Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · Weekly summary · Mon, Aug 3
● As filed91 lines reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1778

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them
Montana reported 91 priced lines covering 838 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 292 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 535 head. replacement cattle receipts at 155 head. Counted as USDA files them — 11 of those are cow-calf pairs, each counted once.

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Mon Aug 3, 2026
USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)
Feeder CattleReceipts 292Last week 158Year ago 394
Slaughter CattleReceipts 535Last week 250Year ago 452
Replacement CattleReceipts 155Last week 101Year ago 96

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mixed from plain to average. Cattle were offered in small groups with many singles noticed as well. Demand was mostly moderate to good. Too few cattle were seen this week for buyers to build loads. CME feeder cattle positions were mixed this week before ending the week slightly higher. Market activity was mostly moderate to active with a small buyer pool was noticed. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Feeding cow demand remains very good. A large pool of buyers were in the market this week. Canadian buyers were back in the market this week. Feeding cows sold generally steady to 3.00 lower in a very narrow comparison. Cow quality was not as attractive this week. Slaughter cows sold generally steady on all classes as packer buyers were forced to compete with each other over offerings. Many blemished cows were seen this week and these were purchased mostly for immediate harvest. Lean cows sold with the best demand this week and the lightest offerings as packers search for lean grinding materials. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 3.00 lower. Feeding bulls were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Buyers purchased mostly thin fleshed bulls which had been out breeding and could benefit from 30-45 days of feed. Demand for feeding bulls was mostly good this week as a result. Feeding bull quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Demand for young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed was mostly moderate. Young age cows were too lightly tested to develop any market trend.

Slaughter Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
31,125165.00165.00
191,162122.50–148.00139.33
71,143105.00–127.50118.26
171,224149.00–161.00152.94
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
121,479155.00–162.50160.34
691,577169.00–178.00176.42
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
221,188142.00–167.50161.71
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
111,394126.00–151.00143.46
121,368170.00–177.00174.24
391,388149.00–169.00161.41
11,470117.50117.50
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1840167.50167.50
1930135.00135.00
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
12,225165.50165.50
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
371,399150.00–166.00160.78
551,412167.00–178.00172.94
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
91,681149.00–164.00157.13
171,608163.00–175.50171.28
11,525145.00145.00
31,610177.00–181.00178.30
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
12,310198.00198.00
441,916199.50–215.00206.59
241,803180.00–199.00192.14
141,855214.00–228.00217.53
22,240205.00–210.00207.38
Bulls — Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
12,670205.00205.00
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
191,714187.50–201.00196.83
151,777202.00–217.00207.23
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
31,428177.00–185.00182.22
11,390197.50197.50
Bulls — Natural$ per cwt · actual wt
11,735206.50206.50

Feeder Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2700–750715360.00–367.50363.83
4750–800780344.00–355.00346.68
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4250–300254540.00540.00
3300–350310505.00505.00
3350–400375465.00465.00
8450–500454420.00420.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
7800–850839321.00321.00
Steers — Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
21050–11001,083272.00272.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
1200–250235640.00640.00
4350–400373525.00525.00
10400–450438460.00–485.00474.32
11450–500477440.00–450.00444.89
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
8550–600568420.00420.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
10800–850844316.00316.00
1900–950905309.00309.00
2950–1000980282.00282.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3350–400382417.50417.50
2400–450445390.00390.00
3500–550507362.00362.00
4600–650634350.00350.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8250–300284471.00–495.00482.37
3350–400367490.00490.00
7400–450419418.00418.00
1450–500460375.00375.00
2500–550530362.50362.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
13800–850839334.00–335.00334.30
25850–900870328.00328.00
57900–950909313.00–319.00316.30
7950–1000951316.00316.00
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
31050–11001,052280.00280.00
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4500–550530365.00365.00
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
21050–11001,080260.00260.00
11100–11501,140265.00265.00
71150–12001,175250.00250.00
11200–12501,220252.50252.50
11250–13001,290237.00237.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1800–850840335.00335.00
1900–950905322.50322.50
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
11100–11501,145247.50247.50
11150–12001,185235.00235.00
11250–13001,265223.00223.00
21300–13501,330215.00–218.00216.49
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2450–500498380.00380.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported
AgeStageHeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open21,033190.00–250.00218.04
Young (2-4 yrs)Open71,214182.00–247.50198.73
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open171,410205.00205.00
(<2 yrs)Open221,001257.50–305.00283.61
Young (2-4 yrs)Open481,230192.00–237.50226.71
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open11,360202.00202.00
Young (2-4 yrs)Open151,433183.00–188.00184.24
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)Open11,405185.00185.00
Stock Cows — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open1885250.00250.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)21,1102,750.002,750.00
Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)21,0202,500.002,500.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)31,3103,000.003,000.00
Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)11,2403,150.003,150.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open11,6804,400.004,400.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open51,7334,400.004,400.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open21,6783,725.003,725.00
Young (2-4 yrs)Open31,2784,250.004,250.00
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.