Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2025-10-29
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-10-29

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. All calves were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand for calves and yearlings was light to moderate. Quality was mostly plain to average this week with many cut back cattle seen. Most feeder offerings were offered in small packages with many singles noticed. Most calves were un-weaned and very few had fall vaccinations. CME positions sold sharply higher today with all contracts moving 8.00-9.00 or more higher on the November and out contracts. Market activity was moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for heavy offerings. The majority of todays very large sale was comprised of weigh up cows and bred cows. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Small regional cow packers were in the market again this week, however they were not as aggressive as last week and purchased less cattle than the previous week. Slaughter cows sold 5.00-7.00 lower on breaking cows, boning cows and lean cows sold 5.00-10.00 lower. Feeding cow demand was good to very good this week with a large pool of buyers in the stands and bidding over the internet. Demand for thin cows was very good as buyers purchased cows with lots of compensatory gain. Lean feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-5.00 higher. High quality feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower as lighter regional packer demand and very heavy supplies allowed for high quality feeding cows to soften. Very few short term feeding cows were purchased this week as a large buyer pool and very good demand for slightly lame or blemished cows kept short term feeding cows above where packers wanted to purchased this class of cows. Weigh conditions were average to below average this week. Many very full cows were seen this week. Slaughter bulls sold 1.00-2.00 lower. Bulls suitable to feed sold steady to 3.00 lower as packers showed lighter demand for all bulls. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold steady to firm. Demand for these offerings remains good to very good. Quality was mostly average to attractive.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $373.97/cwt on 60 head. That ranks 2 of 19 comparable sales and sits −47.57 against this barn's trailing median of $421.54.

Average price

$373.97

60 head · 561 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,097

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

—

single grade reported

vs the market

−24.73

vs MT average

−0.92 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	561	373.97	2,097	60

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

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 sale60 hd

373.97

—

MT average5 barns · 1,873 hd

398.70

−24.73

National average184 barns · 21,753 hd

374.89

−0.92

This barn, trailing median19 sales

421.54

−47.57

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	1,795	179.74	3,226	53
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,621	171.94	2,788	83
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,399	170.28	2,383	382
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,174	161.08	1,892	518
Dairy Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	2,115	134.00	2,834	1thin
Dairy Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,643	125.85	2,068	29
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,570	110.00	1,727	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	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,195	$3,239	16
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,126	$3,227	20
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,263	$2,974	5
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,314	$2,943	35
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,304	$2,909	49
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,364	$2,853	16
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1,223	$2,850	3thin

Every lot, as filed

80 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
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,365	2,900.00/head	2,900.00–2,900.00	2,900	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,210	217.00/cwt	217.00–217.00	2,626	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	421	437.50/cwt	437.50–437.50	1,842	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	529	385.74/cwt	365.00–392.50	2,041	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	586	405.42/cwt	397.50–406.00	2,376	56
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	390	480.00/cwt	480.00–480.00	1,872	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	600–650	616	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	2,187	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	480	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	1,824	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	426	496.50/cwt	495.00–497.50	2,115	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	938	307.00/cwt	307.00–307.00	2,880	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	891	309.00/cwt	309.00–309.00	2,753	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	369	535.00/cwt	535.00–535.00	1,974	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	990	296.00/cwt	296.00–296.00	2,930	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	345	595.00/cwt	595.00–595.00	2,053	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,239	195.00/cwt	195.00–195.00	2,416	9
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,315	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	2,433	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,371	3,031.81/head	2,900.00–3,100.00	3,032	24
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,187	2,825.00/head	2,825.00–2,825.00	2,825	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	464	460.00/cwt	460.00–460.00	2,134	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	563	373.13/cwt	357.50–374.00	2,101	56
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,384	2,818.89/head	2,750.00–2,850.00	2,819	9
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,223	2,850.00/head	2,850.00–2,850.00	2,850	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	975	207.49/cwt	187.50–240.00	2,023	11
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,237	2,992.84/head	2,700.00–3,100.00	2,993	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	950–1000	953	304.00/cwt	304.00–304.00	2,897	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	600–650	607	372.50/cwt	372.50–372.50	2,261	9
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,196	3,272.98/head	3,100.00–3,500.00	3,273	14
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,330	2,930.41/head	2,900.00–3,000.00	2,930	6
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,336	2,732.22/head	2,300.00–2,825.00	2,732	9
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,052	3,159.46/head	3,100.00–3,300.00	3,159	8
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,314	2,943.01/head	2,700.00–3,000.00	2,943	35
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	979	268.04/cwt	245.00–286.00	2,624	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	795	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	2,266	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,090	233.50/cwt	182.50–310.00	2,545	79
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,496	152.50/cwt	140.00–160.00	2,281	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,466	121.17/cwt	100.00–135.00	1,776	17
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight	—	2,030	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	3,329	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,410	162.76/cwt	137.00–168.00	2,295	74
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	928	90.00/cwt	90.00–90.00	835	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,089	73.08/cwt	65.00–80.00	796	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%Non-Traditional	—	1,387	186.67/cwt	182.00–189.00	2,589	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,548	161.44/cwt	157.00–166.00	2,499	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Non-Traditional	—	1,670	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	2,906	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,202	173.34/cwt	169.00–177.00	2,084	230
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,625	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	2,941	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,662	174.80/cwt	170.50–177.50	2,905	20
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight	—	2,098	166.00/cwt	166.00–166.00	3,483	3
Dairy Cows	Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight	—	2,115	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	2,834	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,175	105.08/cwt	90.00–125.00	1,235	39
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,153	159.42/cwt	130.00–168.50	1,838	211
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,170	171.24/cwt	170.00–173.00	2,004	21
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,166	178.99/cwt	178.00–185.00	2,087	6
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,597	176.12/cwt	167.00–182.50	2,813	17
Bulls	—	—	1,768	166.47/cwt	152.00–175.00	2,943	9
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	935	82.50/cwt	82.50–82.50	771	1
Bulls	—	—	2,269	193.26/cwt	193.00–194.00	4,385	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,021	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	1,562	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,649	165.40/cwt	159.00–168.00	2,727	6
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,681	186.79/cwt	186.00–187.00	3,140	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,381	173.85/cwt	169.00–178.00	2,401	230
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,421	182.52/cwt	179.00–184.50	2,594	49
Bulls	—	—	2,013	184.06/cwt	181.00–192.00	3,705	13
Dairy Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,643	125.85/cwt	120.00–127.00	2,068	29
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,567	174.43/cwt	170.00–176.50	2,733	40
Heifers	Large 1	1100–1150	1,108	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	3,158	3
Heifers	Large 1	1050–1100	1,053	286.25/cwt	282.50–287.00	3,014	6
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	895	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	2,327	1
Bred Cows	Large 1	—	1,385	2,700.00/head	2,700.00–2,700.00	2,700	1
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,570	110.00/cwt	110.00–110.00	1,727	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,610	173.01/cwt	165.00–180.00	2,785	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,176	3,271.58/head	3,200.00–3,400.00	3,272	12
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,190	3,000.00/head	3,000.00–3,000.00	3,000	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	919	332.64/cwt	232.50–367.00	3,057	117
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	600–650	648	317.00/cwt	317.00–317.00	2,054	6
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	765	274.78/cwt	265.00–285.00	2,102	3
Bulls	Large 1	1100–1150	1,145	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	2,748	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	560	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	2,128	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	851	306.00/cwt	306.00–306.00	2,604	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	474	411.14/cwt	385.00–415.00	1,949	16
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	940	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	3,055	1

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 →