Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2023-01-13
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-01-13

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last friday sale (12-9-22): Not enough weaned offerings were sold last sale to make an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on steers under 500 lbs and higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed on steers over 500 lbs; higher undertones were noticed on heifers. Quality this week was mostly attractive to very attractive. Quality ran very deep this sale as many sets of homeraised, rancher weaned calves were seen. Most sets of calves were weaned 60-90 days, with very few unweaned calves on offer. Cattle were mostly open haired and very clean. Most cattle were in light flesh as cold winter conditions have helped keep cattle green. Demand was good to very good throughout the sale which streached late into the evening. Demand for cattle suitable to run on grass or wheat was very good. Demand for grass cattle has improved significantly as heavy rain in California has helped improve grass conditions and drought concerns. A very large pool of order buyers was on hand for todays sale, which at one point had over 16 order buyers activly buying cattle and over 20 order buyers at the sale throughout the day. Market activity was mostly very active as a result. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand for light offerings. Not enough cows sold to develop any acurate market trend. Slaughter bulls sold steady to firm with wednesdays sale in a very narrow compairson. Most bulls sold to feeding buyers this sale. Weigh up conditions were mixed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to trend.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $220.58/cwt on 2,060 head.

Average price

$220.58

2,060 head · 578 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,274

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$109

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$49.79/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+1.77

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	581	223.70	1,299	1,738
Medium and Large 1-2	550	207.85	1,143	274
Medium and Large 2	551	185.00	1,020	27
Medium 1	738	176.00	1,299	10thin
Large 1	684	173.91	1,190	11thin

One grade step is worth $49.79/cwt here — about $109 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 sale2,060 hd

220.58

—

MT average4 barns · 2,981 hd

218.81

+1.77

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	1,783	97.24	1,734	38
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,570	73.67	1,157	3thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,153	58.33	672	71
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Very Low	1,538	50.50	776	2thin

Every lot, as filed

90 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	—	468	211.01/cwt	195.50–219.00	988	412
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	684	172.29/cwt	169.00–175.00	1,178	37
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	511	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	761	28
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	576	189.28/cwt	184.00–193.00	1,090	298
Heifers	Medium 1	—	497	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	895	3
Heifers	Medium 1	—	617	169.49/cwt	168.50–170.00	1,046	28
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	604	188.00/cwt	188.00–188.00	1,136	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	508	252.57/cwt	252.00–253.00	1,283	151
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	586	229.00/cwt	229.00–229.00	1,342	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	615	216.23/cwt	214.00–223.50	1,330	145
Heifers	Large 1	—	569	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	910	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	719	168.78/cwt	165.00–170.50	1,214	60
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	637	183.11/cwt	176.00–194.00	1,166	59
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	388	256.06/cwt	245.00–264.00	994	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	478	243.73/cwt	242.50–245.00	1,165	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	310	265.85/cwt	262.50–271.00	824	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	522	209.66/cwt	197.50–220.00	1,094	45
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	750	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	1,283	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	622	206.93/cwt	198.00–214.00	1,287	273
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	388	283.39/cwt	274.00–291.00	1,100	58
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	744	176.00/cwt	176.00–176.00	1,309	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	692	168.81/cwt	165.00–182.00	1,168	36
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	441	254.45/cwt	252.00–258.00	1,122	28
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	519	237.83/cwt	227.50–249.00	1,234	180
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	675	193.98/cwt	186.00–200.50	1,309	194
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	850	172.00/cwt	172.00–172.00	1,462	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	465	258.15/cwt	249.00–277.00	1,200	123
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	811	178.99/cwt	174.00–180.50	1,452	92
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	720	188.15/cwt	180.00–193.00	1,355	85
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	576	215.73/cwt	197.00–223.00	1,243	287
Steers	Large 1	—	832	163.00/cwt	163.00–163.00	1,356	3
Steers	Large 1	—	629	178.00/cwt	178.00–178.00	1,120	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	435	273.59/cwt	264.00–278.50	1,190	120
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	341	282.50/cwt	282.50–282.50	963	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	965	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	1,534	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	565	190.36/cwt	189.00–192.00	1,076	43
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	567	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	1,049	21
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	496	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	918	6
Steers	Medium 1	—	738	176.00/cwt	176.00–176.00	1,299	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	482	207.50/cwt	207.50–207.50	1,000	5
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,178	102.98/cwt	102.00–108.00	1,213	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	350	273.00/cwt	273.00–273.00	956	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	548	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	1,028	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	548	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	959	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	587	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	1,086	14
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	913	53.00/cwt	53.00–53.00	484	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,145	69.98/cwt	69.00–71.00	801	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,250	65.64/cwt	64.00–66.00	821	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,067	56.81/cwt	55.00–59.00	606	9
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,695	84.00/cwt	84.00–84.00	1,424	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,530	70.00/cwt	70.00–70.00	1,071	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,199	34.00/cwt	34.00–34.00	408	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,150	57.58/cwt	51.00–61.00	662	33
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,226	63.60/cwt	62.50–66.00	780	13
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,485	67.00/cwt	67.00–67.00	995	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,385	43.00/cwt	43.00–43.00	596	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,690	58.00/cwt	58.00–58.00	980	1
Bulls	—	—	1,827	88.46/cwt	86.50–91.00	1,616	3
Bulls	—	—	1,953	104.11/cwt	103.00–104.50	2,033	5
Bulls	—	—	1,785	98.29/cwt	95.00–101.50	1,754	21
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,724	93.00/cwt	93.00–93.00	1,603	4
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,370	84.00/cwt	84.00–84.00	1,151	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,689	97.26/cwt	93.00–98.50	1,643	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	944	84.97/cwt	72.50–102.00	802	10
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	680	102.50/cwt	102.50–102.50	697	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	844	140.03/cwt	139.00–141.00	1,182	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	587	175.79/cwt	171.00–181.00	1,032	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	483	192.08/cwt	190.00–194.00	928	24
Heifers	Large 1	—	431	191.00/cwt	191.00–191.00	823	7
Heifers	Medium 1	—	358	201.45/cwt	195.00–210.00	721	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	608	192.31/cwt	190.50–195.00	1,169	54
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	570	197.78/cwt	195.50–199.50	1,127	83
Heifers	Large 1-2	—	511	159.50/cwt	159.50–159.50	815	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	525	185.36/cwt	176.00–190.00	973	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	408	197.94/cwt	195.00–205.00	808	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	683	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	1,127	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	367	207.62/cwt	205.00–208.00	762	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	639	175.35/cwt	166.50–176.50	1,120	34
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	425	216.81/cwt	214.00–224.00	921	276
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	373	224.35/cwt	220.00–225.00	837	100
Heifers	Large 1-2	—	460	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	828	8
Heifers	Large 1-2	—	580	158.00/cwt	158.00–158.00	916	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	324	202.19/cwt	195.00–212.50	655	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	735	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	1,051	5
Heifers	Medium 1	—	425	207.50/cwt	207.50–207.50	882	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	523	196.92/cwt	189.00–203.00	1,030	194
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	629	182.39/cwt	177.00–189.00	1,147	168
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	824	158.66/cwt	152.00–165.00	1,307	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	324	216.81/cwt	215.00–219.00	702	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	760	166.92/cwt	164.50–170.00	1,269	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 →