Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · Weekly summary · Mon, Apr 7
● As filed118 lines reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1778

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them
Montana reported 118 priced lines covering 1,783 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 638 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 916 head. replacement cattle receipts at 584 head. Counted as USDA files them — 61 of those are cow-calf pairs, each counted once.

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Mon Apr 7, 2025
USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)
Feeder CattleReceipts 638Last week 4,924Year ago 706
Slaughter CattleReceipts 916Last week 754Year ago 436
Replacement CattleReceipts 584Last week 407Year ago 310

Compared to last week: Feeder steer and heifer calves were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed on all offerings. Every sale this past week was an all class sale with no feeder specials. Offerings were very light. Demand was mostly good despite light offerings. A moderate size crowd was on hand for every sale with both ranchers and order buyers in the market. Feeder cattle quality was mostly plain to average with a limited offering of attractive feeders seen. Quality overall was significantly less attractive than the previous weeks sales. CME feeder and live cattle positions continue to show high volatility with large price swings in either direction. The April contract closed Friday at 285.175 on Friday, 4.125 higher than last Fridays close. The May contract closed at 278.70, 3.825 higher than last Fridays close; the August closed at 283.675, 2.625 higher than last Fridays close. Package sizes were mostly small with many singles noted. Market activity this week was mostly active with takers both in the seats and over the internet actively bidding on limited offerings. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Regional packers, major packers and private cow feeders continue to show very good demand for high quality cattle. Regional packers are purchasing their cattle for immediate harvest while major packers are purchasing cows mostly to feed. Premium white fed cows were not tested this week. Breaking cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher, boning cows sold 2.00 to 4.00 higher, lean cows sold 6.00-10.00 higher. The volume of cows going to immediate harvest is very small, but was larger this week compared to last week as packers all showed a stronger need for cows for immediate harvest. Feeding cows demand was very good this week. One sale had as many as 9 feeding cow buyers in the stands all with active orders. Canadian cow feeders were back in the market this week and they showed very good demand for young to middle age high quality cows. Some blemished cows continue to go to feed or to grass until cow supplies shorten, however with a slight increase in the number of cows going to slaughter, the number of blemished cows going to feed lightened this week. Feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher on all classes. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 1.00 higher. A portion of the bull offering continues to be purchased to feed, especially light weight, thin bulls which could see quick improvements to yield. Feeding bulls sold 3.00-5.00 higher. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady to 5.00 higher. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Several sets of heifers which lost calves sold on very good demand. Demand from rebreed buyers was very good again this week as many try to buy cows to use as recips or to rebreed.

Feeder Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5450–500488400.00400.00
5500–550501355.00355.00
1650–700660298.00298.00
3700–750742288.00288.00
2750–800780278.00278.00
11000–10501,005235.00235.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2750–800778248.00248.00
1900–950920235.00235.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
9750–800786254.00–285.00261.71
1950–1000975224.00224.00
31000–10501,003226.00226.00
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
11000–10501,020237.00237.00
51050–11001,068227.00–236.00228.81
91100–11501,124222.50–231.00226.35
31150–12001,197206.00206.00
31250–13001,298192.00192.00
Bulls — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2700–750725237.50237.50
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
11050–11001,095218.00218.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
10350–400379380.00–397.50386.97
43400–450446342.50–362.50344.08
27450–500480331.00–377.00365.80
5500–550530310.00–330.00321.94
6550–600568308.00–312.50309.51
7600–650620280.00–290.00284.76
11650–700681280.00–284.00281.82
3700–750715268.00268.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1250–300275465.00465.00
7350–400392402.50402.50
4400–450410375.00375.00
4450–500477351.00–360.00355.39
13500–550532340.00–345.00344.62
21550–600570313.00–337.00325.00
27600–650613305.00–322.00320.57
3650–700653290.00290.00
45700–750703279.00–286.00285.22
10750–800778272.50272.50
7800–850813259.00259.00
2850–900888252.50252.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2350–400390330.00330.00
2500–550503315.00315.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
6750–800778259.00259.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5250–300284440.00440.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4400–450421421.00421.00
14550–600567346.00–370.00366.00
5600–650611330.00–342.00337.09
3650–700690310.00–311.00310.67
9700–750722299.00–305.00302.25
4750–800793285.00–290.00286.23
1800–850825280.00280.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5300–350329455.00–490.00469.79
9400–450423390.00–422.50411.30
10450–500466390.00–405.00398.74
45500–550541365.00–375.00370.20
2550–600568350.00–355.00352.53
3650–700690305.00–306.00305.33
2700–750720288.00–293.00290.53
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3500–550535320.00320.00
1800–850825260.00260.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
3800–850843264.00264.00
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
12500–550508371.00371.00
Steers — Medium 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
4650–700699293.00293.00
10800–850841264.00264.00
Steers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
5500–550503325.00325.00
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6750–800752276.00276.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported
AgeStageHeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open11,290155.00155.00
Young (2-4 yrs)Open921,185152.00–229.50184.08
(<2 yrs)Open2351,022185.00–269.00226.85
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open9853279.00279.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open2798245.00245.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)Open11,280180.00180.00
(<2 yrs)Open31,302175.00–184.50181.81
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open131,014170.00–239.00204.83
Young (2-4 yrs)Open151,037148.00–215.00175.26
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open7800231.00–239.00232.89
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open41,044204.00–227.00209.10
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)61,5072,975.00–3,000.002,979.18
Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)41,1522,400.00–2,450.002,422.64
Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)81,3203,000.00–3,300.003,152.76
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)151,5022,700.00–2,725.002,701.58
Aged (>8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)71,3482,050.00–2,200.002,132.74
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)31,5372,450.002,450.00
Heifer Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open541,1534,200.00–4,300.004,286.82
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)Open51,5504,100.004,100.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open21,8383,600.003,600.00
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)21,0582,400.002,400.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
202,074181.00–201.00189.71
281,881160.00–182.00174.62
11,835175.00175.00
62,288188.00–194.00189.09
141,630141.00–159.00153.93
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
121,534140.00–163.00154.96
311,583162.00–180.00170.50
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
21,323137.00–146.00141.70
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
151,497151.00–160.00154.88
631,444139.00–153.00146.65
171,446122.00–140.00134.03
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
771,192136.00–156.00150.60
351,105117.50–144.00132.90
261,211157.00–166.00159.48
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
41,133146.00–152.00150.47
61,164139.00–146.00142.61
181,201112.50–136.00124.37
31,140105.00105.00
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
681,501150.00–159.00154.25
21,688143.00143.00
51,495163.00163.00
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
4960100.00–122.00108.92
180092.5092.50
3932126.00–142.50132.75
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1651,406139.00–161.00155.91
1151,392151.00–168.00163.97
211,309114.00–148.00139.91
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
61,623155.00–160.00158.93
141,719151.00–159.00155.07
91,675137.50–147.50143.46
Dairy Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
41,921149.00149.00
Dairy Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
111,276104.00–137.00121.27
Dairy Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
11,905145.00145.00
Head, weight ranges, average weights and price ranges are exactly as USDA AMS filed them — nothing recomputed, nothing rounded — in USDA's own reporting structure. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of that data, not a copy of USDA's document.
Source: USDA AMS, as filed — nothing recomputed and nothing rounded. This summary aggregates the same sales the Montana barn reports cover, so it must never be added to a state total built from those barns.