Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, March 4, 2026

2,504 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction report →

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,504 610 2,387
Feeder cattle 160
Slaughter cattle 520 298 683
Replacement cattle 1,984 152 1,704

Compared to last week (2-25-26): Feeder cattle were not tested this week as this sale featured bred cows and weigh ups. Demand for weigh up cows was very good. Almost every cow purchased today was purchased to feed in some capacity. Feeding cows sold mostly 4.00-8.00 higher on all classes. Quality this week was average to very attractive with many long strings of reputation cows on offer. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to above average today as most offerings were worked through the chute before the sale and offered buyers very good weigh conditions. Demand for feeding cows was very good with a large number of local ranchers and order buyers in the stands. Canadian buyers were back in the market this week and showed very good demand for cows to ship north and feed. Cows with blemishes were also heavily purchased to feed this week as buyers pushed cow prices well over packer buyers orders for slaughter cows. Over 500 open cows and bulls were on offer today and less than 50 head were purchased for immediate harvest! Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed. Several sets of very attractive, reputation young cows sold this sale. Demand for young cows suitable to rebreed was very good. Young age offerings sold mostly 10.00-15.00 higher on a very attractive offering. A large offering of bred cows was on hand for todays sale. Demand was good to very good with a very large crowd of buyers in the stands. Ranchers were very active in buying bred cows this week and pushed bred cow offerings higher than the last bred cow special last month. Most young to middle age bred cows sold $200-350/head higher than the last bred cow special January 14th. Aged, broken mouth cows saw the largest price increase with many sets advancing $400-800/head or more on a few very attractive offerings.

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Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1480 1480 75-80% 1 189.00 $189.00 $2,797
1463–1546 1505 75-80% 136 182.00–191.25 $189.50 $2,852
1435–1600 1532 75-80% 3 155.00–161.00 $158.57 $2,429
1473–1705 1569 75-80% 20 162.50–168.50 $167.06 $2,621 +4.06
1500–1735 1624 75-80% 9 172.00–180.00 $174.09 $2,827 +0.59
1725 1725 75-80% 1 173.00 $173.00 $2,984
1695–1870 1773 75-80% 3 165.00–172.00 $168.64 $2,990
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1033–1460 1326 80-85% 21 152.50–171.00 $164.47 $2,181
1115–1460 1357 80-85% 77 170.00–185.00 $178.64 $2,424 -1.60
1265–1498 1406 80-85% 72 185.00–200.00 $190.44 $2,678
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1010 1010 85-90% 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,515
1038–1177 1129 85-90% 6 125.00–135.00 $129.48 $1,462 -22.35
1015–1225 1155 85-90% 6 140.00–158.00 $145.00 $1,675 +33.75
1065–1230 1165 85-90% 14 130.00–165.00 $159.77 $1,861 +48.52
1180 1180 85-90% 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,947 +53.75
1160–1230 1186 85-90% 6 178.00–184.00 $181.18 $2,149 +69.93
1090–1284 1227 85-90% 36 167.50–178.50 $174.52 $2,141 -4.92
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1555 1555 65-75% 1 201.00 $201.00 $3,126
1671 1671 65-75% 15 172.50 $172.50 $2,882

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1160–1340 1250 2 185.00–187.50 $186.34 $2,329
1630–1970 1778 4 192.50–201.00 $197.54 $3,512
1730–1960 1822 3 200.50–207.00 $204.34 $3,723
2020 2020 1 187.00 $187.00 $3,777
1970–2190 2117 3 214.00–217.00 $216.07 $4,574
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
2176–2335 2208 5 204.50–209.00 $208.05 $4,594
2230 2230 1 216.00 $216.00 $4,817
2620 2620 1 204.00 $204.00 $5,345

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
798–1070 948 (<2 yrs)Open 15 275.00–317.50 $306.54 $2,906
930–1308 1105 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 198 200.00–322.50 $280.61 $3,101
1177 1177 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 207.50 $207.50 $2,442
1299–1450 1329 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 20 187.00–209.00 $196.16 $2,607
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
970 970 (<2 yrs)Open 2 285.00 $285.00 $2,764
950–1215 1095 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 10 196.00–285.00 $227.39 $2,490

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Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1153 thin fleshed 1153 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 3,600.00 $3,600.00
1156 1156 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 4,000.00 $4,000.00
1163–1262 1187 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 15 3,900.00–4,300.00 $4,006.01
1190 1190 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 3,300.00 $3,300.00
1203 1203 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 6 3,250.00 $3,250.00
1053–1378 1229 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 168 4,200.00–4,800.00 $4,623.73
1237 thin fleshed 1237 Aged (>8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 10 2,550.00 $2,550.00
1131–1415 1241 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 106 4,300.00–5,000.00 $4,671.47
1279 thin fleshed 1279 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 3,600.00 $3,600.00
1256–1321 thin fleshed 1294 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 93 3,000.00–3,125.00 $3,059.21
1188–1331 1299 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 27 4,150.00–4,375.00 $4,329.28
1325 thin fleshed 1325 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 30 3,400.00–3,600.00 $3,486.67
1326 1326 Aged (>8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 6 2,700.00 $2,700.00
1327 1327 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 9 3,950.00 $3,950.00
1106–1513 1345 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 65 4,300.00–4,800.00 $4,508.21
1330–1421 1360 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 29 4,300.00–4,550.00 $4,450.95
1239–1461 1420 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 231 3,700.00–4,300.00 $3,968.88
1320–1565 1422 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 41 2,800.00–3,200.00 $2,997.67
1371–1657 1436 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 112 3,700.00–4,550.00 $4,139.72
1405–1452 1440 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 4 3,750.00–3,800.00 $3,762.19
1454–1674 1489 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 146 3,700.00–4,300.00 $4,085.15
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1033–1035 1033 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 9 3,250.00–3,950.00 $3,405.79
1050–1085 1055 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 7 2,900.00–3,000.00 $2,914.69
1037–1408 1138 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 11 3,600.00–3,900.00 $3,701.21
1236 thin fleshed 1236 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 17 2,500.00 $2,500.00
1145–1281 thin fleshed 1240 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 42 2,650.00–2,725.00 $2,713.79
1263 1263 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 8 2,625.00 $2,625.00
1307 1307 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 6 3,000.00 $3,000.00
1275–1404 1364 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 61 2,900.00–3,450.00 $3,338.68
1377 1377 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 4,050.00 $4,050.00
1385 1385 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 14 3,750.00 $3,750.00
1388 1388 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 4 3,700.00 $3,700.00
1390 1390 Aged (>8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 3 2,450.00 $2,450.00
1410–1450 1428 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 24 3,200.00–3,350.00 $3,280.21
1357–1510 1468 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 11 3,550.00–3,800.00 $3,613.01

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Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1012–1142 1085 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 41 4,050.00–4,300.00 $4,197.62
1099 1099 (<2 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 14 3,900.00 $3,900.00

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Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1386 1386 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 8 3,900.00 $3,900.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1478 1478 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 6 4,500.00 $4,500.00

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Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1278 1278 (<2 yrs)Open 13 5,700.00 $5,700.00

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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.