Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report, Billings, MT

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

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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.