Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, March 18, 2026

895 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $361.11/cwt +21.11 vs last sale · ≈ $2,664/hd at 738 lb · 162 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $450.50/cwt ≈ $2,739/hd at 608 lb · 36 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $405.27/cwt ≈ $2,525/hd at 623 lb · 24 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 895 992 2,089
Feeder cattle 647 174 1,544
Slaughter cattle 176 495 410
Replacement cattle 72 323 135

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.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
588 588 6 462.50 $462.50 $2,720
608 608 36 450.50 $450.50 $2,739
658–694 679 14 418.00–425.00 $420.43 $2,855
702–713 712 23 406.00–421.50 $407.99 $2,905
759 759 14 395.00 $395.00 $2,998
858 858 4 340.00 $340.00 $2,917
918–923 922 22 330.00–336.50 $330.88 $3,051
1006–1022 1013 7 305.00 $305.00 $3,090
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
362 362 6 600.00 $600.00 $2,172
400–418 407 5 570.00–575.00 $572.95 $2,332
459 459 4 545.00 $545.00 $2,502 +25.00
553–593 570 7 440.00–450.00 $443.62 $2,529 +23.62
645 645 4 427.00–432.50 $428.38 $2,763
663–695 674 3 395.00–401.00 $397.06 $2,676
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
608–646 633 6 432.00–445.00 $436.16 $2,761
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420 420 2 355.00 $355.00 $1,491
610 610 3 275.00 $275.00 $1,678
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 325 1 570.00 $570.00 $1,852

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
538 538 2 450.00 $450.00 $2,421
565–579 576 10 422.00–425.00 $422.59 $2,434 +0.09
600–648 623 24 394.00–417.00 $405.27 $2,525
653–667 659 13 377.00–385.00 $380.00 $2,504
702–746 737 142 359.75–365.50 $362.82 $2,674 +22.82
743 743 20 349.00 $349.00 $2,593 +9.00
768–778 770 10 350.00–352.00 $350.40 $2,698 +20.40
806 806 5 322.00 $322.00 $2,595
877 877 3 311.00 $311.00 $2,727
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–318 315 3 505.00–510.00 $506.64 $1,596
378 378 2 500.00 $500.00 $1,890
413–420 415 3 472.50–525.00 $490.20 $2,034 +5.20
495 495 3 452.50 $452.50 $2,240
630 630 1 385.00 $385.00 $2,426 -10.60
660 660 1 357.50 $357.50 $2,360
706 706 4 345.00 $345.00 $2,436
732 732 5 335.00 $335.00 $2,452 +15.00
795 795 4 338.00 $338.00 $2,687
814 814 4 325.00 $325.00 $2,646
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
342 342 9 500.00 $500.00 $1,710 +35.00
497 497 7 440.00 $440.00 $2,187
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
558 558 2 380.00 $380.00 $2,120
623 623 2 310.00 $310.00 $1,931

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
477 477 3 490.00 $490.00 $2,337
538 538 4 465.00 $465.00 $2,502
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375 375 1 650.00 $650.00 $2,438
823 823 3 347.50 $347.50 $2,860
860 860 1 320.00 $320.00 $2,752

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Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1265–1485 1335 80-85% 8 184.00–188.00 $185.59 $2,478 +53.09
1270–1425 1348 80-85% 2 140.00–145.00 $142.36 $1,919
1160–1705 1397 80-85% 51 170.00–182.50 $177.36 $2,478 -2.35
1235–1670 1419 80-85% 7 156.00–169.00 $163.77 $2,324 +6.48
1405–1505 1455 80-85% 2 150.00 $150.00 $2,182
1460 1460 80-85% 1 161.00 $161.00 $2,351
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1380–1645 1423 75-80% 25 172.00–180.00 $179.04 $2,548
1320–1558 1469 75-80% 6 160.00–170.50 $164.34 $2,414 -19.22
1395–1695 1553 75-80% 3 182.00–185.00 $183.91 $2,856
1305–1745 1645 75-80% 7 167.00–176.00 $169.57 $2,789 +2.49
1510–1830 1690 75-80% 4 161.00–166.00 $163.91 $2,770
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
950–1115 1080 85-90% 6 155.00–164.00 $161.66 $1,746 +16.45
1030–1198 1118 85-90% 4 120.00–137.00 $132.62 $1,483 +5.22
1010–1265 1138 85-90% 2 145.00–147.50 $146.39 $1,666
1145 1145 85-90% 1 181.00 $181.00 $2,072
1195–1240 1218 85-90% 2 172.50–180.00 $176.18 $2,146 +1.75

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1258–1438 1330 5 199.00–210.00 $205.24 $2,730
1360 1360 1 177.00 $177.00 $2,407
1350–1975 1626 8 182.50–192.00 $187.65 $3,051
1440–1848 1746 4 196.00–197.00 $196.79 $3,436
1875–2200 1955 17 202.00–215.00 $212.56 $4,156 +1.84
2270 2270 1 216.00 $216.00 $4,903
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
2190 2190 1 207.00 $207.00 $4,533

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
929–1318 1065 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 30 202.00–322.50 $269.89 $2,874
943–1260 1127 (<2 yrs)Open 17 240.00–311.00 $262.10 $2,954
1190–1445 1255 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 5 183.00–190.00 $184.97 $2,321
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
960–1280 1129 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 180.00–280.00 $219.00 $2,473
1160 1160 (<2 yrs)Open 1 242.50 $242.50 $2,813

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1300 1300 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 2,900.00 $2,900.00
1340 1340 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 2,400.00 $2,400.00
1440 1440 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 3,400.00 $3,400.00
1580 1580 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,500.00 $3,500.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1440 1440 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 3,250.00 $3,250.00

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Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
770 770 2 320.00 $320.00 $2,464
818 818 32 320.00 $320.00 $2,618
934 934 4 290.00 $290.00 $2,709

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Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
832–837 836 12 322.50 $322.50 $2,696
902 902 25 306.50 $306.50 $2,765

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Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1587 1587 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 4,700.00 $4,700.00
1835 1835 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 2 4,150.00 $4,150.00

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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.