Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, May 20, 2026

2,267 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $425.00/cwt -4.84 vs last sale · ≈ $2,520/hd at 593 lb · 11 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $333.50/cwt ≈ $2,758/hd at 827 lb · 10 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $325.00/cwt ≈ $2,795/hd at 860 lb · 10 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,267 1,844 1,622
Feeder cattle 66 1,443 45
Slaughter cattle 348 111 351
Replacement cattle 1,853 290 1,226

Compared to last week (5-13-26): Feeder cattle were scarcely traded this week as todays sale featured weigh cows, pairs, and bred cows. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for light to moderate offerings. Feeding cow demand remains very good. Feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher on a high quality offering. Additional buyers were in the feeding cow market this week which helped push cows higher as buyers showed good demand for all offerings which would feed. Canadian buyers were mostly absent this week, however offerings still pushed higher as private feeders showed very good demand for feeding cows. Demand for big, young to middle age cows was very good as feeding buyers and replacement buyers both showed good demand for high quality offerings. Many sets of cows were worked through the chute and offered buyers good weigh up conditions. Quality this week was average to very attractive with many sets of cows seen off reputation ranches. Very few cows were purchased for slaughter this week as feeding cow demand was very good. Limited slaughter cow offerings sold with steady undertones. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Bull quality this week was mostly attractive. Demand for young cows suitable to feed or rebreed was good to very good. Feeding and rebreeding buyers both showed good demand this week which helped push young offerings higher. Young cows sold mostly 10.00-12.00 higher. A large offering of cow calf pairs and bred cows was seen this week. Demand for pairs was mostly light to moderate. Drought conditions are driving ranchers to sell their pairs as many do not have enough grass. Drought is also keeping ranchers from buying pairs and many are leaving the state as a result. Pair quality was mixed this week from plain to very attractive. Ranchers opted to sell the light or bottom end of their pairs first as they try to cull down to have enough grass for summer. Several sets of cows were thin as dry conditions have cows chasing grass.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
620 620 1 365.00 $365.00 $2,263
827 827 10 333.50 $333.50 $2,758
860 860 10 325.00 $325.00 $2,795
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
593 593 11 425.00 $425.00 $2,520 -4.84

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1012–1025 1015 4 307.50–310.00 $309.37 $3,140 +4.37
1015 fancy 1015 4 325.00 $325.00 $3,299
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060 fancy 1060 1 331.00 $331.00 $3,509
1225 1225 1 260.00 $260.00 $3,185
1345 1345 1 257.50 $257.50 $3,463
1375 1375 2 238.00 $238.00 $3,272
1425 1425 1 225.00 $225.00 $3,206

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Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1265–1360 1313 80-85% 2 169.00–170.00 $169.48 $2,225 -11.68
1240–1505 1380 80-85% 44 180.00–189.00 $185.81 $2,564 +16.07
1255–1570 1390 80-85% 10 163.00–175.00 $169.84 $2,361 +0.10
1203–1665 1410 80-85% 71 190.00–204.00 $196.76 $2,774 +8.38
1430–1555 1493 80-85% 2 145.00–147.00 $145.96 $2,179 -23.89
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1516 1516 75-80% 10 174.00 $174.00 $2,638
1435–1645 1588 75-80% 26 192.00–204.00 $193.47 $3,072 +5.98
1510–1742 1689 75-80% 9 182.00–187.00 $184.07 $3,109
1630–1825 1702 75-80% 3 172.00–175.00 $173.28 $2,949
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
778–910 822 85-90% 3 125.00–135.00 $131.31 $1,079
1010–1230 1079 85-90% 4 122.00–138.00 $129.77 $1,400
905–1260 1111 85-90% 8 155.00–173.00 $166.86 $1,854
1180–1215 1189 85-90% 4 159.00–167.50 $165.33 $1,966 -3.51
1045–1248 1219 85-90% 13 189.00–193.00 $192.08 $2,341 +19.64
1215–1225 1221 85-90% 4 174.00–187.50 $180.36 $2,202 +7.92

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1420 1420 1 190.00 $190.00 $2,698
1530–1640 1585 2 210.00–213.00 $211.55 $3,353
1215–1810 1671 18 215.00–223.50 $220.34 $3,682
1880–2100 2013 8 220.00–226.00 $223.78 $4,505
1855–2380 2056 6 227.00–252.00 $232.92 $4,789

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
895–1220 1049 (<2 yrs)Open 43 245.00–330.00 $292.98 $3,073
1099–1270 1113 (<2 yrs)Open 12 242.50–288.00 $283.67 $3,157
915–1435 1192 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 67 191.00–300.00 $231.48 $2,759
1080–1430 1276 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 8 193.00–210.00 $196.61 $2,509
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
985–1105 1045 (<2 yrs)Open 2 240.00–255.00 $247.07 $2,582
945–1280 1067 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 11 192.50–295.00 $223.13 $2,381
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
793–820 800 (<2 yrs)Open 4 305.00–320.00 $316.16 $2,529
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1065–1100 1083 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 205.00–235.00 $220.24 $2,385

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Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1265–1515 1380 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 21 4,150.00–4,300.00 $4,202.85
1410–1538 1454 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 9 3,500.00–3,875.00 $3,766.57
1405–1635 1525 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 12 3,550.00–3,650.00 $3,591.42
1380–1820 1591 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 12 3,300.00–3,650.00 $3,574.59
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1027 thin fleshed 1027 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 8 3,350.00 $3,350.00
1138–1293 1161 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 19 3,700.00–3,750.00 $3,741.27
1381 1381 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 3,475.00 $3,475.00
1280–1565 1383 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 2,550.00–3,150.00 $2,945.90
1428 1428 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 4 3,200.00 $3,200.00
1413–1463 1438 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 3,375.00–3,550.00 $3,460.98

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Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1055 1055 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 3,750.00 $3,750.00
1169 1169 (<2 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 4 3,700.00 $3,700.00
1148–1203 1176 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 3,850.00–3,900.00 $3,875.58

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Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1241 1241 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 4,650.00 $4,650.00
1335 thin fleshed 1335 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 6 3,650.00 $3,650.00
1287–1693 1433 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 10 3,600.00–4,000.00 $3,771.28
1056–1593 1436 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 263 4,910.00–5,400.00 $5,283.24
1444 1444 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 4 3,950.00 $3,950.00
1290–1803 1496 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 24 3,500.00–4,350.00 $3,866.15 -83.85
1408–1608 1524 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 22 4,650.00–5,125.00 $4,909.53
1408–1840 1564 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 75 3,925.00–4,450.00 $4,189.97
1337–1815 1591 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 77 4,200.00–4,925.00 $4,626.82
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1114–1240 thin fleshed 1184 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 24 3,600.00–4,150.00 $3,893.03
1216 thin fleshed 1216 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 5 3,350.00 $3,350.00
1215–1318 1231 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 19 4,250.00–4,600.00 $4,540.84
1147–1438 1323 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 11 4,350.00–4,475.00 $4,432.57
1494 1494 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 4 3,600.00 $3,600.00
1500 1500 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 4,300.00 $4,300.00
Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1443 1443 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 4,400.00 $4,400.00
1578 1578 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 11 4,025.00 $4,025.00
1656 1656 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 4 4,100.00 $4,100.00
Medium 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1208 1208 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 6 4,150.00 $4,150.00

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Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
999 thin fleshed 999 (<2 yrs)Open 18 4,375.00 $4,375.00
1058 1058 (<2 yrs)Open 15 4,525.00 $4,525.00
Medium 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
925–985 956 (<2 yrs)Open 27 3,950.00–4,350.00 $4,083.86

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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.