Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2026-02-04

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Feb 4
● Final47 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
22 head
1,463 vs last sale 1,485 116 vs year ago 138 · 84.1%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
239 head
154 vs last sale 85 5 vs year ago 234 · +2.1%
Replacement Cattle receipts
278 head
208 vs last sale 70 202 vs year ago 76 · +265.8%
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week (1-28-26): Feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend, as todays sale featured weigh up cows. CME positions sold with strong triple digit gains today as traders continue to react to the bullish cattle inventory report which showed continued heard contraction. Market activity was active on limited offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand and light offerings. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher. Several packages of cows which had been started on feed sold today. Demand for these offerings was very good with several buyers and packers showing strong demand as they bid aggressively. Despite a smaller crowd of feeding buyers present demand was stronger than last week as tight supplies have buyers pushing to fill lots. Slaughter cows sold on good demand again this week as tight supplies have packers searching for cows to slaughter. Slaughter cows sold on mostly good demand this week. Slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00 higher on breaking cows in a narrow comparison. Boning and lean cow sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Very few cows were purchased to slaughter again this week as feeding demand kept prices above breakeven for packers. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Demand for feeding bulls was very good this sale as feeding buyers pushed bulls mostly above were packers could buy them. Weigh up conditions were mostly average this week as many cows were sorted and worked through the chute over the past few days. Young age offerings were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Many cows sold today were sort offs of yesterdays bred special. Many were blemished in some way or tested open. Quality was average to attractive for young age offerings this week.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $455.00/cwt on 1 head, up $12.59 from the prior sale. That ranks 19 of 19 comparable sales and sits +33.46 against this barn's trailing median of $421.54.
Average price
$455.00
12.59 vs prior sale
1 head · 510 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,321
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
single grade reported
vs the market
+12.77
vs MT average
+23.46 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1510455.002,3211thin
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
478431384337median 421.5401/0702/2504/1506/0308/19
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 sale1 hd
455.00
MT average3 barns · 245 hd
442.23
+12.77
National average145 barns · 12,920 hd
431.54
+23.46
This barn, trailing median19 sales
421.54
+33.46
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 · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
BullsAverage1,725180.023,10525
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,524170.142,59368
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,380162.332,24085
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,118141.301,58032

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 $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,084$3,8686
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,205$3,8501thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,280$3,3673thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,243$2,9697
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,115$2,2004thin

Every lot, as filed

47 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.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
BullsLarge 11350–14001,365217.50/cwt217.50–217.502,9691
BullsMedium and Large 2450–500458435.08/cwt430.00–440.001,9932
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2800–850808325.00/cwt325.00–325.002,6264
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2700–750730359.00/cwt359.00–359.002,6211
HeifersMedium and Large 1500–550510455.00/cwt455.00–455.002,3211
HeifersMedium and Large 1450–500490465.00/cwt465.00–465.002,2792
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,0843,867.63/head3,800.00–3,900.003,8686
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,228172.67/cwt172.00–173.002,1206
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,2282,395.25/head2,300.00–2,600.002,3953
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,2553,400.00/head3,400.00–3,400.003,4004
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,1152,200.00/head2,200.00–2,200.002,2004
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,2853,300.00/head3,300.00–3,300.003,3002
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,043271.28/cwt230.00–325.002,82937
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,280169.65/cwt162.00–174.002,1725
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,007221.42/cwt180.00–285.002,23035
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,2053,850.00/head3,850.00–3,850.003,8501
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2703,500.00/head3,500.00–3,500.003,5001
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Fleshy1,390174.00/cwt174.00–174.002,4191
Stock CowsMedium 1682308.39/cwt300.00–310.002,1037
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,283173.64/cwt169.50–176.002,22828
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,075248.40/cwt185.00–300.002,67072
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,032252.83/cwt235.00–280.002,6095
BullsReturn to Feed1,523183.69/cwt182.00–185.002,7984
CowsLean 85-90%1,032114.16/cwt100.00–122.501,1783
CowsLean 85-90%1,045147.50/cwt147.50–147.501,5411
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight898112.01/cwt102.50–120.001,0064
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,198171.02/cwt170.00–172.002,0493
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,143169.00/cwt169.00–169.001,9322
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,527170.75/cwt169.00–171.002,60732
CowsBreaker 75-80%Non-Traditional1,283181.88/cwt179.00–185.002,3342
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,402176.00/cwt176.00–176.002,46816
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,646156.87/cwt152.00–161.002,5828
Bulls1,632157.00/cwt157.00–157.002,5623
CowsLean 85-90%1,169141.30/cwt139.00–142.001,6524
CowsBoner 80-85%1,414139.89/cwt133.00–148.001,9785
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,661167.10/cwt165.00–169.002,77610
CowsLean 85-90%1,06097.50/cwt97.50–97.501,0341
CowsBoner 80-85%1,475162.18/cwt153.00–171.002,3922
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,174147.85/cwt134.00–159.001,73614
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,324173.38/cwt173.00–173.502,2968
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,385148.04/cwt136.00–159.002,05010
CowsBoner 80-85%1,325122.00/cwt122.00–122.001,6173
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,383167.38/cwt160.00–172.002,31557
Bulls2,425185.00/cwt185.00–185.004,4861
Bulls2,360195.00/cwt195.00–195.004,6021
Bulls1,796184.13/cwt182.00–185.003,3078
BullsReturn to Feed1,622180.20/cwt179.00–181.002,9238

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.