Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2019-05-15

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, May 15
● Final102 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
3,194 head
▲ 2,922 vs last sale 272▲ 3,194 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
1,261 head
▲ 1,106 vs last sale 155▲ 1,261 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
155 head
▼ 528 vs last sale 683▲ 155 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: The best test for feeder steers was for 700-749 lbs which sold steady to 5.00 lower. All other weights of steers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on 550-699 lbs steers suitable to run on grass, all other weights of steers sold with lower undertones. Feeder heifers 500-749 lbs sold generally steady. All other weights of heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Quality this week was average to attractive. Buyers purchased cattle on mostly moderate to good demand for cattle suitable to run on grass, while all other offerings sold on light to moderate demand. Heavy offerings were seen this sale. Flesh conditions varied. Most backgrounded cattle were in moderate to moderate plus flesh. Strong premiums were seen for thin fleshed cattle suitable to go to grass. CME positions lost ground again today as all contracts traded 0.075-0.60 lower. Buyers remain cautious as they bid on heavy weight cattle going directly to feed. Market activity today was moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light to moderate offerings. Packer buyers remain aggressive as they bid on cows for immediate harvest as well as to put on feed. Feeding buyers remain aggressive as well as they push to fill orders. Slaughter cows sold steady to 3.00 higher. Feeding cows sold generally steady to firm. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady. Young age cows sold unevenly steady. Demand for re-breed type cows helped push offerings higher in places. Feeding demand remains light. Feeding offerings sold weak. A heavy offering of cow calf pairs sold this week. These offerings were met with light to moderate demand. Quality was mostly average to attractive.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $146.93/cwt on 1,462 head.
Average price
$146.93
1,462 head · 754 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,108
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$103
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1
$32.31/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−0.82
vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1740148.931,1021,327
Medium and Large 1-2723139.771,01062
Large 11,033116.621,20573
One grade step is worth $32.31/cwt here — about −$103 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 sale1,462 hd
146.93
—
MT average2 barns · 1,586 hd
147.75
−0.82
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 · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Bulls—High1,85384.911,57345
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,42268.7797828
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,61865.471,0592thin
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,16962.4973047

Every lot

102 lots · USDA AMS · Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Wed)
Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Steers26 lots · lightest first
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2411173.00/cwt173.00–173.007117
Steers—Large 1471170.00/cwt170.00–170.008014
Steers—Medium and Large 1479179.10/cwt178.00–180.0085841
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2496173.00/cwt173.00–173.008585
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2508161.00/cwt161.00–161.008185
Steers—Medium and Large 1521177.79/cwt175.00–179.50926142
Steers—Medium and Large 1589175.68/cwt167.00–177.501,035281
Steers—Medium and Large 1624161.24/cwt157.00–169.001,00627
Steers—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed649176.00/cwt176.00–176.001,1428
Steers—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed654167.11/cwt163.00–167.501,09394
Steers—Medium and Large 1690153.89/cwt150.00–155.501,06249
Steers—Medium and Large 1723149.98/cwt145.00–152.001,08446
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2742139.00/cwt139.00–139.001,0313
Steers—Medium and Large 1775137.27/cwt135.00–140.001,06428
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2785134.19/cwt131.00–136.001,05324
Steers—Medium and Large 1825132.92/cwt129.00–136.251,097121
Steers—Medium and Large 1868127.37/cwt124.50–128.251,106192
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2871119.34/cwt117.00–120.501,03915
Steers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy876115.21/cwt109.00–119.501,00925
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2932119.00/cwt119.00–119.001,1093
Steers—Medium and Large 1944121.11/cwt120.25–124.001,143112
Steers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy944116.00/cwt116.00–116.001,09512
Steers—Large 1957117.00/cwt117.00–117.001,12016
Steers—Medium and Large 1974117.80/cwt115.50–119.001,147149
Steers—Large 11,012114.00/cwt114.00–114.001,15413
Steers—Large 11,127111.98/cwt109.50–112.501,26240
Feeder Cattle · Heifers29 lots · lightest first
Heifers—Medium 1Unweaned417135.00/cwt135.00–135.005639
Heifers—Medium and Large 1426160.41/cwt160.00–161.0068321
Heifers—Medium 1432148.00/cwt148.00–148.0063913
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2442156.00/cwt156.00–156.0069010
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2479153.22/cwt153.00–153.507347
Heifers—Medium and Large 1510153.28/cwt150.00–155.00782112
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned525144.00/cwt144.00–144.0075617
Heifers—Medium 2538130.00/cwt130.00–130.0069916
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2544145.50/cwt145.50–145.5079218
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2578140.67/cwt140.00–141.0081319
Heifers—Medium and Large 1581151.52/cwt148.00–154.0088045
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed619142.00/cwt142.00–142.0087949
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2624136.87/cwt135.00–137.0085415
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy630137.50/cwt137.50–137.508667
Heifers—Medium and Large 1639145.83/cwt139.00–148.00932215
Heifers—Medium and Large 1675133.87/cwt133.50–134.0090452
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2688127.00/cwt127.00–127.008748
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy688126.00/cwt126.00–126.0086710
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fancy707139.00/cwt139.00–139.0098317
Heifers—Medium and Large 1719129.86/cwt126.00–133.50934104
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2724122.27/cwt113.00–124.0088522
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy743120.00/cwt120.00–120.0089264
Heifers—Medium and Large 1769126.03/cwt124.00–127.0096947
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy792115.00/cwt115.00–115.009119
Heifers—Medium and Large 1819120.83/cwt120.00–123.0099015
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy826116.53/cwt115.00–116.75963173
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Replacement829119.25/cwt119.25–119.2598938
Heifers—Medium and Large 1858114.81/cwt113.00–116.0098528
Heifers—Medium and Large 1909110.00/cwt110.00–110.001,0008
Feeder Cattle · Bulls10 lots · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 1351186.00/cwt186.00–186.006534
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-2396172.00/cwt172.00–172.006818
Bulls—Medium and Large 1538150.96/cwt150.00–152.0081234
Bulls—Medium and Large 1Fancy615157.00/cwt157.00–157.0096629
Bulls—Medium and Large 1703131.00/cwt131.00–131.009212
Bulls—Medium and Large 1Fleshy786121.00/cwt121.00–121.009518
Bulls—Medium and Large 1818125.00/cwt125.00–125.001,0235
Bulls—Medium and Large 1873120.00/cwt120.00–120.001,0487
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-293397.50/cwt97.50–97.509102
Bulls—Large 11,07199.50/cwt99.50–99.501,0667
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,80480.87/cwt71.00–84.501,45927
Bulls——1,81688.13/cwt84.50–93.001,60012
Bulls——2,14796.68/cwt93.50–104.002,0766
Slaughter Cattle · Cows10 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight82543.00/cwt43.00–43.003551
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight94163.60/cwt62.00–64.005985
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,15560.06/cwt54.00–63.0069422
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,22052.00/cwt52.00–52.006342
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,25167.27/cwt64.00–70.0084215
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,38870.75/cwt70.50–71.009822
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,39172.23/cwt71.50–74.001,0058
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,41968.26/cwt66.00–70.5096918
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,56859.50/cwt59.50–59.509332
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,61865.47/cwt65.00–66.001,0592
Replacement Cattle · Bulls1 lot · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 11,2841,474.70/cwt1,400.00–1,550.0018,93510
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows8 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-285087.50/cwt87.50–87.507441
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1908103.00/cwt77.00–110.0093554
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,08158.51/cwt55.00–61.006326
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,09978.02/cwt67.00–96.0085716
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,10064.00/cwt64.00–64.007041
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,30968.40/cwt61.00–71.0089543
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,34370.54/cwt68.00–74.5094727
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,38169.65/cwt64.00–72.5096256
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs10 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,3311,475.00/cwt1,475.00–1,475.0019,6326
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,3501,569.07/cwt1,510.00–1,600.0021,18269
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,3661,225.00/cwt1,225.00–1,225.0016,7347
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,3771,450.00/cwt1,450.00–1,450.0019,96711
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,4141,809.86/cwt1,700.00–1,910.0025,59130
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,4571,492.30/cwt1,400.00–1,525.0021,743159
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,4761,205.29/cwt1,200.00–1,210.0017,79022
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,4801,489.84/cwt1,485.00–1,510.0022,05027
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,4941,320.30/cwt1,300.00–1,335.0019,72515
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,5711,381.77/cwt1,275.00–1,400.0021,70826
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows5 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2431,400.00/cwt1,400.00–1,400.0017,4024
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3531,075.00/cwt1,075.00–1,075.0014,5456
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3561,400.00/cwt1,400.00–1,400.0018,9845
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,4921,214.78/cwt1,100.00–1,285.0018,1258
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,4931,400.00/cwt1,400.00–1,400.0020,9023

This sale against other markets

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.