Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2026-09-30

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2026-09-30
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-09-30

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Sep 30

● Final71 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← Sep 23Sep 30Oct 7 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

468 head

▲ 235 vs last sale 233▲ 213 vs year ago 255 · +83.5%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

365 head

▼ 23 vs last sale 388▼ 53 vs year ago 418 · −12.7%

Replacement Cattle receipts

122 head

▼ 99 vs last sale 221▲ 4 vs year ago 118 · +3.4%

Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026

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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale (9-23-26): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain to average with most offerings seen in small packages or as singles. Demand was light to moderate as both quality and quantity limited demand. CME feeder cattle positions showed strong gains today as grain crops showed significant weakness. Market activity was mostly moderate today with a small to moderate crowd of buyers on hand for todays sale. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light demand for light to moderate offerings. Canadian buyers showed moderate demand for cows to feed but were met with little resistance as American packers showed mostly light demand for all feeding cows. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower. Private feeders were more active this week and were willing to take blemished cows to feed. Much more of the offering was purchased to feed this week compared to last week. Slaughter cows continue to be met with light demand. American packers continue to buy slaughter cows lower and allowed many cows to be sold to feeding buyers as they pushed these cows above slaughter buyers orders. Slaughter cows sold 1.00-2.00 lower on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold steady to 5.00 lower on a poorer quality lower yielding offering. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00 to 5.00 higher as feeding buyers and slaughter buyers both showed moderate to good demand for offerings. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on moderate to good demand today with several more buyers purchasing this class of cow this week. Young age offerings sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher in a narrow comparison.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $435.17/cwt on 90 head, up $6.35 from the prior sale. That ranks 4 of 10 comparable sales and sits −19.75 against this barn's trailing median of $454.92.

Average price

$435.17

▲ 6.35 vs prior sale

90 head · 536 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,334

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$53

per head · Large 1 over Medium and Large 1

$12.61/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+4.22

vs MT average

+20.51 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Large 1	510	447.50	2,282	2thin
Medium and Large 1	537	434.89	2,335	88

One grade step is worth $12.61/cwt here — about −$53 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 sale90 hd

435.17

—

MT average3 barns · 206 hd

430.95

+4.22

National average184 barns · 17,632 hd

414.66

+20.51

This barn, trailing median10 sales

454.92

−19.75

A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

10 sales

Steers 500–600 lb: high $510.69, low $392.59, median $454.92 across 10 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

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	1,855	175.95	3,264	61
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,400	138.87	1,945	115
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,651	135.85	2,243	42
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,193	129.57	1,546	111

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	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,136	$3,050	4thin

Every lot

71 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.

Class	Weight	Grade / description	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Feeder Cattle · Steers15 lots · lightest first
Steers	250–300	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	298	605.00/cwt	605.00–605.00	1,803	2
Steers	300–350	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	305	610.00/cwt	610.00–610.00	1,861	1
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	393	511.88/cwt	510.00–520.00	2,012	5
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	399	497.50/cwt	497.50–497.50	1,985	4
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	437	488.46/cwt	480.00–500.00	2,135	49
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	480	457.00/cwt	457.00–457.00	2,194	2
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	482	465.74/cwt	459.00–480.00	2,245	23
Steers	500–550	Large 1Unweaned	510	447.50/cwt	447.50–447.50	2,282	2
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	526	440.90/cwt	436.00–447.00	2,319	68
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	574	414.45/cwt	402.50–428.00	2,379	20
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	623	387.00/cwt	387.00–387.00	2,411	3
Steers	650–700	Large 1Unweaned	655	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	2,456	2
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	658	379.00/cwt	379.00–379.00	2,494	3
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	705	373.00/cwt	373.00–373.00	2,630	2
Steers	850–900	Medium and Large 1-2	878	331.00/cwt	331.00–331.00	2,906	3
Feeder Cattle · Heifers14 lots · lightest first
Heifers	250–300	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	250	570.00/cwt	570.00–570.00	1,425	1
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	380	460.00/cwt	460.00–460.00	1,748	3
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	417	444.20/cwt	440.00–452.00	1,852	19
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	473	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	1,939	2
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	485	423.84/cwt	422.50–424.00	2,056	22
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	513	384.00/cwt	384.00–384.00	1,970	2
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	528	397.20/cwt	385.00–412.00	2,097	35
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	635	357.92/cwt	357.00–359.00	2,273	11
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	752	334.00/cwt	334.00–334.00	2,512	3
Heifers	800–850	Medium and Large 1	846	315.36/cwt	315.00–317.00	2,668	11
Heifers	900–950	Medium and Large 1	933	303.47/cwt	299.00–306.00	2,831	21
Heifers	950–1000	Medium and Large 1	978	296.77/cwt	295.00–299.00	2,902	16
Heifers	1000–1050	Medium and Large 1	1,034	292.36/cwt	289.00–299.00	3,023	6
Heifers	1050–1100	Large 1	1,051	291.00/cwt	291.00–291.00	3,058	4
Feeder Cattle · Bulls9 lots · lightest first
Bulls	550–600	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	555	405.00/cwt	405.00–405.00	2,248	1
Bulls	550–600	Large 1Unweaned	568	405.00/cwt	405.00–405.00	2,300	6
Bulls	650–700	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	655	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	2,424	2
Bulls	950–1000	Medium and Large 2	995	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	2,388	1
Bulls	1000–1050	Medium and Large 1-2	1,045	252.50/cwt	252.50–252.50	2,639	1
Bulls	1100–1150	Medium and Large 1-2	1,125	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	2,644	1
Bulls	1150–1200	Large 1	1,155	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	3,003	1
Bulls	1200–1250	Large 1	1,220	236.23/cwt	235.00–240.00	2,882	4
Bulls	1250–1300	Large 1-2	1,268	222.50/cwt	222.50–222.50	2,821	2
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Light Weight	1,410	169.00/cwt	169.00–169.00	2,383	1
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,604	167.52/cwt	159.00–173.00	2,687	4
Bulls	—	—	1,781	167.12/cwt	160.00–170.00	2,976	8
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,791	178.50/cwt	172.00–183.00	3,197	16
Bulls	—	—	1,943	177.52/cwt	174.00–181.00	3,449	29
Bulls	—	—	2,030	184.33/cwt	184.00–184.50	3,742	3
Slaughter Cattle · Cows19 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	930	90.00/cwt	90.00–90.00	837	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	930	85.00/cwt	85.00–85.00	791	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	943	121.25/cwt	120.00–122.50	1,143	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,158	129.73/cwt	124.00–133.00	1,502	3
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,171	110.13/cwt	100.00–120.00	1,290	10
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,199	129.49/cwt	117.50–134.00	1,553	58
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,221	137.90/cwt	134.00–145.00	1,684	36
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,368	135.60/cwt	119.00–141.00	1,855	55
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,388	133.42/cwt	128.00–138.00	1,852	6
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,419	145.10/cwt	140.00–150.00	2,059	41
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,434	152.54/cwt	152.00–154.00	2,187	7
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,542	115.77/cwt	109.00–125.00	1,785	6
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,586	143.40/cwt	140.00–147.00	2,274	4
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,600	135.69/cwt	134.00–139.00	2,171	11
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,601	148.70/cwt	148.00–153.00	2,381	7
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,653	132.71/cwt	132.00–136.00	2,194	7
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,676	129.29/cwt	124.00–132.00	2,167	11
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight	2,085	117.50/cwt	117.50–117.50	2,450	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight	2,100	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	2,730	1
Replacement Cattle · Open Heifers2 lots · lightest first
Open Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	950	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	2,280	1
Open Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	1,030	279.19/cwt	246.00–295.00	2,876	19
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows5 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	997	264.10/cwt	215.00–287.50	2,633	33
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,010	186.77/cwt	164.00–225.00	1,886	3
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,128	230.18/cwt	165.00–285.00	2,596	25
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	1,150	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	2,530	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,328	156.49/cwt	154.00–157.00	2,078	6
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows1 lot · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS	1,136	3,050.00/head	3,050.00–3,050.00	3,050	4

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.

Montana feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Wed)

Wed Sep 30, 2026

USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)

Feeder CattleReceipts 468Last week 233Year ago 255

Slaughter CattleReceipts 365Last week 388Year ago 418

Replacement CattleReceipts 122Last week 221Year ago 118

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
11	800–850	846	315.00–317.00	315.36
21	900–950	933	299.00–306.00	303.47
16	950–1000	978	295.00–299.00	296.77
6	1000–1050	1,034	289.00–299.00	292.36

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	250	570.00	570.00
19	400–450	417	440.00–452.00	444.20
22	450–500	485	422.50–424.00	423.84
35	500–550	528	385.00–412.00	397.20
11	600–650	635	357.00–359.00	357.92

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	350–400	380	460.00	460.00
2	450–500	473	410.00	410.00
2	500–550	513	384.00	384.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	750–800	752	334.00	334.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	1050–1100	1,051	291.00	291.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	250–300	298	605.00	605.00
1	300–350	305	610.00	610.00
5	350–400	393	510.00–520.00	511.88
49	400–450	437	480.00–500.00	488.46
23	450–500	482	459.00–480.00	465.74
68	500–550	526	436.00–447.00	440.90
20	550–600	574	402.50–428.00	414.45
3	600–650	623	387.00	387.00
3	650–700	658	379.00	379.00
2	700–750	705	373.00	373.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	350–400	399	497.50	497.50
2	450–500	480	457.00	457.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	500–550	510	447.50	447.50
2	650–700	655	375.00	375.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	850–900	878	331.00	331.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
1	550–600	555	405.00	405.00
2	650–700	655	370.00	370.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1000–1050	1,045	252.50	252.50
1	1100–1150	1,125	235.00	235.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	950–1000	995	240.00	240.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	1250–1300	1,268	222.50	222.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	550–600	568	405.00	405.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1150–1200	1,155	260.00	260.00
4	1200–1250	1,220	235.00–240.00	236.23

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Open Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	N/A	19	—	1,030	246.00–295.00	279.19

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Open Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	N/A	1	—	950	240.00	240.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	33	—	997	215.00–287.50	264.10
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	6	—	1,328	154.00–157.00	156.49
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	25	—	1,128	165.00–285.00	230.18

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,150	220.00	220.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,010	164.00–225.00	186.77

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Non-Legible BANGS$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	4	—	1,136	3,050.00	3,050.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,601	148.00–153.00	148.70
4	—	1,586	140.00–147.00	143.40
11	—	1,600	134.00–139.00	135.69

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,434	152.00–154.00	152.54
41	—	1,419	140.00–150.00	145.10
55	—	1,368	119.00–141.00	135.60

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,100	130.00	130.00
1	—	2,085	117.50	117.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,542	109.00–125.00	115.77
6	—	1,388	128.00–138.00	133.42

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
36	—	1,221	134.00–145.00	137.90
58	—	1,199	117.50–134.00	129.49

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	943	120.00–122.50	121.25
1	—	930	90.00	90.00
1	—	930	85.00	85.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	1,676	124.00–132.00	129.29
7	—	1,653	132.00–136.00	132.71

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,158	124.00–133.00	129.73
10	—	1,171	100.00–120.00	110.13

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
29	—	1,943	174.00–181.00	177.52
3	—	2,030	184.00–184.50	184.33
8	—	1,781	160.00–170.00	167.12

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,410	169.00	169.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,604	159.00–173.00	167.52
16	—	1,791	172.00–183.00	178.50

Head, weight ranges, average weights and price ranges are exactly as USDA AMS filed them — nothing recomputed, nothing rounded — in USDA's own reporting structure. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of that data, not a copy of USDA's document.