Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2025-02-26
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-02-26

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: All feeder cattle were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Demand for limited feeder cattle was mostly good. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. Most feeders were offered in very small groups or as singles. Market activity was mostly moderate with a small crowd on hand bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows comprised most of todays offering. Packers showed similar demand for cows this week as last week, except cows were mostly purchased to feed instead of sending them to immediate harvest. Demand for fleshy cows was lighter this week driven by lighter demand from major and regional packers. Breaking slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower. Boning and lean cows purchased for slaughter sold steady to 5.00 lower. Several sets of cows were on offer today that had been on feed, however most were far from finished. All fed cows were purchased to return to the country to feed. Feeding cows sold on very good demand today. Feeding cows sold generally steady on all classes. Feeding cows sold on very good demand as private feeders and packer buyers both showed good demand for sound, high quality cows that will feed. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Demand for slaughter bulls was mostly very good this sale. Several sets of fed bulls sold today, these offerings were met with mostly good demand. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average today and overall weigh conditions were not as good this week as last week. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Demand from rebreed buyers was very good this sale. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $278.35/cwt on 21 head. That ranks 1 of 19 comparable sales and sits −143.19 against this barn's trailing median of $421.54.

Average price

$278.35

21 head · 545 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,517

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$307

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

$82.50/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−41.87

vs MT average

−28.66 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	530	332.50	1,762	2thin
Medium and Large 2	534	280.74	1,499	14thin
Medium 2	582	250.00	1,455	5thin

One grade step is worth $82.50/cwt here — about $307 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.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

19 sales

Heifers 500–600 lb: high $464.07, low $350.88, median $421.54 across 19 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale21 hd

278.35

—

MT average2 barns · 185 hd

320.22

−41.87

National average189 barns · 18,586 hd

307.01

−28.66

This barn, trailing median19 sales

421.54

−143.19

A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

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	1,746	162.85	2,843	163
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,356	145.88	1,978	197
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,693	141.14	2,389	86
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,144	133.52	1,528	82
Dairy Cows	Boner 80-85%	Very Low	1,534	111.25	1,707	4thin
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,378	109.00	1,502	2thin

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/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,308	$2,400	2thin
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,201	$2,200	4thin

Every lot, as filed

69 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.

Class	Grade / description	Weight	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Heifers	Medium 1-2	350–400	365	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,150	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	850–900	877	233.00/cwt	233.00–233.00	2,043	10
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,308	2,400.00/head	2,400.00–2,400.00	2,400	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	481	377.50/cwt	377.50–377.50	1,816	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	864	263.15/cwt	263.00–265.00	2,274	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	766	240.50/cwt	240.50–240.50	1,842	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	481	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,587	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,201	2,200.00/head	2,200.00–2,200.00	2,200	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	900–950	930	222.00/cwt	222.00–222.00	2,065	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,480	152.53/cwt	149.00–179.00	2,257	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,040	212.00/cwt	212.00–212.00	2,205	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	1050–1100	1,055	212.50/cwt	212.50–212.50	2,242	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	666	274.00/cwt	274.00–274.00	1,825	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	1050–1100	1,050	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	2,205	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	519	368.11/cwt	367.50–370.00	1,910	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	632	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	2,086	14
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,197	169.75/cwt	149.00–203.00	2,032	103
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	650–700	690	301.00/cwt	301.00–301.00	2,077	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,044	205.29/cwt	179.00–226.00	2,143	84
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	654	322.40/cwt	322.00–323.00	2,108	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	350–400	360	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,296	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	648	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	1,750	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	650	261.00/cwt	261.00–261.00	1,697	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,114	151.08/cwt	144.00–170.00	1,683	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	911	200.52/cwt	190.00–215.00	1,827	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	582	328.75/cwt	327.50–330.00	1,913	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	965	243.00/cwt	243.00–243.00	2,345	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	530	332.50/cwt	332.50–332.50	1,762	2
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,390	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	2,252	1
Dairy Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,570	85.00/cwt	85.00–85.00	1,335	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,426	143.88/cwt	136.00–147.00	2,052	68
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,156	141.58/cwt	137.50–142.00	1,637	11
Bulls	—Natural	—	1,476	150.50/cwt	145.00–154.00	2,221	59
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,517	150.26/cwt	137.00–156.00	2,279	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,291	148.96/cwt	147.50–150.00	1,923	110
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,708	143.67/cwt	143.00–144.00	2,454	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,682	137.91/cwt	134.00–140.00	2,320	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,461	128.65/cwt	120.00–132.00	1,880	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,623	142.94/cwt	141.50–145.00	2,320	32
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,445	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	1,691	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,214	96.28/cwt	89.00–100.00	1,169	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	918	103.10/cwt	98.00–107.50	946	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,493	139.99/cwt	134.00–144.00	2,090	12
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,737	139.77/cwt	134.00–140.00	2,428	38
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,535	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	2,303	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,095	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	1,445	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,165	141.15/cwt	132.00–145.50	1,644	31
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,159	147.03/cwt	146.00–149.00	1,704	17
Bulls	—Heavy Weight	—	2,613	193.00/cwt	193.00–193.00	5,043	2
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,378	109.00/cwt	109.00–109.00	1,502	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight	—	2,015	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	2,720	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight	—	2,045	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	2,863	1
Dairy Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,522	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	1,826	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,157	119.06/cwt	108.00–129.00	1,378	10
Bulls	—	—	2,042	188.87/cwt	186.00–193.00	3,857	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,090	128.94/cwt	122.00–134.00	1,405	16
Bulls	—Natural	—	2,084	181.47/cwt	180.50–181.50	3,782	29
Bulls	—Natural	—	2,002	176.86/cwt	169.00–178.00	3,541	31
Heifers	Medium 1-2	400–450	415	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	1,287	3
Heifers	Medium 2	550–600	582	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,455	5
Bulls	Large 1	1150–1200	1,183	199.16/cwt	197.50–199.50	2,356	6
Bulls	Large 1	1200–1250	1,218	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	2,119	2
Bulls	—	—	2,022	165.17/cwt	160.00–170.00	3,340	5
Bulls	—	—	1,798	150.24/cwt	139.00–159.00	2,701	16
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	455	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,524	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	534	280.74/cwt	275.00–295.00	1,499	14
Bulls	Medium 1	750–800	753	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,807	6
Heifers	Medium 1	700–750	749	234.00/cwt	234.00–234.00	1,753	15
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	847	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	1,694	3

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.

Montana feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →