Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2026-09-23

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2026-09-23
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-09-23

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Sep 23

● Final65 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774

← Sep 16Sep 23Sep 30 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

233 head

▼ 377 vs last sale 610▼ 152 vs year ago 385 · −39.5%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

388 head

▼ 40 vs last sale 428▲ 44 vs year ago 344 · +12.8%

Replacement Cattle receipts

221 head

▲ 90 vs last sale 131▼ 71 vs year ago 292 · −24.3%

Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale (9-02-26): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain to average with most offerings seen in small packages or as singles. Demand was light to moderate as both quality and quantity limited demand. CME feeder cattle positions showed strong gains today following through on bullish news from Fridays cattle on feed report. Market activity was mostly moderate today with a small crowd of buyers on hand for todays sale. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light demand for light to moderate offerings. Canadian buyers showed moderate demand for cows to feed but were met with little resistance as American packers showed mostly light demand for all feeding cows. Feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower. Slaughter cows were also met with light demand as American packers showed very light demand for all slaughter cows. Slaughter cows sold 4.00-8.00 lower on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold 6.00-10.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on light to moderate demand. Several sets of attractive offerings were seen this week, and many had freshy weaned calves. Demand was light to moderate and lighter than last week. Offerings were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed.

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 $367.29/cwt on 7 head, up $19.75 from the prior sale (only 18 head in that comparison). That ranks 4 of 19 comparable sales and sits −28.17 against this barn's trailing median of $395.45.

Average price

$367.29

▲ 19.75 vs prior sale

7 head · 543 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,993

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$99

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

$55.70/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−23.88

vs MT average

+11.19 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	526	383.20	2,015	5thin
Medium and Large 1-2	585	327.50	1,916	2thin

One grade step is worth $55.70/cwt here — about $99 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 sale7 hd

367.29

—

MT average2 barns · 43 hd

391.17

−23.88

National average179 barns · 11,869 hd

356.10

+11.19

This barn, trailing median19 sales

395.45

−28.17

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	—	High	1,712	171.01	2,928	64
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,405	143.89	2,022	121
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,607	143.10	2,299	39
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,171	127.31	1,490	116
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	920	100.00	920	1thin

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	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,082	$2,837	6
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,306	$2,175	5
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,278	$1,957	19
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,298	$1,900	3thin
Bred Heifers	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	(<2 yrs)	839	$2,661	9
Bred Heifers	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	702	$2,253	14

Every lot

65 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 · Steers3 lots · lightest first
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	380	523.29/cwt	520.00–530.00	1,989	3
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	458	462.50/cwt	462.50–462.50	2,118	4
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	554	397.50/cwt	397.50–397.50	2,202	5
Feeder Cattle · Heifers18 lots · lightest first
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	472	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,699	9
Heifers	450–500	Large 1Unweaned	473	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	1,821	5
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	503	392.00/cwt	392.00–392.00	1,972	3
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	560	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	2,072	2
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	585	327.50/cwt	327.50–327.50	1,916	2
Heifers	600–650	Medium 1-2	640	344.00/cwt	344.00–344.00	2,202	2
Heifers	650–700	Medium 1-2	661	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	2,280	8
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1	750	348.00/cwt	348.00–348.00	2,610	3
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	790	317.68/cwt	316.00–330.00	2,510	24
Heifers	800–850	Medium and Large 1	822	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	2,672	3
Heifers	850–900	Medium and Large 1-2	853	302.00/cwt	302.00–302.00	2,576	2
Heifers	850–900	Medium and Large 1	881	311.35/cwt	310.00–312.00	2,743	22
Heifers	900–950	Medium and Large 1	939	307.04/cwt	305.00–311.00	2,883	14
Heifers	900–950	Medium and Large 1-2	943	296.00/cwt	296.00–296.00	2,791	2
Heifers	950–1000	Medium and Large 1	973	298.00/cwt	298.00–298.00	2,900	2
Heifers	950–1000	Medium and Large 1-2	985	288.00/cwt	288.00–288.00	2,837	3
Heifers	1000–1050	Medium and Large 1	1,006	297.70/cwt	296.00–298.00	2,995	14
Heifers	1000–1050	Medium and Large 1-2	1,010	288.50/cwt	283.00–293.00	2,914	7
Feeder Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls	1050–1100	Large 1-2	1,088	245.02/cwt	242.50–250.00	2,666	3
Bulls	1100–1150	Large 1-2	1,130	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	2,599	1
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,490	163.96/cwt	153.00–173.00	2,443	12
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,494	174.93/cwt	170.00–180.00	2,613	14
Bulls	—	—	1,729	161.86/cwt	152.00–166.00	2,799	11
Bulls	—	—	1,910	174.41/cwt	169.00–181.00	3,331	23
Bulls	—	—	1,955	184.02/cwt	183.00–185.00	3,598	4
Slaughter Cattle · Cows18 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	795	80.00/cwt	80.00–80.00	636	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	922	120.83/cwt	120.00–122.50	1,114	3
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Light Weight	990	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,287	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,130	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	1,582	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,170	128.99/cwt	124.50–137.50	1,509	61
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,181	116.85/cwt	100.00–124.00	1,380	29
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,199	129.47/cwt	125.00–136.50	1,552	11
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,230	150.44/cwt	147.00–157.50	1,850	10
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,382	124.30/cwt	120.00–127.00	1,718	7
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,390	158.61/cwt	156.00–163.00	2,205	3
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,391	137.39/cwt	124.00–143.50	1,911	12
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,397	130.87/cwt	128.00–135.00	1,828	20
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,417	149.60/cwt	144.00–155.00	2,120	78
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,518	149.49/cwt	149.00–150.00	2,269	2
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,582	148.45/cwt	146.00–151.00	2,348	20
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,624	134.55/cwt	132.00–143.00	2,185	11
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,673	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	2,459	3
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,699	130.67/cwt	130.00–132.00	2,220	3
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Cows1 lot · lightest first
Dairy Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	920	100.00/cwt	100.00–100.00	920	1
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows6 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,082	2,836.69/head	2,825.00–2,850.00	2,837	6
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	1,278	1,956.90/head	1,950.00–1,975.00	1,957	19
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,298	1,900.00/head	1,900.00–1,900.00	1,900	3
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,306	2,175.00/head	2,175.00–2,175.00	2,175	5
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	1,367	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	1,818	3
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	1,400	141.50/cwt	141.50–141.50	1,981	6
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows10 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium 1	789	292.50/cwt	292.50–292.50	2,308	5
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	829	272.50/cwt	272.50–272.50	2,259	7
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	915	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	1,922	2
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	989	245.60/cwt	195.00–270.00	2,429	55
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,075	242.48/cwt	200.00–267.50	2,607	43
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,094	178.76/cwt	154.00–200.00	1,956	4
Stock Cows	—	Large 1-2	1,123	166.00/cwt	166.00–166.00	1,864	5
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Fancy	1,205	262.00/cwt	262.00–262.00	3,157	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,283	158.33/cwt	152.00–162.00	2,031	4
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,339	169.96/cwt	165.00–172.00	2,276	3
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers2 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers	—	Medium 1-2	702	2,252.71/head	2,200.00–2,300.00	2,253	14
Bred Heifers	—	Medium 1	839	2,660.99/head	2,550.00–2,800.00	2,661	9

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 Sep 23, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 233Last week 610Year ago 385

Slaughter CattleReceipts 388Last week 428Year ago 344

Replacement CattleReceipts 221Last week 131Year ago 292

Replacement Cattle

As reported

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)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	3	—	1,298	1,900.00	1,900.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	6	—	1,082	2,825.00–2,850.00	2,836.69
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	5	—	1,306	2,175.00	2,175.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	6	—	1,400	141.50	141.50
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	19	—	1,278	1,950.00–1,975.00	1,956.90

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	3	—	1,367	133.00	133.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	4	—	1,283	152.00–162.00	158.33
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	4	—	1,094	154.00–200.00	178.76

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,205	262.00	262.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	43	—	1,075	200.00–267.50	242.48
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	55	—	989	195.00–270.00	245.60
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,339	165.00–172.00	169.96

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	2	—	915	210.00	210.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	7	—	829	272.50	272.50

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	5	—	789	292.50	292.50

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	5	—	1,123	166.00	166.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	9	—	839	2,550.00–2,800.00	2,660.99

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	14	—	702	2,200.00–2,300.00	2,252.71

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
24	750–800	790	316.00–330.00	317.68
2	850–900	853	302.00	302.00
2	900–950	943	296.00	296.00
3	950–1000	985	288.00	288.00
7	1000–1050	1,010	283.00–293.00	288.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	750–800	750	348.00	348.00
3	800–850	822	325.00	325.00
22	850–900	881	310.00–312.00	311.35
14	900–950	939	305.00–311.00	307.04
2	950–1000	973	298.00	298.00
14	1000–1050	1,006	296.00–298.00	297.70

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	500–550	503	392.00	392.00
2	550–600	560	370.00	370.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	450–500	472	360.00	360.00
2	550–600	585	327.50	327.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	600–650	640	344.00	344.00
8	650–700	661	345.00	345.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	450–500	473	385.00	385.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	350–400	380	520.00–530.00	523.29
4	450–500	458	462.50	462.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	550–600	554	397.50	397.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	1050–1100	1,088	242.50–250.00	245.02
1	1100–1150	1,130	230.00	230.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
20	—	1,397	128.00–135.00	130.87
7	—	1,382	120.00–127.00	124.30

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,390	156.00–163.00	158.61
78	—	1,417	144.00–155.00	149.60
12	—	1,391	124.00–143.50	137.39

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
20	—	1,582	146.00–151.00	148.45
2	—	1,518	149.00–150.00	149.49

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,673	147.00	147.00
3	—	1,699	130.00–132.00	130.67
11	—	1,624	132.00–143.00	134.55

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,130	140.00	140.00
11	—	1,199	125.00–136.50	129.47
29	—	1,181	100.00–124.00	116.85

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	990	130.00	130.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
61	—	1,170	124.50–137.50	128.99
10	—	1,230	147.00–157.50	150.44

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	922	120.00–122.50	120.83
1	—	795	80.00	80.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,955	183.00–185.00	184.02
23	—	1,910	169.00–181.00	174.41
11	—	1,729	152.00–166.00	161.86

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	1,490	153.00–173.00	163.96
14	—	1,494	170.00–180.00	174.93

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	920	100.00	100.00

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.