Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2026-08-19
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-08-19

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week (7-29-26): Feeder steers were too lightly tested last sale to develop any market trend. Yearling heifers were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed on all offerings under 950 lbs. Heifers over 950 lbs sold with lower undertones. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Most offerings were in small packages to moderate size packages or as singles. Demand was mostly good to very good for yearlings and light to moderate for calves. Demand for calves suffered as hot days continue to be in the forecast for the coming days and limited offerings made building loads difficult. CME positions traded with heavy losses today, however buyers seemed unfazed as they continue to show strong demand for cattle coming off grass. Market activity was active, despite a small buyer pool noticed. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Demand for feeding cows was moderate this week. Cow quality was mostly plain to average this week and limited demand. Many cows were out of dry country this sale and were thin or plain as a result. Quality selection made it difficult for buyers to build and fill loads. Canadian buyers were back in the market this week as they purchased cows to ship north to feed. Feeding cows sold generally steady on a lower quality offering. Weigh up conditions were also below average as many full cows were noticed this week. Slaughter cow demand was slightly stronger this week as packers all showed need for cows for immediate harvest. The spread between feeding cows and slaughter cows was as tight this sale as it has been in well over a year. Slaughter cows sold generally steady to firm on a lower yielding offering. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00-4.00 lower on a poorer yielding offering. Many blemished bulls were seen this week as most offerings come out of breeding pastures. Feeding bull demand was moderate this sale. Feeding bulls sold mostly 5.00 lower on a poorer quality offering. Young age cows were all too lightly tested to develop any market comparison. Quality was mostly plain to average. Many young cows were fleshy coming off grass, especially if they have not calved. Young cow quality this week was mostly plain, and many were purchased to feed.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $350.88/cwt on 17 head, down $24.43 from the prior sale. That ranks 1 of 19 comparable sales and sits −70.66 against this barn's trailing median of $421.54.

Average price

$350.88

▼ 24.43 vs prior sale

17 head · 576 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,020

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$10

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

$50.00/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+10.94

vs MT average

+0.45 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	508	395.00	2,007	2thin
Medium 1-2	585	345.00	2,017	15thin

One grade step is worth $50.00/cwt here — about −$10 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 500–600 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 sale17 hd

350.88

—

MT average2 barns · 42 hd

339.94

+10.94

National average81 barns · 2,697 hd

350.43

+0.45

This barn, trailing median19 sales

421.54

−70.66

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	1,790	194.33	3,478	88
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,617	164.21	2,655	51
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,416	164.12	2,324	148
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,168	143.60	1,677	45
Dairy Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,602	148.03	2,371	30
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,385	124.00	1,717	2thin

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	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,260	$3,000	2thin
Bred Heifers	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	(<2 yrs)	717	$2,475	3thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,665	$3,450	2thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,376	$3,425	7

Every lot, as filed

84 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
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,260	3,000.00/head	3,000.00–3,000.00	3,000	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,275	179.07/cwt	176.00–182.00	2,283	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,188	182.35/cwt	172.50–192.50	2,166	2
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	717	2,475.00/head	2,475.00–2,475.00	2,475	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	1,100	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	1,815	2
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,376	3,425.00/head	3,425.00–3,425.00	3,425	7
Steers	Medium 1	550–600	570	392.00/cwt	392.00–392.00	2,234	7
Steers	Medium 1Thin Fleshed	650–700	680	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	2,516	13
Heifers	Medium 1-2	500–550	547	365.00/cwt	365.00–365.00	1,997	3
Heifers	Medium 1-2	550–600	594	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,020	12
Heifers	Medium 1-2	600–650	631	331.00/cwt	331.00–331.00	2,089	4
Heifers	Medium 1-2	650–700	698	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	2,164	3
Beef/Dairy Heifers	Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,013	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	2,735	4
Beef/Dairy Steers	Large 1-2	750–800	777	337.50/cwt	337.50–337.50	2,622	3
Beef/Dairy Heifers	Large 1-2	800–850	822	314.00/cwt	314.00–314.00	2,581	36
Heifers	Large 1-2	750–800	756	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	2,381	4
Beef/Dairy Heifers	Large 2	650–700	681	302.50/cwt	302.50–302.50	2,060	5
Steers	Medium 1	600–650	644	372.50/cwt	372.50–372.50	2,399	4
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,220	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	2,745	1
Steers	Large 1Full	1050–1100	1,064	292.00/cwt	292.00–292.00	3,107	10
Heifers	Large 1	1050–1100	1,085	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	2,984	3
Beef/Dairy Steers	Large 1-2	900–950	942	318.00/cwt	318.00–318.00	2,996	16
Steers	Large 1	750–800	776	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,638	4
Beef/Dairy Steers	Large 1-2	800–850	837	324.00/cwt	324.00–324.00	2,712	6
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,643	196.85/cwt	193.50–209.00	3,234	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,415	146.71/cwt	135.00–155.00	2,076	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,438	132.59/cwt	130.00–135.00	1,907	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,421	170.59/cwt	165.50–177.00	2,424	62
Bulls	—	—	1,844	190.58/cwt	180.00–196.00	3,514	34
Bulls	—	—	1,897	200.90/cwt	197.00–216.00	3,811	31
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,225	175.86/cwt	165.00–185.00	2,154	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,197	158.60/cwt	155.00–163.00	1,898	3
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,385	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	1,717	2
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,587	191.42/cwt	172.50–198.00	3,038	17
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,154	149.32/cwt	142.50–151.00	1,723	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,468	160.75/cwt	159.50–163.00	2,360	9
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,338	168.49/cwt	168.00–169.00	2,254	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,659	164.63/cwt	163.00–166.50	2,731	7
Dairy Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,602	148.03/cwt	147.00–152.00	2,371	30
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,564	167.22/cwt	166.00–171.00	2,615	25
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,178	172.49/cwt	170.00–175.00	2,032	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,187	136.78/cwt	120.00–150.00	1,624	30
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,695	159.70/cwt	153.00–162.50	2,707	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	920	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,196	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,576	161.63/cwt	161.50–162.00	2,547	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,091	162.10/cwt	159.00–164.00	1,769	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,358	178.20/cwt	178.00–178.50	2,420	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,409	160.94/cwt	149.00–164.00	2,268	56
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,665	3,450.00/head	3,450.00–3,450.00	3,450	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,212	193.18/cwt	188.00–227.50	2,341	14
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,475	163.50/cwt	163.50–163.50	2,412	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,173	233.54/cwt	200.00–272.50	2,739	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	484	456.82/cwt	455.00–457.50	2,211	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	950–1000	950	319.00/cwt	319.00–319.00	3,031	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	850–900	888	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	2,930	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	900–950	920	309.00/cwt	309.00–309.00	2,843	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	971	301.23/cwt	295.00–306.50	2,925	47
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	250–300	288	560.00/cwt	560.00–560.00	1,613	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	811	339.89/cwt	338.00–341.00	2,757	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	740	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	2,738	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,029	292.25/cwt	292.00–294.00	3,007	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	916	315.85/cwt	313.50–319.00	2,893	37
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	735	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	2,573	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	612	331.00/cwt	331.00–331.00	2,026	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	889	321.23/cwt	316.00–333.00	2,856	38
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	781	361.26/cwt	361.00–362.00	2,821	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,015	317.00/cwt	317.00–317.00	3,218	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	486	425.00/cwt	425.00–425.00	2,066	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	392	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	1,764	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	834	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	2,919	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	906	332.46/cwt	330.00–337.50	3,012	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	508	395.00/cwt	395.00–395.00	2,007	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	852	350.40/cwt	337.00–352.00	2,985	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	200–250	230	570.00/cwt	570.00–570.00	1,311	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	478	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	1,840	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	700–750	727	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	2,399	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	300–350	308	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	1,540	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	767	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	2,493	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	872	304.98/cwt	295.00–310.00	2,659	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,035	304.00/cwt	304.00–304.00	3,146	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	723	339.72/cwt	335.00–341.00	2,456	23
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	481	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	1,852	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	990	304.00/cwt	304.00–304.00	3,010	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	815	302.50/cwt	302.50–302.50	2,465	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 →