Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2026-01-28

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2026-01-28
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-01-28

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Jan 28

● Final75 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← Jan 21Jan 28Feb 4 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

1,485 head

▼ 2,489 vs last sale 3,974▼ 673 vs year ago 2,158 · −31.2%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

85 head

▼ 125 vs last sale 210▼ 315 vs year ago 400 · −78.8%

Replacement Cattle receipts

70 head

▼ 68 vs last sale 138▼ 63 vs year ago 133 · −47.4%

Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week (1-21-26): Feeder steers under 500 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. 500-749 lbs steers sold fully steady. Heifers under 450 lbs were too lightly tested to develop any market trend, heifers over 450 lbs sold generally steady. Feeder cattle all sold on good to very good demand for light to moderate offerings. Quality this week was average to attractive and overall was not as attractive as last weeks sale. Package sizes overall were smaller this week forcing buyers to piece together loads. Buyers continue to show very good demand for all offering suitable to develop into yearlings. Offerings too big to go to grass sold on good demand with several cooperate packer orders and private feeding orders fighting over high quality offerings. Demand for heavy weight feeding heifers was very good as feeding demand surpassed demand from replacement buyers again this week. A large crowd was on hand again this week. Market activity was active as a result. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand and light offerings. Feeding cows sold mostly 5.00-8.00 higher. A larger crowd of feeding buyers were present for todays light offering. Packers showed stronger demand for slaughter cows this week as cold and snowy conditions in the Midwest and upper plains have limited the volume of cattle available. Slaughter cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand this week. Slaughter cows were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on breaking cows and higher undertones were noticed on boning and lean cow. Very few cows were purchased to slaughter this week as feeding demand kept prices above breakeven for packers. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Young age offerings were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on an average quality offering.

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 $442.41/cwt on 247 head. That ranks 17 of 19 comparable sales and sits +46.95 against this barn's trailing median of $395.45.

Average price

$442.41

247 head · 539 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,387

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$742

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

$155.92/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+1.67

vs MT average

+4.76 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	538	455.92	2,452	179
Large 1	549	423.38	2,322	8thin
Medium and Large 1-2	541	414.16	2,239	55
Medium and Large 2	570	300.00	1,710	5thin

One grade step is worth $155.92/cwt here — about $742 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 sale247 hd

442.41

—

MT average3 barns · 321 hd

440.74

+1.67

National average68 barns · 7,217 hd

437.65

+4.76

This barn, trailing median19 sales

395.45

+46.95

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	—	Average	1,857	179.18	3,327	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,761	160.42	2,824	13
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,368	159.20	2,178	37
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,157	145.54	1,683	20

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)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,765	$2,850	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,495	$2,550	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,227	$2,214	7

Every lot

75 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 · Steers20 lots · lightest first
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1	370	645.00/cwt	640.00–670.00	2,387	6
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1	423	608.09/cwt	600.00–610.00	2,572	10
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 2	423	405.00/cwt	405.00–405.00	1,713	3
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	440	510.00/cwt	510.00–510.00	2,244	4
Steers	400–450	Large 1	448	485.00/cwt	485.00–485.00	2,173	2
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	463	576.34/cwt	545.00–595.00	2,668	15
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	477	515.00/cwt	515.00–515.00	2,457	3
Steers	450–500	Large 1	492	527.50/cwt	527.50–527.50	2,595	5
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	523	485.00/cwt	485.00–485.00	2,537	6
Steers	500–550	Large 1	525	505.10/cwt	500.00–510.00	2,652	2
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1	526	522.19/cwt	499.00–537.00	2,747	51
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 2	550	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,815	3
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	568	447.50/cwt	447.50–447.50	2,542	3
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	582	475.79/cwt	450.00–500.00	2,769	114
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	632	417.23/cwt	400.00–421.00	2,637	21
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	633	432.87/cwt	425.00–446.00	2,740	53
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	665	420.13/cwt	414.00–421.00	2,794	29
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	714	401.50/cwt	401.50–401.50	2,867	29
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	734	374.36/cwt	372.00–379.00	2,748	6
Steers	850–900	Medium and Large 1-2	869	341.00/cwt	341.00–341.00	2,963	4
Feeder Cattle · Heifers23 lots · lightest first
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1	374	540.00/cwt	540.00–540.00	2,020	7
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 2	375	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	1,763	1
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1	427	492.54/cwt	492.00–495.00	2,103	17
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	434	492.23/cwt	450.00–500.00	2,136	12
Heifers	400–450	Medium 1	449	476.00/cwt	476.00–476.00	2,137	4
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	474	453.05/cwt	405.00–468.00	2,147	72
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	478	478.91/cwt	467.50–488.00	2,289	159
Heifers	450–500	Medium 2	480	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	1,416	2
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1	531	460.45/cwt	436.00–468.00	2,445	149
Heifers	500–550	Large 1	532	432.50/cwt	432.50–432.50	2,301	6
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	533	417.75/cwt	412.50–435.00	2,227	47
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 2	570	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,710	5
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	572	433.40/cwt	420.00–443.00	2,479	30
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	586	393.05/cwt	390.00–394.00	2,303	8
Heifers	550–600	Large 1	598	396.00/cwt	396.00–396.00	2,368	2
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	626	396.80/cwt	389.00–418.00	2,484	94
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	635	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	2,254	3
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	662	390.62/cwt	366.00–395.00	2,586	46
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2	685	348.68/cwt	347.00–356.00	2,388	119
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	718	364.28/cwt	361.00–365.50	2,616	50
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	731	352.22/cwt	349.00–353.00	2,575	5
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1	756	351.33/cwt	349.00–352.50	2,656	9
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	762	336.00/cwt	336.00–336.00	2,560	15
Feeder Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls	450–500	Medium and Large 1	470	545.57/cwt	535.00–550.00	2,564	9
Bulls	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	530	485.00/cwt	485.00–485.00	2,571	2
Bulls	900–950	Medium and Large 1-2	949	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	2,752	7
Feeder Cattle · Beef/Dairy Steers2 lots · lightest first
Beef/Dairy Steers	850–900	Large 1-2	891	326.00/cwt	326.00–326.00	2,905	24
Beef/Dairy Steers	1000–1050	Large 1-2	1,005	282.50/cwt	282.50–282.50	2,839	6
Feeder Cattle · Beef/Dairy Heifers2 lots · lightest first
Beef/Dairy Heifers	700–750	Large 1-2	723	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	2,422	8
Beef/Dairy Heifers	800–850	Large 1-2	846	311.00/cwt	311.00–311.00	2,631	37
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,588	178.76/cwt	177.00–180.00	2,839	3
Bulls	—	—	1,635	168.38/cwt	156.00–179.00	2,753	2
Bulls	—	—	2,040	181.43/cwt	178.00–185.00	3,701	4
Bulls	—	—	2,375	193.00/cwt	193.00–193.00	4,584	1
Slaughter Cattle · Cows13 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,010	86.31/cwt	75.00–97.50	872	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,115	121.15/cwt	120.00–122.50	1,351	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,155	160.85/cwt	159.00–168.00	1,858	8
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,175	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	2,009	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,195	138.87/cwt	127.50–148.00	1,659	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,215	152.05/cwt	143.00–163.00	1,847	5
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,298	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,623	2
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,351	167.44/cwt	160.00–173.00	2,262	27
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,420	141.01/cwt	135.00–145.00	2,002	6
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,515	136.74/cwt	130.00–143.00	2,072	2
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,578	167.64/cwt	165.00–169.00	2,645	3
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,648	152.50/cwt	142.00–159.00	2,513	5
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,983	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	3,252	5
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows4 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	860	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	2,451	6
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	923	247.23/cwt	245.00–255.00	2,282	5
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	973	241.41/cwt	180.00–280.00	2,349	12
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,086	236.61/cwt	210.00–280.00	2,570	32
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows4 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	1,225	2,375.00/head	2,375.00–2,375.00	2,375	4
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	1,230	2,000.00/head	2,000.00–2,000.00	2,000	3
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,495	2,550.00/head	2,550.00–2,550.00	2,550	1
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,765	2,850.00/head	2,850.00–2,850.00	2,850	1

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 28, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 1,485Last week 3,974Year ago 2,158

Slaughter CattleReceipts 85Last week 210Year ago 400

Replacement CattleReceipts 70Last week 138Year ago 133

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	400–450	440	510.00	510.00
3	450–500	477	515.00	515.00
6	500–550	523	485.00	485.00
3	550–600	568	447.50	447.50
21	600–650	632	400.00–421.00	417.23
6	700–750	734	372.00–379.00	374.36
4	850–900	869	341.00	341.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	350–400	370	640.00–670.00	645.00
10	400–450	423	600.00–610.00	608.09
15	450–500	463	545.00–595.00	576.34
51	500–550	526	499.00–537.00	522.19
114	550–600	582	450.00–500.00	475.79
53	600–650	633	425.00–446.00	432.87
29	650–700	665	414.00–421.00	420.13
29	700–750	714	401.50	401.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	400–450	423	405.00	405.00
3	550–600	550	330.00	330.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	400–450	448	485.00	485.00
5	450–500	492	527.50	527.50
2	500–550	525	500.00–510.00	505.10

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7	350–400	374	540.00	540.00
17	400–450	427	492.00–495.00	492.54
159	450–500	478	467.50–488.00	478.91
149	500–550	531	436.00–468.00	460.45
30	550–600	572	420.00–443.00	433.40
94	600–650	626	389.00–418.00	396.80
46	650–700	662	366.00–395.00	390.62
50	700–750	718	361.00–365.50	364.28
9	750–800	756	349.00–352.50	351.33

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	450–500	480	295.00	295.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
12	400–450	434	450.00–500.00	492.23
72	450–500	474	405.00–468.00	453.05
47	500–550	533	412.50–435.00	417.75
8	550–600	586	390.00–394.00	393.05
3	600–650	635	355.00	355.00
119	650–700	685	347.00–356.00	348.68
5	700–750	731	349.00–353.00	352.22
15	750–800	762	336.00	336.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	400–450	449	476.00	476.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	500–550	532	432.50	432.50
2	550–600	598	396.00	396.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	375	470.00	470.00
5	550–600	570	300.00	300.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Beef/Dairy Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
24	850–900	891	326.00	326.00
6	1000–1050	1,005	282.50	282.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Beef/Dairy Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	700–750	723	335.00	335.00
37	800–850	846	311.00	311.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	500–550	530	485.00	485.00
7	900–950	949	290.00	290.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
9	450–500	470	535.00–550.00	545.57

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,215	143.00–163.00	152.05
8	—	1,155	159.00–168.00	160.85
1	—	1,175	171.00	171.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,648	142.00–159.00	152.50
5	—	1,983	164.00	164.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,298	125.00	125.00
6	—	1,420	135.00–145.00	141.01

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,115	120.00–122.50	121.15
2	—	1,195	127.50–148.00	138.87
2	—	1,010	75.00–97.50	86.31

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,578	165.00–169.00	167.64

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
27	—	1,351	160.00–173.00	167.44
2	—	1,515	130.00–143.00	136.74

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	2,040	178.00–185.00	181.43
1	—	2,375	193.00	193.00
2	—	1,635	156.00–179.00	168.38

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,588	177.00–180.00	178.76

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	6	—	860	285.00	285.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	32	—	1,086	210.00–280.00	236.61

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	5	—	923	245.00–255.00	247.23
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	12	—	973	180.00–280.00	241.41

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 Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	1,495	2,550.00	2,550.00

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)	1	—	1,765	2,850.00	2,850.00

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)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	4	—	1,225	2,375.00	2,375.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	3	—	1,230	2,000.00	2,000.00

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.