Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2026-07-01
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-07-01

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week (6-24-26): Feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mixed from plain to average, with lots of variation noticed. Most offerings were in small packages or as singles. Demand was mostly moderate to good. Buyers were mostly on the sidelines this week as the upcoming 4th of July holiday has many buyers out of the market this week. Market activity was moderate to active with a small crowd of feeder buyers on hand. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 lower on a lower quality offering on all classes. Demand for feeding cows was good this week with a large buyer pool noticed. Canadian buyers were back in the market this week as they purchased cows to ship north to feed. Slaughter cows sold on good to very good demand as packers all showed need for cows for immediate harvest as this was their last opportunity to buy slaughter cows before the holiday break. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on boning and lean cows, while breaking cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower. Slaughter cow quality was mostly plain this week as most cows purchased for slaughter were too blemished to feed. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-4.00 lower. Feeding bulls sold steady to 5.00 lower. Weigh up conditions were mixed this week, with lots of variation noticed. Cow quality this week was mostly plain to average and not as good as last week. Demand for young cows suitable to feed or rebreed was light to moderate this week. Many buyers were out of the market this week as they didn't take cattle this week due to the holiday. Quality was mostly average and not as attractive as last week. Young cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed, especially on young cows over 1150 lbs.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 600–700 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

600–700 lb heifers averaged $394.69/cwt on 16 head, down $16.45 from the prior sale. That ranks 16 of 18 comparable sales and sits +14.14 against this barn's trailing median of $380.55.

Average price

$394.69

▼ 16.45 vs prior sale

16 head · 634 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,504

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$263

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

$68.76/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+0.00

vs MT average

+5.26 vs national

What quality paid 600–700 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	629	413.76	2,603	8thin
Medium and Large 1-2	627	385.82	2,419	6thin
Medium and Large 2	678	345.00	2,339	2thin

One grade step is worth $68.76/cwt here — about $263 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 600–700 lb

18 sales

Heifers 600–700 lb: high $411.14, low $324.70, median $380.55 across 18 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

How it compared 600–700 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale16 hd

394.69

—

MT average1 barns · 16 hd

394.69

+0.00

National average34 barns · 2,555 hd

389.43

+5.26

This barn, trailing median18 sales

380.55

+14.14

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	1,879	212.22	3,989	78
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,407	180.86	2,545	171
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,614	175.44	2,832	53
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,193	169.18	2,018	72
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,070	138.00	1,477	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	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,375	$4,041	3thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,255	$3,200	1thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,450	$2,900	1thin
Bred Heifers	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,090	$4,450	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,176	$4,378	12
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,504	$4,326	13

Every lot, as filed

68 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
Bulls	—	—	2,255	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	4,285	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,550	188.50/cwt	188.50–188.50	2,922	8
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,611	176.81/cwt	173.25–183.00	2,848	33
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	905	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,358	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,150	166.86/cwt	160.00–174.00	1,919	20
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,055	166.00/cwt	166.00–166.00	1,751	1
Bulls	—	—	1,999	213.56/cwt	205.00–220.00	4,269	31
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,261	145.54/cwt	140.00–153.00	1,835	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,186	161.47/cwt	157.50–165.00	1,915	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,790	164.96/cwt	164.00–166.00	2,953	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,204	185.48/cwt	185.00–187.50	2,233	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,405	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	2,108	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,435	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	2,282	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,523	208.56/cwt	205.00–211.00	3,176	18
Bulls	—Non-Traditional	—	1,195	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	2,211	1
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,070	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	1,477	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,695	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	3,475	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,444	187.51/cwt	185.00–192.00	2,708	42
Bulls	Large 1	1250–1300	1,260	241.00/cwt	241.00–241.00	3,037	1
Bulls	—	—	1,828	198.44/cwt	190.00–205.00	3,627	8
Bulls	—	—	2,038	224.14/cwt	222.00–233.00	4,568	16
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,448	166.12/cwt	153.00–174.00	2,405	14
Bulls	—	—	2,418	212.51/cwt	211.00–214.00	5,138	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,618	165.00/cwt	162.50–169.00	2,670	6
Stock Cows	Medium 1-2	—	870	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	2,088	1
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	865	304.90/cwt	302.50–310.00	2,637	3
Stock Cows	Medium 2	—	760	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	1,710	1
Stock Cows	Medium 1-2	—	875	252.13/cwt	235.00–285.00	2,206	3
Bulls	Large 1	1150–1200	1,193	247.50/cwt	247.50–247.50	2,953	2
Bulls	Large 1	1350–1400	1,390	246.00/cwt	246.00–246.00	3,419	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,046	232.80/cwt	183.00–295.00	2,435	8
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,090	4,450.00/head	4,450.00–4,450.00	4,450	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,375	4,040.85/head	3,900.00–4,100.00	4,041	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,073	262.31/cwt	245.00–282.50	2,815	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,255	3,200.00/head	3,200.00–3,200.00	3,200	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium 1	—	1,146	4,384.77/head	4,350.00–4,400.00	4,385	11
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	720	358.11/cwt	345.00–365.00	2,578	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	773	371.00/cwt	371.00–371.00	2,868	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	678	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	2,339	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	835	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	2,756	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,005	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	2,814	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,355	183.00/cwt	183.00–183.00	2,480	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	750–800	778	357.50/cwt	357.50–357.50	2,781	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	770	362.76/cwt	362.00–365.00	2,793	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	700–750	725	339.00/cwt	339.00–339.00	2,458	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	600–650	625	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	2,500	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	438	469.85/cwt	465.00–480.00	2,058	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	718	387.97/cwt	385.00–391.00	2,786	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	629	413.76/cwt	405.00–415.00	2,603	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	1000–1050	1,015	312.61/cwt	306.00–316.00	3,173	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,358	189.28/cwt	184.00–202.50	2,570	10
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,523	3,800.00/head	3,800.00–3,800.00	3,800	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	627	385.82/cwt	385.00–390.00	2,419	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	428	520.00/cwt	520.00–520.00	2,226	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,140	249.80/cwt	210.00–335.00	2,848	37
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,228	214.22/cwt	188.00–270.00	2,631	40
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,337	204.88/cwt	200.00–215.00	2,739	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,450	2,900.00/head	2,900.00–2,900.00	2,900	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	712	365.00/cwt	365.00–365.00	2,599	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	790	337.55/cwt	332.50–340.00	2,667	3
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,510	4,300.00/head	4,300.00–4,300.00	4,300	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,500	4,421.27/head	4,300.00–4,450.00	4,421	11
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,387	180.73/cwt	175.00–185.00	2,507	112
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,535	175.50/cwt	175.50–175.50	2,694	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,435	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	1,650	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,679	158.93/cwt	152.00–162.00	2,668	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,238	178.58/cwt	172.00–182.00	2,211	31
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	843	126.35/cwt	125.00–127.50	1,065	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 →