Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2024-11-15
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-11-15

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steer calves under 500 lbs sold 10.00-20.00 higher in a narrow comparison; 500-649 lbs steers sold mostly 5.00 to 15.00 higher; steers over 650 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold mostly steady; heifer calves over 450 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher. All yearling cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Calf quality was mostly average to very attractive. Steer quality this week was similar to last week. Heifer quality overall was not as attractive as last week. Demand for steer calves was good to very good for all weight classes. Heifers were met with moderate demand as quality hindered demand at times. Demand for weaned calves was stronger this week. Package sizes today were moderate with one load lot and several part loads noticed. Demand for packages under 5 head remains light. Market activity was mostly active today with a larger buyer pool noticed. Weigh up cows and bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand was mostly light for light offerings.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $319.06/cwt on 494 head. That ranks 1 of 1 comparable sales and sits −184.83 against this barn's trailing median of $503.89.

Average price

$319.06

494 head · 543 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,733

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$30

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

$5.50/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+7.05

vs MT average

+13.62 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	517	320.50	1,656	81
Medium and Large 1	549	318.81	1,749	409
Large 1	535	315.00	1,685	4thin

One grade step is worth $5.50/cwt here — about −$30 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 200–300 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 sale494 hd

319.06

—

MT average5 barns · 2,135 hd

312.00

+7.05

National average190 barns · 31,255 hd

305.44

+13.62

This barn, trailing median1 sales

503.89

−184.83

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	—	Average	1,792	139.10	2,493	8thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,578	111.18	1,754	4thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,397	107.93	1,508	38
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,128	98.96	1,117	65

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age

Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.

Class	Stage	Age	Avg wt	$/head	Head
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,085	$1,500	2thin

Every lot, as filed

85 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 1Unweaned	250–300	284	495.67/cwt	490.00–497.00	1,408	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	689	239.00/cwt	239.00–239.00	1,647	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	600–650	632	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	1,612	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	650–700	652	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,630	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	919	221.00/cwt	221.00–221.00	2,031	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	850–900	870	242.00/cwt	242.00–242.00	2,105	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	586	256.00/cwt	256.00–256.00	1,500	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	615	252.36/cwt	245.00–258.00	1,552	26
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	383	343.32/cwt	330.00–370.00	1,315	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	414	391.03/cwt	369.00–402.00	1,619	63
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	424	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	1,632	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	324	407.00/cwt	407.00–407.00	1,319	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	615	294.53/cwt	284.50–305.00	1,811	101
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	571	307.20/cwt	291.00–314.50	1,754	189
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	476	356.09/cwt	335.00–385.00	1,695	178
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	380	418.49/cwt	412.00–445.00	1,590	31
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	310	475.00/cwt	475.00–475.00	1,473	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	556	274.73/cwt	248.00–288.00	1,527	83
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,001	168.56/cwt	140.00–195.00	1,687	26
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	481	312.30/cwt	300.00–318.00	1,502	98
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,047	148.04/cwt	123.00–182.50	1,550	34
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	536	259.99/cwt	259.00–261.00	1,394	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	531	291.26/cwt	284.00–303.00	1,547	90
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	482	283.52/cwt	280.00–300.00	1,367	16
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,077	124.39/cwt	115.00–130.00	1,340	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,085	1,500.00/head	1,500.00–1,500.00	1,500	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	983	138.16/cwt	120.00–155.00	1,358	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	771	236.00/cwt	236.00–236.00	1,820	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	700–750	720	255.50/cwt	255.50–255.50	1,840	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	556	297.00/cwt	297.00–297.00	1,651	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	600–650	613	243.00/cwt	243.00–243.00	1,490	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	650–700	655	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,507	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	915	218.00/cwt	218.00–218.00	1,995	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	300–350	342	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	1,436	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	438	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,314	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	862	224.00/cwt	224.00–224.00	1,931	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,410	96.98/cwt	96.00–98.00	1,367	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,436	100.81/cwt	93.00–105.00	1,448	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,376	112.41/cwt	106.00–119.00	1,547	24
Bulls	—	—	1,997	144.69/cwt	144.00–145.00	2,889	3
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,510	131.58/cwt	125.00–135.00	1,987	3
Bulls	—	—	1,908	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	2,709	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,505	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	1,821	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,161	109.07/cwt	108.00–111.00	1,266	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,165	75.00/cwt	75.00–75.00	874	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	920	85.00/cwt	85.00–85.00	782	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,145	99.25/cwt	92.00–104.50	1,136	37
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,650	101.35/cwt	99.00–103.50	1,672	2
Bulls	Large 1	1150–1200	1,155	195.00/cwt	195.00–195.00	2,252	1
Heifers	Large 1	1050–1100	1,083	201.00/cwt	201.00–201.00	2,177	2
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	500–550	535	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,685	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,205	97.50/cwt	97.50–97.50	1,175	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	868	64.26/cwt	60.00–67.50	558	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,067	92.29/cwt	87.00–94.00	985	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	733	235.25/cwt	235.00–236.00	1,724	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	250–300	287	440.00/cwt	440.00–440.00	1,263	6
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	600–650	617	243.00/cwt	243.00–243.00	1,499	11
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	550–600	564	241.00/cwt	241.00–241.00	1,359	5
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	350–400	374	338.00/cwt	338.00–338.00	1,264	5
Bulls	Large 1	1250–1300	1,250	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	2,250	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	550–600	580	249.00/cwt	249.00–249.00	1,444	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	400–450	406	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,421	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	514	322.05/cwt	310.00–327.50	1,655	76
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	430	349.57/cwt	345.00–352.50	1,503	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	390	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	1,502	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	373	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,194	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	671	268.81/cwt	267.00–272.00	1,804	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	615	249.00/cwt	249.00–249.00	1,531	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,035	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	2,225	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	350	362.50/cwt	362.50–362.50	1,269	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	411	327.50/cwt	327.50–327.50	1,346	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	950–1000	976	204.00/cwt	204.00–204.00	1,991	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	332	440.00/cwt	440.00–440.00	1,461	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	600	288.00/cwt	288.00–288.00	1,728	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	537	327.71/cwt	323.00–342.00	1,760	34
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	481	314.46/cwt	309.00–335.00	1,513	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	700–750	707	233.00/cwt	233.00–233.00	1,647	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	706	268.50/cwt	268.50–268.50	1,896	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	465	328.00/cwt	328.00–328.00	1,525	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	472	360.14/cwt	359.00–370.00	1,700	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	572	299.50/cwt	299.50–299.50	1,713	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	523	332.33/cwt	320.00–359.00	1,738	167
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	430	320.48/cwt	318.00–325.00	1,378	53
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	512	309.16/cwt	279.00–322.00	1,583	44
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	678	268.91/cwt	268.00–270.00	1,823	13

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 →