Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, June 3, 2026

827 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $429.80/cwt -40.20 vs last sale · ≈ $2,123/hd at 494 lb · 37 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1 steers $323.24/cwt ≈ $3,077/hd at 952 lb · 12 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $370.71/cwt +5.71 vs last sale · ≈ $2,688/hd at 725 lb · 10 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 827 913 1,022
Feeder cattle 249 133 274
Slaughter cattle 415 579 526
Replacement cattle 163 201 222

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week (5-27-26): Feeder cattle were too lightly tested today to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. Most offerings were in small packages or as singles, forcing buyers to piece together loads. Demand was mostly moderate to good. Market activity was moderate with a small crowd on hand. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand. Feeding cows sold steady to 3.00 lower, with the bulk of lower sales seen on high yielding offerings. A large crowd of feeding cow buyers was seen again this week. Buyers continue to show a willingness to take slightly lame or blemished cows to feed. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to weak undertones were noticed on breaking cows and lower undertones were noticed on boning and lean cows. Southern packer buyers showed significantly lighter demand for slaughter and feeding cows this week. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower. Bull quality was average to attractive but not as attractive or as high yielding as last weeks offering. Feeding bull demand was lighter this week as well as southern packers showed lighter demand for bulls to feed. Feeding bulls sold 4.00-8.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Demand for young cows suitable to feed or rebreed was moderate to good this week, and slightly stronger than last week. Quality was mostly average. Young cows sold mostly 5.00 higher in a narrow comparison.

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
551 551 7 465.00 $465.00 $2,562 —
605–625 623 10 437.50–442.50 $442.01 $2,754 —
650–658 654 7 415.00–432.50 $426.69 $2,791 +7.69
700–705 701 5 410.00–417.00 $415.59 $2,913 —
761 761 4 411.00 $411.00 $3,128 —
910 910 1 348.00 $348.00 $3,167 —
951–960 952 12 315.00–324.00 $323.24 $3,077 —
1014 1014 5 308.00 $308.00 $3,123 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
384 384 6 520.00 $520.00 $1,997 —
445 445 3 500.00 $500.00 $2,225 —
610–630 620 2 425.00–435.00 $430.08 $2,666 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1068 1068 2 291.00 $291.00 $3,108 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
740 740 1 342.50 $342.50 $2,534 -17.50

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
493–494 494 37 420.00–432.50 $429.80 $2,123 —
605 605 1 410.00 $410.00 $2,480 —
683 683 4 370.00 $370.00 $2,527 -10.00
700–736 725 10 370.00–371.00 $370.71 $2,688 +5.71
753–780 758 5 355.00 $355.00 $2,691 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
620–630 627 6 382.50 $382.50 $2,398 +2.57
760–768 766 8 346.00–349.00 $348.26 $2,668 +18.76
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
599 599 8 400.00 $400.00 $2,396 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
543 543 2 385.00 $385.00 $2,091 -20.00
550 550 1 380.00 $380.00 $2,090 +5.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
455 455 4 520.00 $520.00 $2,366 —
763 763 2 362.50 $362.50 $2,766 —
826 826 4 345.00 $345.00 $2,850 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1100–1130 1115 4 271.00–282.50 $276.67 $3,085 +6.67
1165 1165 1 270.00 $270.00 $3,146 +7.50
1200–1205 1203 2 247.50–255.00 $251.24 $3,022 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460 460 3 450.00 $450.00 $2,070 —
835–840 838 2 325.00–330.00 $327.51 $2,745 -4.99

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1330 1330 80-85% 1 144.00 $144.00 $1,915 —
1220–1525 1339 80-85% 25 187.00–188.00 $187.31 $2,508 —
1260–1550 1396 80-85% 109 176.00–186.00 $183.91 $2,567 -0.08
1465 1465 80-85% 1 169.00 $169.00 $2,476 +3.39
1445–1535 1490 80-85% 2 154.00–160.00 $156.91 $2,338 -17.53
1290–1765 1524 80-85% 15 157.50–177.00 $170.57 $2,599 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
890–960 925 85-90% 2 85.00–105.00 $95.38 $882 -0.49
760–1000 928 85-90% 4 120.00 $120.00 $1,114 +24.13
970–1215 1129 85-90% 4 152.50–161.00 $156.11 $1,762 —
1040–1240 1132 85-90% 3 125.00–140.00 $133.76 $1,514 —
1115–1220 1168 85-90% 2 122.50 $122.50 $1,431 -16.27
1085–1225 1194 85-90% 5 145.00–160.00 $150.08 $1,792 +11.31
1030–1288 1208 85-90% 37 175.00–186.00 $183.71 $2,219 -0.04
1135–1299 1272 85-90% 28 179.00–189.00 $188.16 $2,393 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1510–1570 1541 75-80% 15 183.00–186.00 $184.87 $2,849 —
1485–1675 1577 75-80% 3 181.00–185.00 $183.25 $2,890 +3.25
1463–1765 1622 75-80% 8 165.00–168.00 $166.54 $2,701 -5.97
1545–1713 1657 75-80% 6 165.00–174.00 $170.13 $2,819 —
1700–1910 1770 75-80% 4 169.50–173.50 $171.31 $3,032 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1375 1375 1 187.00 $187.00 $2,571 —
1450–1670 1491 6 190.00–209.00 $202.16 $3,014 —
1330–1840 1658 12 212.00–218.00 $215.96 $3,581 -3.71
1705 1705 2 206.00 $206.00 $3,512 —
1570–2370 1882 27 211.00–220.00 $215.27 $4,051 —
1845–2235 2072 7 223.00–233.00 $228.49 $4,734 -0.61
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
2205–2270 2238 2 210.00–218.00 $214.06 $4,791 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
910–1275 1084 (<2 yrs)Open 45 202.50–341.50 $270.22 $2,929
1035–1305 1170 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 189.00–220.00 $202.71 $2,372
920–1410 1177 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 43 190.00–300.00 $230.75 $2,716
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1050–1103 1085 (<2 yrs)Open 3 247.50–255.00 $249.92 $2,712
990–1150 1093 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 187.50–252.50 $209.25 $2,287
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
785–830 802 (<2 yrs)Open 3 305.00–315.00 $310.01 $2,486
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1050 1050 (<2 yrs)Open 2 262.50 $262.50 $2,756
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
830–880 855 (<2 yrs)Open 2 255.00–260.00 $257.43 $2,201
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1073 1073 (<2 yrs)Open 2 195.00 $195.00 $2,092

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1265–1280 1271 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 3,500.00–3,650.00 $3,560.42
1288–1410 1329 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 3,500.00 $3,500.00
1368 1368 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 3,100.00 $3,100.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1400–1655 1528 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 3,150.00–3,450.00 $3,287.48

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1080–1220 1150 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 3,500.00 $3,500.00
1255 1255 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 3,400.00 $3,400.00

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Beef Dairy Steers

Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
774 774 4 260.00 $260.00 $2,012 —

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1505–1710 1642 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 3 3,750.00–3,850.00 $3,819.44 —
1775 1775 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 4,200.00 $4,200.00 —
1855 1855 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 3 4,325.00 $4,325.00 —

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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.