Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2024-10-04

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2024-10-04
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-10-04

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Fri, Oct 4

● Final93 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1776

← Jul 26Oct 4Oct 11 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

1,529 head

▲ 326 vs last sale 1,203▼ 861 vs year ago 2,390 · −36.0%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

28 head

▼ 305 vs last sale 333▼ 68 vs year ago 96 · −70.8%

Replacement Cattle receipts

18 head

▼ 145 vs last sale 163▼ 22 vs year ago 40 · −55.0%

Also sold hereRegular saleWed Oct 28, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

This is the first Friday feeder special of the fall marketing season, thus no comparisons can be made. Yearling steers and heifers sold on mostly good demand, while calves sold on good to very good demand. Offerings were light to moderate. Very good demand was seen for light weight calves that buyers plan on developing into yearlings. Quality this sale was mostly average, with a limited offering of attractive calves and yearlings noticed. Package sizes were mostly small today. Only one load lot was seen. Market activity was mostly active with lots of buyers both in the stands as well as over the internet. Weigh up cows and bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand was mostly light for very light offerings. Feeding cow buyers were mostly inactive today and most cows were purchased for immediate harvest.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $270.88/cwt on 156 head. That ranks 1 of 6 comparable sales and sits −120.97 against this barn's trailing median of $391.86.

Average price

$270.88

156 head · 556 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,506

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

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

$24.00/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+5.65

vs MT average

+24.10 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	536	274.00	1,469	9thin
Medium and Large 1	555	272.04	1,511	138
Medium 1-2	584	250.00	1,460	9thin

One grade step is worth $24.00/cwt here — about $9 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.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale156 hd

270.88

—

MT average3 barns · 190 hd

265.23

+5.65

National average172 barns · 12,740 hd

246.78

+24.10

This barn, trailing median6 sales

391.86

−120.97

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

6 sales

Heifers 500–600 lb: high $448.39, low $377.01, median $391.86 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	—	Average	1,999	133.15	2,662	5thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,501	121.45	1,823	7thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,378	110.03	1,516	8thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,192	102.33	1,219	7thin
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,445	89.00	1,286	1thin

Every lot, as filed

93 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 · Steers36 lots · lightest first
Steers	250–300	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	250	405.00/cwt	405.00–405.00	1,013	1
Steers	250–300	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	268	435.00/cwt	435.00–435.00	1,166	2
Steers	300–350	Medium and Large 1	310	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	1,302	1
Steers	300–350	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	345	396.64/cwt	395.00–397.50	1,368	20
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	352	400.91/cwt	385.00–405.00	1,411	5
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	360	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,260	1
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	392	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	1,078	3
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	407	356.55/cwt	352.50–370.00	1,451	22
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	437	318.17/cwt	315.00–334.00	1,390	18
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	476	315.83/cwt	300.00–330.00	1,503	112
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	505	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	1,187	3
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	517	298.71/cwt	290.00–308.00	1,544	53
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1Full	533	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,492	6
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	534	280.75/cwt	270.00–286.00	1,499	16
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	581	262.00/cwt	262.00–262.00	1,522	7
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	583	278.24/cwt	276.00–287.00	1,622	33
Steers	550–600	Large 1Full	584	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	1,489	11
Steers	550–600	Large 1Unweaned	587	271.00/cwt	271.00–271.00	1,591	3
Steers	600–650	Large 1Unweaned	605	254.00/cwt	254.00–254.00	1,537	5
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	617	281.08/cwt	276.00–288.50	1,734	56
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	650	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	1,658	5
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	667	276.74/cwt	269.00–280.25	1,846	41
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	703	246.00/cwt	246.00–246.00	1,729	10
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	719	254.00/cwt	254.00–254.00	1,826	5
Steers	750–800	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	757	241.00/cwt	241.00–241.00	1,824	3
Steers	750–800	Medium 2	763	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,755	5
Steers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	790	254.00/cwt	254.00–254.00	2,007	2
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 1	801	254.50/cwt	254.50–254.50	2,039	4
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 2	815	221.00/cwt	221.00–221.00	1,801	2
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 1-2	826	247.80/cwt	241.00–250.00	2,047	12
Steers	850–900	Medium and Large 1	854	247.18/cwt	245.50–249.50	2,111	19
Steers	850–900	Medium and Large 1-2	867	235.50/cwt	235.50–235.50	2,042	3
Steers	950–1000	Medium and Large 1-2	972	224.36/cwt	222.00–226.00	2,181	5
Steers	1000–1050	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	1,019	194.00/cwt	194.00–194.00	1,977	8
Steers	1000–1050	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	1,038	201.00/cwt	201.00–201.00	2,086	3
Steers	1100–1150	Large 1-2	1,138	204.50/cwt	204.50–204.50	2,327	3
Feeder Cattle · Heifers40 lots · lightest first
Heifers	200–250	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	225	362.50/cwt	362.50–362.50	816	1
Heifers	250–300	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	278	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,001	3
Heifers	250–300	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	295	337.24/cwt	320.00–345.00	995	7
Heifers	300–350	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	328	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,033	5
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	360	332.51/cwt	330.00–335.00	1,197	8
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	374	318.45/cwt	310.00–325.00	1,191	16
Heifers	400–450	Medium 1Unweaned	415	288.00/cwt	288.00–288.00	1,195	12
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	417	293.07/cwt	279.00–305.00	1,222	37
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	429	311.99/cwt	306.00–342.50	1,338	19
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	457	291.52/cwt	288.00–294.00	1,332	12
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	465	294.66/cwt	285.00–301.00	1,370	65
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	483	276.68/cwt	269.00–285.00	1,336	20
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1Full	488	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,366	4
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	523	279.96/cwt	277.00–283.00	1,464	41
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	536	274.00/cwt	274.00–274.00	1,469	9
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1	544	287.00/cwt	287.00–287.00	1,561	21
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	575	263.86/cwt	260.00–277.00	1,517	9
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	576	263.61/cwt	255.00–273.00	1,518	67
Heifers	550–600	Medium 1-2	584	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,460	9
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	614	261.00/cwt	261.00–261.00	1,603	5
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	626	252.38/cwt	247.00–255.00	1,580	6
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	663	241.00/cwt	241.00–241.00	1,598	6
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	707	246.00/cwt	246.00–246.00	1,739	3
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	733	222.00/cwt	222.00–222.00	1,627	3
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	737	248.91/cwt	248.00–250.00	1,834	121
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1	757	247.60/cwt	246.50–248.00	1,874	19
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	760	238.50/cwt	238.50–238.50	1,813	6
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1Full	784	237.50/cwt	237.50–237.50	1,862	6
Heifers	800–850	Medium and Large 1	811	241.69/cwt	240.50–244.50	1,960	93
Heifers	800–850	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	811	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	1,825	12
Heifers	800–850	Medium and Large 1-2	817	231.37/cwt	229.00–235.00	1,890	5
Heifers	800–850	Medium and Large 1Full	835	232.50/cwt	232.50–232.50	1,941	7
Heifers	850–900	Medium and Large 1Full	858	227.00/cwt	227.00–227.00	1,948	5
Heifers	850–900	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	869	222.00/cwt	222.00–222.00	1,929	4
Heifers	850–900	Large 1	875	224.00/cwt	224.00–224.00	1,960	23
Heifers	850–900	Medium and Large 1	890	227.77/cwt	227.50–230.00	2,027	43
Heifers	900–950	Medium and Large 1Full	913	213.00/cwt	213.00–213.00	1,945	3
Heifers	900–950	Medium and Large 1	915	223.99/cwt	223.00–225.00	2,050	14
Heifers	950–1000	Medium and Large 1	979	217.50/cwt	217.50–217.50	2,129	18
Heifers	1000–1050	Medium and Large 1	1,010	213.44/cwt	210.00–215.50	2,156	8
Feeder Cattle · Bulls1 lot · lightest first
Bulls	350–400	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	360	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,206	2
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—	1,993	126.91/cwt	122.00–135.00	2,529	3
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	2,008	142.50/cwt	142.00–143.00	2,861	2
Slaughter Cattle · Cows9 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Light Weight	940	102.00/cwt	102.00–102.00	959	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,060	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	1,314	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,195	107.51/cwt	106.00–109.00	1,285	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,223	94.32/cwt	91.00–100.00	1,154	4
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,375	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	1,664	1
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,402	104.00/cwt	104.00–104.00	1,458	3
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,483	122.19/cwt	122.00–123.00	1,812	6
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,500	115.07/cwt	114.00–116.00	1,726	3
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,610	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	1,884	1
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Cows1 lot · lightest first
Dairy Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,445	89.00/cwt	89.00–89.00	1,286	1
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Bred Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	715	246.00/cwt	246.00–246.00	1,759	12
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows3 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,055	196.00/cwt	196.00–196.00	2,068	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,240	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,550	2
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,275	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	1,709	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 Oct 4, 2024

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 1,529Last week 1,203Year ago 2,390

Slaughter CattleReceipts 28Last week 333Year ago 96

Replacement CattleReceipts 18Last week 163Year ago 40

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	250–300	268	435.00	435.00
20	300–350	345	395.00–397.50	396.64
5	350–400	352	385.00–405.00	400.91
22	400–450	407	352.50–370.00	356.55
112	450–500	476	300.00–330.00	315.83
53	500–550	517	290.00–308.00	298.71
33	550–600	583	276.00–287.00	278.24
56	600–650	617	276.00–288.50	281.08
41	650–700	667	269.00–280.25	276.74
10	700–750	703	246.00	246.00
3	750–800	757	241.00	241.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	310	420.00	420.00
5	700–750	719	254.00	254.00
4	800–850	801	254.50	254.50
19	850–900	854	245.50–249.50	247.18

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	550–600	587	271.00	271.00
5	600–650	605	254.00	254.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	250	405.00	405.00
1	350–400	360	350.00	350.00
18	400–450	437	315.00–334.00	318.17
16	500–550	534	270.00–286.00	280.75
7	550–600	581	262.00	262.00
5	650–700	650	255.00	255.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
8	1000–1050	1,019	194.00	194.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	750–800	790	254.00	254.00
12	800–850	826	241.00–250.00	247.80
3	850–900	867	235.50	235.50
5	950–1000	972	222.00–226.00	224.36

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	350–400	392	275.00	275.00
3	500–550	505	235.00	235.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	750–800	763	230.00	230.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
11	550–600	584	255.00	255.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	1100–1150	1,138	204.50	204.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	800–850	815	221.00	221.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
3	1000–1050	1,038	201.00	201.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
6	500–550	533	280.00	280.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	225	362.50	362.50
3	250–300	278	360.00	360.00
8	350–400	360	330.00–335.00	332.51
19	400–450	429	306.00–342.50	311.99
65	450–500	465	285.00–301.00	294.66
41	500–550	523	277.00–283.00	279.96
67	550–600	576	255.00–273.00	263.61
6	600–650	626	247.00–255.00	252.38
6	650–700	663	241.00	241.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	700–750	707	246.00	246.00
6	750–800	760	238.50	238.50
5	800–850	817	229.00–235.00	231.37

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
12	450–500	457	288.00–294.00	291.52
21	500–550	544	287.00	287.00
9	550–600	575	260.00–277.00	263.86
5	600–650	614	261.00	261.00
121	700–750	737	248.00–250.00	248.91
19	750–800	757	246.50–248.00	247.60
93	800–850	811	240.50–244.50	241.69
43	850–900	890	227.50–230.00	227.77
14	900–950	915	223.00–225.00	223.99
18	950–1000	979	217.50	217.50
8	1000–1050	1,010	210.00–215.50	213.44

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
3	700–750	733	222.00	222.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	250–300	295	320.00–345.00	337.24
5	300–350	328	315.00	315.00
16	350–400	374	310.00–325.00	318.45
37	400–450	417	279.00–305.00	293.07
20	450–500	483	269.00–285.00	276.68
9	500–550	536	274.00	274.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
23	850–900	875	224.00	224.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
12	400–450	415	288.00	288.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	550–600	584	250.00	250.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
12	800–850	811	225.00	225.00
4	850–900	869	222.00	222.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
4	450–500	488	280.00	280.00
6	750–800	784	237.50	237.50
7	800–850	835	232.50	232.50
5	850–900	858	227.00	227.00
3	900–950	913	213.00	213.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	350–400	360	335.00	335.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	12	—	715	246.00	246.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,240	125.00	125.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,275	134.00	134.00
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,055	196.00	196.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,195	106.00–109.00	107.51
4	—	1,223	91.00–100.00	94.32

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,060	124.00	124.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,610	117.00	117.00
6	—	1,483	122.00–123.00	122.19

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,375	121.00	121.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,500	114.00–116.00	115.07
3	—	1,402	104.00	104.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	940	102.00	102.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,445	89.00	89.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	2,008	142.00–143.00	142.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,993	122.00–135.00	126.91

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.