Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, October 17, 2025

2,039 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction report →

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $453.22/cwt +5.95 vs last sale · ≈ $2,572/hd at 567 lb · 206 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $460.81/cwt +18.46 vs last sale · ≈ $2,381/hd at 517 lb · 191 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $424.04/cwt -8.84 vs last sale · ≈ $2,633/hd at 621 lb · 168 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Head itemized in priced lots 2,039 — —

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
316–330 unweaned 318 15 680.00–690.00 $688.62 $2,190 —
360–372 unweaned 368 11 600.00–622.50 $613.00 $2,256 -2.00
404–442 unweaned 421 39 550.00–585.00 $569.20 $2,396 +12.32
452–499 unweaned 469 123 502.50–587.50 $542.02 $2,542 +29.99
500–541 unweaned 517 74 475.00–515.00 $493.55 $2,552 +2.55
556 556 9 420.00 $420.00 $2,335 —
550–599 unweaned 568 197 428.00–472.00 $454.74 $2,583 +7.47
600–646 unweaned 621 168 416.00–431.00 $424.04 $2,633 -8.84
653–683 unweaned 673 21 397.00–400.00 $397.42 $2,675 -19.12
702–748 unweaned 729 71 373.00–401.00 $384.61 $2,804 -6.58
979–985 979 18 320.00 $320.00 $3,133 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
197 unweaned 197 3 750.00 $750.00 $1,478 —
293 unweaned 293 2 690.00 $690.00 $2,022 -50.00
383–390 unweaned 384 33 537.50–572.00 $567.26 $2,178 —
405–439 unweaned 431 19 475.00–560.00 $534.54 $2,304 +17.06
450–483 unweaned 461 9 450.00–510.00 $471.75 $2,175 -19.52
537–539 unweaned 538 13 450.00–470.00 $462.29 $2,487 +12.58
556–567 unweaned 558 37 417.00–429.00 $423.93 $2,366 +2.38
631 unweaned 631 5 399.00 $399.00 $2,518 -13.75
670–672 unweaned 671 10 380.00–384.00 $381.60 $2,561 —
725 725 11 367.00 $367.00 $2,661 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360 unweaned 360 2 540.00 $540.00 $1,944 —
531 unweaned 531 12 420.00 $420.00 $2,230 —
595 unweaned 595 3 400.00 $400.00 $2,380 —
607–647 unweaned 636 30 380.00–388.00 $382.03 $2,430 -34.97
703 unweaned 703 12 373.00 $373.00 $2,622 +5.50
796 unweaned 796 5 340.00 $340.00 $2,706 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
515 unweaned 515 3 480.00 $480.00 $2,472 +30.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255–293 unweaned 284 4 680.00 $680.00 $1,931 +30.00
358–380 unweaned 371 18 531.00–585.00 $548.88 $2,036 +1.25
408–448 unweaned 432 92 485.00–517.50 $501.27 $2,165 +0.34
463 463 5 405.00 $405.00 $1,875 -27.50
452–498 unweaned 481 31 470.00–480.00 $472.02 $2,270 +6.64
512 512 92 479.50 $479.50 $2,455 —
501–548 unweaned 521 99 422.00–470.00 $443.44 $2,310 -0.06
552 552 11 365.00 $365.00 $2,015 -60.00
550–592 unweaned 571 87 380.00–431.00 $399.73 $2,282 +6.32
600–626 unweaned 609 42 373.00–391.00 $386.44 $2,353 +13.85
642 642 15 361.00 $361.00 $2,318 —
666–693 unweaned 675 6 330.00–365.00 $353.02 $2,383 +3.02
731 unweaned 731 5 302.00 $302.00 $2,208 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
283 unweaned 283 3 590.00 $590.00 $1,670 —
316–349 unweaned 336 31 517.50–560.00 $534.18 $1,795 —
361–398 unweaned 381 36 445.00–507.50 $487.46 $1,857 +17.46
403–438 unweaned 422 17 455.00–465.00 $460.50 $1,943 —
468–495 unweaned 478 43 395.00–420.00 $413.52 $1,977 -14.13
503–546 unweaned 519 40 385.00–412.50 $389.97 $2,024 -17.42
638 unweaned 638 2 358.00 $358.00 $2,284 —
747 747 5 343.00 $343.00 $2,562 —
970 970 3 293.00 $293.00 $2,842 —
980 unweaned 980 1 293.00 $293.00 $2,871 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
476 unweaned 476 11 335.00 $335.00 $1,595 -55.00
588 unweaned 588 36 346.00 $346.00 $2,034 -33.00
685 unweaned 685 5 326.00 $326.00 $2,233 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
570 570 12 347.50 $347.50 $1,981 —
613 613 6 342.50 $342.50 $2,100 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
663 663 2 340.00 $340.00 $2,254 —
719 719 10 340.00 $340.00 $2,445 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275 unweaned 275 2 400.00 $400.00 $1,100 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
393 unweaned 393 11 570.00 $570.00 $2,240 —
578 unweaned 578 2 390.00 $390.00 $2,254 -32.50
608 unweaned 608 2 390.00 $390.00 $2,371 ±0.00

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1340–1485 1381 80-85% 11 143.00–166.00 $162.46 $2,244 —
1415 1415 80-85% 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,981 -26.89
1275–1510 1418 80-85% 68 168.00–180.00 $175.07 $2,482 +8.18
1275–1489 1457 80-85% 24 180.00–186.00 $182.96 $2,666 —
1320–1645 1493 80-85% 6 124.00–164.00 $141.51 $2,113 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
935 935 85-90% 1 120.00 $120.00 $1,122 —
975 975 85-90% 1 100.00 $100.00 $975 —
1051–1295 1095 85-90% 10 102.50–107.50 $103.26 $1,131 —
960–1310 1139 85-90% 11 112.00–120.00 $115.51 $1,316 -7.59
985–1330 1227 85-90% 17 127.00–168.00 $160.34 $1,967 -6.70
1085–1304 1254 85-90% 58 168.00–178.00 $170.66 $2,140 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1555–1748 1581 75-80% 15 175.00–178.00 $177.56 $2,807 —
1610–1640 1625 75-80% 2 164.00–165.00 $164.50 $2,673 +3.50
1585–1865 1725 75-80% 2 164.00 $164.00 $2,829 -1.00
1655–1760 1726 75-80% 4 166.50–169.50 $168.24 $2,904 +3.24
1755 1755 75-80% 2 174.00 $174.00 $3,054 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1535 1535 1 169.00 $169.00 $2,594 —
1650 1650 1 183.00 $183.00 $3,020 +13.41
1805–1940 1873 2 163.00–176.00 $169.73 $3,179 —
1995–2215 2105 2 200.00–201.00 $200.47 $4,220 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
910–1170 982 (<2 yrs)Open 13 245.00–317.50 $301.40 $2,960
1004–1510 1095 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 12 187.00–299.00 $262.75 $2,877
1203 thin fleshed 1203 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 8 185.00 $185.00 $2,226
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
792–1255 908 (<2 yrs)Open 4 212.50–272.00 $251.43 $2,283
975–1163 1088 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 202.50–256.00 $221.68 $2,412

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1138 1138 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 3 3,625.00 $3,625.00
1140 1140 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 13 3,300.00 $3,300.00

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Reading this report

What does "Medium and Large 1" mean?

USDA feeder grades describe frame size and muscle thickness, not quality of the individual animal. "Medium and Large" is the frame score; the number is muscle (1 = heaviest muscled). "Medium and Large 1–2" pens mix both muscle scores — common across the Southeast.

What is $/cwt?

Dollars per hundredweight — per 100 lb of animal. A 500-lb calf at $450/cwt brings 5 × $450 = $2,250. Lighter cattle usually bring more per cwt but less per head.

Why are some prices per head?

Bred cows, cow-calf pairs, and some replacement classes sell by the head, not by weight. We show those exactly as USDA reports them — a $/head figure is never converted into $/cwt on this site.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service's Livestock Market News — federal reporters at the sale. We publish each report in full and link the official USDA document at the top of the page.