Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2025-10-08

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Oct 8
● Final92 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
479 head
▲ 224 vs last sale 255▲ 42 vs year ago 437 · +9.6%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
595 head
▲ 177 vs last sale 418▼ 22 vs year ago 617 · −3.6%
Replacement Cattle receipts
268 head
▲ 150 vs last sale 118▲ 106 vs year ago 162 · +65.4%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. All calves were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Demand for yearlings was mostly moderate to good for light offerings. Demand for calves was mostly good to very good for light offerings. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Most offerings were in small packages this week with many singles noted. Many blemished cattle continue to be seen as producers took advantage of record high feeder cattle prices. Market activity was active despite a light offering. Weigh up cows sold on mostly very good demand for moderate offerings. The majority of the offering was composed of weigh up cows and bulls. Quality this week was mostly average to very attractive with many reputation ranches selling cows post weaning. Slaughter cows were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on boning and lean cows, breaking cows sold with higher undertones as additional buyers purchased this class of cows this week. Very few offerings were purchased for slaughter again this week as feeding cow buyers and replacement buyers absorbed most of the offerings. Only extremely blemished cows, not suitable to feed, were purchased for immediate harvest this week. Feeding cows sold generally steady to 1.00 higher. Quality was a similar to last week. Weigh conditions were mostly average this week. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 lower on a lower quality offering. Demand for feeding bulls remains good, however quality limited demand as most offerings were not suitable to feed. Feeding bulls sold steady to weak on a lower quality offering. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold sharply higher with some set outselling open feeding heifers this sale. Demand for these offerings was very good with a large buyer pool bidding on offerings. Quality was mostly average to attractive. Demand and prices were similar for both coming 3 and coming 4 year old cows.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $402.00/cwt on 15 head. That ranks 12 of 19 comparable sales and sits +6.55 against this barn's trailing median of $395.45.
Average price
$402.00
15 head · 528 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,121
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$270
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1
$36.82/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−27.91
vs MT average
+17.61 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1533411.822,19411thin
Large 1513375.001,9244thin
One grade step is worth $36.82/cwt here — about $270 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 700–800 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 sale15 hd
402.00
—
MT average4 barns · 419 hd
429.91
−27.91
National average182 barns · 15,418 hd
384.39
+17.61
This barn, trailing median19 sales
395.45
+6.55
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—Low1,784187.513,34554
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,602174.332,79334
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,394167.712,338306
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,178152.111,792187
Dairy CowsLean 85-90%Low1,107113.001,2513thin

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/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,180$3,5755
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,141$3,2687
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,313$3,0002thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,300$2,9501thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,170$2,9001thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,361$2,8278

Every lot

92 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 · Steers18 lots · lightest first
Steers200–250Medium and Large 1Unweaned245750.00/cwt750.00–750.001,8383
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1Unweaned285705.00/cwt705.00–705.002,0091
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned322638.47/cwt635.00–645.002,0563
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned370585.00/cwt585.00–585.002,1654
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned402501.00/cwt501.00–501.002,0143
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned408555.00/cwt555.00–555.002,26417
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned469502.59/cwt485.00–530.002,35724
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned525470.00/cwt470.00–470.002,4683
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned527460.00/cwt460.00–460.002,4243
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned570438.98/cwt429.00–441.002,50212
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned644372.50/cwt372.50–372.502,3995
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned665414.73/cwt409.00–417.502,75825
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1Full761376.00/cwt376.00–376.002,8615
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2Full772372.50/cwt372.50–372.502,8763
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1Full884352.00/cwt352.00–352.003,11217
Steers950–1000Medium and Large 1Full968342.00/cwt342.00–342.003,31121
Steers1000–1050Medium and Large 1-21,000320.00/cwt320.00–320.003,2001
Steers1200–1250Large 1Fleshy1,228258.00/cwt258.00–258.003,1683
Feeder Cattle · Heifers22 lots · lightest first
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1Unweaned260660.00/cwt660.00–660.001,7162
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned348530.00/cwt530.00–530.001,8444
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned377513.81/cwt510.00–515.001,9374
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned436470.00/cwt470.00–470.002,0497
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned487457.50/cwt457.50–457.502,2285
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned488430.00/cwt430.00–430.002,0987
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned511420.00/cwt420.00–420.002,1465
Heifers500–550Large 1Unweaned513375.00/cwt375.00–375.001,9244
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned551405.00/cwt405.00–405.002,2326
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned631385.11/cwt377.50–394.502,43017
Heifers600–650Medium 1-2635350.00/cwt350.00–350.002,2233
Heifers700–750Large 1Unweaned702322.50/cwt322.50–322.502,2645
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1767360.00/cwt360.00–360.002,7613
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1816343.13/cwt341.00–350.002,80026
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1862343.26/cwt336.00–344.002,95911
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1-2868314.09/cwt312.50–318.002,7265
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1925324.50/cwt324.50–324.503,00219
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1969314.60/cwt312.50–315.503,04830
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1Full980308.24/cwt307.50–309.003,0218
Heifers1000–1050Medium and Large 11,030310.53/cwt306.00–312.003,1988
Heifers1050–1100Large 11,087295.50/cwt294.00–298.003,2128
Heifers1050–1100Large 1Full1,096285.00/cwt285.00–285.003,12410
Feeder Cattle · Bulls7 lots · lightest first
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned483500.00/cwt500.00–500.002,4156
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned488470.00/cwt470.00–470.002,2947
Bulls1050–1100Large 11,065295.00/cwt295.00–295.003,1421
Bulls1100–1150Large 11,140267.50/cwt267.50–267.503,0501
Bulls1150–1200Large 1-21,170252.50/cwt252.50–252.502,9541
Bulls1200–1250Large 11,210247.50/cwt247.50–247.502,9953
Bulls1250–1300Large 1-21,267225.00/cwt225.00–225.002,8516
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls7 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Light Weight1,260160.00/cwt160.00–160.002,0161
Bulls——Return to Feed1,655180.96/cwt171.00–185.002,99513
Bulls——Return to Feed1,686193.74/cwt188.00–198.503,2664
Bulls——1,731172.15/cwt162.00–185.002,9809
Bulls——1,833194.28/cwt188.00–199.003,56121
Bulls——2,054204.02/cwt202.00–205.004,1915
Bulls——2,480189.00/cwt189.00–189.004,6871
Slaughter Cattle · Cows20 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight790145.00/cwt145.00–145.001,1461
Cows—Boner 80-85%Light Weight958139.00/cwt139.00–139.001,3323
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight970110.00/cwt110.00–110.001,0671
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight995102.50/cwt102.50–102.501,0201
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,116141.84/cwt136.00–145.001,5837
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,147142.99/cwt131.00–155.001,64035
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,164128.05/cwt120.00–133.001,49155
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,181169.08/cwt159.00–174.001,99739
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,239176.11/cwt174.50–186.002,18248
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,360143.97/cwt141.00–147.501,9587
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,384133.90/cwt126.00–139.001,85319
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,392170.19/cwt162.00–174.502,369184
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,398176.43/cwt175.00–179.002,46674
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,492156.82/cwt142.50–163.002,34019
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,510171.00/cwt171.00–171.002,5821
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,526179.59/cwt174.00–188.002,74116
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Non-Traditional1,530192.00/cwt192.00–192.002,9381
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,670166.62/cwt164.50–170.002,7839
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,694172.34/cwt172.00–172.502,9196
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,820157.00/cwt157.00–157.002,8571
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Cows1 lot · lightest first
Dairy Cows—Lean 85-90%1,107113.00/cwt113.00–113.001,2513
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows7 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1413,268.27/head3,150.00–3,300.003,2687
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1702,900.00/head2,900.00–2,900.002,9001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1803,575.00/head3,575.00–3,575.003,5755
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,2002,400.00/head2,400.00–2,400.002,4001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3002,950.00/head2,950.00–2,950.002,9501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3133,000.00/head3,000.00–3,000.003,0002
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3842,888.31/head2,825.00–2,900.002,8887
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows10 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2881266.23/cwt220.00–312.502,34514
Stock Cows—Large 1985270.00/cwt270.00–270.002,6601
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1997292.10/cwt239.00–340.002,91238
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,000179.30/cwt176.00–182.501,7932
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,080220.00/cwt220.00–220.002,3761
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,103257.23/cwt168.00–327.502,83761
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,222165.00/cwt165.00–165.002,01619
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,238215.06/cwt179.00–236.002,66227
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,238179.51/cwt175.00–181.002,2229
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,243262.00/cwt262.00–262.003,2573

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.