Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2025-10-29

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Oct 29
● Final80 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
772 head
▲ 228 vs last sale 544▲ 230 vs year ago 542 · +42.4%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
1,290 head
▲ 213 vs last sale 1,077▲ 202 vs year ago 1,088 · +18.6%
Replacement Cattle receipts
514 head
▼ 61 vs last sale 575▲ 56 vs year ago 458 · +12.2%
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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 to develop any market trend. Demand for calves and yearlings was light to moderate. Quality was mostly plain to average this week with many cut back cattle seen. Most feeder offerings were offered in small packages with many singles noticed. Most calves were un-weaned and very few had fall vaccinations. CME positions sold sharply higher today with all contracts moving 8.00-9.00 or more higher on the November and out contracts. Market activity was moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for heavy offerings. The majority of todays very large sale was comprised of weigh up cows and bred cows. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Small regional cow packers were in the market again this week, however they were not as aggressive as last week and purchased less cattle than the previous week. Slaughter cows sold 5.00-7.00 lower on breaking cows, boning cows and lean cows sold 5.00-10.00 lower. Feeding cow demand was good to very good this week with a large pool of buyers in the stands and bidding over the internet. Demand for thin cows was very good as buyers purchased cows with lots of compensatory gain. Lean feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-5.00 higher. High quality feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower as lighter regional packer demand and very heavy supplies allowed for high quality feeding cows to soften. Very few short term feeding cows were purchased this week as a large buyer pool and very good demand for slightly lame or blemished cows kept short term feeding cows above where packers wanted to purchased this class of cows. Weigh conditions were average to below average this week. Many very full cows were seen this week. Slaughter bulls sold 1.00-2.00 lower. Bulls suitable to feed sold steady to 3.00 lower as packers showed lighter demand for all bulls. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold steady to firm. Demand for these offerings remains good to very good. Quality was mostly average to attractive.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $373.97/cwt on 60 head. That ranks 5 of 19 comparable sales and sits −21.48 against this barn's trailing median of $395.45.
Average price
$373.97
60 head · 561 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,097
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
—
single grade reported
vs the market
−24.73
vs MT average
−0.92 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1561373.972,09760
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 sale60 hd
373.97
—
MT average5 barns · 1,873 hd
398.70
−24.73
National average184 barns · 21,753 hd
374.89
−0.92
This barn, trailing median19 sales
395.45
−21.48
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—Low1,795179.743,22653
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,621171.942,78883
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,399170.282,383382
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,174161.081,892518
Dairy CowsBreaker 75-80%Low2,115134.002,8341thin
Dairy CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,643125.852,06829
Dairy CowsLean 85-90%Low1,570110.001,7271thin

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 Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,195$3,23916
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,126$3,22720
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,263$2,9745
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,314$2,94335
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,304$2,90949
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,364$2,85316
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,223$2,8503thin

Every lot

80 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 · Steers8 lots · lightest first
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned345595.00/cwt595.00–595.002,0532
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned369535.00/cwt535.00–535.001,9744
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned390480.00/cwt480.00–480.001,8721
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned426496.50/cwt495.00–497.502,1155
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned464460.00/cwt460.00–460.002,13410
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned560380.00/cwt380.00–380.002,1281
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned586405.42/cwt397.50–406.002,37656
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned616355.00/cwt355.00–355.002,1874
Feeder Cattle · Heifers14 lots · lightest first
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned421437.50/cwt437.50–437.501,8425
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned474411.14/cwt385.00–415.001,94916
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned480380.00/cwt380.00–380.001,8243
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned529385.74/cwt365.00–392.502,0414
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned563373.13/cwt357.50–374.002,10156
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Fancy607372.50/cwt372.50–372.502,2619
Heifers600–650Medium 1Unweaned648317.00/cwt317.00–317.002,0546
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1-2851306.00/cwt306.00–306.002,6047
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1891309.00/cwt309.00–309.002,7536
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1938307.00/cwt307.00–307.002,88010
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1Full953304.00/cwt304.00–304.002,8976
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1-2990296.00/cwt296.00–296.002,9306
Heifers1050–1100Large 11,053286.25/cwt282.50–287.003,0146
Heifers1100–1150Large 11,108285.00/cwt285.00–285.003,1583
Feeder Cattle · Bulls1 lot · lightest first
Bulls1100–1150Large 11,145240.00/cwt240.00–240.002,7481
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,597176.12/cwt167.00–182.502,81317
Bulls——Return to Feed1,681186.79/cwt186.00–187.003,14010
Bulls——1,768166.47/cwt152.00–175.002,9439
Bulls——2,013184.06/cwt181.00–192.003,70513
Bulls——2,269193.26/cwt193.00–194.004,3854
Slaughter Cattle · Cows24 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight92890.00/cwt90.00–90.008352
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight93582.50/cwt82.50–82.507711
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,021153.00/cwt153.00–153.001,5624
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,08973.08/cwt65.00–80.007964
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,153159.42/cwt130.00–168.501,838211
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,166178.99/cwt178.00–185.002,0876
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,170171.24/cwt170.00–173.002,00421
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,175105.08/cwt90.00–125.001,23539
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,202173.34/cwt169.00–177.002,084230
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,381173.85/cwt169.00–178.002,401230
Cows—Boner 80-85%Non-Traditional1,387186.67/cwt182.00–189.002,5893
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,410162.76/cwt137.00–168.002,29574
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,421182.52/cwt179.00–184.502,59449
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,466121.17/cwt100.00–135.001,77617
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,496152.50/cwt140.00–160.002,2815
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,548161.44/cwt157.00–166.002,49910
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,567174.43/cwt170.00–176.502,73340
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,610173.01/cwt165.00–180.002,7854
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,625181.00/cwt181.00–181.002,9411
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,649165.40/cwt159.00–168.002,7276
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,662174.80/cwt170.50–177.502,90520
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Non-Traditional1,670174.00/cwt174.00–174.002,9062
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight2,030164.00/cwt164.00–164.003,3291
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight2,098166.00/cwt166.00–166.003,4833
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Cows3 lots · lightest first
Dairy Cows—Lean 85-90%1,570110.00/cwt110.00–110.001,7271
Dairy Cows—Boner 80-85%1,643125.85/cwt120.00–127.002,06829
Dairy Cows—Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight2,115134.00/cwt134.00–134.002,8341
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows17 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,0523,159.46/head3,100.00–3,300.003,1598
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1763,271.58/head3,200.00–3,400.003,27212
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,1872,825.00/head2,825.00–2,825.002,82516
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1903,000.00/head3,000.00–3,000.003,0002
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1963,272.98/head3,100.00–3,500.003,27314
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,210217.00/cwt217.00–217.002,62630
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2232,850.00/head2,850.00–2,850.002,8503
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2372,992.84/head2,700.00–3,100.002,9934
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,239195.00/cwt195.00–195.002,4169
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3142,943.01/head2,700.00–3,000.002,94335
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,315185.00/cwt185.00–185.002,4332
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3302,930.41/head2,900.00–3,000.002,9306
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,3362,732.22/head2,300.00–2,825.002,7329
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3652,900.00/head2,900.00–2,900.002,9001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3713,031.81/head2,900.00–3,100.003,03224
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,3842,818.89/head2,750.00–2,850.002,8199
Bred Cows—Large 11,3852,700.00/head2,700.00–2,700.002,7001
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows7 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium 1765274.78/cwt265.00–285.002,1023
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed795285.00/cwt285.00–285.002,2661
Stock Cows—Large 1895260.00/cwt260.00–260.002,3271
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1919332.64/cwt232.50–367.003,057117
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2975207.49/cwt187.50–240.002,02311
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2979268.04/cwt245.00–286.002,6245
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,090233.50/cwt182.50–310.002,54579
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 1940325.00/cwt325.00–325.003,0551

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.