Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2025-06-18
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-06-18

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand for feeders was good for light offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain to average and not as attractive as last weeks sale. Quality hampered demand at times. Many unreportable blemished feeders continue to be seen. Feeders were offered in mostly small groups or as singles this sale. Demand for cutting bulls remains very good as several buyers continue to purchase bulls to cut and make steers. Market activity was active with buyers all bidding rapidly. Weigh up cows and bulls comprised most of the sale today. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light to moderate offerings. Western packers were not in the market this week and slaughter cows were lower as a result. Additional regional packers were in the market but purchased very few cows for slaughter. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 lower on breaking and boning cows in a narrow comparison. Lean cows were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Feeding cows sold on mostly good demand. Feeding cows sold mostly 1.00-2.00 lower. Cow quality this week was not as attractive as last weeks sale. Weigh up conditions were not as attractive to buyers as some cows were pushing fill. Temperatures warmed into the upper 80s by mid days and cows tanked up on water as a result. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower. Demand for very high yielding bulls remains very good however, bull quality overall was not as attractive as last weeks sale. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. The calendar continues to work against the young cow market as many buyers want to have cows out with bulls by this time of year. Demand for fleshy young cows which will finish quickly was mostly good as buyers hope to blend these fleshy offerings onto market ready loads. Quality this week was mostly average.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $338.49/cwt on 29 head. That ranks 1 of 19 comparable sales and sits −83.05 against this barn's trailing median of $421.54.

Average price

$338.49

29 head · 552 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,869

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$150

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

$40.00/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−45.91

vs MT average

+4.38 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	504	365.00	1,840	5thin
Medium and Large 1-2	568	334.11	1,898	21
Large 1-2	520	325.00	1,690	3thin

One grade step is worth $40.00/cwt here — about $150 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 sale29 hd

338.49

—

MT average3 barns · 157 hd

384.40

−45.91

National average153 barns · 9,567 hd

334.11

+4.38

This barn, trailing median19 sales

421.54

−83.05

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	—	High	1,771	179.68	3,182	144
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,391	159.34	2,217	232
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,599	154.97	2,478	31
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,151	146.24	1,683	92
Dairy Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,510	130.00	1,963	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	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,305	$3,074	5
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,592	$2,850	3thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,385	$2,750	1thin

Every lot, as filed

88 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
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	600–650	633	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,899	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	482	353.56/cwt	347.50–357.50	1,704	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	583	320.29/cwt	315.00–322.00	1,867	4
Steers	Medium and Large 2	700–750	720	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	2,196	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	504	365.00/cwt	365.00–365.00	1,840	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	678	317.50/cwt	317.50–317.50	2,153	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	830	257.00/cwt	257.00–257.00	2,133	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	608	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,824	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	634	316.66/cwt	310.00–320.00	2,008	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	511	343.02/cwt	340.00–355.00	1,753	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	200–250	210	1,000.00/head	1,000.00–1,000.00	1,000	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	576	367.50/cwt	367.50–367.50	2,117	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	878	258.00/cwt	258.00–258.00	2,265	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	488	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	1,830	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	353	435.00/cwt	435.00–435.00	1,536	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	688	320.01/cwt	319.00–327.50	2,202	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	650–700	668	298.00/cwt	298.00–298.00	1,991	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	935	273.00/cwt	273.00–273.00	2,553	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	975	246.17/cwt	244.00–254.00	2,400	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	817	271.98/cwt	270.00–272.50	2,222	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	794	279.20/cwt	276.00–280.00	2,217	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	750–800	758	283.00/cwt	283.00–283.00	2,145	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	700–750	725	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	2,284	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	150–200	150	875.00/head	875.00–875.00	875	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	597	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,970	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	800–850	828	251.00/cwt	251.00–251.00	2,078	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	900–950	932	269.63/cwt	267.00–270.00	2,513	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	850–900	891	272.32/cwt	271.00–274.00	2,426	9
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,305	3,073.52/head	2,800.00–3,300.00	3,074	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,087	217.25/cwt	199.00–256.00	2,362	44
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	758	313.74/cwt	310.00–317.50	2,378	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	100–150	125	875.00/head	875.00–875.00	875	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	50–100	90	915.00/head	825.00–1,050.00	915	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,010	257.00/cwt	257.00–257.00	2,596	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	750–800	786	271.00/cwt	271.00–271.00	2,130	24
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,207	184.27/cwt	162.50–231.00	2,224	54
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,485	198.31/cwt	197.50–199.00	2,945	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,115	222.50/cwt	222.50–222.50	2,481	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,584	155.79/cwt	155.00–158.00	2,468	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,890	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	2,778	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	980	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	1,411	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,390	144.46/cwt	135.00–148.00	2,008	13
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,204	127.62/cwt	122.50–133.00	1,537	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,120	90.00/cwt	90.00–90.00	1,008	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,635	152.92/cwt	150.00–158.00	2,500	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,480	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	2,294	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,100	134.23/cwt	115.00–146.00	1,477	23
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,187	154.91/cwt	146.00–160.00	1,839	36
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,453	144.60/cwt	139.00–152.00	2,101	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,406	163.12/cwt	159.00–169.00	2,293	125
Bulls	—	—	2,243	192.00/cwt	192.00–192.00	4,307	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	911	110.56/cwt	105.00–124.00	1,007	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,175	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	1,645	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,559	163.80/cwt	161.00–168.50	2,554	6
Bulls	—	—	1,538	159.14/cwt	150.00–163.00	2,448	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,943	160.00/cwt	159.00–161.00	3,109	2
Bulls	—	—	1,933	182.63/cwt	177.00–186.00	3,530	30
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,363	157.43/cwt	149.00–161.00	2,146	87
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,213	162.13/cwt	160.00–166.00	1,967	20
Dairy Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,510	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,963	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,635	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	2,027	1
Bulls	—	—	2,311	186.00/cwt	186.00–186.00	4,298	2
Steers	Large 1	1150–1200	1,155	239.00/cwt	239.00–239.00	2,760	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,755	178.59/cwt	170.00–183.00	3,134	34
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,464	146.46/cwt	145.00–148.00	2,144	6
Bulls	—	—	2,064	195.04/cwt	185.00–230.00	4,026	37
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,316	163.49/cwt	152.00–170.00	2,152	34
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	975	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	1,511	1
Steers	Large 1-2	550–600	569	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	2,105	4
Beef/Dairy Steers	Large 2-3	600–650	606	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	1,333	4
Heifers	Large 1-2Spayed	500–550	520	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,690	3
Steers	Large 1-2	450–500	455	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	1,729	2
Bulls	Large 1-2	1100–1150	1,143	217.00/cwt	217.00–217.00	2,480	2
Bulls	Large 1-2	1150–1200	1,195	219.00/cwt	219.00–219.00	2,617	15
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,592	2,850.00/head	2,850.00–2,850.00	2,850	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	1,000	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	1,900	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	997	215.13/cwt	182.00–242.50	2,145	10
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	996	182.89/cwt	162.00–200.00	1,822	8
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,385	2,750.00/head	2,750.00–2,750.00	2,750	1
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	775	251.00/cwt	251.00–251.00	1,945	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,046	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	2,615	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	686	294.21/cwt	290.00–308.00	2,018	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	753	307.00/cwt	307.00–307.00	2,312	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	750–800	779	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	2,181	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	400–450	408	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	1,632	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,295	168.11/cwt	164.00–174.00	2,177	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,044	234.00/cwt	234.00–234.00	2,443	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Spayed	550–600	587	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,966	12

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 →