Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2026-04-08
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-04-08

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week (4-01-26): Feeder cattle too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Demand was mostly good for light offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain to average and offered in small packages or as singles. A small crowd of feeder buyers on hand for todays sale. Market activity was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand again this week. Almost every cow purchased today was once again purchased to feed in some capacity. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 higher on all classes. Quality this week was mostly average. A few sets of cows which had be started on feed sold again this week; these cows were met with mostly good demand. Weigh up conditions were not as attractive to buyers this week. Weigh conditions were mixed, but not as attractive as last week. Cows with blemishes were also heavily purchased to feed this week as buyers pushed cow prices well over packer buyers orders for slaughter cows. The volume of cows purchased for immediate harvest remains very low, however more cows were purchased to slaughter this week than the last few weeks. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady on breaking, boning and lean cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher in a very narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Feeding bull buyers continue to show very good demand for light weight and lower dressing bulls that would improve on feed. Feeding bulls sold mostly 5.00 higher. Bull quality this week was mostly attractive and better than the last few weeks. Demand for young cows remains very good. Young age offerings sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher. Quality this week was average to attractive. Several sets of attractive wet bagged 2 year olds sold for $3,200-3,350 per head!

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $445.45/cwt on 38 head, up $31.65 from the prior sale. That ranks 15 of 19 comparable sales and sits +23.91 against this barn's trailing median of $421.54.

Average price

$445.45

▲ 31.65 vs prior sale

38 head · 540 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,404

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$17

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

$16.35/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−11.67

vs MT average

+17.09 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	528	457.50	2,416	10thin
Medium and Large 1-2	544	441.15	2,399	28

One grade step is worth $16.35/cwt here — about $17 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 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 sale38 hd

445.45

—

MT average3 barns · 662 hd

457.13

−11.67

National average175 barns · 10,626 hd

428.36

+17.09

This barn, trailing median19 sales

421.54

+23.91

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	—	Average	1,788	216.41	3,870	53
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,420	177.20	2,517	118
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,597	176.94	2,825	60
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,168	160.48	1,875	47

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)	1,332	$4,180	6
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,140	$3,921	3thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,355	$3,400	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,587	$3,250	3thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,480	$3,200	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1,437	$3,900	6

Every lot, as filed

66 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
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,367	189.50/cwt	185.00–194.00	2,590	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,234	230.73/cwt	194.00–332.50	2,847	54
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,355	3,400.00/head	3,400.00–3,400.00	3,400	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,480	3,200.00/head	3,200.00–3,200.00	3,200	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,332	4,180.23/head	4,150.00–4,250.00	4,180	6
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,140	3,920.78/head	3,800.00–4,000.00	3,921	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,587	3,250.00/head	3,250.00–3,250.00	3,250	3
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,437	3,900.00/head	3,900.00–3,900.00	3,900	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	530	447.38/cwt	435.00–460.00	2,371	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	395	530.00/cwt	530.00–530.00	2,094	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	672	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	2,318	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	642	395.80/cwt	385.00–397.50	2,541	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	528	457.50/cwt	457.50–457.50	2,416	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	800–850	807	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,744	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	573	428.00/cwt	428.00–428.00	2,452	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	673	358.68/cwt	355.00–365.00	2,414	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	710	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,556	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	600	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	2,460	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	483	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	1,860	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	486	499.22/cwt	492.50–510.00	2,426	30
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	619	431.66/cwt	430.00–432.50	2,672	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	434	629.30/cwt	625.00–630.00	2,731	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	605	460.00/cwt	460.00–460.00	2,783	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	693	381.86/cwt	360.00–385.00	2,646	8
Steers	Large 1	1050–1100	1,057	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	3,435	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	323	510.00/cwt	510.00–510.00	1,647	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	925	327.50/cwt	327.50–327.50	3,029	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	50–100	85	813.24/head	800.00–825.00	813	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	687	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,473	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	50–100	90	900.00/head	900.00–900.00	900	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	650–700	663	390.00/cwt	390.00–390.00	2,586	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	500–550	505	490.00/cwt	490.00–490.00	2,475	2
Bulls	Large 1	1100–1150	1,141	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	3,081	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,183	162.87/cwt	145.00–169.00	1,927	20
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,568	168.36/cwt	165.00–170.00	2,640	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,493	184.65/cwt	183.00–187.50	2,757	12
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,590	178.19/cwt	170.00–180.00	2,833	29
Bulls	—	—	1,868	219.55/cwt	218.00–221.00	4,101	8
Bulls	—	—	1,623	195.76/cwt	192.50–199.00	3,177	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,685	163.09/cwt	161.00–165.00	2,748	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,800	180.50/cwt	180.50–180.50	3,249	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,455	168.00/cwt	168.00–168.00	2,444	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,612	163.05/cwt	156.00–166.00	2,628	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,182	174.08/cwt	170.00–179.00	2,058	16
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,223	186.98/cwt	186.00–188.00	2,287	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	903	126.16/cwt	120.00–132.50	1,139	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,352	168.65/cwt	155.00–172.00	2,280	22
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,411	177.05/cwt	172.00–183.00	2,498	62
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,472	187.44/cwt	184.00–193.00	2,759	29
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,146	131.43/cwt	122.00–142.00	1,506	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,684	170.86/cwt	168.00–175.00	2,877	13
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,205	85.00/cwt	85.00–85.00	1,024	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,395	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	1,800	1
Bulls	—Natural	—	2,255	229.50/cwt	229.50–229.50	5,175	3
Bulls	—	—	2,051	226.08/cwt	223.00–229.00	4,637	11
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,388	184.17/cwt	180.00–188.00	2,556	2
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,672	216.11/cwt	209.00–222.50	3,613	20
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,511	205.16/cwt	201.00–208.50	3,100	6
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,970	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	4,433	1
Stock Cows	Medium 1-2	—	775	222.50/cwt	222.50–222.50	1,724	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,057	243.60/cwt	181.00–287.50	2,575	17
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,034	306.37/cwt	226.00–361.00	3,168	65
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	952	294.84/cwt	250.00–327.50	2,807	10
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	832	332.16/cwt	320.00–347.50	2,764	13
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,220	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	2,288	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,110	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	2,997	2

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 →