Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2026-02-18

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2026-02-18
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-02-18

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Feb 18

● Final87 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← Feb 11Feb 18Feb 25 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

809 head

▲ 730 vs last sale 79▲ 654 vs year ago 155 · +421.9%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

182 head

▲ 28 vs last sale 154▼ 266 vs year ago 448 · −59.4%

Replacement Cattle receipts

145 head

▲ 67 vs last sale 78▲ 87 vs year ago 58 · +150.0%

Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week (2-11-26): Feeder cattle were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. This is the first feeder special in three weeks making comparisons difficult. Demand was mostly good to very good for light offerings. The best demand continues to be for cattle suitable to develop into yearlings. Many buyers still have large orders to fill for summer grazing. Package sizes were light to moderate this sale and buyers struggled to put together loads of like quality cattle. This hindered demand in places, particularly on cattle to heavy to go to grass. Flesh conditions were mostly moderate to moderate plus this sale with a few fleshy cattle noticed. Flesh hindered demand in places as well. Quality overall was mixed from plain to attractive with lots of variation noticed. Market activity was mostly active with a moderate size crowd of order buyers and ranchers in the stands. Weigh up cows sold on mostly very good demand for light offerings. Feeding cow demand continues to drive the market. Feeding cows sold mostly 4.00-8.00 higher as buyers bid on light offerings. Packer buyers were significantly more aggressive this sale as they bid on high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white. Very few cows were purchased for immediate harvest this sale as only severally blemished cows sold to slaughter buyers. Feeding buyers were willing to take cows which were slightly lame to feed this week at significantly higher prices which pushed most slaughter buyers out of the market. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 10.00 higher on very good demand. Packers and feeding bull buyers both showed good demand for bulls which pushed offerings sharply higher. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on good demand. Quality this week was average to attractive. Several cows which recently lost calves sold this sale and demand for these offerings was good to very good. Young age offerings sold mostly 10.00 higher in a narrow comparison.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $507.59/cwt on 58 head. That ranks 10 of 10 comparable sales and sits +52.68 against this barn's trailing median of $454.92.

Average price

$507.59

58 head · 547 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,774

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$136

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$10.92/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+3.69

vs MT average

+20.24 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	550	510.92	2,811	38
Medium and Large 1-2	540	501.40	2,709	18thin
Large 1	535	500.00	2,675	2thin

One grade step is worth $10.92/cwt here — about $136 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 sale58 hd

507.59

—

MT average3 barns · 341 hd

503.90

+3.69

National average178 barns · 13,390 hd

487.35

+20.24

This barn, trailing median10 sales

454.92

+52.68

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

10 sales

Steers 500–600 lb: high $510.69, low $392.59, median $454.92 across 10 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	1,784	193.96	3,461	22
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,432	176.78	2,532	100
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,667	174.31	2,906	31
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,164	144.42	1,681	28

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	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,435	$3,350	3thin
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,467	$3,143	7
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,300	$2,900	3thin

Every lot

87 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 · Steers29 lots · lightest first
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1	360	647.50/cwt	647.50–647.50	2,331	12
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2	360	623.21/cwt	615.00–635.00	2,244	6
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 2	414	540.00/cwt	540.00–540.00	2,236	4
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1	420	625.52/cwt	620.00–632.50	2,627	10
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	425	602.50/cwt	602.50–602.50	2,561	1
Steers	400–450	Medium 1	432	564.80/cwt	560.00–575.00	2,440	6
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	468	580.78/cwt	575.00–582.50	2,718	27
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	524	526.21/cwt	523.00–532.00	2,757	11
Steers	500–550	Large 1	535	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	2,675	2
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1	538	521.93/cwt	514.00–550.00	2,808	18
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	561	501.02/cwt	489.00–510.00	2,811	20
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	566	462.42/cwt	440.00–480.00	2,617	7
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	624	454.65/cwt	440.00–468.00	2,837	23
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	645	415.00/cwt	415.00–415.00	2,677	2
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	681	424.29/cwt	418.00–437.00	2,889	50
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 2	682	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	2,251	5
Steers	700–750	Medium 1	718	376.00/cwt	376.00–376.00	2,700	2
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	736	398.48/cwt	394.00–403.00	2,933	4
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	738	365.00/cwt	365.00–365.00	2,694	6
Steers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2Full	772	362.00/cwt	362.00–362.00	2,795	13
Steers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	775	367.58/cwt	364.00–374.00	2,849	27
Steers	750–800	Medium and Large 2	783	342.50/cwt	342.50–342.50	2,682	2
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	800	351.00/cwt	351.00–351.00	2,808	7
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 1	815	367.00/cwt	367.00–367.00	2,991	1
Steers	850–900	Medium and Large 1	855	359.00/cwt	359.00–359.00	3,069	37
Steers	850–900	Medium and Large 1-2	882	339.00/cwt	339.00–339.00	2,990	3
Steers	850–900	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	883	338.00/cwt	338.00–338.00	2,985	6
Steers	900–950	Medium and Large 1	902	347.00/cwt	347.00–347.00	3,130	35
Steers	900–950	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	924	336.73/cwt	331.00–339.00	3,111	18
Feeder Cattle · Heifers17 lots · lightest first
Heifers	350–400	Medium 1	378	545.00/cwt	545.00–545.00	2,060	6
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2	378	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	1,890	2
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	417	534.57/cwt	515.00–545.00	2,229	9
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 2	430	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	2,021	1
Heifers	450–500	Medium 1	456	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	2,143	5
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	456	455.00/cwt	455.00–455.00	2,075	4
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	473	505.00/cwt	505.00–505.00	2,389	4
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1	517	483.17/cwt	480.00–489.00	2,498	35
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	542	451.66/cwt	440.00–465.00	2,448	12
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	577	446.82/cwt	439.00–460.00	2,578	139
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	585	425.00/cwt	425.00–425.00	2,486	2
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	604	390.00/cwt	390.00–390.00	2,356	4
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	631	395.00/cwt	395.00–395.00	2,492	10
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2	690	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,484	4
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	747	359.00/cwt	359.00–359.00	2,682	7
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1	755	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,718	8
Heifers	850–900	Medium and Large 1	851	348.00/cwt	348.00–348.00	2,961	29
Feeder Cattle · Bulls11 lots · lightest first
Bulls	350–400	Medium and Large 2	392	534.98/cwt	530.00–540.00	2,097	4
Bulls	450–500	Medium and Large 1	475	570.00/cwt	570.00–570.00	2,708	1
Bulls	500–550	Medium and Large 1	548	509.00/cwt	509.00–509.00	2,789	2
Bulls	600–650	Medium and Large 1	625	427.50/cwt	427.50–427.50	2,672	4
Bulls	700–750	Medium and Large 1	710	382.50/cwt	382.50–382.50	2,716	2
Bulls	700–750	Large 1	718	384.00/cwt	384.00–384.00	2,757	2
Bulls	750–800	Medium and Large 1	765	365.00/cwt	365.00–365.00	2,792	1
Bulls	800–850	Medium and Large 1	836	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,842	4
Bulls	850–900	Large 1	863	329.00/cwt	327.50–330.00	2,839	5
Bulls	1050–1100	Large 1-2	1,053	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	2,738	4
Bulls	1150–1200	Large 1	1,154	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	3,058	5
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,597	195.19/cwt	188.00–200.50	3,117	8
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,657	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	2,767	3
Bulls	—	—	1,880	218.00/cwt	218.00–218.00	4,098	1
Bulls	—	—	1,963	198.67/cwt	189.00–203.50	3,900	10
Slaughter Cattle · Cows15 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	965	100.00/cwt	100.00–100.00	965	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,158	119.17/cwt	117.00–122.00	1,380	11
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,169	176.56/cwt	170.00–179.00	2,064	6
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,180	147.66/cwt	136.00–161.00	1,742	7
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,207	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	2,173	3
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,404	162.95/cwt	145.00–168.00	2,288	7
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,421	182.08/cwt	180.00–185.00	2,587	38
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,439	178.03/cwt	174.00–180.00	2,562	50
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,468	134.27/cwt	131.00–137.50	1,971	3
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,508	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	2,624	2
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,520	156.93/cwt	150.00–164.00	2,385	2
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,653	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	2,628	5
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,662	178.21/cwt	178.00–181.00	2,962	13
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,679	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	2,921	3
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,719	177.74/cwt	176.50–179.00	3,055	8
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows8 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium 1	775	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	1,666	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	964	245.93/cwt	185.00–285.00	2,371	8
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	979	249.52/cwt	225.00–275.00	2,443	4
Stock Cows	—	Large 1	1,088	237.50/cwt	237.50–237.50	2,584	3
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	1,102	238.93/cwt	220.00–250.00	2,633	3
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,116	243.64/cwt	185.00–312.50	2,719	95
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,141	237.38/cwt	220.00–277.50	2,709	5
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,155	199.00/cwt	199.00–199.00	2,298	2
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows3 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,300	2,900.00/head	2,900.00–2,900.00	2,900	3
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	1,435	3,350.00/head	3,350.00–3,350.00	3,350	3
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	1,467	3,142.82/head	3,100.00–3,150.00	3,143	7

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 Feb 18, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 809Last week 79Year ago 155

Slaughter CattleReceipts 182Last week 154Year ago 448

Replacement CattleReceipts 145Last week 78Year ago 58

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	450–500	473	505.00	505.00
35	500–550	517	480.00–489.00	483.17
139	550–600	577	439.00–460.00	446.82
10	600–650	631	395.00	395.00
7	700–750	747	359.00	359.00
8	750–800	755	360.00	360.00
29	850–900	851	348.00	348.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	350–400	378	545.00	545.00
5	450–500	456	470.00	470.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	350–400	378	500.00	500.00
9	400–450	417	515.00–545.00	534.57
4	450–500	456	455.00	455.00
12	500–550	542	440.00–465.00	451.66
2	550–600	585	425.00	425.00
4	600–650	604	390.00	390.00
4	650–700	690	360.00	360.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	430	470.00	470.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
12	350–400	360	647.50	647.50
10	400–450	420	620.00–632.50	625.52
27	450–500	468	575.00–582.50	580.78
18	500–550	538	514.00–550.00	521.93
20	550–600	561	489.00–510.00	501.02
23	600–650	624	440.00–468.00	454.65
50	650–700	681	418.00–437.00	424.29
4	700–750	736	394.00–403.00	398.48
1	800–850	815	367.00	367.00
37	850–900	855	359.00	359.00
35	900–950	902	347.00	347.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	400–450	432	560.00–575.00	564.80
2	700–750	718	376.00	376.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
13	750–800	772	362.00	362.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
6	700–750	738	365.00	365.00
7	800–850	800	351.00	351.00
6	850–900	883	338.00	338.00
18	900–950	924	331.00–339.00	336.73

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	400–450	414	540.00	540.00
5	650–700	682	330.00	330.00
2	750–800	783	342.50	342.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	350–400	360	615.00–635.00	623.21
1	400–450	425	602.50	602.50
11	500–550	524	523.00–532.00	526.21
7	550–600	566	440.00–480.00	462.42
2	600–650	645	415.00	415.00
27	750–800	775	364.00–374.00	367.58
3	850–900	882	339.00	339.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	500–550	535	500.00	500.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	450–500	475	570.00	570.00
2	500–550	548	509.00	509.00
4	600–650	625	427.50	427.50
2	700–750	710	382.50	382.50
1	750–800	765	365.00	365.00
4	800–850	836	340.00	340.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	700–750	718	384.00	384.00
5	850–900	863	327.50–330.00	329.00
5	1150–1200	1,154	265.00	265.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	1050–1100	1,053	260.00	260.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	350–400	392	530.00–540.00	534.98

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	1,719	176.50–179.00	177.74
5	—	1,653	159.00	159.00
3	—	1,679	174.00	174.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,520	150.00–164.00	156.93
3	—	1,468	131.00–137.50	134.27

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	965	100.00	100.00
11	—	1,158	117.00–122.00	119.17

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	1,662	178.00–181.00	178.21
2	—	1,508	174.00	174.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
50	—	1,439	174.00–180.00	178.03
7	—	1,404	145.00–168.00	162.95
38	—	1,421	180.00–185.00	182.08

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,180	136.00–161.00	147.66
3	—	1,207	180.00	180.00
6	—	1,169	170.00–179.00	176.56

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	1,963	189.00–203.50	198.67
1	—	1,880	218.00	218.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,657	167.00	167.00
8	—	1,597	188.00–200.50	195.19

Replacement Cattle

As reported

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	4	—	979	225.00–275.00	249.52
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	8	—	964	185.00–285.00	245.93

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,102	220.00–250.00	238.93

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	775	215.00	215.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	5	—	1,141	220.00–277.50	237.38
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,155	199.00	199.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	95	—	1,116	185.00–312.50	243.64

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,088	237.50	237.50

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)	3	—	1,300	2,900.00	2,900.00

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)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	3	—	1,435	3,350.00	3,350.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	7	—	1,467	3,100.00–3,150.00	3,142.82

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.