Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 191 priced lines covering 7,862 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 7,483 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 1,029 head. replacement cattle receipts at 418 head.

Mon Oct 6, 2025

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 7,483Last week 3,163Year ago 7,727

Slaughter CattleReceipts 1,029Last week 937Year ago 1,334

Replacement CattleReceipts 418Last week 423Year ago 392

Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Steer calves under 600 lbs sold 15.00-25.00 higher. Steer calves over 600 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher. Yearling heifers under 850 lbs sold sharply higher with most sales 15.00-20.00 higher. Yearling heifers over 850 lbs sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher. Heifer calves under 550 lbs sold mostly 10.00-20.00 higher. Heifers over 550 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Demand was mostly good to very good for moderate offerings. A few load lots were seen this week and demand was good to very good for both packages and load lot offerings. Buyers showed very good demand to fill orders this week with active bidding seen from all parties. Quality this week was mostly average to very attractive for calves and plain to attractive for yearlings. Demand for yearlings was very good. Even blemished yearlings sold with very little discount this week as buyers search for cattle to feed. CME positions continue to march higher with triple digit movement seen almost daily. As of Fridays close the October closed at 375.50, up 18.325 for the week, the November contract closed Friday at 375.90, 20.475 higher. Market activity was active this past week with a large crowd of order buyers and farmer feeders in the seats as well as over the internet actively bidding on cattle. Weigh up cows sold on mostly very good demand for light to moderate offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly moderate. Very few cows continue to be purchased for immediate harvest. 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 steady to 2.00 higher. Quality was mostly average to attractive. The spread between slaughter cows and feeding cows remains very large. Slaughter bulls sold on good demand for moderate offerings. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00 lower on a slightly lower quality offering. Not as many bulls that would be suitable to feed were seen this week. This kept feeding bull buyers mostly sidelined and allowed packer buyers to buy bulls slightly lower. Feeding bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend. sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on very good demand for limited offerings. Offerings sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Buyers showed willingness to buy older cows which were in good condition to re-pregnancy test or to rebreed.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	400–450	435	495.00	495.00
63	500–550	542	445.00–452.50	446.59
62	600–650	622	407.50–417.00	407.97
2	700–750	713	367.50	367.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
10	650–700	655	417.50	417.50
11	700–750	719	415.00	415.00
4	750–800	766	385.00	385.00
6	800–850	816	382.00	382.00
1	850–900	880	370.00	370.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	200–250	243	645.00	645.00
4	350–400	356	440.00–495.00	480.53
28	400–450	426	430.00–492.50	478.78
8	450–500	489	420.00	420.00
27	500–550	531	380.00–400.00	384.33
4	550–600	583	381.00–390.00	385.56
6	600–650	622	370.00–385.00	377.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
20	750–800	781	372.00–372.50	372.07
4	900–950	938	329.00	329.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	250–300	272	700.00–740.00	726.44
18	350–400	384	555.00–590.00	572.96
57	400–450	432	490.00–540.00	522.74
64	450–500	475	475.00–520.00	491.66
59	500–550	532	420.00–460.00	447.86
44	550–600	585	395.00–441.00	423.28
82	600–650	622	372.50–427.00	407.58
9	650–700	683	392.00–397.50	395.98
9	700–750	704	376.00–378.00	376.45
3	750–800	755	366.00	366.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	350–400	360	560.00	560.00
17	700–750	746	387.00–389.00	387.46
5	750–800	775	375.00	375.00
10	800–850	817	352.00–371.00	363.27
16	850–900	868	354.00–363.00	360.68
7	900–950	929	338.00–345.00	339.99
2	950–1000	968	337.00	337.00
1	1000–1050	1,000	320.00	320.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	750–800	794	332.00	332.00
2	800–850	843	351.00	351.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	200–250	237	750.00–800.00	768.99
12	250–300	273	705.00–775.00	760.07
12	300–350	320	635.00–690.00	665.44
98	350–400	378	557.50–645.00	617.36
237	400–450	417	527.50–596.00	564.33
344	450–500	476	485.00–550.00	522.55
869	500–550	522	455.00–513.00	487.13
971	550–600	566	428.00–467.00	454.71
364	600–650	623	405.00–442.00	428.78
96	650–700	671	387.00–426.00	416.40
38	700–750	717	380.00–419.00	399.45
12	750–800	757	360.00–386.00	379.39
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
5	950–1000	979	322.00	322.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
5	750–800	761	376.00	376.00
25	850–900	877	352.00–360.00	354.51
21	950–1000	968	342.00	342.00
Steers — Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
3	1200–1250	1,228	258.00	258.00
Steers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	323	605.00	605.00
22	400–450	441	527.50	527.50
10	500–550	514	450.00	450.00
16	600–650	641	360.00–395.00	388.37
3	650–700	673	389.00	389.00
Steers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	350–400	398	320.00	320.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	350–400	366	532.50	532.50
12	450–500	468	432.50	432.50
46	650–700	668	383.50	383.50
1	700–750	740	390.00	390.00
64	750–800	774	360.00–390.00	381.94
84	800–850	821	339.50–370.00	351.69
88	850–900	884	323.50–344.00	333.58
76	900–950	919	320.50–331.00	324.46
51	950–1000	966	312.50–319.00	315.82
32	1000–1050	1,034	298.00–312.00	306.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	150–200	197	640.00	640.00
1	200–250	240	640.00	640.00
14	300–350	343	455.00–572.50	529.98
16	350–400	398	460.00–470.00	461.87
18	400–450	429	450.00–475.00	454.03
40	450–500	473	385.00–452.50	423.90
31	500–550	525	370.00–452.00	408.02
37	550–600	568	362.50–390.00	377.99
4	600–650	606	355.00–367.50	358.09
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	350–400	359	435.00–440.00	437.46
10	400–450	414	370.00–382.50	377.29
19	450–500	472	332.50–390.00	372.79
2	550–600	598	337.50	337.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
13	500–550	548	407.50	407.50
8	550–600	560	377.00	377.00
8	950–1000	980	307.50–309.00	308.24
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	200–250	215	670.00	670.00
8	250–300	277	592.50–660.00	618.09
40	300–350	332	522.50–610.00	578.44
88	350–400	373	510.00–579.00	553.56
213	400–450	429	462.00–547.00	499.83
457	450–500	482	432.50–494.00	469.69
534	500–550	520	420.00–466.00	448.99
113	550–600	574	383.00–428.00	410.44
119	600–650	614	354.00–415.00	379.81
16	650–700	658	350.00–386.00	369.90
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
14	500–550	500	464.00	464.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
53	700–750	728	342.00–380.00	370.73
12	750–800	763	367.00–368.00	367.91
4	800–850	829	326.00–335.00	330.52
9	850–900	870	312.50–327.50	319.22
2	900–950	920	315.00	315.00
Heifers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
28	450–500	475	390.00–425.00	420.25
4	500–550	513	375.00	375.00
31	550–600	557	379.00–385.00	384.20
1	600–650	620	370.00	370.00
4	650–700	653	362.00	362.00
6	700–750	703	322.50–340.00	325.43
Heifers — Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
13	1050–1100	1,093	285.00–289.00	285.91
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	550–600	552	381.00	381.00
32	1050–1100	1,079	294.00–311.00	304.43
5	1100–1150	1,109	285.00–298.00	295.40
Heifers — Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
4	1050–1100	1,056	284.00	284.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
40	550–600	568	425.00–441.00	428.87
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
16	550–600	580	383.00	383.00
35	600–650	607	372.50	372.50
10	650–700	691	352.00–367.50	362.93
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	600–650	635	350.00	350.00
Heifers — Medium 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	300–350	323	360.00	360.00
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	650–700	693	325.00	325.00
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	500–550	538	397.00	397.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	450–500	488	470.00	470.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	425	515.00	515.00
14	450–500	472	500.00	500.00
16	500–550	545	450.00	450.00
9	550–600	561	422.50	422.50
9	600–650	610	390.00–405.00	401.64
6	650–700	666	370.00–380.00	376.63
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	800–850	825	355.00	355.00
2	950–1000	968	307.50	307.50
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	1050–1100	1,077	270.00–295.00	280.79
1	1100–1150	1,140	267.50	267.50
3	1200–1250	1,210	247.50	247.50
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1050–1100	1,055	277.50	277.50
1	1100–1150	1,110	242.50	242.50
1	1150–1200	1,170	252.50	252.50
6	1250–1300	1,267	225.00	225.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	20	—	913	206.00–312.50	252.95
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	11	—	1,049	173.00–247.50	202.88
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,000	176.00–182.50	179.30
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	19	—	1,222	165.00	165.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	94	—	1,115	168.00–327.50	247.86
(<2 yrs)	Open	78	—	1,005	220.00–340.00	281.49
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	29	—	1,236	179.00–236.00	213.25
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	9	—	1,238	175.00–181.00	179.51
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	8	—	977	247.50	247.50
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	985	270.00	270.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,243	262.00	262.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	10	—	1,375	2,825.00–2,900.00	2,891.77
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	7	—	1,141	3,150.00–3,300.00	3,268.27
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	1	—	1,300	2,950.00	2,950.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	6	—	1,163	3,550.00–3,575.00	3,571.13
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	2	—	1,313	3,000.00	3,000.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	1	—	1,170	2,900.00	2,900.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	1	—	1,050	3,050.00	3,050.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	1	—	1,200	2,400.00	2,400.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	830	142.50–145.00	143.69
3	—	883	110.00–125.00	115.58
1	—	995	102.50	102.50
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
66	—	1,167	131.00–160.00	146.20
67	—	1,220	174.50–186.00	176.06
82	—	1,216	159.00–174.00	168.03
Cows — Premium White 65-75%$ per cwt · actual wt
32	—	1,561	170.00–171.50	171.40
4	—	1,761	168.00	168.00
2	—	1,373	192.50	192.50
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	1,538	174.00–188.00	179.22
3	—	1,533	161.00–174.00	168.44
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,694	172.00–172.50	172.34
13	—	1,685	163.00–170.00	166.12
2	—	1,620	142.00–157.00	150.43
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	958	139.00	139.00
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	1,151	136.00–145.00	140.01
69	—	1,157	110.00–136.00	127.64
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
34	—	1,465	141.00–163.00	155.86
125	—	1,414	175.00–185.00	177.13
279	—	1,384	162.00–176.00	170.32
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,397	141.00–152.00	145.56
20	—	1,392	126.00–139.00	133.96
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Non-Traditional$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,530	192.00	192.00
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Non-Traditional$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,393	157.00–175.00	166.02
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
23	—	1,667	162.00–185.00	172.21
3	—	2,160	199.00	199.00
19	—	2,024	197.00–205.00	201.53
1	—	2,480	189.00	189.00
38	—	1,803	184.00–199.00	192.66
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
19	—	1,596	171.00–185.00	180.57
13	—	1,743	185.00–198.50	190.11
1	—	1,710	202.00	202.00
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	1,179	154.00–161.00	155.36
Dairy Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,107	113.00	113.00

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.

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