Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2026-03-25

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Mar 25
● Final100 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
498 head
▼ 149 vs last sale 647▲ 64 vs year ago 434 · +14.7%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
299 head
▲ 123 vs last sale 176▼ 329 vs year ago 628 · −52.4%
Replacement Cattle receipts
224 head
▲ 152 vs last sale 72▲ 22 vs year ago 202 · +10.9%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week (3-18-26): Feeder cattle too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed on a lower quality offering. Quality this week was mostly plain and offered in small packages or as singles. A large portion of todays sale was offered as singles making putting together loads difficult for buyers. Many blemished calves or cutback calves off video sales were seen today. Demand was mostly moderate to good for light offerings. A small to moderate size crowd was on hand for todays sale. Market activity was moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand again this week. Almost every cow purchased today was once again purchased to feed in some capacity. Feeding cows sold unevenly steady, with high quality cows selling higher and average and poorer quality cows selling lower. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. A few sets of cows which had be started on feed sold this week. Weigh up conditions were mixed this week with lots of variation noticed. Cows with blemishes were also heavily purchased to feed this week as buyers pushed cow prices well over packer buyers orders for slaughter cows. Very few cows were purchased for immediate harvest as feeding cow demand held cow prices above slaughter cow orders. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady. Feeding bull buyers were very aggressive in buying bulls to feed. Feeding bulls sold generally steady. Demand for young cows remains very good. Young age offerings sold mostly steady to 10.00 higher with higher prices seen on light weight offerings which had recently lost calves. Quality this week was average to attractive, and similar to last weeks offering.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $413.80/cwt on 51 head, down $6.62 from the prior sale (only 14 head in that comparison). That ranks 12 of 19 comparable sales and sits +18.35 against this barn's trailing median of $395.45.
Average price
$413.80
▼ 6.62 vs prior sale
51 head · 544 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,251
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$374
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2
$61.06/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−1.37
vs MT average
−11.39 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1559421.062,35418thin
Medium and Large 1-2536411.402,20332
Medium and Large 2550360.001,9801thin
One grade step is worth $61.06/cwt here — about $374 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 500–600 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 sale51 hd
413.80
—
MT average2 barns · 53 hd
415.17
−1.37
National average176 barns · 15,314 hd
425.19
−11.39
This barn, trailing median19 sales
395.45
+18.35
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
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—Low1,736199.943,47245
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,397174.612,439130
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,611174.132,80546
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,096154.801,69662

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 Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,252$4,13411
Bred Heifers3rd Stage (7-9 mo)(<2 yrs)1,215$4,0001thin

Every lot

100 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 · Steers16 lots · lightest first
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1-2266615.00/cwt615.00–615.001,6364
Steers300–350Medium and Large 2308535.00/cwt535.00–535.001,6482
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned378525.00/cwt525.00–525.001,9854
Steers350–400Medium and Large 2395525.00/cwt525.00–525.002,0746
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1444575.00/cwt575.00–575.002,5537
Steers400–450Medium and Large 2444495.00/cwt495.00–495.002,1984
Steers450–500Medium and Large 2460470.00/cwt470.00–470.002,1621
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1486532.02/cwt530.00–532.502,58615
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1525525.00/cwt525.00–525.002,7565
Steers550–600Medium and Large 2552360.00/cwt360.00–360.001,9873
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2557442.50/cwt442.50–442.502,4653
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2649422.50/cwt422.50–422.502,7425
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2662415.00/cwt415.00–415.002,74712
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1665431.00/cwt431.00–431.002,8662
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1-2800350.00/cwt350.00–350.002,8001
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1825361.00/cwt361.00–361.002,9784
Feeder Cattle · Heifers21 lots · lightest first
Heifers200–250Medium and Large 1-2247565.00/cwt565.00–565.001,3965
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2336500.00/cwt500.00–500.001,6807
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned421460.00/cwt460.00–460.001,9376
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2425425.58/cwt425.00–430.001,8099
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2440485.00/cwt485.00–485.002,1343
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2527413.21/cwt412.50–430.002,17824
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 2550360.00/cwt360.00–360.001,9801
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1559421.06/cwt419.00–425.002,35418
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2561405.97/cwt405.00–410.002,2778
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2608395.00/cwt395.00–395.002,4025
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 2610367.50/cwt367.50–367.502,2421
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1611403.83/cwt397.50–405.002,46711
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2670339.96/cwt327.50–355.002,2787
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1672384.42/cwt360.00–391.002,58330
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 2709306.27/cwt302.50–310.002,1716
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1723356.63/cwt352.50–360.002,57811
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2741347.08/cwt347.00–347.502,5726
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1772344.75/cwt344.00–345.002,6618
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2790329.55/cwt327.50–338.002,6035
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1816321.24/cwt319.00–325.002,6218
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1998299.00/cwt299.00–299.002,9843
Feeder Cattle · Bulls18 lots · lightest first
Bulls50–100Medium and Large 1-298750.00/head750.00–750.007502
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1-2367575.00/cwt575.00–575.002,1106
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1-2445495.00/cwt495.00–495.002,2031
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2478500.00/cwt500.00–500.002,39015
Bulls500–550Medium 2502380.00/cwt380.00–380.001,9083
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1-2530450.00/cwt450.00–450.002,3851
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 2590335.00/cwt335.00–335.001,9771
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed604400.00/cwt400.00–400.002,41617
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 2618347.33/cwt335.00–365.002,1465
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 2725305.00/cwt305.00–305.002,2111
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 1-2768362.50/cwt362.50–362.502,7842
Bulls900–950Medium and Large 1924317.50/cwt317.50–317.502,9344
Bulls950–1000Medium and Large 1-2975300.00/cwt300.00–300.002,9252
Bulls1000–1050Large 1-21,040290.00/cwt290.00–290.003,0161
Bulls1100–1150Large 1-21,110240.00/cwt240.00–240.002,6641
Bulls1100–1150Large 11,130260.00/cwt260.00–260.002,9384
Bulls1150–1200Large 11,190253.34/cwt250.00–255.003,0159
Bulls1250–1300Large 1-21,265205.00/cwt205.00–205.002,5931
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls7 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Light Weight1,460177.50/cwt177.50–177.502,5921
Bulls——Return to Feed1,578204.91/cwt196.00–215.003,23318
Bulls——Return to Feed1,684194.44/cwt187.50–197.003,2749
Bulls——1,698168.94/cwt160.00–179.002,8695
Bulls——2,027210.63/cwt203.00–216.004,2699
Bulls——2,080216.49/cwt216.00–217.004,5032
Bulls——2,225208.00/cwt208.00–208.004,6281
Slaughter Cattle · Cows22 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight81090.00/cwt90.00–90.007291
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight905132.50/cwt132.50–132.501,1991
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight995105.00/cwt105.00–105.001,0451
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,010154.40/cwt144.00–164.501,55921
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,125172.70/cwt167.00–177.501,94317
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,157180.42/cwt179.00–182.002,0875
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,173149.02/cwt144.00–159.001,7486
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,188128.53/cwt115.00–137.501,5278
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,205162.50/cwt162.50–162.501,9581
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,320136.20/cwt132.00–139.001,7983
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,345105.00/cwt105.00–105.001,4121
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,394183.73/cwt182.00–191.002,56154
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,395174.61/cwt168.00–181.002,43643
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,409162.63/cwt150.00–167.502,29120
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,416159.84/cwt155.50–162.002,2638
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,425165.17/cwt164.50–166.002,3542
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,521182.00/cwt182.00–182.002,7686
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,573177.27/cwt171.00–180.002,78823
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,618181.45/cwt181.00–182.002,9362
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,663166.17/cwt162.00–170.002,7637
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,735165.85/cwt164.00–170.002,8775
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,748161.84/cwt159.00–164.002,8293
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows13 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed735342.50/cwt342.50–342.502,5171
Stock Cows—Medium 2805220.00/cwt220.00–220.001,7711
Stock Cows—Medium 1-2834219.59/cwt200.00–255.001,8314
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 2870225.00/cwt225.00–225.001,9581
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,022243.68/cwt220.00–315.002,4906
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,061276.94/cwt225.00–365.002,93868
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,069238.83/cwt181.00–290.002,55318
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,086256.14/cwt172.00–340.002,78274
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy1,125250.00/cwt250.00–250.002,8131
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,173249.00/cwt249.00–249.002,9218
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,195178.00/cwt178.00–178.002,1271
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,239202.00/cwt185.00–222.502,50318
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,443187.50/cwt187.50–187.502,7063
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows2 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,0303,600.00/head3,600.00–3,600.003,6001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2744,187.91/head4,100.00–4,300.004,18810
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 11,2154,000.00/head4,000.00–4,000.004,0001

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.