Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · Weekly summary · Mon, Mar 23
● As filed114 lines reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1778

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them
Montana reported 114 priced lines covering 1,193 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 616 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 511 head. replacement cattle receipts at 306 head.

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Mon Mar 23, 2026
USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)
Feeder CattleReceipts 616Last week 2,047Year ago 777
Slaughter CattleReceipts 511Last week 515Year ago 956
Replacement CattleReceipts 306Last week 262Year ago 244

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was plain to average and not as attractive as last week. Most cattle were offered in small size packages with many singles on offer. No feeder cattle specials were held this week. Demand was mostly moderate to good on very light offerings. CME positions improved greatly this week. The March had a final settlement of 362.98, 5.23 higher than last Fridays close. The April closed Friday at 361.45, 10.275 higher than last Friday. The May contract closed Friday at 359.825, 13.45 higher than last Friday. The August contract closed Friday at 357.80. Market activity was mostly active despite a small crowd of buyers noticed all week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for light offerings. Feeding cow demand remains the driving force in the market. Feeding cows sold unevenly steady, as younger and higher quality cows sold higher and poorer quality cows sold weak. Major packers showed good to very good demand for high quality cows this week. Canadian buyers remain sidelined as the exchange rate remains unfavorable. A large crowd of feeding cow buyers were present at all sales this week. Young feeding cows took a jump this week as buyers purchased some groups of young to middle age cows in hopes they can get a few younger cows to grade choice. Cow quality this week was average to attractive. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average. Buyers showed willingness to take even blemished cows to feed as supplies are currently very tight as very few older cows are being marketed. Slaughter cow demand remains strong as packers continue to show good demand for limited slaughter offerings. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Demand remains good as packer search for lean meat to blend down excess fat currently on the market. Feeding bull demand was mostly good to very good again this week. Feeding bulls sold steady to 2.00 higher on very good demand. Packers and feeding bull buyers were both competing over similar offerings this week which helped improve prices on both classes. Demand for young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed was mostly good this week. Cows and heifers which lost calves are being marketed, but with very good weather conditions limited offerings are being seen. Demand for high quality offerings is very good. Young cows sold mostly 5.00-12.00 higher. Quality was average to attractive, and similar to last week.

Feeder Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4250–300266615.00615.00
5400–450432517.50–542.50532.43
5550–600573433.00–442.50438.54
12600–650631422.50–425.00423.31
15650–700663392.50–415.00410.71
2700–750700385.00385.00
5750–800775355.00355.00
1800–850800350.00350.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4350–400378525.00525.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2300–350308535.00535.00
6350–400395525.00525.00
4400–450444495.00495.00
1450–500460470.00470.00
3550–600552360.00360.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7400–450444575.00575.00
19450–500481522.50–532.50530.59
5500–550525525.00525.00
13650–700673402.00–431.00406.41
4800–850825361.00361.00
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5800–850813330.00330.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
17600–650604400.00400.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1550–600590335.00335.00
5600–650618335.00–365.00347.33
1700–750725305.00305.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
250–10098750.00750.00
6350–400367575.00575.00
1400–450445495.00495.00
24450–500475485.00–512.50503.43
15500–550529450.00–465.00464.00
3600–650632355.00–377.50362.48
2750–800768362.50362.50
2950–1000975300.00300.00
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
11000–10501,040290.00290.00
11100–11501,110240.00240.00
11250–13001,265205.00205.00
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
11050–11001,050285.00285.00
41100–11501,130260.00260.00
91150–12001,190250.00–255.00253.34
Bulls — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3500–550502380.00380.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4900–950924317.50317.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5200–250247565.00565.00
7300–350336500.00500.00
3400–450440485.00485.00
24500–550527412.50–430.00413.21
8550–600561405.00–410.00405.97
15600–650610382.50–395.00391.46
7650–700670327.50–355.00339.96
6700–750741347.00–347.50347.08
5750–800790327.50–338.00329.55
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
9400–450425425.00–430.00425.58
1550–600550360.00360.00
1600–650610367.50367.50
6700–750709302.50–310.00306.27
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
18550–600559419.00–425.00421.06
23600–650618397.50–405.00401.28
30650–700672360.00–391.00384.42
11700–750723352.50–360.00356.63
8750–800772344.00–345.00344.75
8800–850816319.00–325.00321.24
3950–1000998299.00299.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6400–450421460.00460.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
231,408150.00–167.50162.41
541,394182.00–191.00183.73
541,390168.00–181.00174.61
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
181090.0090.00
1905132.50132.50
3948100.00–108.00104.36
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
231,137167.00–177.50172.25
51,157179.00–182.00180.42
231,018144.00–164.50154.22
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
111,457182.00–186.00183.72
661,568170.00–182.00177.14
111,607155.00–170.00164.43
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
51,735164.00–170.00165.85
41,669152.00–164.00159.73
31,700175.00–182.00179.09
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
31,383164.50–170.00166.68
91,403148.00–162.00158.63
31,320132.00–139.00136.20
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
101,189112.50–137.50126.37
11,205162.50162.50
31,148105.00105.00
81,187134.00–159.00145.92
Cows — Premium White 65-75%$ per cwt · actual wt
961,825171.00–174.50173.74
11,825159.00159.00
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
102,004203.00–216.00210.04
42,008207.00–217.00212.15
51,698160.00–179.00168.94
22,088206.00–211.00208.47
12,295186.00186.00
32,393202.00–208.00204.55
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
121,613185.00–197.00192.39
231,554192.50–215.00204.54
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
11,460177.50177.50
Dairy Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
11,305173.00173.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported
AgeStageHeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)31,2054,000.004,000.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open11,125250.00250.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open31,443187.50187.50
(<2 yrs)Open101,238182.00–249.00236.04
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)Open1735342.50342.50
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open7998220.00–315.00250.58
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open11,195178.00178.00
Young (2-4 yrs)Open201,081181.00–290.00234.50
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open221,247183.00–222.50198.70
(<2 yrs)Open971,050222.50–365.00283.12
Young (2-4 yrs)Open821,086172.00–340.00258.41
Stock Cows — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open1805220.00220.00
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open1790317.50317.50
Stock Cows — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open4834200.00–255.00219.59
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)Open1870225.00225.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)11,0303,600.003,600.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)11,0953,250.003,250.00
Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)101,2744,100.00–4,300.004,187.91
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)151,3373,375.003,375.00
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.