Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · Weekly summary · Mon, Apr 21
● As filed128 lines reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1778

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them
Montana reported 128 priced lines covering 2,163 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 1,530 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 543 head. replacement cattle receipts at 423 head.

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Mon Apr 21, 2025
USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)
Feeder CattleReceipts 1,530Last week 5,620Year ago 1,548
Slaughter CattleReceipts 543Last week 158Year ago 495
Replacement CattleReceipts 423Last week 62Year ago 613

Compared to last week: Feeder steer and heifer calves were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed on like quality offerings. No feeder specials were seen this week. Offerings were very light. Demand was mostly good to very good despite light offerings. CME positions gave support to the market as higher feeder cattle contract prices provided buyers additional market support. The April contract settled Monday at 292.42. The May contract closed Friday at 285.525. The August closed Friday at 289.15, and the September closed Friday at 288.00. Quality this week was mostly plain to average with a limited selection of attractive quality cattle seen. A moderate size crowd was on hand for every sale with both ranchers and order buyers in the market , despite a lighter offering of feeder cattle noticed. 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 light to moderate offerings. Regional packers and 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. Breaking cows sold mostly steady to firm, boning cows sold steady to 2.00 higher, lean cows sold sharply higher this most sale 5.00-10.00 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 again this week. Canadian cow feeders remain a large player in all auction markets pushing packer buyers to own high quality feeding cows. Some blemished cows continue to go to feed many of these offerings were purchased by private feeders this week. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 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 steady to 5.00 higher. Buyers looking for light weight and lower yielding bulls to feed helped push lower yielding bulls higher this week and this is where most of this weeks price increases were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady firm. 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. Additionally, feeding buyers were in the market this week buying cows to blend onto fed loads. This helped improve the price of young cows with slight blemishes as many of these offerings had short ears or tails of poor bags or a slightly long toe.

Feeder Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3300–350323480.00480.00
24350–400376445.00–470.00453.99
28400–450418430.00–435.00431.64
176450–500486365.00–390.00379.44
12500–550519349.00–370.00355.35
34550–600580325.00–352.50339.03
37600–650625309.00–328.00323.22
86650–700678297.00–310.50305.38
76700–750718288.00–297.50294.96
5750–800784281.00281.00
4800–850841274.00274.00
72850–900867265.50–277.00275.73
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4250–300288495.00495.00
6400–450431380.00–417.50411.12
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
92700–750723304.00–305.00304.46
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
17650–700691288.00288.00
37750–800760274.00–277.50276.66
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
32550–600559364.00–367.00364.93
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2350–400395417.50417.50
16450–500474340.00–360.00354.44
8500–550528340.00–352.00345.90
5600–650644287.50–299.00294.44
18650–700670275.00–295.00290.67
16750–800768259.00–275.00267.18
14850–900897248.00248.00
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3500–550515290.00290.00
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5650–700698285.00285.00
21750–800796276.00276.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4600–650601276.00276.00
8650–700693264.00264.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
2700–750733272.00272.00
6750–800773254.00254.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1250–300260470.00470.00
2300–350328460.00460.00
12350–400377445.00–479.00461.82
7400–450416395.00–410.00403.43
6450–500474352.50–380.00361.29
6500–550540355.00–375.00367.41
24550–600585333.00–350.00335.01
6600–650621327.50–333.00330.54
12700–750709282.00–299.00286.28
4750–800764287.00287.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7250–300274495.00495.00
3450–500480420.00420.00
14650–700664314.50314.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2300–350343515.00515.00
102450–500474415.00–431.00427.60
10500–550517387.50–400.00388.82
44550–600587361.00–388.00368.21
1600–650605342.00342.00
4650–700663320.00320.00
16800–850812285.00285.00
14850–900864283.00283.00
31000–10501,033250.00250.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
7800–850849279.00279.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3400–450447330.00330.00
3550–600587325.00325.00
3600–650635314.00314.00
2750–800783278.00278.00
2800–850833276.00276.00
Steers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2550–600563285.00285.00
Steers — Medium 2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
3650–700683235.00235.00
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5700–750701280.00280.00
11750–800773289.00289.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4200–250245390.00390.00
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2600–650620310.00310.00
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2800–850813265.00265.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per head · estimate wt
250–10095775.00775.00
250–10075800.00800.00
3450–500478375.00375.00
6850–900896258.00258.00
1900–950935249.00249.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3450–500450412.50412.50
4650–700656272.50–282.00277.27
7700–750720265.00–280.00269.35
5800–850821246.00246.00
41000–10501,045217.00217.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2500–550530330.00330.00
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
71050–11001,067230.00–231.00230.72
21150–12001,170215.00215.00
11200–12501,205202.00202.00
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
11050–11001,055215.00215.00
21100–11501,143185.00–187.50186.25

Replacement Cattle

As reported
AgeStageHeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open1821,037198.00–266.00227.82
Young (2-4 yrs)Open831,153168.00–226.00190.73
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open45964171.00–238.00214.93
Young (2-4 yrs)Open161,027157.00–217.50183.56
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)Open2998150.00150.00
(<2 yrs)Open13784225.00–242.50233.84
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo)21,2782,500.002,500.00
Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)171,2943,150.00–3,675.003,629.40
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo)81,5002,525.002,525.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)51,5482,900.00–3,000.002,957.36
Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)11,2453,100.003,100.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo)81,4012,300.002,300.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Non-Legible BANGS$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)121,0772,400.002,400.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)21,4582,325.002,325.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo)51,2722,375.002,375.00
Bred Cows — Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)31,8132,875.002,875.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
271,909166.00–185.50177.01
92,126184.00–193.00187.79
131,625157.00–169.00164.34
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
101,572157.50–167.50163.61
121,479168.00–180.00172.34
Bulls — Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
13,040180.00180.00
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
521,163146.00–165.00158.75
191,120128.00–145.00138.61
271,188161.00–170.50166.90
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
131,507129.00–146.00140.35
221,449145.00–159.50155.37
131,522159.00–170.00164.58
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
41,229160.00–162.00161.02
51,113146.00–151.00149.51
181,168110.00–141.00123.16
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1900127.50127.50
294092.50–107.50100.00
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
111,635159.50–164.00162.49
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
111,715164.00–168.00164.54
11,715144.00144.00
481,632151.50–163.50159.02
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
741,428150.00–165.00159.11
91,409131.00–149.00140.35
641,439164.00–170.00167.99
Cows — Premium White 65-75%$ per cwt · actual wt
91,560159.00–160.00159.09
Dairy Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
11,290118.00118.00
21,455127.50–147.00136.35
Dairy Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
61,853145.50145.50
Dairy Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
11,340149.00149.00
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.