Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2025-10-24
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-10-24

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling cattle were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Yearling quality was mostly average. Most yearlings were cut backs off summer video sales. Steer calves under 550 lbs sold mostly 10.00-30.00 lower, with a few high quality partial load lots selling fully steady. Steer calves over 550 lbs sold mostly 10.00-20.00 lower. Heifer calves all sold 10.00 to 20.00 lower, with a few high quality partial load lots selling fully steady. Demand was light to moderate for moderate to heavy offerings. CME feeder cattle positions traded limit lower 3 days of the last 7 days. This caused many buyers to pause as they bid on offerings. Demand for offerings was noticeably lighter this week compared to last sale. Spreads were large this week as fewer buyers were in the stands and willing to buy cattle. Small packages of calves, particularly packages of 10 head or less, sold back sharply from larger consignments this sale. This led to very wide price spreads in places. Even internet bidding, which has been outstanding over the last few sales was drastically quitter this sale compared to last week. Market activity was slow to moderate as a result. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Feeding cows sold fully steady in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on mostly good demand. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Young age cows sold generally steady in a narrow comparison.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $429.57/cwt on 438 head. That ranks 1 of 1 comparable sales and sits −74.32 against this barn's trailing median of $503.89.

Average price

$429.57

438 head · 548 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,356

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$186

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$41.19/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−29.75

vs MT average

−28.57 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	549	437.91	2,403	307
Medium 1	525	417.50	2,192	9thin
Medium and Large 1-2	548	411.82	2,255	103
Large 1	559	396.72	2,217	19thin

One grade step is worth $41.19/cwt here — about $186 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale438 hd

429.57

—

MT average5 barns · 2,384 hd

459.32

−29.75

National average182 barns · 38,495 hd

458.14

−28.57

This barn, trailing median1 sales

503.89

−74.32

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	1,701	181.28	3,083	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,570	177.93	2,794	38
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,400	169.98	2,379	51
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,147	164.90	1,892	61

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)	1,067	$3,409	28
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,075	$3,298	5
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,525	$2,900	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,355	$2,800	1thin

Every lot, as filed

99 lots · USDA AMS · Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Fri)

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	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	545	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	2,044	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	434	465.48/cwt	445.00–500.00	2,020	42
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	650–700	673	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,423	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	538	384.57/cwt	377.50–390.00	2,069	26
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	600–650	622	368.60/cwt	335.00–380.00	2,293	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	551	351.80/cwt	351.00–355.00	1,938	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	890	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	2,715	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	325	640.30/cwt	620.00–660.00	2,081	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	429	460.75/cwt	425.00–465.00	1,977	47
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	250–300	296	565.00/cwt	565.00–565.00	1,672	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	390	495.00/cwt	495.00–495.00	1,931	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	352	607.33/cwt	595.00–615.00	2,138	26
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	517	460.54/cwt	431.00–482.50	2,381	127
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	480	461.01/cwt	422.00–477.00	2,213	254
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	600–650	627	324.56/cwt	318.00–335.00	2,035	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	471	460.13/cwt	450.00–470.00	2,167	67
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	543	419.79/cwt	419.00–435.00	2,279	84
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	419	492.11/cwt	470.00–505.00	2,062	158
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	606	357.73/cwt	346.00–361.00	2,168	55
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	673	313.24/cwt	310.00–320.00	2,108	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	700–750	736	376.92/cwt	366.00–384.00	2,774	42
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	431	547.93/cwt	522.50–572.50	2,362	133
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	619	401.87/cwt	386.00–417.50	2,488	265
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	750–800	755	312.50/cwt	312.50–312.50	2,359	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	762	378.00/cwt	378.00–378.00	2,880	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	700–750	719	307.64/cwt	304.00–322.50	2,212	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	250–300	274	744.18/cwt	720.00–800.00	2,039	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	490	506.18/cwt	485.00–510.00	2,480	431
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	321	551.41/cwt	540.00–560.00	1,770	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	786	363.50/cwt	363.50–363.50	2,857	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	869	327.50/cwt	327.50–327.50	2,846	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	378	505.16/cwt	490.00–523.00	1,910	60
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	669	381.44/cwt	379.00–385.00	2,552	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	571	421.95/cwt	402.00–438.00	2,409	180
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	529	410.27/cwt	400.00–431.00	2,170	87
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	931	314.42/cwt	313.00–314.50	2,927	38
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	600–650	643	379.00/cwt	379.00–379.00	2,437	66
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	382	517.40/cwt	515.00–528.00	1,976	16
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	975	212.50/cwt	212.50–212.50	2,072	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	300–350	341	560.00/cwt	560.00–560.00	1,910	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	500–550	503	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	1,710	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	484	390.59/cwt	340.00–417.50	1,890	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	300–350	323	553.54/cwt	435.00–570.00	1,788	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	568	376.59/cwt	365.00–395.00	2,139	19
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	450–500	453	480.00/cwt	480.00–480.00	2,174	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,355	2,800.00/head	2,800.00–2,800.00	2,800	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	934	299.30/cwt	255.00–307.50	2,795	9
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	740	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,776	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,000	2,992.11/head	2,800.00–3,150.00	2,992	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	990	195.00/cwt	195.00–195.00	1,931	2
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	500–550	545	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,908	3
Steers	Medium 1Full	350–400	384	517.50/cwt	517.50–517.50	1,987	10
Heifers	Medium 1Full	350–400	398	472.50/cwt	472.50–472.50	1,881	30
Heifers	Medium 1	600–650	629	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	1,698	4
Steers	Medium 1Full	500–550	525	417.50/cwt	417.50–417.50	2,192	9
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	350–400	380	533.76/cwt	500.00–540.00	2,028	24
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	500–550	542	403.01/cwt	401.00–410.00	2,184	9
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	650–700	686	376.00/cwt	376.00–376.00	2,579	8
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	550–600	574	391.06/cwt	383.50–400.00	2,245	10
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	800–850	809	337.00/cwt	337.00–337.00	2,726	17
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	600–650	624	372.19/cwt	370.00–377.50	2,322	31
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	450–500	493	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	1,824	2
Bulls	—	—	1,839	178.78/cwt	175.00–181.00	3,288	4
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,400	183.82/cwt	182.00–186.00	2,573	2
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,464	181.69/cwt	177.00–185.00	2,660	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,618	115.13/cwt	110.00–120.00	1,863	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,398	176.56/cwt	171.50–180.00	2,468	40
Heifers	Large 1	750–800	783	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	2,584	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,358	156.10/cwt	144.00–158.00	2,120	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,115	112.50/cwt	112.50–112.50	1,254	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,218	92.50/cwt	92.50–92.50	1,127	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	872	106.80/cwt	100.00–112.50	931	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,559	180.08/cwt	178.00–182.00	2,807	32
Bulls	—	—	2,460	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	4,551	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,360	127.50/cwt	127.50–127.50	1,734	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,103	183.86/cwt	180.00–185.00	2,028	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,110	163.23/cwt	163.00–165.00	1,812	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,188	173.81/cwt	168.00–178.00	2,065	36
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,655	168.14/cwt	166.00–169.00	2,783	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,510	158.00/cwt	158.00–158.00	2,386	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,525	2,900.00/head	2,900.00–2,900.00	2,900	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,503	191.00/cwt	191.00–191.00	2,871	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,082	3,500.00/head	3,500.00–3,500.00	3,500	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	600–650	611	430.00/cwt	430.00–430.00	2,627	46
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	500–550	500	461.00/cwt	461.00–461.00	2,305	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	650–700	688	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	2,546	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	770	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	1,579	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,025	3,000.00/head	3,000.00–3,000.00	3,000	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	926	210.17/cwt	182.00–260.00	1,946	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	500–550	507	403.76/cwt	400.00–405.00	2,047	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	600	389.00/cwt	389.00–389.00	2,334	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	858	358.00/cwt	358.00–358.00	3,072	20
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,087	3,372.29/head	3,300.00–3,400.00	3,372	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	964	252.04/cwt	190.00–300.00	2,430	22
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	921	334.14/cwt	287.50–342.50	3,077	34
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	610	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,196	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	250–300	295	570.00/cwt	570.00–570.00	1,682	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	569	372.13/cwt	357.00–401.00	2,117	143
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	450–500	481	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	2,165	9

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 →