Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2026-10-23

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Fri, Oct 23
● Final83 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1776
← Oct 16Oct 23latest
Feeder Cattle receipts
2,601 head
▲ 459 vs last sale 2,142▼ 799 vs year ago 3,400 · −23.5%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
163 head
▲ 74 vs last sale 89▼ 22 vs year ago 185 · −11.9%
Replacement Cattle receipts
148 head
▲ 140 vs last sale 8▲ 3 vs year ago 145 · +2.1%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week's sale steer calves under 400 lbs sold 35.00-40.00 lower, 400-499 lbs mostly 10.00 lower. Heavier steer calves 500-699 lbs sold 9.00-13.00 higher. Feeder steers 700-899 lbs not enough to establish a market trend. Feeder heifers 350-499 lbs sold uneven at 5.00 lower to 5.00 higher, 500-699 lb heifers sold 7.00-9.00 lower. Not enough heavier heifers for price comparison. Compared to the Wednesday sale, slaughter and return to feed cows traded 2.00-3.00 lower.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $433.18/cwt on 455 head, up $5.13 from the prior sale. That ranks 4 of 5 comparable sales and sits +1.90 against this barn's trailing median of $431.29.
Average price
$433.18
▲ 5.13 vs prior sale
455 head · 548 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,375
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$382
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2
$63.18/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+1.78
vs MT average
−6.09 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1549436.892,398423
Medium and Large 1-2541389.642,10821
Medium and Large 2539373.712,01511thin
One grade step is worth $63.18/cwt here — about $382 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 200–300 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 sale455 hd
433.18
—
MT average5 barns · 2,181 hd
431.40
+1.78
National average183 barns · 33,329 hd
439.27
−6.09
This barn, trailing median5 sales
431.29
+1.90
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

5 sales
518483449414median 431.2902/2710/0210/0910/1610/23
Steers 500–600 lb: high $503.89, low $428.05, median $431.29 across 5 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—Average1,573145.502,28813
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,301135.711,76581
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,965117.002,2993thin
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,155101.741,17532

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 Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,174$2,6636
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,153$2,0384thin

Every lot, as filed

83 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 · Steers29 lots · lightest first
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned272610.00/cwt610.00–610.001,6599
Steers250–300Medium and Large 2Unweaned299530.00/cwt530.00–530.001,5854
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned308627.50/cwt627.50–627.501,93337
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned341570.19/cwt560.00–585.001,9445
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned369555.13/cwt550.00–590.002,04839
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned373501.33/cwt450.00–515.001,87028
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned419535.95/cwt480.00–580.002,24654
Steers400–450Medium and Large 2Unweaned422428.57/cwt425.00–430.001,8097
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned425493.57/cwt475.00–517.502,09821
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned477438.09/cwt432.50–440.002,09012
Steers450–500Medium and Large 2Unweaned478405.00/cwt405.00–405.001,9362
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned479487.13/cwt435.00–515.002,333246
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned515468.81/cwt445.00–486.502,414163
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2Unweaned522388.47/cwt377.00–400.002,0286
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned531392.19/cwt370.00–415.002,08314
Steers550–600Medium and Large 2Unweaned560356.00/cwt350.00–360.001,9945
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned561384.55/cwt380.00–388.002,1577
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned570416.88/cwt345.00–438.002,376260
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned625403.84/cwt368.00–415.002,524126
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1627403.12/cwt387.50–411.002,52852
Steers600–650Medium and Large 2Unweaned637369.00/cwt369.00–369.002,3513
Steers650–700Medium and Large 2Unweaned668340.00/cwt340.00–340.002,2712
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned669383.18/cwt379.00–390.002,56390
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1674388.33/cwt382.00–393.002,61739
Steers650–700Medium and Large 2690368.00/cwt368.00–368.002,5392
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1731369.90/cwt350.00–380.002,70412
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1789335.17/cwt324.00–371.002,64425
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1828320.31/cwt310.00–331.002,6524
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1898312.00/cwt312.00–312.002,8022
Feeder Cattle · Heifers32 lots · lightest first
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned254530.00/cwt530.00–530.001,34612
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1Unweaned274532.19/cwt525.00–555.001,45816
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 2Unweaned328470.00/cwt470.00–470.001,5422
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned335505.23/cwt502.50–510.001,69323
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned380492.39/cwt475.00–510.001,87147
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned384442.23/cwt425.00–450.001,69822
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2Unweaned396420.00/cwt420.00–420.001,6634
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned425472.91/cwt450.00–485.002,01083
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned425382.47/cwt320.00–410.001,62510
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2Unweaned443375.00/cwt375.00–375.001,6612
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned480445.35/cwt412.50–468.002,138221
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned483377.60/cwt370.00–385.001,82414
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 2Unweaned528300.83/cwt275.00–325.001,5884
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned530395.78/cwt371.00–409.002,098144
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned554330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,8287
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned574362.01/cwt345.00–374.002,078138
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1620342.00/cwt342.00–342.002,1204
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned622358.91/cwt345.00–379.002,23283
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1669349.49/cwt315.00–375.002,33834
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2695265.00/cwt265.00–265.001,8422
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 2703255.00/cwt255.00–255.001,7936
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2725285.00/cwt285.00–285.002,0663
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1735312.00/cwt312.00–312.002,29310
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2755270.00/cwt270.00–270.002,0392
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1Spayed780316.00/cwt316.00–316.002,46532
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1816335.00/cwt335.00–335.002,73411
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1893282.50/cwt282.50–282.502,5232
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1908314.00/cwt314.00–314.002,8519
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1-2963245.00/cwt245.00–245.002,3592
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1970278.43/cwt270.00–283.002,70110
Heifers1150–1200Large 11,167245.00/cwt245.00–245.002,8595
Heifers1250–1300Large 11,298209.00/cwt209.00–209.002,7132
Feeder Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned341530.00/cwt530.00–530.001,8077
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned473420.00/cwt420.00–420.001,9874
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,408136.27/cwt135.00–137.501,9192
Bulls——Return to Feed1,562145.39/cwt130.00–157.502,27110
Bulls——2,010165.00/cwt165.00–165.003,3171
Slaughter Cattle · Cows8 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,05488.27/cwt82.50–95.009306
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,15370.06/cwt60.00–75.008083
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,16699.15/cwt95.00–105.001,1567
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,187116.47/cwt111.00–120.001,38212
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,193106.02/cwt105.00–110.001,2654
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,298136.40/cwt124.00–152.501,77077
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,350122.50/cwt121.00–123.001,6544
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,965117.00/cwt117.00–117.002,2993
Replacement Cattle · Open Heifers2 lots · lightest first
Open Heifers—Medium and Large 1903298.42/cwt260.00–310.002,69511
Open Heifers—Medium and Large 1982285.00/cwt285.00–285.002,7995
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows4 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 21,0971,900.00/head1,900.00–1,900.001,9003
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1543,044.96/head2,900.00–3,100.003,0454
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 21,2131,900.00/head1,900.00–1,900.001,9002
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3202,450.00/head2,450.00–2,450.002,4501
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows3 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,030268.64/cwt235.00–300.002,76764
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 21,111202.45/cwt180.00–240.002,2498
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,199226.82/cwt212.50–240.002,72012

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.