Weekly Summary  - ( Montana )  - April 20, 2026

Billings, MT Mon Apr, 27 2026 Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary Weighted Average Report for 4/20/2026 Current Previous Year Ago —————————— —————————— —————————— Total 2100 4859 2496 Feeder Cattle 1244 3667 1530 Slaughter Cattle 503 717 543 Replacement Cattle 353 475 423 Compared to last week: Feeder steers were all too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on all offerings. Feeder heifers under 550 lbs were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Heifers over 550 lbs sold mostly steady to 10.00 lower in a narrow comparison. 2 small feeder specials were held this week but were significantly smaller than the previous weeks sales. Quality this week was plain to attractive. Most cattle were offered in small to moderate size packages, with no load lots on offer. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly good to very good. Many sets of cattle were put together and backgrounded over the winter and spring. Cattle suitable to run on grass sold with the best demand as order buyers and ranchers both chased this weight of feeders. CME positions were lower to start the week but rebounded slightly to end the week, almost making it back to last weeks price levels by the end of the week. The April closed Friday at 367.625, 3.695 lower than last Friday. The May contract closed Friday at 360.90, 4.375 lower than last Friday. The August contract closed Friday at 360.95, 4.725 lower than last Fridays close. Market activity was mostly active with a large pool of buyers noticed, both in the stands and over the internet. 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 steady to 2.00 higher on breaking and boning fleshed cows; lean cows sold 4.00-6.00 higher. Major packers showed little to no interest for cows at higher price levels and were mostly out of the market this week. Cows moved higher on mostly demand from Canadian buyers and private feeders. Cow quality was mixed this week from plain to attractive. A large crowd of feeding cow buyers were present at all sales. Young feeding cows were met with very good demand again this week. Young cows were in high demand both from replacement buyers and from feeding buyers. Slaughter cow demand remains strong as packers continue to show good demand for limited slaughter offerings. Breaking, boning and lean slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on all offerings. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady. Demand remains good as packer search for lean meat to blend down excess fat currently on the market. Feeding bull demand was mostly very good. Feeding bulls sold steady on very good demand. Packers and feeding bull buyers were both competing over similar offerings this week. Demand for young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed was mostly good to very good. Cows and heifers which lost calves are being marketed, but with very good weather conditions limited offerings are being seen. Demand for all offerings is very good with buyers for all quality levels. Young cows sold mostly steady. Quality was average to attractive, and similar to last week. Steers Medium and Large 1 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 2 408 408 600.00 600.00 5 600-648 638 451.00-460.00 452.69 7 660-688 684 430.00 430.00 21 700-733 714 401.00-418.00 409.83 2 750 750 394.00 394.00 16 793 793 359.00 359.00 Fleshy 17 805-849 838 360.00-372.00 366.72 5 901-910 903 338.00-339.00 338.80 2 1025 1025 312.50 312.50 Full Steers Medium and Large 1-2 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 6 463-483 476 545.00-555.00 548.24 12 512-545 526 480.00-505.00 497.07 3 642 642 435.00 435.00 4 660-675 668 392.00-427.50 407.70 4 748 748 382.50 382.50 Full 5 790 790 372.00 372.00 8 833-847 838 340.00-359.00 347.20 3 852 852 339.00 339.00 Full Steers Medium and Large 2 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 27 493-499 494 490.00-512.00 507.89 18 605-633 610 400.00-410.00 401.73 8 676 676 385.00 385.00 1 760 760 340.00 340.00 Steers Large 1 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 2 698 698 412.50 412.50 Steers Large 1-2 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 12 1246 1246 282.50 282.50 Fleshy Heifers Medium and Large 1 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 4 64-85 75 975.00-1,000.00 989.26 11 414-429 424 550.00-565.00 555.33 2 463 463 500.00 500.00 38 506-549 532 464.50-480.00 471.29 111 550-595 578 413.00-459.00 433.28 93 608-644 626 390.00-416.00 405.62 98 653-684 670 385.00-398.00 390.53 40 687 687 411.00 411.00 Replacement 33 710-748 728 350.00-369.00 362.33 5 753-768 762 350.00-354.00 351.58 10 770 770 356.00 356.00 Replacement 30 809 809 345.50 345.50 Replacement 17 809 809 348.00 348.00 Heifers Medium and Large 1-2 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 3 362 362 550.00 550.00 9 437-440 439 515.00-525.00 521.67 68 450-490 481 460.00-502.50 493.37 62 504-548 521 440.00-470.00 456.77 13 560-590 583 392.50-430.00 400.72 2 623 623 385.00 385.00 24 669-688 677 365.00-382.50 373.34 3 787 787 332.50 332.50 Full Heifers Medium and Large 2 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 1 395 395 460.00 460.00 5 436-445 438 470.00-490.00 474.07 3 555 555 390.00 390.00 3 640 640 370.00 370.00 6 758-787 773 335.00-337.50 336.23 Bulls Medium and Large 1 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 11 83-90 87 1,000.00-1,050.00 1,036.95 6 411 411 580.00 580.00 6 626 626 427.50 427.50 6 657-665 658 410.00-412.50 412.08 Bulls Medium and Large 1-2 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 4 318-325 322 625.00-630.00 627.53 5 445 445 555.00 555.00 2 485 485 535.00 535.00 6 675-679 678 387.50-390.00 387.91 1 865 865 322.50 322.50 Bulls Large 1 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 2 1055 1055 285.00 285.00 Bulls Large 1-2 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 2 1135 1135 270.00 270.00 2 1280 1280 230.00 230.00 Slaughter Bulls Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 1 1295 1295 186.00 186.00 Light Weight, Low Dressing 14 1190-1810 1506 173.00-209.00 198.64 Return to Feed, Low Dressing 35 1293-1905 1625 198.00-217.00 209.93 Return to Feed 7 1555-2035 1770 162.50-192.00 180.65 Low Dressing 1 1835 1835 233.00 233.00 Return to Feed, High Dressing 34 1565-2310 1903 200.00-222.00 211.10 4 1935-1990 1963 220.00-226.00 223.22 Natural 9 1740-2210 2011 218.00-237.00 228.78 High Dressing 2 2145-2160 2153 238.00-240.00 239.00 Natural, High Dressing 1 2570 2570 226.00 226.00 Heavy Weight, High Dressing Slaughter Cows Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 4 808-980 867 115.00-135.00 128.57 Light Weight, Low Dressing, Lean 1 890 890 145.00 145.00 Light Weight, Lean 2 880-1045 963 102.00-112.50 107.70 Very Low Dressing, Lean 1 1070 1070 150.00 150.00 High Dressing, Lean 32 870-1282 1122 150.00-170.00 163.22 Return to Feed, Low Dressing, Lean 6 955-1285 1151 115.00-135.00 129.10 Low Dressing, Lean 14 1002-1255 1155 174.00-183.00 179.27 Return to Feed, Lean 2 1140-1175 1158 142.00-162.50 152.40 Lean 24 1120-1286 1221 182.00-195.00 188.16 Return to Feed, High Dressing, Lean 51 1200-1625 1364 183.00-192.00 188.29 Return to Feed, High Dressing, Boner 2 1320-1425 1373 130.00-132.00 131.04 Low Dressing, Boner 1 1375 1375 117.50 117.50 Very Low Dressing, Boner 38 1245-1600 1417 152.00-174.00 166.28 Return to Feed, Low Dressing, Boner 101 1230-1675 1425 173.00-185.00 180.14 Return to Feed, Boner 2 1480-1535 1508 153.00-163.00 157.91 Boner 1 1530 1530 169.00 169.00 High Dressing, Boner 9 1515-1620 1553 186.00-191.00 188.15 Return to Feed, High Dressing, Breaker 1 1605 1605 180.00 180.00 High Dressing, Breaker 14 1500-1712 1631 173.00-184.00 178.16 Return to Feed, Breaker 9 1617-1740 1642 176.00-178.00 176.41 Breaker 5 1550-2010 1686 155.00-168.00 164.34 Return to Feed, Low Dressing, Breaker 8 1570-1815 1729 159.00-173.00 167.95 Low Dressing, Breaker Beef/Dairy Heifers Large 1-2 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 5 752 752 337.50 337.50 21 839 839 328.00 328.00 Beef/Dairy Heifers Large 2 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 6 778 778 310.00 310.00 3 808 808 315.00 315.00 Beef/Dairy Steers Large 1-2 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 5 772 772 337.50 337.50 37 895 895 334.50 334.50 Bred Cows Large 1 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 1 1320 1320 3,850.00 3,850.00 Young, 3rd Stage Bred Cows Medium and Large 1 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 3 1148-1365 1220 3,500.00-3,850.00 3,630.50 Young, 2nd/3rd Stage 9 1217-1476 1390 4,050.00-4,300.00 4,227.02 Young, 3rd Stage 2 1740 1740 3,400.00 3,400.00 Fleshy, Aged, 3rd Stage Bred Heifers Medium and Large 1 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 10 1128-1325 1182 3,900.00-4,300.00 4,172.88 (<2 yrs), 3rd Stage Stock Cows Large 1 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 3 1140 1140 210.00 210.00 Young, Open 2 1110-1430 1270 190.00-196.00 192.62 (<2 yrs), Open 1 1530 1530 187.00 187.00 Fleshy, (<2 yrs), Open Stock Cows Medium 1 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 5 715-895 845 307.50-315.00 311.58 (<2 yrs), Open 2 880 880 320.00 320.00 Young, Open Stock Cows Medium 1-2 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 5 888-910 892 255.00-265.00 262.96 Young, Open Stock Cows Medium and Large 1 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 105 837-1300 1019 230.00-345.00 303.85 (<2 yrs), Open 95 885-1510 1159 180.00-325.00 242.96 Young, Open 25 1175-1560 1307 182.00-245.00 198.06 Young/Middle Aged, Open 2 1335-1425 1380 211.00-235.00 222.61 Fleshy, (<2 yrs), Open 2 1465-1585 1525 176.00-186.00 180.80 Fleshy, Young, Open Stock Cows Medium and Large 1-2 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 1 1015 1015 190.00 190.00 Thin Fleshed, Young, Open 12 865-1220 1034 212.50-310.00 264.84 (<2 yrs), Open 35 945-1215 1088 199.00-302.00 239.49 Young, Open