Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2026-04-01

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Apr 1
● Final81 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
193 head
▼ 305 vs last sale 498▼ 36 vs year ago 229 · −15.7%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
462 head
▲ 163 vs last sale 299▼ 62 vs year ago 524 · −11.8%
Replacement Cattle receipts
289 head
▲ 65 vs last sale 224▲ 80 vs year ago 209 · +38.3%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week (3-25-26): Feeder cattle too lightly tested to develop an market trend. Demand was mostly moderate for light offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain and offered in small packages or as singles. A large portion of todays sale was offered as singles making putting together loads difficult for buyers. Many blemished calves or cutback calves were seen again this week. A small crowd of feeder buyers on hand for todays sale. Market activity was mostly moderate. 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 1.00-3.00 higher on all classes. Quality this week was mostly average. A few sets of cows which had be started on feed sold again this week, these cows were met with moistly good demand. Weigh up conditions were average to above average. Cows which have been turned out on grass offered mostly above average weigh conditions as green grass has started growing and cows were empty as a result. Weigh up conditions today were more reflective of May or June rather than the first of April. 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 a result. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-5.00 higher on all offerings in a very narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-5.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Feeding bull buyers continue to show very good demand for light weight and lower dressing bulls that would improve on feed. Feeding bulls sold mostly 5.00 higher. Demand for young cows remains very good. Young age offerings sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher. Quality this week was average to attractive, and similar to last weeks offering. Demand for average quality offerings saw strong demand this week. These offerings saw the largest price increase this week.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $406.70/cwt on 6 head, down $7.10 from the prior sale. That ranks 12 of 19 comparable sales and sits +11.25 against this barn's trailing median of $395.45.
Average price
$406.70
▼ 7.10 vs prior sale
6 head · 575 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,339
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
—
single grade reported
vs the market
−30.44
vs MT average
−16.49 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2575406.702,3396thin
Only one grade was reported at this weight, so there is no spread to compute.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale6 hd
406.70
—
MT average2 barns · 116 hd
437.14
−30.44
National average175 barns · 10,886 hd
423.19
−16.49
This barn, trailing median19 sales
395.45
+11.25
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—High1,720209.443,60366
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,536180.552,77246
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,365178.512,437185
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,129160.141,809139
Dairy CowsLean 85-90%Average1,145147.501,6891thin

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)Young (2-4 yrs)1,453$3,8315
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,332$3,3503thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,607$3,2884thin
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,554$3,2004thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,415$2,9501thin
Bred Heifers3rd Stage (7-9 mo)(<2 yrs)1,211$3,9009
Bred Heifers2nd Stage (4-6 mo)(<2 yrs)1,332$3,3503thin
Bred Heifers2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)(<2 yrs)856$3,05315

Every lot

81 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 · Steers7 lots · lightest first
Steers350–400Medium and Large 2363500.00/cwt500.00–500.001,8153
Steers400–450Medium and Large 2435475.00/cwt475.00–475.002,0662
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1517520.00/cwt520.00–520.002,6883
Steers600–650Medium and Large 2630388.00/cwt380.00–405.002,4443
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2711390.00/cwt390.00–390.002,7735
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2773370.85/cwt368.00–375.002,8674
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1851341.00/cwt341.00–341.002,9027
Feeder Cattle · Heifers8 lots · lightest first
Heifers400–450Small 3-4414220.00/cwt220.00–220.0091116
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2415470.00/cwt470.00–470.001,9512
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1453520.00/cwt520.00–520.002,3563
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2535455.00/cwt455.00–455.002,4341
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2583397.04/cwt392.50–400.002,3155
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1630400.00/cwt400.00–400.002,5201
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1654375.00/cwt375.00–375.002,4537
Heifers650–700Large 1-2657349.00/cwt349.00–349.002,2933
Feeder Cattle · Bulls9 lots · lightest first
Bulls400–450Medium 1425535.00/cwt535.00–535.002,2743
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1-2543465.00/cwt465.00–465.002,5252
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1-2621370.00/cwt370.00–370.002,2984
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1-2740351.65/cwt350.00–355.002,6026
Bulls850–900Medium and Large 1896325.00/cwt325.00–325.002,9124
Bulls950–1000Medium and Large 1-2993287.50/cwt287.50–287.502,8552
Bulls1050–1100Large 11,060294.39/cwt292.50–300.003,1214
Bulls1100–1150Large 11,140270.00/cwt270.00–270.003,0781
Bulls1250–1300Large 11,260235.00/cwt235.00–235.002,9612
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls8 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Light Weight1,160165.00/cwt165.00–165.001,9141
Bulls——Return to Feed1,363220.00/cwt220.00–220.002,9992
Bulls——Return to Feed1,491200.20/cwt188.00–207.002,98518
Bulls——Return to Feed1,527211.58/cwt207.00–215.503,23114
Bulls——1,853193.00/cwt193.00–193.003,5762
Bulls——1,927213.44/cwt198.00–218.504,11319
Bulls——2,054221.78/cwt220.00–224.004,5558
Bulls——2,348218.50/cwt218.50–218.505,1302
Slaughter Cattle · Cows21 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight895105.00/cwt105.00–105.009401
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight914129.02/cwt125.00–135.001,1794
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight918156.19/cwt145.00–165.001,4344
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,118159.11/cwt149.00–170.001,77966
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,149124.65/cwt117.50–135.001,43210
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,154158.64/cwt155.00–160.001,8319
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,160173.82/cwt172.00–181.002,01633
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,170162.50/cwt162.50–162.501,9011
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,175112.50/cwt112.50–112.501,3221
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,248182.77/cwt179.00–184.002,28110
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,331181.02/cwt173.00–183.502,40994
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,370166.04/cwt150.00–170.502,27540
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,405185.88/cwt184.00–189.002,61245
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,453183.71/cwt182.00–185.502,66926
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,500160.73/cwt154.00–166.502,4112
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,535169.00/cwt169.00–169.002,5941
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,561181.66/cwt180.00–183.002,8369
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,603170.36/cwt162.00–181.002,7314
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,652176.80/cwt176.50–177.002,9215
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,763170.62/cwt167.00–176.003,0083
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,863164.48/cwt164.00–165.003,0642
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Cows1 lot · lightest first
Dairy Cows—Lean 85-90%1,145147.50/cwt147.50–147.501,6891
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows15 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium 1Thin Fleshed720295.00/cwt295.00–295.002,1241
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed790330.00/cwt330.00–330.002,6071
Stock Cows—Medium 1795320.00/cwt320.00–320.002,5442
Stock Cows—Medium 1830325.00/cwt325.00–325.002,6982
Stock Cows—Medium 1-2833277.55/cwt275.00–280.002,3122
Stock Cows—Medium 1-2853278.31/cwt260.00–290.002,3746
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2901286.36/cwt210.00–310.002,58016
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 2914263.34/cwt245.00–285.002,4074
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 2943230.19/cwt210.00–240.002,1713
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,043291.70/cwt245.00–327.503,04270
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,073242.20/cwt190.00–305.002,59934
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,174251.96/cwt217.00–318.002,95863
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,297200.02/cwt188.00–215.002,5948
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,370185.00/cwt185.00–185.002,5351
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,505185.00/cwt185.00–185.002,7841
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers4 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium 17783,000.00/head3,000.00–3,000.003,00013
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 11,2113,900.00/head3,900.00–3,900.003,9009
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 11,3323,350.00/head3,350.00–3,350.003,3503
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 11,3633,400.00/head3,400.00–3,400.003,4002
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows8 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3323,350.00/head3,350.00–3,350.003,3503
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,4152,950.00/head2,950.00–2,950.002,9501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,4353,838.54/head3,800.00–3,950.003,8394
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,5083,200.00/head3,200.00–3,200.003,2002
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,5253,800.00/head3,800.00–3,800.003,8001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,5433,250.00/head3,250.00–3,250.003,2502
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,5653,150.00/head3,150.00–3,150.003,1502
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,7053,375.00/head3,375.00–3,375.003,3752

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.