Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2026-11-13

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Fri, Nov 13
● Final91 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1776
← Nov 6Nov 13latest
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,925 head
▲ 1,925 vs last sale 0▲ 514 vs year ago 1,411 · +36.4%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
167 head
▼ 232 vs last sale 399▼ 154 vs year ago 321 · −48.0%
Replacement Cattle receipts
55 head
▼ 1,889 vs last sale 1,944▼ 144 vs year ago 199 · −72.4%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Last weeks sale featured bred cows, bred heifers and weigh ups, with no feeder cattle. All comparisons are to 2 weeks ago (10/30/26). Feeder steers under 500 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. 500-649 lbs steers sold steady to 5.00 higher; steers heavier than 650 lbs sold 5.00-15.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Heifers calves all sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Quality this sale was mostly average to attractive. A single load lot was seen this week and it was met with mostly good to very good demand as buyers had a shot at that ranches entire 2026 calf crop. Most calves were offered in small to moderate sizes packages forcing buyers to put together loads. CME positions continue to inch higher as all contracts posted week over week gains for feeder cattle after last weeks sharp sell off. Market activity was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light demand and offerings. Feeding cows and slaughter cows both were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to lower undertones were noticed compared to Wednesdays sale. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on moderate demand. Young age offerings were too lightly tested to develop any market trend.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $437.96/cwt on 587 head, up $8.54 from the prior sale. That ranks 6 of 6 comparable sales and sits +7.61 against this barn's trailing median of $430.35.
Average price
$437.96
▲ 8.54 vs prior sale
587 head · 550 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,409
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$199
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 1
$23.14/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+3.91
vs MT average
+13.90 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1554438.142,427525
Medium and Large 1-2516437.542,25859
Medium 1537415.002,2293thin
One grade step is worth $23.14/cwt here — about $199 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 sale587 hd
437.96
—
MT average4 barns · 2,108 hd
434.05
+3.91
National average161 barns · 26,093 hd
424.06
+13.90
This barn, trailing median6 sales
430.35
+7.61
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

6 sales
452439427414median 430.3510/0210/0910/2310/3011/13
Steers 500–600 lb: high $437.96, low $428.05, median $430.35 across 6 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—Low1,673146.712,4545thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,386118.101,63762
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,642105.001,7243thin
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,177101.391,19370

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 Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,295$3,1432thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)930$3,0002thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,247$2,7593thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,148$2,3253thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,543$2,1003thin
Open HeifersN/AYoung (2-4 yrs)1,225$1701thin

Every lot

91 lots · USDA AMS · Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Fri)
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 · Steers27 lots · lightest first
Steers300–350Medium and Large 2Unweaned306530.00/cwt530.00–530.001,6224
Steers300–350Medium 1Unweaned319595.00/cwt595.00–595.001,8988
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned320606.21/cwt605.00–610.001,9404
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2350590.00/cwt590.00–590.002,06511
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned365630.00/cwt630.00–630.002,3001
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned370524.40/cwt522.50–525.001,94018
Steers350–400Medium 1Unweaned388525.00/cwt525.00–525.002,0373
Steers400–450Medium and Large 2Unweaned410440.00/cwt440.00–440.001,8044
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned432513.87/cwt495.00–532.502,22051
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned432493.31/cwt482.00–510.002,13120
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned450470.00/cwt470.00–470.002,1156
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned473492.17/cwt485.00–495.002,32881
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned506444.17/cwt395.00–451.002,24851
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned534451.84/cwt439.00–480.002,413225
Steers500–550Medium 1Unweaned537415.00/cwt415.00–415.002,2293
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2560404.00/cwt404.00–404.002,2623
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned569427.98/cwt411.00–438.002,435293
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1572423.00/cwt423.00–423.002,4207
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned592390.00/cwt390.00–390.002,3095
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned622396.79/cwt390.00–401.002,46868
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned646377.74/cwt369.00–383.002,4408
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned671373.75/cwt352.00–394.502,50863
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2Full703340.00/cwt340.00–340.002,3905
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1Unweaned717356.03/cwt355.00–358.502,55320
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned723343.00/cwt343.00–343.002,4809
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1Unweaned755340.77/cwt337.00–348.002,57329
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2Full765336.00/cwt336.00–336.002,5708
Feeder Cattle · Heifers26 lots · lightest first
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned285572.50/cwt572.50–572.501,63213
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2319530.00/cwt530.00–530.001,6918
Heifers300–350Medium 1332485.00/cwt485.00–485.001,6107
Heifers350–400Medium 1Unweaned356480.00/cwt480.00–480.001,70910
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned363482.24/cwt470.00–490.001,75125
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned372496.84/cwt494.00–510.001,84816
Heifers400–450Medium 1Unweaned418425.00/cwt425.00–425.001,7778
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned421469.64/cwt442.50–515.001,97714
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned424431.64/cwt407.50–457.001,83041
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2Unweaned440375.00/cwt375.00–375.001,6504
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2Unweaned473335.00/cwt335.00–335.001,5852
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned479423.48/cwt403.00–447.502,028109
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned495370.00/cwt370.00–370.001,83214
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2526355.00/cwt355.00–355.001,8677
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned531389.05/cwt373.00–407.002,06658
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned541366.82/cwt355.00–370.001,98442
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned555342.50/cwt342.50–342.501,9012
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Replacement565410.00/cwt410.00–410.002,31749
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned570367.39/cwt349.50–377.502,09440
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1580360.00/cwt360.00–360.002,08810
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned624348.10/cwt342.00–357.002,17230
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Replacement648353.50/cwt353.50–353.502,29161
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned662335.70/cwt332.50–343.002,22230
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1Replacement684355.00/cwt355.00–355.002,4285
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2692322.00/cwt322.00–322.002,2283
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1Unweaned712332.57/cwt328.00–333.002,36812
Feeder Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned405510.00/cwt510.00–510.002,0661
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned450482.50/cwt482.50–482.502,1715
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned610340.00/cwt340.00–340.002,0742
Bulls900–950Medium and Large 1937292.50/cwt292.50–292.502,7413
Bulls950–1000Medium and Large 1978287.00/cwt287.00–287.002,8074
Bulls1000–1050Medium and Large 1-21,015270.00/cwt270.00–270.002,7412
Feeder Cattle · Beef/Dairy Heifers2 lots · lightest first
Beef/Dairy Heifers750–800Large 1-2785310.00/cwt310.00–310.002,43416
Beef/Dairy Heifers900–950Large 1-2915286.00/cwt286.00–286.002,61718
Feeder Cattle · Beef/Dairy Steers2 lots · lightest first
Beef/Dairy Steers800–850Large 1-2808312.50/cwt312.50–312.502,52518
Beef/Dairy Steers900–950Large 1-2933294.00/cwt294.00–294.002,74322
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls1 lot · lightest first
Bulls——1,673146.71/cwt145.00–151.002,4545
Slaughter Cattle · Cows14 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight93590.00/cwt90.00–90.008421
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,12072.65/cwt62.50–77.508147
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,145108.22/cwt105.00–110.001,2393
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,176128.45/cwt124.00–133.001,51117
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,187110.74/cwt105.00–115.001,31412
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,19486.91/cwt82.00–96.001,03829
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,260141.54/cwt140.00–142.501,7835
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,295141.00/cwt141.00–141.001,8261
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,34992.04/cwt82.50–104.001,2428
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,392129.08/cwt127.00–134.001,79718
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,409114.49/cwt103.00–121.001,61330
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,510120.00/cwt120.00–120.001,8121
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,590113.00/cwt113.00–113.001,7971
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,668101.00/cwt101.00–101.001,6852
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows5 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed955155.00/cwt155.00–155.001,4801
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2976238.60/cwt235.00–245.002,3295
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2982230.13/cwt220.00–250.002,26015
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,016272.50/cwt272.50–272.502,7698
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,175235.00/cwt235.00–235.002,7611
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows5 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium 19303,000.00/head3,000.00–3,000.003,0002
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,1482,325.00/head2,325.00–2,325.002,3253
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2472,759.49/head2,650.00–2,975.002,7593
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2953,143.05/head3,000.00–3,300.003,1432
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,5432,100.00/head2,100.00–2,100.002,1003
Replacement Cattle · Open Heifers3 lots · lightest first
Open Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2820265.00/cwt265.00–265.002,1732
Open Heifers—Medium and Large 11,050255.00/cwt255.00–255.002,6782
Open Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,225170.00/head170.00–170.001701

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.