Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2026-06-17
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-06-17

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week (6-10-26): Feeder cattle were too lightly tested today to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. Most offerings were in small packages or as singles. Demand was mostly moderate to good. Market activity was moderate to active with a small crowd on hand, but active internet bidding. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand. Feeding cows sold unevenly steady on boning and lean cows. Breaking fleshed feeding cows sold 6.00-8.00 lower. Demand for grass fat cows was very light this sale as packers and feeding buyers both showed very light demand for this class of cows. A large crowd of feeding cow buyers was seen again this week, with active bidding seen from Canadian buyers, packers and private feeders. Packers continue to buy cows to hold for the 4th of July. Many of these offerings were slightly lame or blemished in some way. Packers were more aggressive this week as they showed stronger demand for cows purchased for this purpose. Packers also showed significantly stronger demand for leaner cows for immediate harvest. Boning and lean slaughter cows sold mostly 4.00-8.00 higher on boning cows, lean cows sold 3.00-5.00 higher. Breaking cows sold 3.00-5.00 lower. Packers report heavy supplies of fed cows hitting the market and are showing very light demand for grass fat cows as a result. Cow quality this week was mostly average with a limited offering of attractive cows noticed. Weigh up conditions were average to below average with most cows pushing moderate amounts of fill. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Moderate to good demand was seen for feeding bulls this week. Feeding bull quality was slightly better this week. Feeding bulls sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher. Demand for young cows suitable to feed or rebreed was good this week, and similar to last week. Quality was mostly average to attractive. Young cows sold mostly steady in a narrow comparison.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $389.91/cwt on 18 head, up $8.27 from the prior sale (only 19 head in that comparison). That ranks 4 of 19 comparable sales and sits −31.63 against this barn's trailing median of $421.54.

Average price

$389.91

▲ 8.27 vs prior sale

18 head · 557 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,173

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$61

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

$22.63/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−26.20

vs MT average

−21.59 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 2	526	405.00	2,130	6thin
Medium and Large 1-2	573	382.37	2,191	12thin

One grade step is worth $22.63/cwt here — about −$61 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 600–700 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 sale18 hd

389.91

—

MT average3 barns · 69 hd

416.11

−26.20

National average169 barns · 9,451 hd

411.50

−21.59

This barn, trailing median19 sales

421.54

−31.63

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	1,835	213.10	3,910	77
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,415	180.66	2,555	234
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,702	166.20	2,829	60
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,180	164.67	1,943	95

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)	1,364	$3,950	5
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,510	$2,950	1thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,364	$2,900	4thin
Bred Heifers	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,465	$3,900	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,575	$4,150	2thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,708	$4,000	2thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,347	$3,550	3thin

Every lot, as filed

72 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
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	360	490.00/cwt	490.00–490.00	1,764	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	695	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,502	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2	750–800	785	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	2,708	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	700–750	745	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	2,645	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	850–900	885	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	2,788	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	583	376.33/cwt	370.00–382.50	2,194	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	873	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	3,012	41
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	310	520.00/cwt	520.00–520.00	1,612	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	850–900	850	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	2,720	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	509	415.00/cwt	415.00–415.00	2,112	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	560	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	2,156	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,018	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	3,054	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	1050–1100	1,070	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	2,996	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	580	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	2,436	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	603	377.50/cwt	377.50–377.50	2,276	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	523	412.56/cwt	400.00–425.00	2,158	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	835	347.50/cwt	347.50–347.50	2,902	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	703	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	2,636	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	655	392.50/cwt	392.50–392.50	2,571	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 2	—	1,575	4,150.00/head	4,150.00–4,150.00	4,150	2
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	1,347	3,550.00/head	3,550.00–3,550.00	3,550	3
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,708	4,000.00/head	4,000.00–4,000.00	4,000	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,346	191.71/cwt	185.00–209.00	2,580	7
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,364	2,900.00/head	2,900.00–2,900.00	2,900	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,360	218.92/cwt	215.00–222.50	2,977	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	1,090	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	3,216	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	992	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	2,282	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	983	212.40/cwt	205.00–220.00	2,088	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,510	2,950.00/head	2,950.00–2,950.00	2,950	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,020	263.40/cwt	205.00–325.00	2,687	24
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,255	187.74/cwt	186.00–191.00	2,356	21
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,188	181.69/cwt	178.00–185.00	2,158	17
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,768	166.88/cwt	164.50–171.00	2,950	17
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,200	165.20/cwt	150.00–174.00	1,982	25
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	938	114.25/cwt	112.50–116.00	1,072	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	975	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	1,170	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,364	3,950.00/head	3,950.00–3,950.00	3,950	5
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,465	3,900.00/head	3,900.00–3,900.00	3,900	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,445	187.00/cwt	187.00–187.00	2,702	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,081	254.60/cwt	192.00–305.00	2,752	55
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,034	241.42/cwt	225.00–285.00	2,496	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	770	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	2,657	1
Bulls	Large 1	1100–1150	1,115	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	2,955	1
Bulls	Large 1	1150–1200	1,168	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	3,037	2
Stock Cows	Medium 1-2	—	855	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	2,009	1
Stock Cows	Medium 1-2	—	841	280.06/cwt	245.00–305.00	2,355	7
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	802	294.19/cwt	255.00–320.00	2,359	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,096	269.48/cwt	215.00–310.00	2,954	97
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,113	155.95/cwt	150.00–165.00	1,736	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,443	165.67/cwt	155.00–176.00	2,391	39
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,763	161.72/cwt	155.00–164.00	2,851	14
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight	—	2,015	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	3,244	1
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,150	197.50/cwt	197.50–197.50	2,271	1
Bulls	Large 1	1050–1100	1,065	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	2,982	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,466	204.81/cwt	192.50–209.00	3,003	11
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,190	180.95/cwt	170.00–185.00	2,153	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,640	158.28/cwt	152.00–163.00	2,596	9
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,578	173.62/cwt	166.00–179.50	2,740	18
Bulls	—	—	2,000	216.91/cwt	211.00–225.00	4,338	33
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,181	137.60/cwt	131.00–146.00	1,625	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,403	188.23/cwt	186.00–191.50	2,641	93
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,577	163.13/cwt	158.00–165.00	2,573	9
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight	—	2,225	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	3,560	1
Bulls	—	—	2,171	229.59/cwt	226.00–237.00	4,984	10
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,376	207.00/cwt	207.00–207.00	2,848	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,563	213.12/cwt	209.00–215.00	3,331	12
Bulls	—	—	1,863	197.94/cwt	182.50–206.00	3,688	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,041	111.00/cwt	111.00–111.00	1,156	4
Bulls	—Heavy Weight	—	2,560	207.00/cwt	207.00–207.00	5,299	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,340	147.25/cwt	145.00–150.00	1,973	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	985	167.50/cwt	167.50–167.50	1,650	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,401	182.59/cwt	176.00–186.00	2,558	89

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 →