Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2026-02-03

Public Auction Yards

Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Tue, Feb 3
● Final31 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2257
Receipts
3,004 head
3,328 vs last sale 6,332 569 vs year ago 3,573 · 15.9%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

The Public Auction Yards held their Annual Blue Ribbon 2 sale today with just over 3000 head consigned. Demand for both cows and bred heifers was very good and remained consistent throughout the sale. A large crowd was on hand for todays sale with buyers from all over the upper plains and intermountain west. Quality was mostly attractive with many cows and heifers off reputation ranches. The stands were filled with a good mix of both order buyers and ranchers. Many local ranchers across the state were present buying cows to fill pastures across the state and into Wyoming. Ranchers bought large volumes of cows with many willing to take the entire consignment at record high prices. All cow prices were $400-$700 per head higher while heifer prices were $500-$700 per head higher on similar calving windows than the last bred cow special on Dec 19th. Demand for dispersions was very good as these consignments topped the market in their perspective age groups. Demand for all heifers was very good. Even late calving April and May bred heifers sold on very good demand as buyers showed very little discount for later calving heifers as they push to rebuild herds. Market activity was very active. 3rd trimester calves from today through May 7th. 2nd Trimester calves May 7 through August 8th. 1st trimester calves after August 8th.

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age
Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,208$4,447466
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,181$4,284133
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,374$4,081132
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,356$3,93919
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,541$3,89697
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,069$3,82372
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,377$3,50784
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,305$3,44419
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,420$3,39415
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,404$3,372197
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,370$3,365201
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,710$3,1003thin
Bred Heifers3rd Stage (7-9 mo)(<2 yrs)1,060$4,2061,060
Bred Heifers2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)(<2 yrs)988$4,15083

Every lot, as filed

31 lots · USDA AMS · Public Auction Yards Replacement Cattle Special - Billings, MT (Seasonal)
Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,3333,149.81/head3,100.00–3,250.003,1508
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,3033,100.00/head3,100.00–3,100.003,1004
Bred CowsLarge 11,3803,700.00/head3,700.00–3,700.003,70011
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3703,494.40/head3,250.00–3,850.003,49480
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,0363,906.78/head3,900.00–4,100.003,90764
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,5163,750.00/head3,750.00–3,750.003,7504
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3063,535.85/head3,400.00–3,800.003,53615
Bred CowsLarge 11,1063,750.00/head3,750.00–3,750.003,7504
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1914,409.48/head4,000.00–4,700.004,409388
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,5413,896.49/head3,700.00–4,000.003,89697
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,1723,803.09/head3,700.00–3,900.003,8035
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3563,938.66/head3,600.00–4,150.003,93919
Bred CowsLarge 1Broken Mouth1,3503,634.38/head3,625.00–3,650.003,63432
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,7103,100.00/head3,100.00–3,100.003,1003
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,1452,850.00/head2,850.00–2,850.002,8505
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,4043,371.51/head3,000.00–3,725.003,372197
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 1-21,0223,850.00/head3,850.00–3,850.003,8505
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1844,320.98/head4,000.00–4,450.004,321124
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,0814,260.50/head4,025.00–4,700.004,261831
Bred HeifersMedium 19153,901.62/head3,700.00–4,000.003,90229
Bred HeifersMedium 19463,995.56/head3,650.00–4,325.003,996188
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 1Fancy1,1895,100.00/head5,100.00–5,100.005,10020
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,0284,328.02/head4,075.00–4,450.004,32849
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,4203,393.66/head3,200.00–3,500.003,39415
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 1-21,1053,075.00/head3,075.00–3,075.003,07521
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,4113,530.90/head3,500.00–3,700.003,53115
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3813,327.64/head3,000.00–3,550.003,328164
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,3663,400.00/head3,400.00–3,400.003,40014
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3474,057.72/head3,700.00–4,450.004,058105
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Fancy1,2445,153.41/head5,100.00–5,300.005,15352
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Fancy1,6055,000.00/head5,000.00–5,000.005,00013

How this sale compares

Montana weighted averages
One sale is one barn on one day. The state ladder is every Montana auction USDA reported that week, weighted by head — the fairer test of whether a lot sold well.