.00/cwt	195.00–195.00	655	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	511	152.13/cwt	150.00–160.00	777	67
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	478	161.82/cwt	154.00–166.00	773	62
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	493	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	759	7
Heifers	Medium 1-2Unweaned	—	345	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	431	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	718	139.50/cwt	139.50–139.50	1,002	12
Heifers	Medium 1	—	545	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	790	32
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	447	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	684	3
Heifers	Medium 1-2Unweaned	—	454	112.50/cwt	112.50–112.50	511	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	628	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	942	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	628	138.44/cwt	138.00–139.50	869	10
Heifers	Medium 1	—	389	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	622	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	536	152.64/cwt	150.00–154.50	818	37
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	465	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	767	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	390	184.00/cwt	184.00–184.00	718	28
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	535	172.85/cwt	170.00–175.00	925	49
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	559	160.90/cwt	160.00–162.00	899	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	546	165.75/cwt	165.75–165.75	905	112

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 →