Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2026-01-21
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-01-21

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week (1-14-26): Feeder cattle were not tested last week as last weeks sale featured bred cows and weigh ups. No recent feeder special has been held at Public Auction yards to make a market comparison as the last feeder special was last December. Feeder cattle all sold on good to very good demand for heavy offerings. Quality this week was average to very attractive and ran deep into the sale. Many long strings of very attractive, home raised offerings sold today. All group sizes sold on good demand as package sizes were mostly moderate and buyers pieced together loads as a result. Buyers showed very good demand for all offering suitable to develop into yearlings. Offerings too big to go to grass sold on good to very good demand as well with several cooperate packer orders fighting over high quality offerings. Demand for heavy weight feeding heifers was very good as feeding demand surpassed demand from replacement buyers. Demand did strengthen as the sale progressed and buyers pushed to fill loads. A large crowd was on hand for todays sale. Market activity was active as a result. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand and offerings. Feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 lower on a lower quality offering. Fewer feeding buyers and a slightly lower quality offering caused feeding cow prices to soften. Slaughter cows sold on mostly moderate demand this week. Breaking cows sold generally steady, boning cows sold 2.00-4.00 higher, while lean cows sold steady to 1.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Young age offerings were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed on a lower quality offering. Quality this week was mostly plain to average.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $491.45/cwt on 393 head, up $3.81 from the prior sale. That ranks 6 of 11 comparable sales and sits −0.00 against this barn's trailing median of $491.45.

Average price

$491.45

▲ 3.81 vs prior sale

393 head · 548 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,693

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$558

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

$102.50/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−5.01

vs MT average

+26.12 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	546	502.50	2,742	305
Medium 1	515	485.00	2,498	3thin
Medium and Large 1-2	559	460.59	2,574	73
Medium and Large 2	546	400.00	2,184	12thin

One grade step is worth $102.50/cwt here — about $558 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

11 sales

Steers 500–600 lb: high $510.69, low $452.33, median $491.45 across 11 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 sale393 hd

491.45

—

MT average3 barns · 1,270 hd

496.46

−5.01

National average169 barns · 18,411 hd

465.33

+26.12

This barn, trailing median11 sales

491.45

−0.00

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	1,823	170.70	3,111	33
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,668	159.24	2,656	30
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,395	151.35	2,111	67
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,114	146.34	1,631	73
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,185	115.00	1,363	1thin

Every lot, as filed

102 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
Steers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	379	545.00/cwt	545.00–545.00	2,066	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	429	567.69/cwt	560.00–575.00	2,435	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	727	380.03/cwt	375.00–382.00	2,763	59
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	480	522.23/cwt	505.00–531.00	2,507	41
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	584	438.28/cwt	427.50–472.50	2,560	43
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	320	605.00/cwt	605.00–605.00	1,936	1
Steers	Large 1	650–700	696	391.00/cwt	391.00–391.00	2,721	8
Steers	Large 1	800–850	836	349.00/cwt	349.00–349.00	2,918	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	690	390.62/cwt	365.00–395.00	2,695	71
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	639	401.27/cwt	392.00–414.00	2,564	7
Steers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	546	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	2,184	12
Steers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	659	381.10/cwt	369.00–386.00	2,511	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	820	327.99/cwt	327.00–335.00	2,690	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	526	460.27/cwt	440.00–475.00	2,421	273
Heifers	Large 1	600–650	612	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	2,295	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	200–250	230	730.00/cwt	730.00–730.00	1,679	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	888	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	3,064	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	304	703.24/cwt	685.00–705.00	2,138	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	480	478.17/cwt	470.00–495.00	2,295	74
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	579	431.14/cwt	422.00–448.00	2,496	372
Heifers	Large 1	650–700	655	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,358	26
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	723	367.24/cwt	365.00–374.00	2,655	79
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	663	383.73/cwt	371.50–392.50	2,544	92
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	371	544.77/cwt	540.00–547.50	2,021	64
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	332	510.88/cwt	500.00–525.00	1,696	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	467	562.40/cwt	551.00–585.00	2,626	49
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	789	359.64/cwt	357.00–365.00	2,838	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	626	441.28/cwt	417.00–457.50	2,762	299
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	371	593.69/cwt	575.00–620.00	2,203	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	805	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	2,818	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	523	492.57/cwt	481.00–495.00	2,576	30
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	757	388.95/cwt	369.00–393.00	2,944	82
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	574	479.38/cwt	457.50–499.00	2,752	126
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	672	414.31/cwt	399.50–421.00	2,784	175
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	725	394.44/cwt	385.00–405.00	2,860	172
Steers	Large 1	700–750	720	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	2,736	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	524	520.82/cwt	497.00–544.00	2,729	171
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	611	440.00/cwt	440.00–440.00	2,688	9
Steers	Medium 1	400–450	436	562.68/cwt	557.50–580.00	2,453	28
Steers	Medium 1	350–400	362	620.00/cwt	620.00–620.00	2,244	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	412	598.80/cwt	590.00–622.50	2,467	78
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	820	367.05/cwt	358.50–370.50	3,010	72
Steers	Medium 1	500–550	515	485.00/cwt	485.00–485.00	2,498	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	373	653.74/cwt	640.00–670.00	2,438	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	563	475.00/cwt	475.00–475.00	2,674	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	350–400	381	630.00/cwt	630.00–630.00	2,400	38
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	725	334.59/cwt	320.00–350.00	2,426	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	550–600	570	446.61/cwt	420.00–460.00	2,546	32
Bulls	Large 1	1050–1100	1,083	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	2,924	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	450–500	482	510.00/cwt	510.00–510.00	2,458	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	650–700	693	384.00/cwt	384.00–384.00	2,661	9
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,075	112.94/cwt	102.50–121.00	1,214	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,090	141.73/cwt	127.00–150.00	1,545	32
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,095	168.21/cwt	165.00–170.00	1,842	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,169	158.51/cwt	150.00–163.00	1,853	24
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,530	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	2,326	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,568	163.02/cwt	162.00–166.00	2,556	8
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,732	164.13/cwt	160.00–167.00	2,843	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight	—	2,113	157.37/cwt	155.00–160.00	3,325	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,404	159.08/cwt	155.00–164.50	2,233	37
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	918	111.87/cwt	105.00–120.00	1,027	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,350	124.95/cwt	123.00–126.00	1,687	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,389	138.66/cwt	130.00–148.00	1,926	8
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,185	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	1,363	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,140	131.68/cwt	130.00–137.50	1,501	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,638	151.51/cwt	149.00–158.00	2,482	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,389	146.97/cwt	131.00–152.00	2,041	18
Bulls	—	—	1,665	161.91/cwt	152.00–171.00	2,696	15
Bulls	—	—	2,333	193.45/cwt	190.00–197.00	4,513	2
Bulls	—	—	1,978	180.73/cwt	177.00–188.00	3,575	13
Bulls	—Heavy Weight	—	2,625	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	4,384	1
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,083	150.47/cwt	150.00–151.00	1,630	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	962	217.68/cwt	171.00–250.00	2,094	33
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,009	274.13/cwt	237.00–290.00	2,766	38
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,158	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	1,980	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,360	167.89/cwt	163.00–173.00	2,283	2
Heifers	Large 1	750–800	753	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	2,485	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	346	542.07/cwt	540.00–545.00	1,876	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	569	410.19/cwt	395.00–420.00	2,334	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	423	501.92/cwt	490.00–525.00	2,123	29
Heifers	Medium 1	400–450	415	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	1,868	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	250–300	267	510.00/cwt	510.00–510.00	1,362	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	428	486.87/cwt	465.00–495.00	2,084	33
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	633	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,279	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	521	410.58/cwt	390.00–420.00	2,139	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	761	350.34/cwt	342.50–367.50	2,666	72
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	763	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	2,480	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	604	411.00/cwt	411.00–411.00	2,482	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	673	356.21/cwt	342.50–362.50	2,397	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	628	399.11/cwt	387.00–425.00	2,506	185
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	385	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	1,617	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	484	451.75/cwt	430.00–467.50	2,186	44
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	524	432.14/cwt	422.50–440.00	2,264	38
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	500–550	523	494.17/cwt	462.50–515.00	2,585	20
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	600–650	635	398.32/cwt	395.00–417.50	2,529	39
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	400–450	430	590.63/cwt	570.00–591.00	2,540	55
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	440	550.00/cwt	550.00–550.00	2,420	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	500–550	508	489.00/cwt	481.00–494.00	2,484	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	550–600	554	456.00/cwt	456.00–456.00	2,526	14
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,357	190.11/cwt	184.00–199.00	2,580	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,068	220.94/cwt	215.00–227.50	2,360	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,075	229.27/cwt	200.00–282.50	2,465	55

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 →