Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2026-01-07

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2026-01-07
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-01-07

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Jan 7

● Final76 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← Dec 3Jan 7Jan 14 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

343 head

▲ 188 vs last sale 155▼ 20 vs year ago 363 · −5.5%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

1,088 head

▲ 374 vs last sale 714▲ 519 vs year ago 569 · +91.2%

Replacement Cattle receipts

318 head

▲ 33 vs last sale 285▲ 116 vs year ago 202 · +57.4%

Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week (12-03-25): The last Wednesday sale was over a month ago making market comparisons difficult. Feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Demand for feeder cattle was good to very good for light offerings. Most feeders were offered in small groups or as singles. Quality was mostly plain, with a small selection of attractive quality cattle noted. A small crowd was on hand for todays sale. Market activity was mostly active despite a small buyer pool. Weigh up cows comprised most of the sale. With the last sale being over a month ago comparisons for cows are difficult, however higher undertones were noticed on all classes of feeding offerings. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested last sale to develop any market trend. Slaughter bulls sold with higher undertones in a narrow comparison. Quality was mostly average to very attractive today with many high quality cows selling off reputation ranches. Packers and private feeders both showed good to very good demand for all offerings to feed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested last sale to develop any market trend. Demand for young offerings was mostly moderate. Quality was average to attractive.

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 $405.80/cwt on 31 head. That ranks 12 of 19 comparable sales and sits +10.35 against this barn's trailing median of $395.45.

Average price

$405.80

31 head · 544 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,209

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$305

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2

$43.12/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−9.57

vs MT average

−4.30 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	554	418.12	2,318	19thin
Medium and Large 1-2	522	394.39	2,059	7thin
Medium and Large 2	537	375.00	2,014	5thin

One grade step is worth $43.12/cwt here — about $305 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 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 sale31 hd

405.80

—

MT average2 barns · 101 hd

415.37

−9.57

National average199 barns · 28,725 hd

410.10

−4.30

This barn, trailing median19 sales

395.45

+10.35

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

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	1,800	169.60	3,053	79
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	Average	1,744	168.00	2,930	18
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,663	163.98	2,728	80
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,357	160.59	2,179	486
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,157	138.95	1,608	249

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	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,216	$3,498	5
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,173	$3,100	3thin
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,525	$2,540	7
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,442	$2,391	20

Every lot

76 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 · Steers11 lots · lightest first
Steers	300–350	Medium and Large 1-2	345	570.00/cwt	570.00–570.00	1,967	5
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1	375	680.00/cwt	680.00–680.00	2,550	1
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1	423	607.20/cwt	580.00–610.00	2,568	11
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	467	530.00/cwt	530.00–530.00	2,475	5
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1	526	508.27/cwt	470.00–525.00	2,674	16
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	546	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	2,457	4
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	565	471.32/cwt	465.00–485.00	2,663	11
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	625	436.00/cwt	436.00–436.00	2,725	9
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	626	417.58/cwt	415.00–420.00	2,614	8
Steers	700–750	Large 1	722	361.00/cwt	361.00–361.00	2,606	5
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	730	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	2,738	3
Feeder Cattle · Heifers15 lots · lightest first
Heifers	250–300	Medium and Large 1	260	667.50/cwt	667.50–667.50	1,736	1
Heifers	300–350	Medium and Large 1-2	323	490.00/cwt	490.00–490.00	1,583	3
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2	394	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	1,852	18
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1	435	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	2,175	2
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	443	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	1,994	2
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	456	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	2,143	4
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	467	423.27/cwt	420.00–430.00	1,977	9
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	522	394.39/cwt	380.00–420.00	2,059	7
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1	533	425.11/cwt	422.50–430.00	2,266	11
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 2	537	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	2,014	5
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	584	408.50/cwt	397.00–422.50	2,386	8
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	613	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	2,023	2
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	629	384.00/cwt	384.00–384.00	2,415	9
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 2	646	339.00/cwt	339.00–339.00	2,190	15
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	655	374.00/cwt	374.00–374.00	2,450	13
Feeder Cattle · Bulls9 lots · lightest first
Bulls	500–550	Medium and Large 1	525	445.00/cwt	445.00–445.00	2,336	5
Bulls	500–550	Medium and Large 2	538	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	1,829	7
Bulls	550–600	Medium and Large 1	580	405.00/cwt	405.00–405.00	2,349	3
Bulls	600–650	Medium and Large 1	620	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	2,356	6
Bulls	650–700	Medium and Large 1	674	372.97/cwt	370.00–375.00	2,514	5
Bulls	800–850	Large 1	848	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	2,629	2
Bulls	950–1000	Medium and Large 1	955	302.50/cwt	302.50–302.50	2,889	1
Bulls	1100–1150	Large 1	1,140	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	2,850	7
Bulls	1350–1400	Large 1	1,395	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	2,790	2
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Light Weight	1,245	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,556	1
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,641	165.07/cwt	150.00–172.00	2,709	26
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,715	179.07/cwt	174.00–182.00	3,071	8
Bulls	—	—	1,732	159.37/cwt	137.50–173.00	2,760	21
Bulls	—	—	2,081	180.67/cwt	175.00–184.00	3,760	17
Bulls	—	—	2,137	188.46/cwt	184.00–196.00	4,027	6
Slaughter Cattle · Cows23 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	898	98.25/cwt	95.00–105.00	882	3
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	925	83.88/cwt	65.00–90.00	776	5
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	978	125.27/cwt	118.00–132.50	1,225	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,126	128.50/cwt	124.00–139.00	1,447	21
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,134	116.19/cwt	100.00–122.50	1,318	72
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,150	141.48/cwt	124.00–152.50	1,627	31
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,160	142.50/cwt	142.50–142.50	1,653	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,162	89.42/cwt	85.00–92.50	1,039	4
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,164	167.77/cwt	165.00–170.00	1,953	5
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,203	160.43/cwt	153.00–164.50	1,930	105
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,340	174.21/cwt	171.00–177.00	2,334	121
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,352	162.36/cwt	153.00–170.00	2,195	296
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,388	117.65/cwt	107.50–125.00	1,633	31
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,399	144.51/cwt	128.00–152.50	2,022	18
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,434	131.24/cwt	125.00–138.00	1,882	19
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,568	138.37/cwt	130.00–154.00	2,170	6
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,573	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	2,249	4
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,605	168.00/cwt	168.00–168.00	2,696	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,606	168.01/cwt	160.00–173.00	2,698	40
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,661	173.85/cwt	173.50–175.00	2,888	4
Cows	—	Premium White 65-75%	1,744	168.00/cwt	168.00–168.00	2,930	18
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,757	170.75/cwt	169.00–171.50	3,000	6
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,797	163.80/cwt	160.00–168.00	2,943	20
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows6 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,173	3,100.00/head	3,100.00–3,100.00	3,100	3
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,216	3,498.44/head	3,400.00–3,600.00	3,498	5
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	1,413	2,350.00/head	2,350.00–2,350.00	2,350	8
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	1,461	2,417.63/head	2,400.00–2,450.00	2,418	12
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,517	2,650.00/head	2,650.00–2,650.00	2,650	3
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,531	2,457.12/head	2,400.00–2,475.00	2,457	4
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows6 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium 1	750	259.89/cwt	240.00–285.00	1,949	4
Stock Cows	—	Large 1	965	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	1,834	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	975	223.37/cwt	170.00–285.00	2,178	34
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,017	266.98/cwt	189.00–316.00	2,715	171
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,218	183.35/cwt	175.00–187.00	2,233	10
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	1,306	190.01/cwt	176.00–196.00	2,482	22

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 Jan 7, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 343Last week 155Year ago 363

Slaughter CattleReceipts 1,088Last week 714Year ago 569

Replacement CattleReceipts 318Last week 285Year ago 202

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	3	—	1,517	2,650.00	2,650.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	3	—	1,173	3,100.00	3,100.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	5	—	1,216	3,400.00–3,600.00	3,498.44

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	12	—	1,461	2,400.00–2,450.00	2,417.63

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)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	8	—	1,413	2,350.00	2,350.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	4	—	1,531	2,400.00–2,475.00	2,457.12

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	22	—	1,306	176.00–196.00	190.01

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	34	—	975	170.00–285.00	223.37

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	965	190.00	190.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	171	—	1,017	189.00–316.00	266.98
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	10	—	1,218	175.00–187.00	183.35

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	4	—	750	240.00–285.00	259.89

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	260	667.50	667.50
2	400–450	435	500.00	500.00
4	450–500	456	470.00	470.00
11	500–550	533	422.50–430.00	425.11
8	550–600	584	397.00–422.50	408.50
9	600–650	629	384.00	384.00
13	650–700	655	374.00	374.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	500–550	537	375.00	375.00
15	600–650	646	339.00	339.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	300–350	323	490.00	490.00
18	350–400	394	470.00	470.00
2	400–450	443	450.00	450.00
9	450–500	467	420.00–430.00	423.27
7	500–550	522	380.00–420.00	394.39
2	600–650	613	330.00	330.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	500–550	525	445.00	445.00
3	550–600	580	405.00	405.00
6	600–650	620	380.00	380.00
5	650–700	674	370.00–375.00	372.97
1	950–1000	955	302.50	302.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	500–550	538	340.00	340.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	800–850	848	310.00	310.00
7	1100–1150	1,140	250.00	250.00
2	1350–1400	1,395	200.00	200.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	375	680.00	680.00
11	400–450	423	580.00–610.00	607.20
5	450–500	467	530.00	530.00
16	500–550	526	470.00–525.00	508.27
11	550–600	565	465.00–485.00	471.32
9	600–650	625	436.00	436.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	700–750	722	361.00	361.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	300–350	345	570.00	570.00
4	500–550	546	450.00	450.00
8	600–650	626	415.00–420.00	417.58
3	700–750	730	375.00	375.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
26	—	1,641	150.00–172.00	165.07
8	—	1,715	174.00–182.00	179.07

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,245	125.00	125.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	2,081	175.00–184.00	180.67
6	—	2,137	184.00–196.00	188.46
21	—	1,732	137.50–173.00	159.37

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,661	173.50–175.00	173.85
4	—	1,573	143.00	143.00
40	—	1,606	160.00–173.00	168.01

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
105	—	1,203	153.00–164.50	160.43
31	—	1,150	124.00–152.50	141.48
5	—	1,164	165.00–170.00	167.77

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
19	—	1,434	125.00–138.00	131.24
31	—	1,388	107.50–125.00	117.65
1	—	1,605	168.00	168.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,757	169.00–171.50	170.75
20	—	1,797	160.00–168.00	163.80
6	—	1,568	130.00–154.00	138.37

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
72	—	1,134	100.00–122.50	116.19
21	—	1,126	124.00–139.00	128.50
4	—	1,162	85.00–92.50	89.42
1	—	1,160	142.50	142.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	898	95.00–105.00	98.25
5	—	925	65.00–90.00	83.88
2	—	978	118.00–132.50	125.27

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
296	—	1,352	153.00–170.00	162.36
18	—	1,399	128.00–152.50	144.51
121	—	1,340	171.00–177.00	174.21

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Premium White 65-75%$ per cwt · actual wt
18	—	1,744	168.00	168.00

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.