Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2026-03-18

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Mar 18
● Final86 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
647 head
▲ 473 vs last sale 174▼ 897 vs year ago 1,544 · −58.1%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
176 head
▼ 319 vs last sale 495▼ 234 vs year ago 410 · −57.1%
Replacement Cattle receipts
72 head
▼ 251 vs last sale 323▼ 63 vs year ago 135 · −46.7%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week (3-11-26): Feeder cattle were not well tested last week, thus no accurate trend is available, however higher undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive and offered in small to moderate size packages. Demand was mostly good for light to moderate offerings. Limited feeder cattle made putting together loads difficult for buyers. A moderate size crowd was on hand for todays sale. Market activity was active as a result. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand again this week. Almost every cow purchased today was once again purchased to feed in some capacity. Feeding cows sold fully steady. Quality this week was average to attractive, and similar to last week. A few sets of cows which had be started on feed sold this week. Demand from packers was stronger this week as they showed good demand for fleshy cows which had been started on feed. Most of fed cows on offer were purchased to return to feed as most needed another 30-60 days to grade premium white. Canadian buyers were back in the market this week and they showed very good demand for feeding cows to ship north and feed. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average today and similar to last weeks sale. Cows with blemishes were also heavily purchased to feed this week as buyers pushed cow prices well over packer buyers orders for slaughter cows. Very few cows were purchased for immediate harvest as feeding cow demand held cow prices above slaughter cow orders. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher. Feeding bull buyers were very aggressive in buying bulls to feed. Feeding bulls sold generally steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Demand for young cows remains very good. Young age offerings sold mostly steady. Quality this week was average to attractive, but not as attractive as last weeks offering.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $420.42/cwt on 14 head, down $1.12 from the prior sale (only 13 head in that comparison). That ranks 13 of 19 comparable sales and sits +24.97 against this barn's trailing median of $395.45.
Average price
$420.42
▼ 1.12 vs prior sale
14 head · 568 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,388
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$313
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 2
$47.16/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−24.66
vs MT average
+4.30 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1570427.162,43312thin
Medium 2558380.002,1202thin
One grade step is worth $47.16/cwt here — about $313 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 600–700 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 sale14 hd
420.42
—
MT average3 barns · 150 hd
445.09
−24.66
National average164 barns · 8,069 hd
416.12
+4.30
This barn, trailing median19 sales
395.45
+24.97
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

19 sales
478430382334median 395.4503/1104/1506/0309/0210/21
Heifers 500–600 lb: high $464.07, low $347.53, median $395.45 across 19 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 · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Bulls—Average1,776203.463,61337
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,393174.962,43871
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,496174.592,61245
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,121155.111,73815

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 $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,580$3,5001thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,440$3,4002thin
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,407$2,9673thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,300$2,9001thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,587$4,7003thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenAged (>8 yrs)1,835$4,1502thin

Every lot

86 lots · USDA AMS · Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Wed)
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.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Steers18 lots · lightest first
Steers300–350Medium and Large 2325570.00/cwt570.00–570.001,8531
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2362600.00/cwt600.00–600.002,1726
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2407572.95/cwt570.00–575.002,3325
Steers400–450Medium 2420355.00/cwt355.00–355.001,4912
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2459545.00/cwt545.00–545.002,5024
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2570443.62/cwt440.00–450.002,5297
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1588462.50/cwt462.50–462.502,7206
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1608450.50/cwt450.50–450.502,73936
Steers600–650Medium 2610275.00/cwt275.00–275.001,6783
Steers600–650Medium 1633436.16/cwt432.00–445.002,7616
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2645428.38/cwt427.00–432.502,7634
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2674397.06/cwt395.00–401.002,6763
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1679420.43/cwt418.00–425.002,85514
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1712407.99/cwt406.00–421.502,90523
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1759395.00/cwt395.00–395.002,99814
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1Fleshy858340.00/cwt340.00–340.002,9174
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1Fleshy922330.88/cwt330.00–336.503,05122
Steers1000–1050Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,013305.00/cwt305.00–305.003,0907
Feeder Cattle · Heifers23 lots · lightest first
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2315506.64/cwt505.00–510.001,5963
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 2342500.00/cwt500.00–500.001,7109
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2378500.00/cwt500.00–500.001,8902
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2415490.20/cwt472.50–525.002,0343
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2495452.50/cwt452.50–452.502,2403
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2497440.00/cwt440.00–440.002,1877
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1538450.00/cwt450.00–450.002,4212
Heifers550–600Medium 2558380.00/cwt380.00–380.002,1202
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1576422.59/cwt422.00–425.002,43410
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1623405.27/cwt394.00–417.002,52524
Heifers600–650Medium 2623310.00/cwt310.00–310.001,9312
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2630385.00/cwt385.00–385.002,4261
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1659380.00/cwt377.00–385.002,50413
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2660357.50/cwt357.50–357.502,3601
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2706345.00/cwt345.00–345.002,4364
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy732335.00/cwt335.00–335.002,4525
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1737362.82/cwt359.75–365.502,674142
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1Fleshy743349.00/cwt349.00–349.002,59320
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1770350.40/cwt350.00–352.002,69810
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2795338.00/cwt338.00–338.002,6874
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1Fleshy806322.00/cwt322.00–322.002,5955
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2814325.00/cwt325.00–325.002,6464
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1Fleshy877311.00/cwt311.00–311.002,7273
Feeder Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1375650.00/cwt650.00–650.002,4381
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2477490.00/cwt490.00–490.002,3373
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1-2538465.00/cwt465.00–465.002,5024
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 1823347.50/cwt347.50–347.502,8603
Bulls850–900Medium and Large 1860320.00/cwt320.00–320.002,7521
Feeder Cattle · Beef/Dairy Heifers3 lots · lightest first
Beef/Dairy Heifers750–800Large 1-2770320.00/cwt320.00–320.002,4642
Beef/Dairy Heifers800–850Large 1-2818320.00/cwt320.00–320.002,61832
Beef/Dairy Heifers900–950Large 1-2934290.00/cwt290.00–290.002,7094
Feeder Cattle · Beef/Dairy Steers2 lots · lightest first
Beef/Dairy Steers800–850Large 1-2836322.50/cwt322.50–322.502,69612
Beef/Dairy Steers900–950Large 1-2902306.50/cwt306.50–306.502,76525
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls7 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,330205.24/cwt199.00–210.002,7305
Bulls——Light Weight1,360177.00/cwt177.00–177.002,4071
Bulls——1,626187.65/cwt182.50–192.003,0518
Bulls——Return to Feed1,746196.79/cwt196.00–197.003,4364
Bulls——1,955212.56/cwt202.00–215.004,15617
Bulls——2,190207.00/cwt207.00–207.004,5331
Bulls——2,270216.00/cwt216.00–216.004,9031
Slaughter Cattle · Cows16 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,080161.66/cwt155.00–164.001,7466
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,118132.62/cwt120.00–137.001,4834
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,138146.39/cwt145.00–147.501,6662
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,145181.00/cwt181.00–181.002,0721
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,218176.18/cwt172.50–180.002,1462
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,335185.59/cwt184.00–188.002,4788
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,348142.36/cwt140.00–145.001,9192
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,397177.36/cwt170.00–182.502,47851
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,419163.77/cwt156.00–169.002,3247
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,423179.04/cwt172.00–180.002,54825
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,455150.00/cwt150.00–150.002,1832
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,460161.00/cwt161.00–161.002,3511
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,469164.34/cwt160.00–170.502,4146
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,553183.91/cwt182.00–185.002,8563
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,645169.57/cwt167.00–176.002,7897
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,690163.91/cwt161.00–166.002,7704
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows5 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,065269.89/cwt202.00–322.502,87430
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,127262.10/cwt240.00–311.002,95417
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,129219.00/cwt180.00–280.002,4734
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,160242.50/cwt242.50–242.502,8131
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,255184.97/cwt183.00–190.002,3215
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows5 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,3002,900.00/head2,900.00–2,900.002,9001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,3402,400.00/head2,400.00–2,400.002,4001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,4403,400.00/head3,400.00–3,400.003,4002
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,4403,250.00/head3,250.00–3,250.003,2502
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,5803,500.00/head3,500.00–3,500.003,5001
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs2 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,5874,700.00/head4,700.00–4,700.004,7003
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,8354,150.00/head4,150.00–4,150.004,1502

This sale against other markets

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.