Public Auction Yards
Billings, MT

Market information provided by USDA

20 MAY '26

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.