Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 158 priced lines covering 2,913 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 2,484 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 727 head. replacement cattle receipts at 268 head. Counted as USDA files them — 26 of those are cow-calf pairs, each counted once.

Mon Sep 8, 2025

USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)

Feeder CattleReceipts 2,484Last week 1,337Year ago 2,547

Slaughter CattleReceipts 727Last week 270Year ago 811

Replacement CattleReceipts 268Last week 22Year ago 111

Yearling steers were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers offered the best test this week as most offerings over 850 lbs sold 5.00-10.00 lower. Yearling heifers under 850 lbs sold steady to firm. Feeder calves were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand for all calves was very good. One full load of feeders was seen this week and demand for these offerings was very good. Packages of calves sold on good to very good demand as buyers built to loads. CME feeder cattle positions whiplashed this week with sharply lower movement seen early in the week and slight improved prices seen later in the week. As of Fridays close the September contract closed at 350.40, down 14.37 for the week, while the October closed at 345.80, down 18.675 for the week. This caused buyers to give some pause as they bid on offerings. Market activity was mostly moderate to active this past week, however lighter market activity was seen compared to previous weeks. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly moderate. Very few cows were purchased for immediate harvest as feeding demand was very strong. Only extremely poor or very blemished cows were purchased for immediate harvest this week.Slaughter cows were to lightly tested the previous week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on all offerings. Feeding cow demand was very good. Even cows which were slightly blemished, some buyers were willing to put on feed. Feeding cows sold on very good demand as private feeders and packer buyers both showed strong demand for cows to feed. Quality was mostly plain to average this week and similar to last week. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher with the biggest price increase seen for thin, lean cows which would gain quickly when put on feed. Slaughter bulls sold on good demand for moderate offerings. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 3.00 lower. Many thin fleshed bulls continue to be seen as many have been turned out with cows. Many of these thin bulls were purchased to feed this week. Feeding bulls sold mostly 3.00 lower. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on good to very good demand for limited offerings. Offerings were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	300–350	317	580.00	580.00
32	400–450	428	515.00–542.50	528.96
45	450–500	471	507.50–511.00	510.52
8	500–550	512	465.00	465.00
95	550–600	570	392.50–440.00	429.42
3	600–650	615	416.00	416.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
27	650–700	693	392.00–396.00	395.26
17	700–750	725	387.50–389.00	388.82
2	750–800	750	388.00	388.00
19	800–850	823	347.50–370.50	359.27
20	850–900	863	343.00–353.00	345.72
10	900–950	925	325.00–334.00	329.42
14	950–1000	980	322.00	322.00
33	1000–1050	1,023	312.50–314.00	313.28
3	1050–1100	1,095	309.00	309.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
55	750–800	798	362.00	362.00
18	850–900	890	335.00	335.00
78	1000–1050	1,019	300.00	300.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
3	750–800	778	360.00	360.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	700–750	744	381.50	381.50
2	800–850	803	338.00	338.00
1	850–900	880	332.50	332.50
3	900–950	903	305.00	305.00
4	950–1000	968	325.00	325.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	350–400	373	510.00–520.00	516.21
11	450–500	477	470.00–475.00	472.82
20	500–550	538	440.00–455.00	443.75
4	550–600	584	335.00–385.00	347.31
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	500–550	541	433.00	433.00
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
12	650–700	687	370.00–390.00	379.46
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	600–650	630	330.00	330.00
Steers — Medium 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	400–450	413	420.00	420.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	750–800	788	322.50	322.50
2	850–900	883	338.00	338.00
3	900–950	908	275.00	275.00
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	1050–1100	1,080	306.50	306.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
39	650–700	653	373.00	373.00
14	700–750	732	360.00–362.50	361.97
131	750–800	755	350.00–367.00	365.81
50	800–850	835	335.00–350.00	344.22
234	850–900	873	317.00–335.00	325.06
253	900–950	915	310.00–320.00	316.13
67	950–1000	972	305.00–318.50	311.08
49	1000–1050	1,026	295.00–306.00	303.67
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
11	700–750	730	329.00	329.00
4	750–800	795	320.00	320.00
32	800–850	815	325.00	325.00
7	900–950	946	306.00	306.00
2	1000–1050	1,035	298.00	298.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
5	1000–1050	1,004	315.50	315.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8	350–400	394	477.50	477.50
14	400–450	425	425.00–475.00	459.95
68	450–500	478	440.00–470.00	462.94
18	500–550	546	420.00	420.00
3	550–600	565	397.50	397.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
132	900–950	930	304.00	304.00
6	950–1000	988	303.00	303.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
33	700–750	740	325.00–355.00	338.92
39	750–800	791	325.00–347.50	344.41
18	800–850	833	320.00–334.00	326.41
14	850–900	876	311.50–317.50	314.27
6	900–950	937	302.00–308.00	306.85
4	950–1000	969	291.00–300.00	295.41
3	1000–1050	1,028	285.00–293.00	290.34
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	270	510.00	510.00
8	350–400	382	400.00–435.00	430.53
3	400–450	444	420.00–445.00	436.64
13	450–500	497	385.00–410.00	406.25
3	500–550	505	370.00	370.00
3	550–600	567	345.00–357.50	349.23
6	600–650	622	332.50	332.50
Heifers — Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
6	1150–1200	1,164	284.00	284.00
Heifers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
17	500–550	543	362.50–365.00	364.43
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7	750–800	793	330.00	330.00
1	800–850	835	330.00	330.00
6	900–950	921	292.00	292.00
2	1000–1050	1,020	299.50	299.50
31	1050–1100	1,083	287.00–296.00	293.06
22	1100–1150	1,105	285.00–293.00	289.95
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
22	600–650	615	355.00–385.00	372.86
7	700–750	749	351.00	351.00
4	850–900	855	307.50	307.50
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	600–650	621	270.00	270.00
8	650–700	669	317.00	317.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	850–900	850	292.50	292.50
Heifers — Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
4	1050–1100	1,081	310.00	310.00
Heifers — Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
2	1200–1250	1,200	268.00	268.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	800–850	843	330.00	330.00
6	850–900	866	314.00	314.00
1	900–950	920	317.50	317.50
7	950–1000	978	305.00	305.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	300–350	334	510.00	510.00
1	350–400	385	455.00	455.00
5	400–450	409	450.00	450.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	1000–1050	1,035	256.00–280.00	264.00
1	1050–1100	1,050	230.00	230.00
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	1100–1150	1,107	265.00	265.00
2	1150–1200	1,180	256.00	256.00
1	1200–1250	1,210	240.00	240.00
4	1300–1350	1,300	212.00	212.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	550–600	563	365.00	365.00
6	600–650	607	370.00	370.00
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1050–1100	1,085	232.50	232.50
1	1200–1250	1,220	210.00	210.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	5	—	1,668	3,200.00	3,200.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	15	—	1,527	4,100.00	4,100.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	6	—	1,787	4,350.00	4,350.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	—	1,220	2,100.00	2,100.00
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	5	—	1,347	2,700.00	2,700.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	9	—	1,202	3,100.00–3,150.00	3,138.03
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	4	—	1,644	2,900.00	2,900.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	12	—	1,258	209.00–216.00	215.45
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	21	—	1,403	187.50–197.00	188.14
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	3	—	1,310	159.00	159.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	4	—	1,166	165.00–212.50	188.15
(<2 yrs)	Open	5	—	1,005	185.00–275.00	233.80
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	8	—	1,162	174.00–240.00	204.49
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,060	177.50	177.50
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	16	—	1,125	177.00–194.00	178.89
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	35	—	1,055	172.00–285.00	239.56
(<2 yrs)	Open	17	—	1,036	200.00–280.00	247.88
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,288	169.00	169.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	36	—	1,340	174.00–190.00	185.30
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	7	—	1,174	174.00	174.00
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,110	185.00	185.00
Stock Cows — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	2	—	823	195.00	195.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
27	—	1,475	155.00–186.00	178.22
77	—	1,679	184.00–200.00	191.62
Bulls — Natural$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,960	221.00	221.00
9	—	1,750	195.00–206.00	202.94
Bulls — Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,720	176.00	176.00
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	1,233	163.00–178.00	168.83
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	2,365	190.00–191.50	190.78
11	—	1,968	199.00–212.50	203.89
56	—	1,938	184.00–201.00	191.90
31	—	1,742	165.00–187.00	180.32
Dairy Cows — Boner 80-85% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	730	140.00	140.00
Dairy Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,630	139.00	139.00
Dairy Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,338	127.00–136.00	131.36
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
86	—	1,455	159.00–172.00	165.98
17	—	1,459	136.00–158.00	148.02
84	—	1,427	170.00–180.00	173.46
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,400	158.00	158.00
18	—	1,358	136.00–145.00	140.27
14	—	1,469	145.00–155.00	151.54
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	1,654	160.00–165.00	161.99
4	—	1,669	169.50–172.00	170.26
7	—	1,711	152.00–159.00	155.91
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	955	127.00–132.00	129.49
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,573	155.00–159.00	157.00
3	—	1,685	165.00–167.00	165.97
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Non-Traditional$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,490	188.00	188.00
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
46	—	1,168	121.00–144.00	132.10
4	—	1,200	112.00–118.00	115.25
2	—	1,195	147.00–148.00	147.54
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
34	—	1,209	161.00–169.00	162.39
17	—	1,254	165.00–178.00	168.91
12	—	1,210	131.00–155.50	145.78

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.

Feeder Cattle — prices, barns, and planning

Fed Cattle — the cash market and what quality pays

Beef & Retail — from the box to the grocery shelf

Feed & Hay — the cost side, cash not futures

Cows & Bred Stock — the rebuild market

More

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line