Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2026-08-05

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2026-08-05
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-08-05

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Aug 5

● Final75 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← Jul 29Aug 5Aug 19 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

173 head

▲ 15 vs last sale 158▼ 61 vs year ago 234 · −26.1%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

445 head

▲ 195 vs last sale 250▲ 150 vs year ago 295 · +50.8%

Replacement Cattle receipts

79 head

▼ 22 vs last sale 101▲ 38 vs year ago 41 · +92.7%

Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week (7-29-26): Feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly average with a few attractive consignments of yearling heifers noticed. Most offerings were in small packages or as singles, making it difficult for buyers to piece together loads. Demand was mostly moderate to good for yearlings and light to moderate for calves. Demand for calves suffered as hot days forecasted for the days ahead. CME positions saw another day of rebounding prices as live cattle futures led the rally. All contracts through January 2027 saw contracts improve over 2.00 and contacts from March and later saw 1.00 gains. Market activity was moderate to active with a small crowd of feeder buyers on hand. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand. Demand for feeding cows was moderate this week. Canadian buyers were back in the market this week as they purchased cows to ship north to feed. American packers and Canadian feeders both showed moderate to good demand for cows suitable to feed. Feeding cows sold steady to 3.00 lower on a lower quality offering. Weigh up conditions were also below average as many full cows were noticed this week. Cow quality this week was mostly plain to average and lower than last week. Slaughter cow demand was slightly stronger this week as packers all showed need for cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold generally steady to firm on a lower yielding offering. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 3.00 lower. Feeding bull demand was good to very good as buyers purchased thin fleshed bulls which had been out breeding to feed. Feeding bulls sold 2.00-5.00 higher. Young age cows were all too lightly tested to develop any market comparison. Quality was mostly plain to average. Many young cows were fleshy coming off grass, especially if they have not calved. Young cow quality this week was mostly plain to average.

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 $362.20/cwt on 5 head, down $13.12 from the prior sale. That ranks 4 of 19 comparable sales and sits −33.25 against this barn's trailing median of $395.45.

Average price

$362.20

▼ 13.12 vs prior sale

5 head · 516 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,870

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$86

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

$0.50/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−1.24

vs MT average

−11.83 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	530	362.50	1,921	2thin
Medium and Large 1-2	507	362.00	1,835	3thin

One grade step is worth $0.50/cwt here — about $86 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 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 sale5 hd

362.20

—

MT average2 barns · 9 hd

363.44

−1.24

National average160 barns · 6,700 hd

374.03

−11.83

This barn, trailing median19 sales

395.45

−33.25

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	1,879	203.98	3,833	95
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,589	172.43	2,740	99
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,404	164.51	2,309	131
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,176	151.37	1,780	63

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)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,153	$2,883	3thin
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,194	$2,800	5
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,680	$4,400	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1,733	$4,400	5
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,278	$4,250	3thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,678	$3,725	2thin

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 · Steers11 lots · lightest first
Steers	200–250	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	235	640.00/cwt	640.00–640.00	1,504	1
Steers	250–300	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	254	540.00/cwt	540.00–540.00	1,372	4
Steers	300–350	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	310	505.00/cwt	505.00–505.00	1,566	3
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	373	525.00/cwt	525.00–525.00	1,958	4
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	375	465.00/cwt	465.00–465.00	1,744	3
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	438	474.32/cwt	460.00–485.00	2,078	10
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	454	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	1,907	8
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	477	444.89/cwt	440.00–450.00	2,122	11
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	568	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	2,386	8
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	715	363.83/cwt	360.00–367.50	2,601	2
Steers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	780	346.68/cwt	344.00–355.00	2,704	4
Feeder Cattle · Heifers13 lots · lightest first
Heifers	250–300	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	284	482.37/cwt	471.00–495.00	1,370	8
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	367	490.00/cwt	490.00–490.00	1,798	3
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	382	417.50/cwt	417.50–417.50	1,595	3
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	419	418.00/cwt	418.00–418.00	1,751	7
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	445	390.00/cwt	390.00–390.00	1,736	2
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	460	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	1,725	1
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	507	362.00/cwt	362.00–362.00	1,835	3
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	530	362.50/cwt	362.50–362.50	1,921	2
Heifers	800–850	Medium and Large 1	839	334.30/cwt	334.00–335.00	2,805	13
Heifers	900–950	Medium and Large 1-2	905	309.00/cwt	309.00–309.00	2,796	1
Heifers	900–950	Medium and Large 1	916	317.53/cwt	313.00–319.00	2,909	11
Heifers	950–1000	Medium and Large 1	951	316.00/cwt	316.00–316.00	3,005	7
Heifers	1050–1100	Large 1	1,052	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	2,946	3
Feeder Cattle · Bulls7 lots · lightest first
Bulls	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	498	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	1,892	2
Bulls	800–850	Medium and Large 1	840	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	2,814	1
Bulls	900–950	Medium and Large 1	905	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	2,919	1
Bulls	1050–1100	Large 1	1,080	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	2,808	2
Bulls	1100–1150	Large 1	1,140	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	3,021	1
Bulls	1150–1200	Large 1	1,175	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	2,938	7
Bulls	1150–1200	Large 1-2	1,185	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	2,785	1
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls8 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,730	196.64/cwt	187.50–201.00	3,402	18
Bulls	—	—	1,798	194.14/cwt	190.00–199.00	3,491	14
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,845	206.51/cwt	202.00–212.00	3,810	13
Bulls	—	—	1,886	217.61/cwt	214.00–228.00	4,104	11
Bulls	—	—	1,949	206.50/cwt	199.50–212.00	4,025	36
Bulls	—	—	2,310	198.00/cwt	198.00–198.00	4,574	1
Bulls	—	—	2,345	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	4,807	1
Bulls	—	—Heavy Weight	2,670	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	5,474	1
Slaughter Cattle · Cows20 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	840	167.50/cwt	167.50–167.50	1,407	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	930	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	1,256	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,125	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	1,856	3
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,156	141.24/cwt	130.00–148.00	1,633	17
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,187	163.68/cwt	155.00–167.50	1,943	20
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,190	122.83/cwt	110.00–127.50	1,462	5
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,224	153.12/cwt	149.00–161.00	1,874	16
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,381	141.69/cwt	126.00–147.00	1,957	9
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,397	160.46/cwt	149.00–165.00	2,242	30
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,399	161.50/cwt	150.00–166.00	2,259	34
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,412	172.94/cwt	167.00–178.00	2,442	55
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,423	170.97/cwt	170.00–172.00	2,433	2
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,470	117.50/cwt	117.50–117.50	1,727	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,479	160.34/cwt	155.00–162.50	2,371	12
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,525	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	2,211	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,577	176.42/cwt	169.00–178.00	2,782	69
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,610	178.30/cwt	177.00–181.00	2,871	3
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,698	170.85/cwt	165.00–175.50	2,901	6
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,709	157.52/cwt	149.00–164.00	2,692	7
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight	2,225	165.50/cwt	165.50–165.50	3,682	1
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs4 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,278	4,250.00/head	4,250.00–4,250.00	4,250	3
Cow-Calf Pairs	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,678	3,725.00/head	3,725.00–3,725.00	3,725	2
Cow-Calf Pairs	—	Medium and Large 1	1,680	4,400.00/head	4,400.00–4,400.00	4,400	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,733	4,400.00/head	4,400.00–4,400.00	4,400	5
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows8 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium 1-2	885	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	2,213	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,059	275.02/cwt	266.00–287.50	2,912	5
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,100	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	2,090	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,213	202.39/cwt	192.00–222.00	2,455	12
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,234	191.55/cwt	182.00–230.00	2,364	6
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	1,360	202.00/cwt	202.00–202.00	2,747	1
Stock Cows	—	Large 1	1,405	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	2,599	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	1,433	184.24/cwt	183.00–188.00	2,640	15
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows4 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,020	2,500.00/head	2,500.00–2,500.00	2,500	2
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,110	2,750.00/head	2,750.00–2,750.00	2,750	2
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,240	3,150.00/head	3,150.00–3,150.00	3,150	1
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,310	3,000.00/head	3,000.00–3,000.00	3,000	3

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 Aug 5, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 173Last week 158Year ago 234

Slaughter CattleReceipts 445Last week 250Year ago 295

Replacement CattleReceipts 79Last week 101Year ago 41

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	350–400	382	417.50	417.50
2	400–450	445	390.00	390.00
3	500–550	507	362.00	362.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8	250–300	284	471.00–495.00	482.37
3	350–400	367	490.00	490.00
7	400–450	419	418.00	418.00
1	450–500	460	375.00	375.00
2	500–550	530	362.50	362.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
13	800–850	839	334.00–335.00	334.30
11	900–950	916	313.00–319.00	317.53
7	950–1000	951	316.00	316.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	900–950	905	309.00	309.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	1050–1100	1,052	280.00	280.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	700–750	715	360.00–367.50	363.83
4	750–800	780	344.00–355.00	346.68

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	250–300	254	540.00	540.00
3	300–350	310	505.00	505.00
3	350–400	375	465.00	465.00
8	450–500	454	420.00	420.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	235	640.00	640.00
4	350–400	373	525.00	525.00
10	400–450	438	460.00–485.00	474.32
11	450–500	477	440.00–450.00	444.89

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
8	550–600	568	420.00	420.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	450–500	498	380.00	380.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	800–850	840	335.00	335.00
1	900–950	905	322.50	322.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	1050–1100	1,080	260.00	260.00
1	1100–1150	1,140	265.00	265.00
7	1150–1200	1,175	250.00	250.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1150–1200	1,185	235.00	235.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,680	4,400.00	4,400.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,678	3,725.00	3,725.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,278	4,250.00	4,250.00
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	5	—	1,733	4,400.00	4,400.00

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	12	—	1,213	192.00–222.00	202.39
(<2 yrs)	Open	5	—	1,059	266.00–287.50	275.02

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	6	—	1,234	182.00–230.00	191.55
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,100	190.00	190.00

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	15	—	1,433	183.00–188.00	184.24
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,360	202.00	202.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	885	250.00	250.00

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	—	1,405	185.00	185.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	2	—	1,110	2,750.00	2,750.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	2	—	1,020	2,500.00	2,500.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	1,240	3,150.00	3,150.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	3	—	1,310	3,000.00	3,000.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	930	135.00	135.00
1	—	840	167.50	167.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,709	149.00–164.00	157.52
1	—	1,525	145.00	145.00
6	—	1,698	165.00–175.50	170.85
3	—	1,610	177.00–181.00	178.30

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
55	—	1,412	167.00–178.00	172.94
34	—	1,399	150.00–166.00	161.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,190	110.00–127.50	122.83
17	—	1,156	130.00–148.00	141.24
16	—	1,224	149.00–161.00	153.12
3	—	1,125	165.00	165.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
30	—	1,397	149.00–165.00	160.46
2	—	1,423	170.00–172.00	170.97
1	—	1,470	117.50	117.50
9	—	1,381	126.00–147.00	141.69

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
69	—	1,577	169.00–178.00	176.42
12	—	1,479	155.00–162.50	160.34

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
20	—	1,187	155.00–167.50	163.68

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,225	165.50	165.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
36	—	1,949	199.50–212.00	206.50
11	—	1,886	214.00–228.00	217.61
1	—	2,310	198.00	198.00
14	—	1,798	190.00–199.00	194.14
1	—	2,345	205.00	205.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,670	205.00	205.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	1,845	202.00–212.00	206.51
18	—	1,730	187.50–201.00	196.64

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.