Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2024-11-01
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-11-01

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steer calves under 500 lbs sold mostly steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Steers 500-550 lbs sold steady to 3.00 higher; steers over 600 lbs sold mostly 5.00 lower. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher; heifer calves over 500 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 lower. All yearling cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Yearling quality was mostly plain to average today. Spring born calf quality was mostly average to attractive, and more attractive than last weeks sale. Demand for light weight calves was mostly good to very good for all calves suitable to develop into yearlings. Demand for calves over 500 lbs was light to moderate. Package sizes were small to moderate. Demand for packages under 5 head remains considerably lighter than demand for moderate size packages. Market activity was mostly moderate to active. A larger buyer pool was seen this week compared to last weeks sale. Weigh up cows and bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Most cows and bulls were very full this sale making comparisons difficult.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $298.98/cwt on 363 head. That ranks 1 of 1 comparable sales and sits −204.91 against this barn's trailing median of $503.89.

Average price

$298.98

363 head · 550 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,644

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$58

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$29.92/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−4.49

vs MT average

−1.71 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	546	301.80	1,649	328
Medium and Large 1-2	577	274.40	1,583	10thin
Large 1	585	271.88	1,590	25

One grade step is worth $29.92/cwt here — about $58 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale363 hd

298.98

—

MT average5 barns · 1,776 hd

303.48

−4.49

National average185 barns · 40,108 hd

300.69

−1.71

This barn, trailing median1 sales

503.89

−204.91

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	1,825	128.95	2,353	2thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,540	120.25	1,852	4thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,413	111.66	1,578	22
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,189	98.03	1,165	28

Every lot, as filed

64 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	550–600	569	257.89/cwt	243.50–269.00	1,467	129
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	605	251.00/cwt	251.00–251.00	1,519	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	750–800	778	248.08/cwt	240.00–252.50	1,930	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	524	313.84/cwt	298.00–323.00	1,645	186
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	533	265.56/cwt	250.50–287.50	1,415	126
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	700–750	741	226.50/cwt	226.50–226.50	1,678	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	573	287.30/cwt	281.00–294.00	1,646	126
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	340	373.35/cwt	367.00–390.00	1,269	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	405	320.63/cwt	314.00–325.00	1,299	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	250–300	298	435.00/cwt	435.00–435.00	1,296	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	880	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,320	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,243	131.54/cwt	125.00–145.00	1,635	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	673	263.63/cwt	257.00–270.00	1,774	71
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	647	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,585	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	671	231.00/cwt	231.00–231.00	1,550	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	622	275.62/cwt	268.00–282.50	1,714	220
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	483	307.88/cwt	305.00–315.00	1,487	50
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	394	315.29/cwt	302.00–322.00	1,242	17
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	982	172.50/cwt	172.50–172.50	1,694	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	365	343.89/cwt	334.00–350.00	1,255	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	478	339.62/cwt	317.50–343.00	1,623	76
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	388	353.56/cwt	272.50–375.00	1,372	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	472	298.63/cwt	289.00–310.00	1,410	72
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	700–750	722	245.92/cwt	244.00–250.00	1,776	26
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	440	327.79/cwt	323.00–340.00	1,442	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	250–300	273	442.50/cwt	442.50–442.50	1,208	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,189	79.59/cwt	71.00–83.50	946	13
Bulls	—	—	1,825	128.95/cwt	127.00–132.00	2,353	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,488	120.04/cwt	116.00–127.00	1,786	12
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,190	87.64/cwt	85.00–91.00	1,043	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,490	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	1,848	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,385	90.00/cwt	90.00–90.00	1,247	1
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	550–600	550	242.00/cwt	242.00–242.00	1,331	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,140	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	1,197	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,193	122.01/cwt	114.00–126.00	1,456	11
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,690	109.00/cwt	109.00–109.00	1,842	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,311	107.00/cwt	107.00–107.00	1,403	8
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,360	70.00/cwt	70.00–70.00	952	1
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	650–700	677	253.51/cwt	240.50–256.50	1,716	32
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	700–750	741	243.49/cwt	241.00–246.00	1,804	12
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	550–600	585	271.88/cwt	268.00–290.00	1,590	25
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	500–550	507	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,268	3
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	450–500	473	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	1,230	2
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	600–650	614	239.93/cwt	239.50–240.00	1,473	30
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	577	274.40/cwt	272.50–276.00	1,583	10
Steers	Medium 1Full	450–500	487	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	1,485	5
Heifers	Medium 1Full	450–500	459	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	1,239	7
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	450–500	466	266.30/cwt	252.50–286.00	1,241	10
Heifers	Large 1	1100–1150	1,133	209.00/cwt	209.00–209.00	2,368	2
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	750–800	751	238.00/cwt	238.00–238.00	1,787	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	550–600	595	276.00/cwt	276.00–276.00	1,642	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	474	281.90/cwt	280.00–283.00	1,336	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	545	251.00/cwt	251.00–251.00	1,368	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	450–500	471	253.33/cwt	240.00–267.50	1,193	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	858	228.00/cwt	228.00–228.00	1,956	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	390	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,365	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	364	384.07/cwt	377.50–387.50	1,398	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	421	374.86/cwt	345.00–392.50	1,578	86
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	600–650	604	238.00/cwt	238.00–238.00	1,438	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	313	424.12/cwt	420.00–432.50	1,327	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	350–400	383	362.50/cwt	362.50–362.50	1,388	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	400–450	430	343.00/cwt	343.00–343.00	1,475	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	623	248.36/cwt	243.00–250.00	1,547	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	250–300	289	392.15/cwt	391.00–405.00	1,133	23

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 →