Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2024-07-26

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2024-07-26
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-07-26

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Fri, Jul 26

● Final65 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1776

← Feb 23Jul 26Oct 4 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

1,203 head

▼ 4,622 vs last sale 5,825▼ 434 vs year ago 1,637 · −26.5%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

333 head

▲ 283 vs last sale 50▲ 320 vs year ago 13 · +2,461.5%

Replacement Cattle receipts

163 head

▲ 21 vs last sale 142▲ 163 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago

Also sold hereRegular saleWed Oct 28, 2026

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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: This sale was moved from Billings livestock commission to Public auction yards due to the size of the Northern Livestock video sale. All comparisons are to the last sale at Public auction yards which was June 26th 2024. This was the first test of yearling offerings seen this summer so no comparisons for feeders can be made. Quality this week was average to attractive. Flesh conditions were mostly light to moderate. Demand was mostly good for moderate offerings. Several large consignments of yearlings were seen today and demand for load lot offerings was very good. Market activity was mostly active with both private and cooperate feeders bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light offerings. Fewer packer buyers were on hand for todays sale which allowed slaughter cows to sell mostly lower. Breaking cows sold mostly 2.00 lower, boning and lean cows sold 2.00-5.00 lower. Feeding demand remains good and both packer and private feeders both showed good demand for cows suitable to feed. Feeding cows sold generally steady to weak. Cow quality this sale was mostly average and much lower than last sale. Yielding conditions were lower as well as cows running out on pasture and range are starting to green back up depending on where the cows are from. Competition with grasshoppers and dry conditions have led to lighter body condition scores than the sale at the end of June. Hot weather also caused many offerings to tank up on water as weather the last few days has been running over 100 degrees. Weigh conditions overall were average. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 8.00 lower. Feeding demand caused bulls to sell unevenly. This biggest decline in prices was for high dressing bulls as most of these offerings were too big to feed. Quality today was mostly average to attractive. Bull yields were sharply lower compared to last sale as many bulls have been turned out with cows and were in lighter flesh than last sale. Feeding bulls sold 2.00-3.00 higher. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand for very high quality offering was mostly good.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 600–700 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

600–700 lb heifers averaged $239.50/cwt on 20 head. That ranks 1 of 6 comparable sales and sits −113.45 against this barn's trailing median of $352.95.

Average price

$239.50

20 head · 655 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,568

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$31

per head · Medium 1 over Medium 1-2

$2.50/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+0.00

vs MT average

−14.17 vs national

What quality paid 600–700 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	656	240.00	1,574	16thin
Medium 1-2	650	237.50	1,544	4thin

One grade step is worth $2.50/cwt here — about $31 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 900–1000 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 600–700 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale20 hd

239.50

—

MT average1 barns · 20 hd

239.50

+0.00

National average151 barns · 7,455 hd

253.67

−14.17

This barn, trailing median6 sales

352.95

−113.45

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 600–700 lb

6 sales

Heifers 600–700 lb: high $416.04, low $343.90, median $352.95 across 6 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.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	High	1,823	164.21	2,993	55
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,397	141.39	1,975	141
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Very Low	1,628	140.76	2,291	20
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,145	124.72	1,428	59
Dairy Bulls	—	Low	2,050	120.00	2,460	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 Heifers	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	(<2 yrs)	883	$2,272	128

Every lot, as filed

65 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.

Class	Weight	Grade / description	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Feeder Cattle · Steers11 lots · lightest first
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	732	264.00/cwt	264.00–264.00	1,932	5
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 2	820	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	2,009	13
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 1	831	262.00/cwt	262.00–262.00	2,177	65
Steers	850–900	Medium and Large 1	873	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	2,226	5
Steers	850–900	Medium and Large 2	895	231.00/cwt	231.00–231.00	2,067	18
Steers	900–950	Medium and Large 1	913	250.16/cwt	248.00–250.50	2,284	22
Steers	900–950	Medium and Large 1-2	940	241.00/cwt	241.00–241.00	2,265	42
Steers	950–1000	Medium and Large 1	957	246.71/cwt	242.00–247.00	2,361	153
Steers	950–1000	Medium and Large 1Full	996	231.00/cwt	231.00–231.00	2,301	5
Steers	1000–1050	Medium and Large 1	1,027	238.24/cwt	238.00–238.50	2,447	117
Steers	1100–1150	Large 1	1,145	217.50/cwt	217.50–217.50	2,490	2
Feeder Cattle · Heifers16 lots · lightest first
Heifers	650–700	Medium 1-2Spayed	650	237.50/cwt	237.50–237.50	1,544	4
Heifers	650–700	Medium 1	656	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,574	16
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1Spayed	726	246.00/cwt	246.00–246.00	1,786	4
Heifers	800–850	Medium and Large 1-2	816	230.02/cwt	225.00–232.00	1,877	14
Heifers	800–850	Medium and Large 1	818	235.40/cwt	234.00–236.00	1,926	10
Heifers	850–900	Medium and Large 1	867	233.00/cwt	233.00–233.00	2,020	6
Heifers	850–900	Medium and Large 1-2	886	221.64/cwt	216.00–223.50	1,964	51
Heifers	900–950	Large 1	910	221.00/cwt	221.00–221.00	2,011	3
Heifers	900–950	Medium and Large 1-2	916	212.70/cwt	210.00–219.00	1,948	46
Heifers	900–950	Medium and Large 1	941	229.72/cwt	229.50–231.00	2,162	280
Heifers	950–1000	Medium and Large 1-2	964	211.00/cwt	211.00–211.00	2,034	10
Heifers	950–1000	Medium and Large 1	973	223.28/cwt	223.00–224.00	2,173	93
Heifers	1000–1050	Medium and Large 1-2	1,010	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	2,071	2
Heifers	1000–1050	Medium and Large 1	1,025	214.40/cwt	210.50–219.00	2,198	58
Heifers	1100–1150	Large 1	1,147	183.00/cwt	183.00–183.00	2,099	5
Heifers	1150–1200	Large 1-2	1,194	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	2,030	6
Feeder Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls	650–700	Medium and Large 1	687	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,821	3
Bulls	700–750	Medium and Large 1	726	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	1,851	7
Bulls	950–1000	Medium and Large 1	950	226.00/cwt	226.00–226.00	2,147	1
Bulls	1000–1050	Medium and Large 1	1,048	228.00/cwt	228.00–228.00	2,389	3
Bulls	1150–1200	Large 1	1,161	216.00/cwt	216.00–216.00	2,508	10
Bulls	1250–1300	Large 1	1,256	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	2,198	4
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Light Weight	1,382	141.73/cwt	137.00–144.00	1,959	3
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,556	169.03/cwt	162.50–174.00	2,630	7
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,635	176.25/cwt	173.00–179.00	2,882	7
Bulls	—	—	1,846	148.86/cwt	132.00–154.00	2,748	7
Bulls	—	—	1,955	164.21/cwt	157.00–171.00	3,210	25
Bulls	—	—	1,996	173.66/cwt	172.00–175.00	3,466	6
Slaughter Cattle · Cows19 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	755	95.00/cwt	95.00–95.00	717	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	929	112.56/cwt	104.00–124.00	1,046	6
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,150	131.86/cwt	126.00–135.50	1,516	6
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,174	135.08/cwt	131.00–138.50	1,586	22
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,174	118.65/cwt	105.00–125.00	1,393	20
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,247	103.33/cwt	102.00–104.00	1,289	3
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,280	142.50/cwt	142.50–142.50	1,824	1
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,368	142.30/cwt	134.00–146.00	1,947	67
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,368	130.72/cwt	129.50–133.00	1,788	6
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,396	133.39/cwt	129.00–143.00	1,862	19
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,435	147.49/cwt	145.00–154.50	2,116	43
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,484	123.58/cwt	118.00–128.00	1,834	6
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,507	142.00/cwt	140.00–144.00	2,140	4
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,587	148.34/cwt	148.00–149.00	2,354	3
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,590	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	2,162	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,635	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	2,027	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,647	140.80/cwt	140.00–142.00	2,319	5
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,711	137.83/cwt	137.00–139.00	2,358	5
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,755	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	2,615	1
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Bulls1 lot · lightest first
Dairy Bulls	—	—	2,050	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	2,460	1
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows3 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium 1	815	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,223	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,114	156.63/cwt	146.00–166.00	1,745	14
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,275	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,913	1
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers3 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers	—	Medium 1-2Thin Fleshed	831	1,853.10/head	1,750.00–2,000.00	1,853	30
Bred Heifers	—	Medium 1-2	899	2,400.00/head	2,400.00–2,400.00	2,400	98
Bred Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	1,185	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	1,742	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 →

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Fri)

Fri Jul 26, 2024

USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)

Feeder CattleReceipts 1,203Last week 5,825Year ago 1,637

Slaughter CattleReceipts 333Last week 50Year ago 13

Replacement CattleReceipts 163Last week 142Year ago 0

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
14	800–850	816	225.00–232.00	230.02
51	850–900	886	216.00–223.50	221.64
46	900–950	916	210.00–219.00	212.70
10	950–1000	964	211.00	211.00
2	1000–1050	1,010	205.00	205.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
16	650–700	656	240.00	240.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
10	800–850	818	234.00–236.00	235.40
6	850–900	867	233.00	233.00
280	900–950	941	229.50–231.00	229.72
93	950–1000	973	223.00–224.00	223.28
58	1000–1050	1,025	210.50–219.00	214.40

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Spayed$ per cwt · actual wt
4	700–750	726	246.00	246.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	900–950	910	221.00	221.00
5	1100–1150	1,147	183.00	183.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	1150–1200	1,194	170.00	170.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1-2 · Spayed$ per cwt · actual wt
4	650–700	650	237.50	237.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	700–750	732	264.00	264.00
42	900–950	940	241.00	241.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
65	800–850	831	262.00	262.00
5	850–900	873	255.00	255.00
22	900–950	913	248.00–250.50	250.16
153	950–1000	957	242.00–247.00	246.71
117	1000–1050	1,027	238.00–238.50	238.24

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
5	950–1000	996	231.00	231.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	1100–1150	1,145	217.50	217.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
13	800–850	820	245.00	245.00
18	850–900	895	231.00	231.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	650–700	687	265.00	265.00
7	700–750	726	255.00	255.00
1	950–1000	950	226.00	226.00
3	1000–1050	1,048	228.00	228.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
10	1150–1200	1,161	216.00	216.00
4	1250–1300	1,256	175.00	175.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,275	150.00	150.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	14	—	1,114	146.00–166.00	156.63

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	815	150.00	150.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	2	—	1,185	147.00	147.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	98	—	899	2,400.00	2,400.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	30	—	831	1,750.00–2,000.00	1,853.10

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
67	—	1,368	134.00–146.00	142.30
43	—	1,435	145.00–154.50	147.49
6	—	1,368	129.50–133.00	130.72

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	755	95.00	95.00
6	—	929	104.00–124.00	112.56

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
20	—	1,174	105.00–125.00	118.65
3	—	1,247	102.00–104.00	103.33
6	—	1,150	126.00–135.50	131.86

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,635	124.00	124.00
5	—	1,711	137.00–139.00	137.83
5	—	1,647	140.00–142.00	140.80
1	—	1,755	149.00	149.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,280	142.50	142.50
22	—	1,174	131.00–138.50	135.08

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,590	136.00	136.00
3	—	1,587	148.00–149.00	148.34
4	—	1,507	140.00–144.00	142.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,484	118.00–128.00	123.58
19	—	1,396	129.00–143.00	133.39

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,996	172.00–175.00	173.66
7	—	1,846	132.00–154.00	148.86
25	—	1,955	157.00–171.00	164.21

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,382	137.00–144.00	141.73

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,635	173.00–179.00	176.25
7	—	1,556	162.50–174.00	169.03

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,050	120.00	120.00

Head, weight ranges, average weights and price ranges are exactly as USDA AMS filed them — nothing recomputed, nothing rounded — in USDA's own reporting structure. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of that data, not a copy of USDA's document.