Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2025-02-05

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2025-02-05
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-02-05

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Feb 5

● Final49 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← Jan 29Feb 5Feb 12 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

138 head

▼ 2,020 vs last sale 2,158▼ 135 vs year ago 273 · −49.5%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

234 head

▼ 166 vs last sale 400▲ 14 vs year ago 220 · +6.4%

Replacement Cattle receipts

76 head

▼ 57 vs last sale 133▲ 11 vs year ago 65 · +16.9%

Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: All feeder cattle were too lightly tested this week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to lower undertones were noticed on steers and higher undertones were noticed on heifers. Demand was good for very light offerings. Quality today was mostly plain. Most calves were offered in small packages or as singles. Market activity was mostly moderate with a small crowd on hand bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows comprised most of todays light offering. Slaughter cows sold on very good demand as small regional packers were active in buying cows for immediate harvest. Breaking cows sold generally steady, boning and lean cows sold with higher to sharply higher undertones. The volume of boning and lean slaughter cows was too light to develop a full market trend. Feeding cows sold on very good demand as private feeders and cooperate packers showed very good demand for all cows suitable to feed. Feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls sold with steady undertones in a narrow comparison. Demand for slaughter bulls was mostly good this sale. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to above average with most cows very empty come sale time. Several sets of very thin cows were seen this week many of which were purchased to feed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Demand from both rebreed buyers and feeders continues to be very good. Quality this week was plain to attractive. Several sets of tested open cows were purchased to rebreed as many of them were off yesterdays bred cow and heifer special.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $305.00/cwt on 6 head. That ranks 1 of 19 comparable sales and sits −90.45 against this barn's trailing median of $395.45.

Average price

$305.00

6 head · 520 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,586

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

—

single grade reported

vs the market

−14.34

vs MT average

+6.14 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	520	305.00	1,586	6thin

Only one grade was reported at this weight, so there is no spread to compute.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale6 hd

305.00

—

MT average3 barns · 217 hd

319.34

−14.34

National average192 barns · 21,303 hd

298.86

+6.14

This barn, trailing median19 sales

395.45

−90.45

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

19 sales

Heifers 500–600 lb: high $464.07, low $347.53, median $395.45 across 19 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	—	Low	1,664	155.46	2,587	9thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,621	145.18	2,353	6thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,418	144.33	2,047	58
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,077	121.30	1,306	128

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	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,189	$1,843	5
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,262	$1,710	5
Bred Heifers	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	1,122	$2,850	4thin

Every lot

49 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 · Steers7 lots · lightest first
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2	396	395.00/cwt	395.00–395.00	1,564	5
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	421	365.00/cwt	365.00–365.00	1,537	6
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	455	365.00/cwt	365.00–365.00	1,661	5
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	511	339.75/cwt	337.50–340.00	1,736	10
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	570	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,824	5
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2	653	288.00/cwt	288.00–288.00	1,881	16
Steers	850–900	Medium and Large 1-2	850	251.00/cwt	251.00–251.00	2,134	1
Feeder Cattle · Heifers13 lots · lightest first
Heifers	300–350	Medium and Large 2	338	327.50/cwt	327.50–327.50	1,107	2
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	368	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,159	6
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	455	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	1,547	2
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 2	491	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	1,277	8
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	520	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	1,586	6
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	619	281.00/cwt	281.00–281.00	1,739	7
Heifers	600–650	Medium 1-2	633	242.50/cwt	242.50–242.50	1,535	3
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	772	244.00/cwt	244.00–244.00	1,884	4
Heifers	850–900	Medium and Large 1	863	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	2,158	5
Heifers	850–900	Medium and Large 1-2	880	243.00/cwt	243.00–243.00	2,138	1
Heifers	1000–1050	Medium and Large 1	1,014	243.50/cwt	243.50–243.50	2,469	5
Heifers	1050–1100	Large 1	1,075	228.00/cwt	228.00–228.00	2,451	1
Heifers	1050–1100	Large 1-2	1,090	222.00/cwt	222.00–222.00	2,420	1
Feeder Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	435	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,436	6
Bulls	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	584	287.50/cwt	287.50–287.50	1,679	6
Bulls	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	739	252.00/cwt	252.00–252.00	1,862	6
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—	1,385	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	1,884	2
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,545	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	2,457	2
Bulls	—	—	1,823	161.83/cwt	160.00–163.00	2,950	5
Slaughter Cattle · Cows15 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	810	88.62/cwt	80.00–91.00	718	5
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	915	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,144	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,044	115.64/cwt	111.00–122.00	1,207	62
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,081	104.49/cwt	100.00–110.00	1,130	6
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,103	131.76/cwt	127.00–134.00	1,453	27
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,128	94.21/cwt	92.50–95.00	1,063	3
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,160	142.80/cwt	139.00–145.00	1,656	11
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,211	134.66/cwt	131.00–137.00	1,631	13
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,353	135.44/cwt	129.00–141.00	1,833	10
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,361	138.59/cwt	131.00–144.00	1,886	14
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,454	149.91/cwt	145.00–152.00	2,180	29
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,493	152.50/cwt	152.50–152.50	2,277	4
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,520	119.00/cwt	119.00–119.00	1,809	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,594	147.36/cwt	147.00–148.00	2,349	3
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,647	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	2,355	3
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows4 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	922	181.09/cwt	180.00–182.00	1,670	4
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	925	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	1,230	14
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	981	200.34/cwt	177.50–215.00	1,965	8
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,020	172.79/cwt	153.00–192.50	1,762	22
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Bred Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	1,122	2,850.00/head	2,850.00–2,850.00	2,850	4
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows3 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	1,108	1,500.00/head	1,500.00–1,500.00	1,500	2
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	1,189	1,843.07/head	1,800.00–1,900.00	1,843	5
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	1,365	1,850.00/head	1,850.00–1,850.00	1,850	3

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 Feb 5, 2025

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 138Last week 2,158Year ago 273

Slaughter CattleReceipts 234Last week 400Year ago 220

Replacement CattleReceipts 76Last week 133Year ago 65

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,385	136.00	136.00
5	—	1,823	160.00–163.00	161.83

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,545	159.00	159.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	1,160	139.00–145.00	142.80
27	—	1,103	127.00–134.00	131.76
62	—	1,044	111.00–122.00	115.64

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
29	—	1,454	145.00–152.00	149.91
1	—	1,520	119.00	119.00
14	—	1,361	131.00–144.00	138.59

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,493	152.50	152.50
10	—	1,353	129.00–141.00	135.44

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,128	92.50–95.00	94.21
13	—	1,211	131.00–137.00	134.66
6	—	1,081	100.00–110.00	104.49

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,594	147.00–148.00	147.36
3	—	1,647	143.00	143.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	915	125.00	125.00
5	—	810	80.00–91.00	88.62

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	500–550	520	305.00	305.00
7	600–650	619	281.00	281.00
4	750–800	772	244.00	244.00
1	850–900	880	243.00	243.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	450–500	455	340.00	340.00
5	850–900	863	250.00	250.00
5	1000–1050	1,014	243.50	243.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	338	327.50	327.50
8	450–500	491	260.00	260.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	350–400	368	315.00	315.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1050–1100	1,090	222.00	222.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1050–1100	1,075	228.00	228.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	600–650	633	242.50	242.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	350–400	396	395.00	395.00
6	400–450	421	365.00	365.00
5	450–500	455	365.00	365.00
10	500–550	511	337.50–340.00	339.75
5	550–600	570	320.00	320.00
16	650–700	653	288.00	288.00
1	850–900	850	251.00	251.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	400–450	435	330.00	330.00
6	550–600	584	287.50	287.50
6	700–750	739	252.00	252.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	4	—	922	180.00–182.00	181.09

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	8	—	981	177.50–215.00	200.34
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	22	—	1,020	153.00–192.50	172.79

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	14	—	925	133.00	133.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	4	—	1,122	2,850.00	2,850.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	5	—	1,189	1,800.00–1,900.00	1,843.07
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	2	—	1,108	1,500.00	1,500.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	3	—	1,365	1,850.00	1,850.00

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.