Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2026-04-29

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Apr 29
● Final79 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
← Apr 22Apr 29May 6 →
Feeder Cattle receipts
245 head
▼ 418 vs last sale 663▲ 67 vs year ago 178 · +37.6%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
421 head
▲ 45 vs last sale 376▼ 78 vs year ago 499 · −15.6%
Replacement Cattle receipts
380 head
▲ 168 vs last sale 212▼ 37 vs year ago 417 · −8.9%
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Oct 30, 2026
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week (4-22-26): Feeder cattle too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand was mostly moderate to good for light offerings. Most feeders were offered in small packages or as singles. Feeder quality this week was mostly plain to average. Quality and light offerings limited demand as many plain, small packages were noticed. A mix of order buyers and ranchers were in the stands this week bidding on offerings. Market activity was mostly moderate to active. 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 to 4.00 higher on all classes. Buyers continue to show very good demand for young and high yielding offerings. Young to middle age feeding cows sold with the best demand as feeding and rebreed buyers both bid aggressively over cows that fit their orders. A large portion of the cow offering was purchased by Canadian feeding buyers this week. Major American packers were mostly sidelined as they refused to pay higher money for cow again this week. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to above average this week with many offerings emptied out from being on green grass. Cows with blemishes were also heavily purchased to feed again this week, however very few heavily blemished offerings were seen. The volume of cows purchased for immediate harvest remains very low. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady to weak 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 2.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Bull quality this week was mostly average to attractive, and overall not as attractive as last week. Demand for young cows remains very good. Young age offerings sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher. Quality this week was average to attractive.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 600–700 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
600–700 lb heifers averaged $380.65/cwt on 31 head, up $1.33 from the prior sale. That ranks 13 of 19 comparable sales and sits +1.88 against this barn's trailing median of $378.77.
Average price
$380.65
▲ 1.33 vs prior sale
31 head · 681 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,592
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$7
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$17.37/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−5.57
vs MT average
−5.49 vs national

Price by quality 600–700 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1670387.372,59419thin
Medium and Large 1-2699370.002,58612thin
One grade step is worth $17.37/cwt here — about $7 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 700–800 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 600–700 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale31 hd
380.65
—
MT average2 barns · 37 hd
386.22
−5.57
National average163 barns · 7,794 hd
386.14
−5.49
This barn, trailing median19 sales
378.77
+1.88
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 600–700 lb

19 sales
425387349311median 378.7703/1104/0805/2709/0210/21
Heifers 600–700 lb: high $411.14, low $324.70, median $378.77 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—Average1,638211.323,46152
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,406185.162,603216
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,612182.882,94722
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,165175.372,043106
Dairy CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,955168.003,2841thin
Dairy CowsBoner 80-85%High1,515160.092,4256thin
Dairy CowsLean 85-90%Low1,305139.001,8141thin

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)1,227$4,05226
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,393$3,7002thin
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,253$3,6745
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,325$3,5784thin
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,395$3,4002thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,160$3,2502thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,315$2,9002thin

Every lot

79 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 · Steers3 lots · lightest first
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2453545.00/cwt545.00–545.002,4692
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1603470.00/cwt470.00–470.002,8343
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2643418.32/cwt415.00–420.002,6906
Feeder Cattle · Heifers8 lots · lightest first
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2360490.00/cwt490.00–490.001,7642
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2400525.00/cwt525.00–525.002,1004
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1604415.00/cwt415.00–415.002,5075
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1693377.50/cwt377.50–377.502,61614
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2699370.00/cwt370.00–370.002,58612
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1723375.00/cwt375.00–375.002,71120
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2723350.00/cwt350.00–350.002,5313
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1752357.00/cwt355.00–364.002,6859
Feeder Cattle · Bulls13 lots · lightest first
Bulls100–150Medium and Large 1-2107688.94/head675.00–700.006897
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 2443490.00/cwt490.00–490.002,1712
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1498515.00/cwt515.00–515.002,5653
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1519520.00/cwt520.00–520.002,6996
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1-2675369.81/cwt365.00–380.002,4963
Bulls850–900Medium and Large 1898325.00/cwt325.00–325.002,9192
Bulls950–1000Medium and Large 1960323.33/cwt322.50–325.003,1043
Bulls1000–1050Medium and Large 11,028298.31/cwt290.00–315.003,0673
Bulls1050–1100Large 11,095295.00/cwt295.00–295.003,2302
Bulls1150–1200Large 11,159271.00/cwt271.00–271.003,1419
Bulls1250–1300Large 1Fleshy1,261236.00/cwt236.00–236.002,9768
Bulls1250–1300Large 11,278248.67/cwt247.50–250.003,1786
Bulls1300–1350Large 11,310225.00/cwt225.00–225.002,9481
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls8 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Light Weight1,120175.18/cwt170.00–180.001,9623
Bulls——Return to Feed1,327220.00/cwt220.00–220.002,9195
Bulls——Return to Feed1,372206.12/cwt190.50–210.002,8286
Bulls——1,460191.00/cwt191.00–191.002,7891
Bulls——Return to Feed1,473200.00/cwt200.00–200.002,9464
Bulls——Return to Feed1,597214.59/cwt210.00–220.003,42715
Bulls——1,944215.42/cwt207.00–221.004,18814
Bulls——2,106225.21/cwt223.00–228.004,7434
Slaughter Cattle · Cows19 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight800125.00/cwt125.00–125.001,0001
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight925145.00/cwt145.00–145.001,3411
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight990112.50/cwt112.50–112.501,1141
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,065125.00/cwt125.00–125.001,3311
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,086162.51/cwt140.00–175.001,76525
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,167161.82/cwt155.00–168.001,88813
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,174138.59/cwt135.00–145.001,6274
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,211186.03/cwt180.00–187.002,25317
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,212190.66/cwt188.00–194.002,31143
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,325142.14/cwt137.50–147.501,8832
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,372190.37/cwt187.00–197.002,612118
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,440170.69/cwt154.00–177.002,45816
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,440160.57/cwt152.00–163.002,31211
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,453184.71/cwt180.00–188.002,68463
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,455185.50/cwt185.50–185.502,6996
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,560188.63/cwt187.00–192.502,94311
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,635182.96/cwt179.00–186.002,9914
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,655174.43/cwt170.00–177.002,8876
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,825170.00/cwt170.00–170.003,1031
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Cows4 lots · lightest first
Dairy Cows—Lean 85-90%1,305139.00/cwt139.00–139.001,8141
Dairy Cows—Boner 80-85%1,403170.00/cwt170.00–170.002,3853
Dairy Cows—Boner 80-85%1,627150.17/cwt150.00–150.502,4433
Dairy Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,955168.00/cwt168.00–168.003,2841
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows15 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium 1786318.88/cwt315.00–330.002,5068
Stock Cows—Medium 1-2790240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,8961
Stock Cows—Medium 1798300.00/cwt300.00–300.002,3942
Stock Cows—Medium 1-2885274.93/cwt245.00–285.002,4335
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 21,020255.00/cwt255.00–255.002,6012
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,027267.94/cwt225.00–315.002,75218
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,051245.30/cwt190.00–300.002,57842
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,067294.13/cwt237.50–350.003,13891
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,142255.61/cwt191.00–330.002,91962
Stock Cows—Large 11,150249.94/cwt201.00–310.002,8748
Stock Cows—Medium 21,195167.50/cwt167.50–167.502,0021
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,297241.03/cwt235.00–243.003,1264
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,307198.91/cwt191.00–222.502,60021
Stock Cows—Large 1Fleshy1,375242.00/cwt242.00–242.003,3282
Stock Cows—Large 11,490188.00/cwt188.00–188.002,8011
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows9 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1303,200.00/head3,200.00–3,200.003,2001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1903,300.00/head3,300.00–3,300.003,3001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2274,081.20/head3,950.00–4,200.004,08124
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2303,705.28/head3,650.00–3,750.003,7052
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2533,673.51/head3,300.00–3,850.003,6745
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,3152,900.00/head2,900.00–2,900.002,9002
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3253,577.69/head3,500.00–3,700.003,5784
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3933,700.00/head3,700.00–3,700.003,7002
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3953,400.00/head3,400.00–3,400.003,4002

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.
Montana feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →