Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2025-05-21
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-05-21

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were scarcely tested today as todays sale featured Cow/calf pairs, bred cows and weigh ups. No trend can be made for feeder cattle as a result. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Packers showed moderate demand for slaughter cows this week. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on all classes of cows destined for immediate harvest. Demand for feeding cows remains good and feeding cow buyers continue to show the strongest demand. Feeding cows sold generally steady to firm. A larger buyer pool was noticed this week. Cow quality was mostly average to attractive today. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to above average as many offerings were emptied out as they come off pastures and fresh green grass. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady in a narrow comparison. Bull quality this week was average to attractive. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold with steady undertones in a narrow comparison. Very few true wet bagged cows which lost calves are being seen as weather and calving conditions have been very good for ranchers. Many baron young cow offerings continue to be seen and many of these offerings are being purchased to feed. Quality this week was mostly average. A moderate offering of bred cows and pairs was seen for todays sale. Demand for high quality offerings was very good, however demand for average quality offerings was light to moderate. Quality was mixed from plain to attractive and had lots of variation for buys to select from.

Weight class

Bulls · summary 800–900 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

800–900 lb bulls averaged $266.00/cwt on 12 head. That ranks 1 of 2 comparable sales and sits −63.58 against this barn's trailing median of $329.58.

Average price

$266.00

12 head · 878 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,335

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

—

single grade reported

vs the market

−0.95

vs MT average

What quality paid 800–900 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	878	266.00	2,335	12thin

Only one grade was reported at this weight, so there is no spread to compute.

How it compared 800–900 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale12 hd

266.00

—

MT average2 barns · 23 hd

266.95

−0.95

This barn, trailing median2 sales

329.58

−63.58

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	—	Low	1,720	177.63	3,055	23
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,393	153.34	2,137	134
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,524	152.63	2,327	35
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,178	143.72	1,694	65
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,090	126.00	1,373	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	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,616	$2,985	5
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,286	$2,941	20
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,530	$2,840	17
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,526	$2,670	15
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,345	$2,652	18
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,477	$2,600	10
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,505	$2,200	4thin
Bulls	N/A	(<2 yrs)	1,150	$3,091	28
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,360	$4,077	125
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1,542	$3,800	6
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,458	$3,240	18
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,530	$3,141	79
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,430	$2,872	100
Heifer Pairs	Open	(<2 yrs)	1,286	$4,284	53

Every lot, as filed

63 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
Heifer Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,153	3,600.00/head	3,600.00–3,600.00	3,600	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	850–900	878	266.00/cwt	266.00–266.00	2,335	12
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	978	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	2,396	9
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,495	3,055.70/head	2,650.00–3,200.00	3,056	14
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,357	4,223.76/head	3,925.00–4,400.00	4,224	97
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,283	2,775.00/head	2,775.00–2,775.00	2,775	13
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,505	2,994.12/head	2,900.00–3,300.00	2,994	61
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,605	3,356.76/head	3,200.00–3,475.00	3,357	46
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 2	—	1,327	2,050.00/head	2,050.00–2,050.00	2,050	6
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,337	3,620.62/head	3,575.00–3,800.00	3,621	24
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,266	2,650.00/head	2,650.00–2,650.00	2,650	4
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,443	3,225.00/head	3,225.00–3,225.00	3,225	7
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,561	3,260.00/head	3,260.00–3,260.00	3,260	4
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,395	2,975.00/head	2,975.00–2,975.00	2,975	13
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,542	3,800.00/head	3,800.00–3,800.00	3,800	6
Heifer Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,321	4,415.43/head	4,225.00–4,450.00	4,415	42
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,340	3,195.46/head	2,950.00–3,500.00	3,195	13
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,570	2,897.91/head	2,700.00–3,000.00	2,898	13
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	979	236.72/cwt	201.00–274.00	2,317	87
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,526	2,670.25/head	2,650.00–2,900.00	2,670	15
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,616	2,985.00/head	2,985.00–2,985.00	2,985	5
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,477	2,600.00/head	2,600.00–2,600.00	2,600	10
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,002	172.79/cwt	160.00–185.00	1,731	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	1,150	3,090.98/head	2,750.00–4,000.00	3,091	28
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,345	2,652.23/head	2,500.00–2,700.00	2,652	18
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,200	160.18/cwt	158.00–165.00	1,922	15
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,090	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	1,373	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	888	105.51/cwt	104.00–107.00	937	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,300	130.34/cwt	129.00–131.00	1,694	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,569	152.03/cwt	149.00–153.00	2,385	4
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,436	164.81/cwt	162.00–168.00	2,367	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,245	153.01/cwt	146.00–155.00	1,905	23
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,393	155.93/cwt	149.00–159.00	2,172	84
Bulls	—	—	2,031	191.69/cwt	187.00–202.00	3,893	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,457	143.73/cwt	141.00–147.00	2,094	9
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,463	173.80/cwt	169.00–176.00	2,543	6
Bulls	—	—	1,910	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	3,075	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,109	117.42/cwt	108.00–125.00	1,302	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,652	146.97/cwt	146.00–149.00	2,428	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,279	162.46/cwt	161.00–170.00	2,078	13
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,127	135.92/cwt	129.00–144.00	1,532	11
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,488	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	2,321	25
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,419	144.99/cwt	140.00–148.00	2,057	21
Bulls	Large 1	1100–1150	1,133	222.78/cwt	221.00–225.00	2,524	9
Bred Cows	Large 1-2	—	1,078	2,250.00/head	2,250.00–2,250.00	2,250	4
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	921	204.35/cwt	200.00–205.00	1,882	9
Bulls	—	—	1,868	178.98/cwt	172.50–183.00	3,343	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,599	143.04/cwt	133.00–145.50	2,287	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,174	134.87/cwt	131.00–137.50	1,583	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,398	2,650.00/head	2,650.00–2,650.00	2,650	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,140	196.41/cwt	163.00–240.00	2,239	50
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,505	2,200.00/head	2,200.00–2,200.00	2,200	4
Stock Cows	Medium 1-2	—	880	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	1,584	1
Bulls	Large 1	950–1000	972	252.00/cwt	252.00–252.00	2,449	3
Bulls	Large 1-2	1100–1150	1,112	213.00/cwt	213.00–213.00	2,369	3
Heifer Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,151	4,000.00/head	4,000.00–4,000.00	4,000	5
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,468	3,250.00/head	3,250.00–3,250.00	3,250	11
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,337	2,875.00/head	2,875.00–2,875.00	2,875	11
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	865	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	1,817	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,000	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	2,200	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,330	2,760.53/head	2,675.00–2,800.00	2,761	3
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,353	2,500.00/head	2,500.00–2,500.00	2,500	3
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	1,340	2,345.28/head	2,200.00–2,375.00	2,345	8

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 →