Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2024-11-22
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-11-22

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; steers 500 lbs and heavier sold mostly 5.00 to 10.00 higher. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold mostly steady to weak on a lower quality offering; heifer calves over 500 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher. All yearling cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand for yearlings was good. One load lot of yearling heifers was offered today. Calf quality was mostly plain to attractive. Quality overall was not as attractive as last week. Demand for calves was good to very good for all weight classes. Weaned offerings were heavier this week and stronger premiums were given for offerings which were weaned. Some weaned offerings were pushing heavy amounts of fill today and many were dirty. Buyers discounted many of these type offerings. Many loads of calves continue to be purchased to sell north into Canada while light weight offerings continue to sell south to wheat pastures or west to California grass. Package sizes were small to moderate this week, with many singles and packages of 5 head or less 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. Cow quality today was mostly plain. Most of the offering was comprised of low and very low dressing cows.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $331.53/cwt on 303 head. That ranks 1 of 1 comparable sales and sits −172.36 against this barn's trailing median of $503.89.

Average price

$331.53

303 head · 549 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,822

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$120

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$23.97/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+7.65

vs MT average

+22.27 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	549	334.41	1,835	266
Medium and Large 1-2	561	311.51	1,748	12thin
Large 1	552	310.44	1,714	25

One grade step is worth $23.97/cwt here — about $120 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 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 sale303 hd

331.53

—

MT average5 barns · 1,015 hd

323.88

+7.65

National average182 barns · 24,645 hd

309.26

+22.27

This barn, trailing median1 sales

503.89

−172.36

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%	Low	1,410	95.20	1,342	5thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,017	87.07	885	54
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,410	87.00	1,227	1thin

Every lot, as filed

100 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
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	933	163.51/cwt	162.00–165.00	1,526	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	388	337.23/cwt	332.50–339.00	1,308	14
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	465	332.00/cwt	332.00–332.00	1,544	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	370	379.63/cwt	375.00–415.00	1,405	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	700–750	739	234.00/cwt	234.00–234.00	1,729	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	392	344.79/cwt	337.00–359.00	1,352	25
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	821	187.00/cwt	187.00–187.00	1,535	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	690	251.00/cwt	251.00–251.00	1,732	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	429	387.50/cwt	387.50–387.50	1,662	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	323	474.54/cwt	460.00–490.00	1,533	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	581	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,627	41
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	610	256.69/cwt	249.00–260.00	1,566	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	520	305.19/cwt	299.00–308.50	1,587	122
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,025	129.71/cwt	110.00–156.00	1,330	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	300–350	300	342.50/cwt	342.50–342.50	1,028	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	464	315.18/cwt	300.00–320.00	1,462	67
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	426	331.10/cwt	326.00–345.00	1,410	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	378	355.00/cwt	348.00–370.00	1,342	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	467	318.40/cwt	306.00–327.50	1,487	41
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	374	455.63/cwt	435.00–461.00	1,704	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	660	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,881	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	506	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,619	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	430	282.50/cwt	282.50–282.50	1,215	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	653	249.00/cwt	249.00–249.00	1,626	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	549	292.00/cwt	292.00–292.00	1,603	72
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	450	338.00/cwt	338.00–338.00	1,521	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,010	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	2,121	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	343	424.67/cwt	400.00–430.00	1,457	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	530	330.55/cwt	307.00–335.00	1,752	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	650–700	693	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,733	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	606	290.34/cwt	283.00–299.00	1,759	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	478	331.27/cwt	317.50–352.50	1,583	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	437	321.76/cwt	321.00–322.00	1,406	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	429	360.62/cwt	357.50–370.00	1,547	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	568	253.00/cwt	253.00–253.00	1,437	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	300–350	323	455.00/cwt	455.00–455.00	1,470	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	393	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	1,611	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	745	252.00/cwt	252.00–252.00	1,877	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	548	276.35/cwt	255.00–279.00	1,514	18
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	577	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,529	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	424	367.14/cwt	360.00–369.00	1,557	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	250–300	262	397.00/cwt	397.00–397.00	1,040	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	487	299.34/cwt	289.00–305.00	1,458	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	592	292.47/cwt	290.00–297.50	1,731	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,421	100.00/cwt	100.00–100.00	1,421	4
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,410	87.00/cwt	87.00–87.00	1,227	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,068	78.18/cwt	75.00–79.00	835	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,250	95.00/cwt	95.00–95.00	1,188	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,248	105.03/cwt	103.00–107.00	1,311	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,024	91.27/cwt	90.00–93.00	935	12
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	500–550	541	327.00/cwt	327.00–327.00	1,769	7
Heifers	Large 1	500–550	545	257.50/cwt	257.50–257.50	1,403	6
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	600–650	635	242.00/cwt	242.00–242.00	1,537	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	961	83.00/cwt	83.00–83.00	798	27
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,087	98.55/cwt	95.00–102.00	1,071	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,365	76.00/cwt	76.00–76.00	1,037	1
Steers	Large 1	1100–1150	1,105	210.50/cwt	210.50–210.50	2,326	3
Steers	Large 1	500–550	544	307.00/cwt	307.00–307.00	1,670	12
Steers	Large 1	550–600	582	298.00/cwt	298.00–298.00	1,734	6
Heifers	Large 1	600–650	632	232.50/cwt	232.50–232.50	1,469	3
Heifers	Large 1	1100–1150	1,105	199.50/cwt	199.50–199.50	2,204	4
Heifers	Large 1	650–700	684	234.00/cwt	234.00–234.00	1,601	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	350–400	398	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	1,284	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2	300–350	343	405.00/cwt	405.00–405.00	1,389	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	400	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,120	9
Heifers	Medium 1	550–600	555	257.50/cwt	257.50–257.50	1,429	3
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	450–500	487	286.22/cwt	284.00–287.00	1,394	23
Heifers	Medium 2	450–500	478	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	1,004	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	955	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	1,624	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	938	176.01/cwt	160.00–194.50	1,651	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	800–850	826	243.00/cwt	243.00–243.00	2,007	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	398	334.00/cwt	334.00–334.00	1,329	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	505	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,338	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	894	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,341	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	531	339.63/cwt	337.00–342.00	1,803	35
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	574	317.00/cwt	317.00–317.00	1,820	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	532	342.87/cwt	338.00–346.00	1,824	129
Steers	Medium and Large 1	250–300	267	515.38/cwt	500.00–520.00	1,376	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	607	274.48/cwt	260.00–289.00	1,666	41
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	345	373.59/cwt	372.50–377.00	1,289	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,003	215.50/cwt	215.50–215.50	2,161	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	328	375.96/cwt	360.00–395.00	1,233	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	421	403.60/cwt	385.00–435.00	1,699	62
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	914	219.00/cwt	219.00–219.00	2,002	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	421	327.15/cwt	323.00–335.00	1,377	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	759	246.07/cwt	231.00–247.00	1,868	57
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	379	445.00/cwt	445.00–445.00	1,687	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	468	373.81/cwt	350.00–384.00	1,749	68
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	607	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	1,851	42
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	629	301.42/cwt	292.00–307.00	1,896	57
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	479	358.58/cwt	344.50–370.00	1,718	106
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	409	415.07/cwt	390.00–435.00	1,698	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	650–700	693	273.00/cwt	273.00–273.00	1,892	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	970	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	2,134	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	576	322.52/cwt	312.50–338.00	1,858	91
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	658	285.50/cwt	285.50–285.50	1,879	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	736	268.44/cwt	266.00–270.00	1,976	69
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	450–500	490	282.50/cwt	282.50–282.50	1,384	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	550–600	569	262.00/cwt	256.00–266.00	1,491	33
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	300–350	310	485.00/cwt	485.00–485.00	1,504	2

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 →