Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2025-02-28

Public Auction Yards

Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2025-02-28
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-02-28

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Fri, Feb 28

● Final90 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1776

← Jan 17Feb 28Oct 3 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

3,346 head

▼ 1,487 vs last sale 4,833▲ 3,346 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago

Slaughter Cattle receipts

35 head

▼ 14 vs last sale 49▲ 35 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago

Replacement Cattle receipts

45 head

▲ 27 vs last sale 18▲ 45 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 (1-17-25): The last Friday feeder special was in the middle of January. All comparisons are to last months feeder special. Feeder steer calves sold 8.00-12.00 higher on all classes. Heifer calves under 550 lbs sold mostly 10.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Heifers over 550 lbs sold mostly 15.00-20.00 higher, with instances of as much as 25.00 higher seen on attractive offerings. Demand for all feeder cattle was good to very good. Offerings were moderate. Feeder quality was mixed from plain to very attractive this sale. Most calves were weaned over 60 days with some offerings weaned over 100 days. Demand for all calves to go to grass remains good to very good. Package sizes were mixed today, however buyers showed good demand for all calves on offer. Demand remained constant throughout the sale which stretched well into the afternoon. A moderate size buyer pool was on hand for todays sale and buyers bid rapidly on feeders as they pushed to fill loads. Demand for heifers was very good today especially on heifers over 650 lbs. Several packages of attractive heifers were purchased to make replacements and feeding buyers and replacement buyers both showed good demand for this weight of heifers. Market activity was mostly active today with bidders both ringside as well as over the internet actively bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows and bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand was mostly light for very light offerings. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average as many cows were very full. Cow quality today was mostly average. Slaughter bulls sold on mostly moderate demand.

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 $321.07/cwt on 283 head. That ranks 1 of 6 comparable sales and sits −70.79 against this barn's trailing median of $391.86.

Average price

$321.07

283 head · 552 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,773

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$176

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

$39.28/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+0.21

vs MT average

+14.06 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	552	331.52	1,829	171
Medium and Large 1-2	544	316.45	1,720	56
Medium 1	586	298.00	1,746	4thin
Large 1	555	295.00	1,637	23
Medium and Large 2	565	292.24	1,653	29

One grade step is worth $39.28/cwt here — about $176 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 sale283 hd

321.07

—

MT average4 barns · 473 hd

320.86

+0.21

National average189 barns · 18,586 hd

307.01

+14.06

This barn, trailing median6 sales

391.86

−70.79

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	1,840	163.29	3,005	4thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,410	130.53	1,841	9thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,665	129.45	2,156	7thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,201	98.94	1,188	5thin

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	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,280	$2,850	2thin

Every lot, as filed

90 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 · Steers35 lots · lightest first
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2	361	425.00/cwt	425.00–425.00	1,534	6
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1	378	433.02/cwt	427.50–436.00	1,637	26
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 2	384	390.00/cwt	390.00–390.00	1,498	7
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1	414	430.01/cwt	425.00–435.00	1,780	15
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	434	400.39/cwt	400.00–405.00	1,738	12
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	469	395.91/cwt	390.00–410.00	1,857	58
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	482	374.00/cwt	374.00–374.00	1,803	9
Steers	450–500	Large 1	495	394.00/cwt	394.00–394.00	1,950	8
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1	528	379.06/cwt	368.00–395.00	2,001	95
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	542	361.80/cwt	361.00–364.00	1,961	42
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	568	359.08/cwt	347.00–370.00	2,040	39
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	592	340.81/cwt	337.00–342.00	2,018	43
Steers	550–600	Large 1	595	337.50/cwt	337.50–337.50	2,008	14
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	603	353.00/cwt	353.00–353.00	2,129	41
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	622	335.40/cwt	324.00–345.00	2,086	232
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	646	315.43/cwt	315.00–316.00	2,038	14
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 2	656	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	1,935	12
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	667	319.88/cwt	310.00–326.00	2,134	114
Steers	650–700	Large 1	676	289.00/cwt	289.00–289.00	1,954	9
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2	679	296.04/cwt	290.00–297.00	2,010	86
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	721	306.32/cwt	301.00–311.00	2,209	147
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	728	268.00/cwt	268.00–268.00	1,951	8
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	730	290.29/cwt	290.00–293.00	2,119	10
Steers	750–800	Medium and Large 1	772	286.52/cwt	286.00–294.00	2,212	30
Steers	750–800	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	778	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	2,101	4
Steers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	785	276.19/cwt	275.00–281.00	2,168	10
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 1	805	284.83/cwt	282.50–286.50	2,293	103
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	809	261.22/cwt	255.00–263.00	2,113	49
Steers	800–850	Large 1	818	271.00/cwt	271.00–271.00	2,217	2
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 1-2	845	267.00/cwt	267.00–267.00	2,256	5
Steers	850–900	Medium and Large 1	866	266.00/cwt	266.00–266.00	2,304	5
Steers	850–900	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	881	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	2,247	4
Steers	900–950	Large 1	925	253.00/cwt	253.00–253.00	2,340	19
Steers	900–950	Medium and Large 1	939	256.00/cwt	256.00–256.00	2,404	15
Steers	1050–1100	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	1,077	232.00/cwt	232.00–232.00	2,499	6
Feeder Cattle · Heifers38 lots · lightest first
Heifers	300–350	Medium 1	325	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,138	4
Heifers	350–400	Medium 1	356	347.50/cwt	347.50–347.50	1,237	18
Heifers	350–400	Medium 1-2	357	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,178	11
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2	384	357.86/cwt	345.00–367.50	1,374	25
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 2	388	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	1,319	8
Heifers	400–450	Medium 1-2	405	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,337	10
Heifers	400–450	Medium 1	421	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,368	12
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1	432	373.60/cwt	367.00–385.00	1,614	86
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	437	347.90/cwt	342.50–351.00	1,520	45
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	466	350.65/cwt	339.00–374.00	1,634	81
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 2	470	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,481	16
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	490	333.99/cwt	329.00–337.00	1,637	82
Heifers	450–500	Medium 1	492	331.00/cwt	331.00–331.00	1,629	5
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1	530	338.26/cwt	330.00–349.50	1,793	81
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	532	321.51/cwt	302.00–332.50	1,710	42
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 2	545	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,635	11
Heifers	550–600	Large 1	555	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	1,637	23
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	563	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	1,942	10
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	572	323.01/cwt	312.00–330.00	1,848	80
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	578	301.27/cwt	295.00–309.00	1,741	14
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 2	578	287.50/cwt	285.00–288.00	1,662	18
Heifers	550–600	Medium 1	586	298.00/cwt	298.00–298.00	1,746	4
Heifers	600–650	Medium 1	608	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,733	6
Heifers	600–650	Large 1	620	267.00/cwt	267.00–267.00	1,655	12
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	623	302.78/cwt	287.00–313.00	1,886	202
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	623	269.00/cwt	269.00–269.00	1,676	20
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 2	675	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	1,755	13
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	677	289.00/cwt	283.00–293.00	1,957	47
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2	689	274.21/cwt	274.00–276.00	1,889	19
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1Replacement	723	294.12/cwt	291.00–297.00	2,126	63
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	723	286.75/cwt	277.00–291.00	2,073	112
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	731	268.45/cwt	267.00–270.00	1,962	19
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1	769	274.43/cwt	262.00–277.50	2,110	113
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	771	259.00/cwt	259.00–259.00	1,997	4
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1Replacement	774	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	2,245	10
Heifers	800–850	Medium and Large 1	838	261.57/cwt	261.00–266.00	2,192	138
Heifers	950–1000	Medium 1Fleshy	984	188.00/cwt	188.00–188.00	1,850	6
Heifers	1050–1100	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	1,064	208.20/cwt	199.00–209.00	2,215	38
Feeder Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	418	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	1,547	2
Bulls	400–450	Medium and Large 1	427	393.30/cwt	380.00–405.00	1,679	13
Bulls	450–500	Medium and Large 1	454	374.58/cwt	365.00–380.00	1,701	11
Bulls	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	493	349.00/cwt	349.00–349.00	1,721	3
Bulls	600–650	Medium and Large 1	620	284.74/cwt	284.00–285.00	1,765	4
Bulls	750–800	Medium and Large 1	754	271.00/cwt	267.00–273.00	2,043	3
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls1 lot · lightest first
Bulls	—	—	1,840	163.29/cwt	159.00–165.00	3,005	4
Slaughter Cattle · Cows6 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,195	92.42/cwt	82.50–98.00	1,104	4
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,225	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,531	1
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,388	131.35/cwt	131.00–134.00	1,823	8
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,590	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	1,972	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,652	125.65/cwt	125.00–127.00	2,076	3
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,675	132.30/cwt	131.00–133.00	2,216	4
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows3 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	905	226.20/cwt	202.00–244.00	2,047	34
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,020	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	1,581	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,233	156.80/cwt	144.00–170.00	1,933	4
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows1 lot · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,280	2,850.00/head	2,850.00–2,850.00	2,850	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 Feb 28, 2025

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 3,346Last week 4,833Year ago 0

Slaughter CattleReceipts 35Last week 49Year ago 0

Replacement CattleReceipts 45Last week 18Year ago 0

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
86	400–450	432	367.00–385.00	373.60
81	450–500	466	339.00–374.00	350.65
81	500–550	530	330.00–349.50	338.26
80	550–600	572	312.00–330.00	323.01
202	600–650	623	287.00–313.00	302.78
47	650–700	677	283.00–293.00	289.00
112	700–750	723	277.00–291.00	286.75
113	750–800	769	262.00–277.50	274.43
138	800–850	838	261.00–266.00	261.57

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
63	700–750	723	291.00–297.00	294.12
10	750–800	774	290.00	290.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
10	550–600	563	345.00	345.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
25	350–400	384	345.00–367.50	357.86
45	400–450	437	342.50–351.00	347.90
82	450–500	490	329.00–337.00	333.99
42	500–550	532	302.00–332.50	321.51
14	550–600	578	295.00–309.00	301.27
20	600–650	623	269.00	269.00
19	650–700	689	274.00–276.00	274.21
19	700–750	731	267.00–270.00	268.45
4	750–800	771	259.00	259.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	350–400	388	340.00	340.00
16	450–500	470	315.00	315.00
11	500–550	545	300.00	300.00
18	550–600	578	285.00–288.00	287.50
13	650–700	675	260.00	260.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
23	550–600	555	295.00	295.00
12	600–650	620	267.00	267.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	300–350	325	350.00	350.00
18	350–400	356	347.50	347.50
12	400–450	421	325.00	325.00
5	450–500	492	331.00	331.00
4	550–600	586	298.00	298.00
6	600–650	608	285.00	285.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
11	350–400	357	330.00	330.00
10	400–450	405	330.00	330.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
6	950–1000	984	188.00	188.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
38	1050–1100	1,064	199.00–209.00	208.20

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
26	350–400	378	427.50–436.00	433.02
15	400–450	414	425.00–435.00	430.01
58	450–500	469	390.00–410.00	395.91
95	500–550	528	368.00–395.00	379.06
39	550–600	568	347.00–370.00	359.08
232	600–650	622	324.00–345.00	335.40
114	650–700	667	310.00–326.00	319.88
147	700–750	721	301.00–311.00	306.32
30	750–800	772	286.00–294.00	286.52
103	800–850	805	282.50–286.50	284.83
5	850–900	866	266.00	266.00
15	900–950	939	256.00	256.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
41	600–650	603	353.00	353.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	350–400	361	425.00	425.00
12	400–450	434	400.00–405.00	400.39
9	450–500	482	374.00	374.00
42	500–550	542	361.00–364.00	361.80
43	550–600	592	337.00–342.00	340.81
14	600–650	646	315.00–316.00	315.43
86	650–700	679	290.00–297.00	296.04
10	700–750	730	290.00–293.00	290.29
10	750–800	785	275.00–281.00	276.19
5	800–850	845	267.00	267.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
8	700–750	728	268.00	268.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
8	450–500	495	394.00	394.00
14	550–600	595	337.50	337.50
9	650–700	676	289.00	289.00
2	800–850	818	271.00	271.00
19	900–950	925	253.00	253.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
4	750–800	778	270.00	270.00
49	800–850	809	255.00–263.00	261.22
4	850–900	881	255.00	255.00
6	1050–1100	1,077	232.00	232.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	350–400	384	390.00	390.00
12	650–700	656	295.00	295.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	400–450	418	370.00	370.00
3	450–500	493	349.00	349.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
13	400–450	427	380.00–405.00	393.30
11	450–500	454	365.00–380.00	374.58
4	600–650	620	284.00–285.00	284.74
3	750–800	754	267.00–273.00	271.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

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	1	—	1,020	155.00	155.00

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	4	—	1,233	144.00–170.00	156.80
(<2 yrs)	Open	34	—	905	202.00–244.00	226.20

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	2	—	1,280	2,850.00	2,850.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,195	82.50–98.00	92.42
1	—	1,225	125.00	125.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,590	124.00	124.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	1,388	131.00–134.00	131.35

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,652	125.00–127.00	125.65

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,675	131.00–133.00	132.30

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,840	159.00–165.00	163.29

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.