Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · Weekly summary · Mon, Dec 1
● As filed156 lines reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1778

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them
Montana reported 156 priced lines covering 3,828 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 3,026 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 1,019 head. replacement cattle receipts at 378 head. Counted as USDA files them — 2 of those are cow-calf pairs, each counted once.

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Mon Dec 1, 2025
USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)
Feeder CattleReceipts 3,026Last week 1,157Year ago 9,160
Slaughter CattleReceipts 1,019Last week 1,536Year ago 2,045
Replacement CattleReceipts 378Last week 1,695Year ago 841

Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Steer calves under 550 lbs sold sharply higher in a narrow comparison, with most sales 50.00-75.00 higher. 550 lbs steers and heavier sold sharply higher with most sales 15.00-30.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold mostly 30.00-60.00 higher in a narrow comparison, Heifers over 500 lbs sold mostly 20.00-40.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Demand was mostly good to very good for last weeks light offering. More buyers were in the market last week following the holiday week. Demand for cattle suitable to develop into yearlings was very good for limited offerings. CME positions saw very strong gains over the last week driven higher by lighter supplies of calves available. Many calves have been marketed already as summer videos have pushed many marketings sooner in the calendar year. CME positions were higher throughout the week with a couple days of 3.00 or higher movement seen. The January feeder cattle contract closed Friday at 339.05, while the March closed at 333.30 and the April at 332.225. Several of the nearby contracts are 30.00 or more higher than they were just 2 weeks ago. Market activity was mostly active with a significantly larger buyer pool noticed. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Feeding cow demand remains good, however demand was not as strong as the last few weeks. All cow feeders report they are starting to fill pens and demand for feeding cows was lighter again this week as a result. High quality cows suitable to feed to premium white sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower. Thin cows sold 5.00-10.00 lower on lighter demand and fewer feeding buyers present. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly light. Many lame or blemished cows were seen again this week. Breaking cows sold mostly 5.00 lower, boning and lean cows sold 3.00-5.00 lower. Regional packers were not in the market this past week. Slaughter bulls sold steady to weak. Good demand was seen for young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed. Coming 2 year old cows generally steady. Demand for these offerings has improved as some southern buyers reentered the market this week looking for cows to rebreed.

Feeder Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
3600–650635357.50357.50
2650–700673346.00346.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1200–250230640.00640.00
1250–300290590.00590.00
33300–350325420.00–580.00553.90
14350–400378560.00–565.00562.25
11400–450424450.00–480.00471.59
23450–500489365.00–475.00448.24
14500–550533360.00–441.00425.60
27550–600585342.50–419.00404.26
15600–650635391.00–394.00393.68
6650–700676340.00–365.00356.73
6700–750717342.00–353.00346.49
14750–800769280.00–337.00327.83
2800–850848309.00309.00
2900–950948267.50267.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1300–350340490.00490.00
13350–400365625.00–640.00638.84
34400–450416565.00–585.00574.79
38450–500464465.00–532.50503.19
130500–550517417.50–480.00467.08
169550–600573377.50–465.00418.83
229600–650627381.00–414.00396.55
178650–700670350.00–388.00384.37
68700–750715345.00–374.00365.57
4750–800780353.00353.00
47800–850828345.00–350.00345.31
1850–900890285.00285.00
16900–950929308.00–317.00309.11
7950–1000958319.00319.00
11050–11001,060277.50277.50
Steers — Medium and Large 3$ per cwt · actual wt
1250–300295555.00555.00
4300–350325510.00510.00
1350–400365500.00500.00
4400–450438415.00–420.00416.21
7450–500475412.50–420.00413.53
4500–550545345.00345.00
2650–700650322.50–330.00326.25
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2200–250225660.00660.00
3250–300297620.00620.00
6300–350310595.00595.00
6350–400378597.49597.49
13400–450436520.00–545.00529.57
29450–500487480.00–500.00491.76
164500–550528410.00–462.00449.85
61550–600580352.50–439.00420.08
9600–650624399.50399.50
39650–700685342.50–372.00362.39
10700–750739355.00355.00
16750–800774322.50–344.00341.11
3800–850807323.00323.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2300–350345575.00575.00
12400–450409582.50582.50
97450–500484497.00497.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2350–400363560.00560.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
2500–550518430.00430.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Natural$ per cwt · actual wt
9550–600558415.00415.00
62650–700676370.00370.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 3$ per cwt · actual wt
2300–350325385.00385.00
7350–400367335.00335.00
5500–550526330.00–341.00332.24
3600–650612311.00311.00
1650–700675305.00305.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
8350–400384465.00–467.50466.90
26400–450440450.00–460.00456.54
43450–500494362.00–433.50424.26
23500–550542372.00–387.00384.30
13550–600559371.00–379.00374.46
17600–650634315.00–350.00334.94
2650–700650336.00336.00
6700–750716281.00–320.00306.96
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4300–350337475.00–500.00494.34
22350–400374475.00–500.00489.71
17400–450404462.50–480.00469.50
61450–500474430.00–450.00440.52
111500–550521350.00–420.00405.60
96550–600575345.00–390.00369.85
167600–650620344.00–370.00357.58
21650–700673322.00–355.00334.74
31700–750718312.50–337.00335.47
6800–850804320.00320.00
10850–900892316.00316.00
27950–1000964300.00300.00
21000–10501,030260.00260.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4400–450426430.00430.00
7450–500478430.00430.00
2550–600568371.00371.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3250–300293460.00460.00
12300–350323410.00–455.00431.53
6350–400384360.00–440.00405.38
13400–450435425.00–445.00433.85
20450–500489320.00–410.00401.14
16500–550523330.00–376.00360.18
10550–600570300.00–361.00341.95
9600–650623300.00–344.00326.63
5650–700682310.00–330.00317.24
5700–750729280.00–317.50307.96
1800–850845263.00263.00
81000–10501,020235.00235.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2350–400370430.00430.00
7400–450411414.00–435.00422.93
17600–650643340.00340.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3450–500480411.00411.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
14400–450437560.00560.00
14600–650617360.00–409.50388.52
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Spayed$ per cwt · actual wt
25750–800778323.00323.00
24950–1000975288.00288.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Spayed$ per cwt · actual wt
2750–800778320.00320.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2350–400360612.50612.50
2500–550528402.50402.50
7700–750706275.00–310.00300.04
1900–950935280.00280.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2300–350333570.00–590.00579.62
2350–400378550.00550.00
4450–500482402.50–405.00403.79
3550–600555400.00–405.00401.65
2700–750705322.50322.50
2750–800758270.00270.00
2850–900855302.00302.00
1900–950935220.00220.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported
AgeStageHeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)Open1031,066170.00–277.50238.37
(<2 yrs)Open126940180.00–310.00281.89
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)Open31,103192.50–220.00210.63
(<2 yrs)Open4865250.00–265.00256.63
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)141,1642,600.00–3,700.003,370.60
Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)101,1232,100.00–2,800.002,607.45
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo)271,3702,000.00–2,450.002,333.83
Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo)161,2242,350.00–2,700.002,533.27
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)51,3801,850.00–2,050.001,948.77
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)21,0232,350.00–2,450.002,398.66
(<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo)118892,550.002,550.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open11,6272,650.002,650.00
Young (2-4 yrs)Open11,2553,300.003,300.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
201,777164.00–184.00171.52
111,741160.00–162.50161.36
141,885179.00–183.00180.50
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
191,535142.50–182.50164.39
101,445123.00–137.50135.14
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2411,309139.00–181.00159.01
221,266126.00–169.00141.30
401,268156.00–192.50173.86
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
131,589122.00–142.00133.71
41,526161.00–165.00161.99
481,568147.00–189.00156.96
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
221,197128.00–162.00150.28
431,153114.00–166.00139.63
81,127100.00–124.00116.35
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
261,311157.50–166.00159.78
201,398112.50–144.00130.82
771,247140.00–166.00152.62
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
281,16680.00–111.0094.98
81,02475.00–105.0090.37
41,337129.00–132.50130.87
421,13297.50–122.50115.31
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1021,415153.00–175.00163.08
131,203180.00–232.50193.06
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.