Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2025-09-10

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Sep 10
● Final105 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,296 head
▲ 712 vs last sale 584▲ 189 vs year ago 1,107 · +17.1%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
252 head
▼ 12 vs last sale 264▼ 71 vs year ago 323 · −22.0%
Replacement Cattle receipts
102 head
▲ 74 vs last sale 28▲ 62 vs year ago 40 · +155.0%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale(8/20/25): Feeder cattle were too lightly tested last sale to develop a full market trend, however lower undertones were noticed on all offerings under 850 lbs. Heifer offerings under 850 lbs sold with steady undertones. Demand for yearlings was moderate to good for light to moderate offerings. Demand for calves was mostly good to very good. Too few calves sold last week to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Several packages of feed lot backgrounded yearlings sold today. These offerings were met with mostly moderate demand and lighter demand than cattle coming off grass. Heifers were mostly in light flesh and of mostly attractive quality as many were tested open heifers off replacements. CME positions sold off sharply yesterday before ending mixed today. This has given pause to some buyers as they bid more cautiously on feeders. Market activity was moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light offerings. Quality this week was mostly average. Slaughter cows were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Very few offerings were purchased for slaughter this week as feeding cow buyers kept cow prices above slaughter cow orders. Feeding cows sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. The spread between slaughter cows and feeding cows remains unusually large as cheap feed continues to entice buyers to put cows on feed. Weigh up conditions were mixed. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 1.00 lower. Many bulls continue to go on feed as packers and private buyers hope to add yield to bulls run down from breeding season. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop any trend. Stronger demand was seen for replacement young cow offerings this week. Quality this week was mostly average.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $408.80/cwt on 25 head. That ranks 12 of 19 comparable sales and sits +13.35 against this barn's trailing median of $395.45.
Average price
$408.80
25 head · 545 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,226
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$370
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$49.91/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+6.80
vs MT average
+40.46 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1549416.792,28721
Medium and Large 1-2523366.881,9174thin
One grade step is worth $49.91/cwt here — about $370 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 600–700 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 sale25 hd
408.80
—
MT average2 barns · 38 hd
402.00
+6.80
National average171 barns · 13,169 hd
368.34
+40.46
This barn, trailing median19 sales
395.45
+13.35
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
478430382334median 395.4503/1104/1506/0309/0210/21
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 · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Bulls—Low1,764185.733,27753
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,428164.152,34584
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,664163.742,72516
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,226156.161,91520
Dairy CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,630139.002,2666thin
Dairy CowsLean 85-90%Low1,338131.361,7582thin

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 $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,202$3,1389
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,644$2,9004thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,347$2,7005
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,220$2,1001thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,527$4,10015
Cow-Calf PairsOpenAged (>8 yrs)1,668$3,2005

Every lot

105 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 · Steers27 lots · lightest first
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned317580.00/cwt580.00–580.001,8393
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned370510.00/cwt510.00–510.001,8871
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned429536.89/cwt523.00–542.502,30317
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned471510.52/cwt507.50–511.002,40545
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned477472.82/cwt470.00–475.002,25511
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned538443.75/cwt440.00–455.002,38720
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned570429.42/cwt392.50–440.002,44895
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned584347.31/cwt335.00–385.002,0284
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned615416.00/cwt416.00–416.002,5583
Steers600–650Medium 1-2630330.00/cwt330.00–330.002,0794
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1693395.26/cwt392.00–396.002,73927
Steers650–700Medium 1695370.00/cwt370.00–370.002,5726
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1725388.82/cwt387.50–389.002,81917
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1750388.00/cwt388.00–388.002,9102
Steers750–800Medium and Large 2788322.50/cwt322.50–322.502,5412
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1Fleshy798362.00/cwt362.00–362.002,88955
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1800370.50/cwt370.50–370.502,96410
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1-2803338.00/cwt338.00–338.002,7142
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1850343.00/cwt343.00–343.002,9168
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1-2880332.50/cwt332.50–332.502,9261
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1Fleshy890335.00/cwt335.00–335.002,98218
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1-2903305.00/cwt305.00–305.002,7543
Steers900–950Medium and Large 2908275.00/cwt275.00–275.002,4973
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1942325.00/cwt325.00–325.003,0625
Steers1000–1050Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,019300.00/cwt300.00–300.003,05778
Steers1000–1050Medium and Large 11,034314.00/cwt314.00–314.003,24714
Steers1050–1100Medium and Large 11,095309.00/cwt309.00–309.003,3843
Feeder Cattle · Heifers33 lots · lightest first
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned270510.00/cwt510.00–510.001,3771
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned382430.53/cwt400.00–435.001,6458
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned394477.50/cwt477.50–477.501,8818
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned416475.00/cwt475.00–475.001,97610
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned444436.64/cwt420.00–445.001,9393
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned478462.94/cwt440.00–470.002,21368
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned497406.25/cwt385.00–410.002,01913
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned505370.00/cwt370.00–370.001,8693
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned546420.00/cwt420.00–420.002,29318
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned565397.50/cwt397.50–397.502,2463
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned575357.50/cwt357.50–357.502,0561
Heifers600–650Medium 2621270.00/cwt270.00–270.001,6776
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned622332.50/cwt332.50–332.502,0686
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1653373.00/cwt373.00–373.002,43639
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1730360.00/cwt360.00–360.002,6282
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2748355.00/cwt355.00–355.002,65512
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1753366.50/cwt366.50–366.502,76082
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2780334.27/cwt325.00–342.502,6077
Heifers750–800Large 1793330.00/cwt330.00–330.002,6177
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2830328.82/cwt320.00–334.002,7299
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1832338.14/cwt335.00–348.002,8138
Heifers800–850Large 1835330.00/cwt330.00–330.002,7561
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1861329.78/cwt324.00–335.002,83963
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1-2871315.05/cwt314.00–317.502,74411
Heifers900–950Large 1921292.00/cwt292.00–292.002,6896
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1Fleshy930304.00/cwt304.00–304.002,827132
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1971311.09/cwt306.00–318.503,02122
Heifers1000–1050Medium and Large 1Fancy1,004315.50/cwt315.50–315.503,1685
Heifers1000–1050Medium and Large 11,028305.89/cwt305.00–306.003,14518
Heifers1050–1100Large 1Fancy1,081310.00/cwt310.00–310.003,3514
Heifers1050–1100Large 11,089291.56/cwt287.00–292.503,17520
Heifers1100–1150Large 11,105289.95/cwt285.00–293.003,20422
Heifers1200–1250Large 1Fleshy1,200268.00/cwt268.00–268.003,2162
Feeder Cattle · Bulls11 lots · lightest first
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned334510.00/cwt510.00–510.001,7037
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned385455.00/cwt455.00–455.001,7521
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned409450.00/cwt450.00–450.001,8415
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned563365.00/cwt365.00–365.002,0553
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 1843330.00/cwt330.00–330.002,7826
Bulls850–900Medium and Large 1866314.00/cwt314.00–314.002,7196
Bulls1000–1050Medium and Large 1-21,037256.00/cwt256.00–256.002,6553
Bulls1050–1100Medium and Large 1-21,050230.00/cwt230.00–230.002,4151
Bulls1100–1150Large 11,107265.00/cwt265.00–265.002,9343
Bulls1200–1250Large 1-21,220210.00/cwt210.00–210.002,5621
Bulls1300–1350Large 11,300212.00/cwt212.00–212.002,7564
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Light Weight1,389163.00/cwt163.00–163.002,2644
Bulls——Return to Feed1,408189.00/cwt189.00–189.002,6612
Bulls——Return to Feed1,535178.08/cwt172.00–184.002,7348
Bulls——1,755181.67/cwt172.00–184.003,18813
Bulls——1,918191.45/cwt185.00–199.003,67221
Bulls——1,954201.39/cwt199.00–204.003,9355
Slaughter Cattle · Cows16 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,114127.73/cwt121.00–139.001,4234
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,125137.00/cwt137.00–137.001,5411
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,238163.48/cwt161.00–164.002,0246
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,279166.05/cwt165.00–168.502,1249
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,343141.37/cwt139.00–145.001,8997
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,400158.00/cwt158.00–158.002,2121
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,410170.18/cwt170.00–172.002,40032
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,440167.48/cwt159.00–169.002,41233
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,470148.63/cwt147.00–152.002,1853
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Non-Traditional1,490188.00/cwt188.00–188.002,8012
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,516152.80/cwt151.00–155.002,3168
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,620155.00/cwt155.00–155.002,5111
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,657160.57/cwt160.00–162.502,6615
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,668169.50/cwt169.50–169.502,8272
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,733153.98/cwt152.00–158.002,6684
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,738165.51/cwt165.00–166.002,8772
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Cows2 lots · lightest first
Dairy Cows—Lean 85-90%1,338131.36/cwt127.00–136.001,7582
Dairy Cows—Boner 80-85%1,630139.00/cwt139.00–139.002,2666
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows4 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2023,138.03/head3,100.00–3,150.003,1389
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2202,100.00/head2,100.00–2,100.002,1001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,3472,700.00/head2,700.00–2,700.002,7005
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,6442,900.00/head2,900.00–2,900.002,9004
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows4 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,018228.45/cwt202.50–257.502,3262
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,033251.00/cwt240.00–280.002,59315
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,046243.54/cwt213.00–253.002,54714
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,173183.73/cwt174.00–190.002,1555
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs2 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,5274,100.00/head4,100.00–4,100.004,10015
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,6683,200.00/head3,200.00–3,200.003,2005

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.