Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2026-10-09

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Fri, Oct 9
● Final77 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1776
Feeder Cattle receipts
2,093 head
▼ 56 vs last sale 2,149▲ 384 vs year ago 1,709 · +22.5%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
70 head
▲ 62 vs last sale 8▼ 95 vs year ago 165 · −57.6%
Replacement Cattle receipts
40 head
▲ 37 vs last sale 3▲ 0 vs year ago 40 · +0.0%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week steer calves under 450 lbs were too lightly tested either this week or last to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. 450 lbs steer calves and heavier sold generally steady. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Heifers over 450 lbs sold mostly 4.00-8.00 lower. No yearling cattle were seen this sale. Calves sold on mostly moderate to good demand for moderate offerings. Cooperate packer buyers were back in the market this week and showed very good demand for attractive offerings. Demand for calves with both spring and fall vaccinations was good and prices overlapped in places as a result. Quality this week was mostly average to very attractive. Most offerings were offered in small to moderate size packages with no load lots seen. Canadian buyers were not as active this week as trucking has become tight and buyers report finding truck to ship cattle north to be difficult. A slightly smaller pool of buyers was seen this week however market activity was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows and bulls sold on moderate demand for very light offerings. Feeding cows, slaughter cows and slaughter bulls all sold steady with Wednesdays sale. Packer buyers showed moderate to good demand as they tried to fill loads before the weekend.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $429.24/cwt on 459 head, down $2.04 from the prior sale. That ranks 2 of 5 comparable sales and sits −2.04 against this barn's trailing median of $431.29.
Average price
$429.24
▼ 2.04 vs prior sale
459 head · 558 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,396
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$102
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$11.54/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−6.29
vs MT average
−1.12 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1559430.172,404422
Medium and Large 1-2550418.632,30337
One grade step is worth $11.54/cwt here — about $102 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.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale459 hd
429.24
—
MT average4 barns · 1,773 hd
435.53
−6.29
National average183 barns · 26,018 hd
430.36
−1.12
This barn, trailing median5 sales
431.29
−2.04
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

5 sales
518483449414median 431.2902/2710/0210/0910/1610/23
Steers 500–600 lb: high $503.89, low $428.05, median $431.29 across 5 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Bulls—Average1,618173.022,7998thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,413139.561,97226
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,709134.372,29618
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,203132.121,59018

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 $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,378$3,1502thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,345$2,8232thin

Every lot, as filed

77 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. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Steers29 lots · lightest first
Steers200–250Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned220620.00/cwt620.00–620.001,3645
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1Unweaned275643.71/cwt640.00–660.001,7705
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned310530.00/cwt530.00–530.001,6432
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned319598.28/cwt565.00–620.001,9098
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned363514.16/cwt505.00–515.001,86613
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned375538.20/cwt520.00–555.002,01819
Steers400–450Medium and Large 2Unweaned421425.00/cwt425.00–425.001,7894
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned425448.92/cwt435.00–470.001,90812
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Full426470.00/cwt470.00–470.002,0025
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned432501.72/cwt480.00–525.002,16775
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned467425.00/cwt425.00–425.001,9853
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned473483.26/cwt460.00–507.502,286135
Steers450–500Medium and Large 2Unweaned490405.00/cwt405.00–405.001,9855
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Full535410.00/cwt410.00–410.002,1946
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned537449.52/cwt435.00–461.002,414163
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned544423.54/cwt420.00–430.002,30430
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Full569385.00/cwt385.00–385.002,19117
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned574420.58/cwt400.00–430.502,414236
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned576397.59/cwt395.00–401.002,2907
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned615381.11/cwt376.00–387.002,3445
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned624398.01/cwt380.00–410.002,484149
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Full642377.08/cwt372.00–387.002,42126
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned655371.00/cwt371.00–371.002,4302
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned674381.13/cwt365.00–390.002,56981
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned708363.00/cwt363.00–363.002,5702
Steers700–750Medium and Large 2Unweaned722347.50/cwt347.50–347.502,5093
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1Unweaned725370.62/cwt361.50–374.002,68752
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1Fleshy742336.00/cwt336.00–336.002,49315
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1Unweaned805340.00/cwt340.00–340.002,7373
Feeder Cattle · Heifers22 lots · lightest first
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned325490.00/cwt490.00–490.001,5931
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned328508.09/cwt495.00–547.501,66713
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned371503.23/cwt482.50–522.501,86723
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned386457.80/cwt455.00–461.001,76724
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Full418440.00/cwt440.00–440.001,8393
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned420461.36/cwt447.50–465.001,93832
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned438439.54/cwt430.00–445.001,92523
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Full463397.50/cwt397.50–397.501,8407
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned463396.52/cwt396.00–410.001,83627
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned477432.66/cwt413.00–456.002,064188
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned521403.99/cwt388.00–417.002,105171
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Full522362.50/cwt362.50–362.501,89215
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned530380.97/cwt370.00–394.002,0197
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned568368.57/cwt365.00–372.502,0939
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned577380.12/cwt375.00–383.002,19322
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Fleshy582355.00/cwt355.00–355.002,06611
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned624364.34/cwt352.50–376.002,27328
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned625355.00/cwt355.00–355.002,2192
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Fleshy643343.00/cwt343.00–343.002,20511
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned650345.00/cwt345.00–345.002,2432
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned693345.37/cwt344.00–349.002,39340
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1Unweaned725322.52/cwt321.00–324.002,33810
Feeder Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned446474.18/cwt460.00–475.002,11517
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned535415.00/cwt415.00–415.002,2201
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned614340.00/cwt340.00–340.002,0885
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned675340.00/cwt340.00–340.002,2952
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,510165.00/cwt165.00–165.002,4921
Bulls——Return to Feed1,588174.20/cwt172.00–175.002,7666
Bulls——1,905174.00/cwt174.00–174.003,3151
Slaughter Cattle · Cows14 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight990112.50/cwt112.50–112.501,1141
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,09070.00/cwt70.00–70.007631
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,208144.22/cwt138.00–147.501,74212
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,210133.00/cwt133.00–133.001,6091
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,267152.00/cwt152.00–152.001,9263
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,292110.68/cwt108.00–112.001,4303
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,400113.17/cwt108.00–117.501,5842
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,406146.42/cwt135.00–149.002,05915
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,430124.72/cwt118.00–135.001,7833
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,584125.25/cwt120.00–129.001,9843
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,623130.00/cwt130.00–130.002,1103
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,670142.00/cwt142.00–142.002,3718
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,675123.00/cwt123.00–123.002,0602
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,835129.32/cwt128.00–135.002,3735
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows2 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,103244.55/cwt220.00–262.502,69721
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,131178.92/cwt155.00–210.002,0247
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows2 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3452,822.77/head2,800.00–2,850.002,8232
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3783,150.00/head3,150.00–3,150.003,1502
Replacement Cattle · Open Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Open Heifers—Medium and Large 11,372195.00/cwt195.00–195.002,6756

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.