Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2026-10-07

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Oct 7
● Final110 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
603 head
▲ 135 vs last sale 468▲ 124 vs year ago 479 · +25.9%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
1,010 head
▲ 645 vs last sale 365▲ 415 vs year ago 595 · +69.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
365 head
▲ 243 vs last sale 122▲ 97 vs year ago 268 · +36.2%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week (9-30-26): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested in any weight category to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain to average with most offerings seen in small packages or as singles. Many cut back cattle off summer videos were seen this week. Demand was moderate to good. CME feeder cattle positions showed strong gains earlier in the week and buyers continue to show good demand for all offerings. Market activity was mostly active today, with a small crowd of feeder buyers noticed. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for heavy offerings. Demand for feeding cows was significantly stronger this week as more buyers were in the market bidding on cows to feed. American packers showed stronger demand for feeding cows this week. Cow quality was noticeably better this week as several long strings of attractive cows off reputation ranches were seen. Additional private farmer feeders were in the market this week and they showed good demand for thin or slightly blemished cows to feed. Feeding cows sold steady to 5.00 higher. Slaughter cows were of mostly poor quality this week as feeding buyers purchased many blemished cows away from packer buyers this week. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-5.00 lower on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold 1.00-3.00 lower on on a poorer quality, poorer yielding offering. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average today. Fall rains have greened pastures and range over the past few weeks; many cows were tanked up coming off green grass as a result. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady on a higher yielding offering. Many bulls have increased in yield in recent weeks as green pastures have allowed bulls to flesh up following breeding season. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on good to very good demand today with several more buyers purchasing this class of cow this week. Young age offerings sold mostly 10.00-20.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Quality this week was very attractive overall.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $409.95/cwt on 39 head, down $25.22 from the prior sale. That ranks 2 of 11 comparable sales and sits −47.55 against this barn's trailing median of $457.50.
Average price
$409.95
▼ 25.22 vs prior sale
39 head · 541 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,218
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$95
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$8.87/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−28.48
vs MT average
−20.41 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1550417.002,2948thin
Medium and Large 1-2539408.132,19931
One grade step is worth $8.87/cwt here — about $95 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 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 sale39 hd
409.95
—
MT average4 barns · 1,227 hd
438.43
−28.48
National average183 barns · 26,018 hd
430.36
−20.41
This barn, trailing median11 sales
457.50
−47.55
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

11 sales
525476427379median 457.5002/2503/2505/1309/3010/21
Steers 500–600 lb: high $510.69, low $392.59, median $457.50 across 11 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—Average1,803174.833,15383
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,384139.501,930394
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,585135.042,140121
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,178128.071,509311
Dairy CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,380105.001,4491thin

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 Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,199$2,6758
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,060$2,6501thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,392$2,2605
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,230$2,0001thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,296$1,8504thin

Every lot, as filed

110 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 · Steers25 lots · lightest first
Steers200–250Medium and Large 1Unweaned235700.00/cwt700.00–700.001,6451
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned275594.09/cwt545.00–605.001,6345
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1Unweaned278615.00/cwt615.00–615.001,7107
Steers300–350Medium and Large 2Unweaned342482.45/cwt450.00–507.501,6507
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned374552.51/cwt550.00–555.002,0664
Steers350–400Medium and Large 2Unweaned386440.00/cwt440.00–440.001,6988
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned395520.00/cwt520.00–520.002,0546
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned400527.50/cwt527.50–527.502,1102
Steers400–450Medium 1Unweaned403515.00/cwt515.00–515.002,0752
Steers400–450Medium and Large 2Unweaned408412.50/cwt412.50–412.501,6833
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned413483.81/cwt472.00–492.501,9987
Steers450–500Medium and Large 2Unweaned477382.76/cwt345.00–427.501,8268
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned486449.07/cwt447.50–450.002,1828
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned489464.19/cwt462.50–465.002,27025
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned513431.48/cwt421.00–435.002,21317
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned550417.00/cwt417.00–417.002,2948
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned570379.78/cwt350.00–387.502,16514
Steers600–650Medium and Large 2Unweaned601341.00/cwt341.00–341.002,0497
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Full609377.00/cwt377.00–377.002,2965
Steers600–650Medium 1642355.00/cwt355.00–355.002,2793
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned662358.00/cwt351.00–360.002,3709
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned705350.00/cwt350.00–350.002,46810
Steers700–750Medium and Large 2718334.01/cwt332.00–335.002,3989
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1Unweaned725366.00/cwt366.00–366.002,65424
Steers750–800Medium and Large 2763334.00/cwt334.00–334.002,5482
Feeder Cattle · Heifers24 lots · lightest first
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 2Unweaned325415.00/cwt415.00–415.001,3496
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned326517.50/cwt517.50–517.501,6879
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned346470.00/cwt470.00–470.001,6265
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2Unweaned365395.00/cwt395.00–395.001,4422
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned407455.00/cwt455.00–455.001,8523
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2Unweaned417340.00/cwt340.00–340.001,4183
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned461423.93/cwt421.00–425.001,95430
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned478402.88/cwt380.00–410.001,9267
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2Unweaned480355.00/cwt355.00–355.001,7042
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned520401.43/cwt380.00–415.002,08710
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned550390.00/cwt390.00–390.002,1457
Heifers550–600Medium 1-2584350.00/cwt350.00–350.002,0446
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned594365.00/cwt365.00–365.002,1684
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned619347.50/cwt347.50–347.502,1516
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned634364.16/cwt360.00–377.502,3099
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned691340.00/cwt340.00–340.002,34915
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1844318.09/cwt317.00–320.002,68511
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 2853282.50/cwt282.50–282.502,4104
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1859320.17/cwt320.00–321.002,75018
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1-2873301.00/cwt301.00–301.002,6282
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1934307.00/cwt307.00–307.002,86714
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1984298.50/cwt298.50–298.502,93710
Heifers1200–1250Large 1Fleshy1,201245.00/cwt245.00–245.002,9427
Heifers1250–1300Large 1Fleshy1,250235.00/cwt235.00–235.002,9381
Feeder Cattle · Bulls10 lots · lightest first
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned539415.00/cwt415.00–415.002,2375
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned695325.00/cwt325.00–325.002,2593
Bulls850–900Medium and Large 2878280.00/cwt280.00–280.002,4584
Bulls1000–1050Medium and Large 11,028280.00/cwt280.00–280.002,8783
Bulls1050–1100Large 11,090281.00/cwt281.00–281.003,0634
Bulls1100–1150Large 1-21,115250.00/cwt250.00–250.002,7881
Bulls1150–1200Large 1-21,176242.50/cwt242.50–242.502,8524
Bulls1200–1250Large 11,216221.00/cwt221.00–221.002,6875
Bulls1200–1250Large 1-21,230205.00/cwt205.00–205.002,5223
Bulls1250–1300Large 11,276224.44/cwt217.50–226.002,86411
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls8 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Light Weight1,464165.27/cwt157.50–169.002,4203
Bulls——Return to Feed1,576167.03/cwt158.00–171.002,63210
Bulls——1,651166.50/cwt157.00–172.002,74917
Bulls——Return to Feed1,839178.57/cwt174.00–182.003,28417
Bulls——Return to Feed1,850185.50/cwt185.50–185.503,4321
Bulls——1,922178.15/cwt174.00–184.003,42427
Bulls——2,028187.35/cwt185.00–195.003,7997
Bulls——2,240172.00/cwt172.00–172.003,8531
Slaughter Cattle · Cows21 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight794105.15/cwt100.00–107.508354
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight95080.00/cwt80.00–80.007601
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight955117.00/cwt117.00–117.001,1171
Cows—Boner 80-85%Light Weight988117.50/cwt117.50–117.501,1612
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,03891.81/cwt87.50–97.509533
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,166120.03/cwt118.00–125.001,4007
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,170109.04/cwt100.00–117.001,27660
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,176151.64/cwt147.50–157.501,78314
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,179127.36/cwt114.00–135.001,502136
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,212142.49/cwt136.00–147.001,72785
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,270131.00/cwt131.00–131.001,6641
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,368112.98/cwt104.00–117.001,54660
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,375131.89/cwt119.00–143.001,81343
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,389152.16/cwt151.00–157.002,11431
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,389147.31/cwt141.00–151.502,046241
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,434120.58/cwt117.00–126.001,72916
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,516150.35/cwt149.00–151.002,2796
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,571130.90/cwt128.00–137.002,05612
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,584141.17/cwt133.00–146.002,23668
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,595127.38/cwt123.00–132.002,03212
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,607119.10/cwt110.00–126.001,91423
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Cows1 lot · lightest first
Dairy Cows—Boner 80-85%1,380105.00/cwt105.00–105.001,4491
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows8 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,0602,650.00/head2,650.00–2,650.002,6501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1322,601.62/cwt2,450.00–2,750.0029,4504
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1613,000.00/head3,000.00–3,000.003,0004
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2302,000.00/head2,000.00–2,000.002,0001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2362,350.00/head2,350.00–2,350.002,3504
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,2961,850.00/head1,850.00–1,850.001,8504
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3922,260.18/head2,050.00–2,400.002,2605
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,445145.00/cwt145.00–145.002,0951
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows10 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium 1-2700275.00/cwt275.00–275.001,9251
Stock Cows—Medium 1-2745240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,7882
Stock Cows—Medium 1773297.50/cwt297.50–297.502,3002
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,005236.35/cwt187.50–275.002,37520
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,013300.05/cwt242.50–330.503,040118
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,106204.81/cwt151.00–250.002,26518
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,143164.45/cwt155.00–195.001,8803
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,153227.80/cwt170.00–282.502,62771
Stock Cows—Large 11,208209.00/cwt209.00–209.002,5253
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,338160.17/cwt151.00–168.502,14315
Replacement Cattle · Open Heifers3 lots · lightest first
Open Heifers—Medium and Large 1-21,018223.73/cwt182.50–255.002,2784
Open Heifers—Medium and Large 11,069264.40/cwt220.00–322.002,82647
Open Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,365204.28/cwt180.00–209.002,7887

How this sale compares

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.