Cattle Market Pulse

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

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock · usually sells Wednesdays

Sale of Wednesday, October 21, 2026

2,239 head sold ·Official USDA report · Price history in the app

heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $475.17/cwt ≈ $2,257/hd at 475 lb · 67 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $360.27/cwt ≈ $2,082/hd at 578 lb · 37 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 steers $508.35/cwt ≈ $2,125/hd at 418 lb · 32 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,239 1,205 2,196
Feeder cattle 541 78 544
Slaughter cattle 1,082 683 1,077
Replacement cattle 616 444 575

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week's sale, not enough feeder cattle for a true market test. Feeder Cattle defiantly showed a higher undertone with good buyer demand for fresh calves coming off grass. Slaughter Cows traded 2.00-3.00 higher, Cows returning to feed sold firm on a heavy run with good demand for young feeding cows.

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
265–285 unweaned 275 2 625.00–650.00 $637.05 $1,752 —
305–320 unweaned 314 4 590.00–625.00 $601.08 $1,887 —
365–385 unweaned 372 6 535.00–545.00 $538.45 $2,003 —
401–445 unweaned 418 32 460.00–535.00 $508.35 $2,125 —
450–487 unweaned 475 67 450.00–506.00 $475.17 $2,257 —
505–546 unweaned 525 14 375.00–435.00 $410.22 $2,154 —
555–583 unweaned 562 19 365.00–405.00 $385.52 $2,167 —
610–615 unweaned 615 26 390.00–396.00 $395.77 $2,434 —
600–635 625 6 377.50–392.00 $381.50 $2,384 —
650–670 unweaned 664 16 355.00–370.00 $361.82 $2,402 —
675 675 2 355.00 $355.00 $2,396 —
705–749 733 11 340.00–345.00 $342.21 $2,508 —
798 798 2 327.50 $327.50 $2,613 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 unweaned 350 1 510.00 $510.00 $1,785 —
440–445 unweaned 443 5 405.00–435.00 $421.07 $1,865 —
480 unweaned 480 2 465.00 $465.00 $2,232 —
510 unweaned 510 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,428 —
685 685 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,541 —
770 770 1 265.00 $265.00 $2,040 —
950 950 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,948 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
860 860 2 315.00 $315.00 $2,709 —
1197 1197 3 265.00 $265.00 $3,172 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255–295 unweaned 275 2 570.00–600.00 $583.91 $1,606 —
305–340 unweaned 323 14 460.00–535.00 $514.92 $1,663 —
355–397 unweaned 389 14 400.00–515.00 $454.69 $1,769 —
406–443 unweaned 411 24 365.00–560.00 $527.42 $2,168 —
460 460 1 405.00 $405.00 $1,863 —
458–488 unweaned 470 17 345.00–445.00 $412.31 $1,938 —
510–547 unweaned 537 14 347.50–380.00 $366.45 $1,968 —
552–593 unweaned 576 33 325.00–406.00 $360.91 $2,079 —
593 593 4 355.00 $355.00 $2,105 —
605–620 unweaned 617 12 280.00–355.00 $347.61 $2,145 —
652–655 unweaned 653 8 337.50–340.00 $339.37 $2,216 —
654 654 9 332.50 $332.50 $2,175 —
722 722 3 262.50 $262.50 $1,895 —
765 765 2 282.50 $282.50 $2,161 —
848 848 2 300.00 $300.00 $2,544 —
1018 1018 9 292.50 $292.50 $2,978 -0.11
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325–330 unweaned 328 2 505.00–535.00 $519.89 $1,705 —
385 unweaned 385 3 417.00–465.00 $449.00 $1,729 —
433 unweaned 433 2 310.00 $310.00 $1,342 —
490 unweaned 490 2 385.00 $385.00 $1,886 —
528 unweaned 528 2 280.00 $280.00 $1,478 —
575 unweaned 575 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,495 —
880 880 1 240.00 $240.00 $2,112 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 unweaned 400 11 427.50 $427.50 $1,710 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1070 1070 1 270.00 $270.00 $2,889 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
293 unweaned 293 2 530.00 $530.00 $1,553 —
382 unweaned 382 3 530.00 $530.00 $2,025 —
478 unweaned 478 2 420.00 $420.00 $2,008 —
512 unweaned 512 5 420.00 $420.00 $2,150 —
574 unweaned 574 4 380.00 $380.00 $2,181 —
613 unweaned 613 2 355.00 $355.00 $2,176 —
620 620 1 340.00 $340.00 $2,108 —
660–670 663 4 305.00–315.00 $312.47 $2,072 —
673–680 unweaned 674 5 315.00 $315.00 $2,123 —
707 707 14 315.00 $315.00 $2,227 —
752–778 762 5 305.00–315.00 $310.92 $2,369 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1010 1010 1 265.00 $265.00 $2,676 —
1100 1100 1 252.50 $252.50 $2,778 —
1200 1200 1 232.50 $232.50 $2,790 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
980 980 80-85% 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,274 —
1018–1355 1283 80-85% 28 147.00–180.00 $154.82 $1,986 —
1192–1687 1295 80-85% 92 112.50–147.50 $137.70 $1,783 —
1238–1440 1300 80-85% 4 85.00–95.00 $91.34 $1,187 —
1100–1590 1320 80-85% 16 105.00–126.00 $116.65 $1,540 —
1110–1385 1330 80-85% 5 145.00–154.00 $152.50 $2,028 —
1175–1511 1330 80-85% 39 138.00–156.00 $146.92 $1,954 —
1035–1623 1332 80-85% 248 124.00–168.00 $144.60 $1,926 —
1065–1620 1344 80-85% 29 100.00–118.00 $112.54 $1,513 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1335–1355 1345 75-80% 2 150.00–170.00 $160.07 $2,153 —
1292–1573 1411 75-80% 74 140.00–155.00 $148.38 $2,094 —
1260–1525 1418 75-80% 11 147.00–157.00 $151.01 $2,141 —
1405–1610 1434 75-80% 8 122.50–145.00 $140.92 $2,021 —
1233–1641 1475 75-80% 79 127.50–150.00 $142.24 $2,098 —
1230–1905 1632 75-80% 29 112.00–125.00 $118.87 $1,940 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
756 756 85-90% 4 90.00 $90.00 $680 —
995 995 85-90% 1 117.50 $117.50 $1,169 +10.00
1070–1240 1156 85-90% 5 82.50–90.00 $84.79 $980 -65.30
1093–1365 1161 85-90% 4 147.00–152.00 $148.47 $1,724 -1.62
1000–1390 1164 85-90% 45 112.50–138.00 $127.96 $1,489 -22.13
1104–1430 1190 85-90% 29 100.00–123.00 $110.96 $1,320 -17.10
1005–1465 1194 85-90% 28 75.00–92.50 $87.76 $1,048 -40.30
1045–1405 1205 85-90% 6 96.00–101.00 $97.69 $1,177 -43.00
1170–1240 1205 85-90% 2 128.00–130.00 $129.03 $1,555 -11.66
1083–1305 1213 85-90% 6 92.50–107.50 $96.87 $1,175 -43.82

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1180–1340 1253 3 205.00–232.50 $215.85 $2,705 —
1213–1875 1534 54 148.00–178.00 $162.56 $2,494 —
1225–2220 1737 15 127.50–152.50 $144.39 $2,508 -23.48
1655–2355 1815 41 155.00–182.00 $171.13 $3,106 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
758–1465 1037 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 296 192.50–332.50 $278.33 $2,886
990–1277 1134 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 13 178.00–235.00 $204.67 $2,321
1645 1645 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 111.00 $111.00 $1,826
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1120–1220 1164 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 180.00–220.00 $207.06 $2,410
1254 1254 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 12 146.50 $146.50 $1,837
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1050–1460 1210 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 15 145.00–205.00 $181.61 $2,197
1450 1450 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 149.00 $149.00 $2,160

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
996–1273 1138 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 22 2,350.00–3,700.00 $3,159.40
1083–1485 1189 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 11 3,500.00–3,750.00 $3,644.70
1230 1230 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 2,375.00 $2,375.00
1175–1550 1312 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 32 2,000.00–3,400.00 $2,458.77
1172–1673 1349 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 35 2,300.00–3,000.00 $2,715.31
1335–1660 1498 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,500.00–2,900.00 $2,678.30
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1300 1300 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 2,425.00 $2,425.00
1408 1408 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 2,400.00 $2,400.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
915–925 920 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,400.00 $2,400.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1435 1435 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 4,100.00 $4,100.00 —
1633 1633 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 3,600.00 $3,600.00 —

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Open Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
735–1238 1077 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 54 242.50–335.00 $279.84 $3,014 +6.24
1068–1163 1095 (<2 yrs)N/A 16 255.00–283.00 $277.82 $3,042 +4.22

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Price trend

high 470.00 low 349.96 Nov 2025 Oct 2026

600–649 lb Medium and Large 1 steers — head-weighted average $/cwt by sale date, last 12 months.

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.

← Previous sale (Oct 14, 2026)

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