Cattle Market Pulse

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, March 29, 2021

9,751 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary report →

light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $152.70/cwt +10.14 vs last sale · ≈ $957/hd at 627 lb · 804 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $173.14/cwt +12.93 vs last sale · ≈ $1,086/hd at 627 lb · 663 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $159.83/cwt +16.56 vs last sale · ≈ $934/hd at 585 lb · 476 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 9,751 1,469 4,967
Feeder cattle 8,740 772 4,024
Slaughter cattle 610 393 249
Replacement cattle 401 304 694

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Receipts were too light last week to make an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on both steers and heifers. Quality this week was average to attractive. Many load lots of feeders sold this week and demand was good for both packages and load lots. The majority of cattle on offer this past week were in light flesh with a few thin fleshed calves in the offering which buyers purchased with strong premiums. Quality overall was average to very attractive this week. CME positions had a roller coaster week as the prospective plantings report showed only slightly higher planting intentions for corn compared to 2020. This push corn prices up the limit on Wednesday and feeder cattle prices sharply lower. The April contract closed Thursday (CME was closed on Good Friday) at 143.875 while the May contract closed at 149.225 that's 4.45 higher on the April and 0.65 lower on the May contract. Market activity was mostly active this week. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand as packers showed good demand for slaughter cows. Feeding buyers showed good demand for cows as well which helped push all cow prices higher. Light offerings has been the driving force in higher cow prices as packers report light receipts at all sales across the upper plains states. Slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00-4.00 higher. Feeding cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher. Warmer weather was seen this week and cows and bulls offered buyers mostly below average weigh up conditions all week. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00-4.00 higher. Two year old to young age cows sold on mostly good to very good demand this week. Buyers showed similar demand for both cows the feed or rebreed. This class sold 9.00-12.00 higher.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360–392 387 62 189.50–217.50 $211.85 $820 —
406–448 435 153 191.00–215.50 $208.92 $909 +17.49
451–491 474 379 194.00–211.00 $203.71 $966 +21.53
503–548 533 318 182.00–197.00 $189.86 $1,012 +16.99
550–574 thin fleshed 553 185 189.50–191.00 $190.32 $1,052 —
550–595 567 198 174.00–188.00 $184.24 $1,045 +21.72
600–649 627 644 160.00–182.00 $173.41 $1,087 +13.20
610–641 630 19 163.00–166.00 $164.07 $1,034 +3.86
651 651 10 141.00 $141.00 $918 —
651–697 679 313 157.50–170.00 $162.53 $1,104 +12.46
704 fancy 704 7 167.00 $167.00 $1,176 —
701–749 713 132 145.50–159.75 $155.67 $1,110 +12.25
757–791 773 148 136.00–152.00 $144.95 $1,120 —
808–833 818 12 135.00–136.50 $136.08 $1,113 +5.08
811–830 821 45 137.50–139.50 $138.61 $1,138 +7.61
821–847 825 30 134.00–135.00 $134.83 $1,112 +3.83
879–883 879 59 141.00 $141.00 $1,239 +9.00
912–935 918 41 129.50–134.50 $130.24 $1,196 +2.24
950–958 954 48 127.00–130.50 $130.17 $1,242 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
374–387 383 28 200.00–210.00 $206.86 $792 +21.10
407–438 432 27 187.50–200.75 $193.20 $835 —
450–496 487 29 176.50–185.00 $181.16 $882 +10.03
505–544 540 124 173.00–180.00 $175.71 $949 +6.09
555–596 582 67 154.00–175.00 $168.77 $982 +11.77
618–647 626 106 149.00–168.00 $160.28 $1,003 +11.28
660–688 681 21 145.00–150.00 $148.87 $1,014 —
728–743 740 20 134.00–147.50 $139.89 $1,035 —
787–795 791 22 138.50 $138.50 $1,096 —
805–812 810 14 131.00–137.50 $135.65 $1,099 —
937 937 3 124.00 $124.00 $1,162 —
961 961 7 122.00 $122.00 $1,172 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
343 343 9 195.00 $195.00 $669 —
428 428 5 188.00 $188.00 $805 —
513–544 537 30 175.00–180.00 $176.12 $946 —
558–580 562 10 166.00–176.00 $173.94 $978 —
623 623 4 151.00 $151.00 $941 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 11 185.50 $185.50 $825 —
453 453 4 160.00 $160.00 $725 —
525 525 12 165.00 $165.00 $866 —
626 626 7 146.00 $146.00 $914 —
660 660 1 137.00 $137.00 $904 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
499 499 8 184.00 $184.00 $918 —
874 874 19 130.00 $130.00 $1,136 —
945 945 4 123.50 $123.50 $1,167 —
1050 1050 2 124.00 $124.00 $1,302 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
466 466 7 185.00 $185.00 $862 —
608 608 7 139.00 $139.00 $845 —
754 754 12 129.00 $129.00 $973 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1022 1022 5 119.00 $119.00 $1,216 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370 370 8 177.50 $177.50 $657 +10.00
400–448 423 224 167.25–179.00 $173.99 $736 +8.26
451–498 483 440 161.00–175.00 $169.77 $820 +3.74
500–548 518 448 158.50–169.00 $163.96 $849 +5.95
553–565 thin fleshed 559 26 166.50–168.00 $167.26 $935 —
550–598 586 450 150.00–163.00 $159.40 $934 +16.13
617 thin fleshed 617 28 160.00 $160.00 $987 —
623–630 625 24 137.00–145.00 $139.35 $871 -3.21
602–648 627 752 143.00–158.50 $152.85 $958 +10.29
650–695 671 247 137.00–149.50 $145.31 $975 +13.47
661–694 678 83 149.00–149.50 $149.21 $1,012 +17.37
688 688 6 136.00 $136.00 $936 +4.16
714 fancy 714 28 146.00 $146.00 $1,042 —
716 716 4 129.50 $129.50 $927 -0.51
717–741 727 181 141.00–151.50 $146.98 $1,069 +16.97
700–745 729 255 135.00–143.00 $139.63 $1,018 +9.62
750–786 765 110 129.00–137.00 $131.61 $1,007 +1.77
769–788 784 32 127.50–128.00 $127.89 $1,003 -1.95
792 792 36 135.00 $135.00 $1,069 +5.16
802–840 810 23 127.00–130.50 $129.01 $1,045 +15.01
812 812 3 126.50 $126.50 $1,027 +12.50
852–863 855 24 126.50–127.50 $127.29 $1,088 —
857–873 861 38 123.50–123.75 $123.69 $1,065 —
963 963 3 123.00 $123.00 $1,184 —
974 974 8 118.00 $118.00 $1,149 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
362–376 368 27 163.00–170.00 $165.74 $610 —
407–448 430 47 145.00–170.00 $163.43 $703 +6.23
451–488 466 49 154.00–170.50 $166.61 $776 +11.61
504–545 529 19 145.00–159.50 $155.71 $824 +6.71
550–589 575 150 140.50–154.00 $150.80 $867 —
610–627 620 5 138.00–143.00 $139.97 $868 +3.97
653–692 683 82 132.25–141.00 $135.84 $928 +7.58
740 740 17 130.75 $130.75 $968 —
763 763 4 128.00 $128.00 $977 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
391 391 5 170.00 $170.00 $665 —
486 486 28 159.75 $159.75 $776 —
502–546 533 70 155.50–156.00 $155.64 $830 —
562–584 576 193 150.25–152.00 $150.94 $869 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
387–389 388 16 153.00–153.50 $153.25 $595 —
468 468 14 149.00 $149.00 $697 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
471 471 7 146.50 $146.50 $690 —
522 522 8 137.00 $137.00 $715 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
695 695 2 133.50 $133.50 $928 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
95 95 1 325.00 $325.00 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
347 347 9 211.50 $211.50 $734 —
465–488 477 4 178.00–180.00 $179.02 $854 —
505–530 516 9 165.00–173.00 $171.19 $883 —
552–590 572 36 152.00–167.00 $159.77 $914 —
600 600 2 153.00 $153.00 $918 +8.02
665 665 1 151.00 $151.00 $1,004 +17.63
701 701 4 146.00 $146.00 $1,023 —
770 770 2 129.00 $129.00 $993 +1.00
835–845 840 2 126.00–132.00 $128.98 $1,083 —
935–940 938 2 121.00–130.00 $125.49 $1,177 —
985 985 1 118.00 $118.00 $1,162 +5.00
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1005–1045 1034 13 116.00–123.00 $119.28 $1,233 —
1075–1085 1080 2 120.00–121.00 $120.50 $1,301 +12.50
1100–1122 1112 7 115.00–118.00 $116.58 $1,296 +21.58
1160–1185 1169 7 99.00–116.00 $109.30 $1,278 +14.30
1215–1233 1224 4 96.00–104.50 $100.22 $1,227 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
532–537 534 10 153.00–160.00 $155.11 $828 —
705 705 2 129.00 $129.00 $909 —
835 835 3 128.00 $128.00 $1,069 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1053 1053 5 113.00 $113.00 $1,190 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
75 75 1 200.00 $200.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
850–995 923 85-90% 2 42.50–47.00 $44.93 $415 +1.37
905–995 950 85-90% 2 64.00–64.50 $64.24 $610 —
855–995 954 85-90% 7 52.00–56.00 $54.25 $518 —
1020–1200 1097 85-90% 5 43.00–54.00 $50.04 $549 —
900–1337 1155 85-90% 54 55.00–65.00 $61.99 $716 -6.69
1090–1345 1175 85-90% 3 70.00–71.00 $70.38 $827 +1.70
965–1335 1181 85-90% 27 64.00–69.50 $65.41 $772 -3.27
1055–1355 1199 85-90% 39 55.00–64.00 $60.54 $726 -2.98
1105–1370 1254 85-90% 33 63.50–68.00 $65.88 $826 +2.37
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1257–1583 1382 80-85% 63 63.00–69.75 $67.14 $928 +5.94
1328–1670 1395 80-85% 34 64.00–70.00 $66.35 $926 -0.88
1400 1400 80-85% 2 71.50 $71.50 $1,001 —
1350–1515 1426 80-85% 7 70.75–71.50 $71.11 $1,014 —
1260–1655 1438 80-85% 41 57.00–64.50 $63.06 $907 —
1180–1565 1478 80-85% 14 61.00–63.50 $62.10 $918 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1350–1845 1602 75-80% 15 56.00–66.00 $61.56 $986 -3.13
1548–1705 1610 75-80% 6 66.75–68.00 $67.04 $1,079 +2.35
1572–1785 1622 75-80% 14 58.00–66.50 $63.18 $1,025 -1.51
1505–1750 1624 75-80% 4 67.50–69.00 $68.13 $1,106 +3.44

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1300 1300 1 84.50 $84.50 $1,098 —
1153–1468 1320 7 85.00–87.50 $86.94 $1,148 —
1320 1320 1 93.00 $93.00 $1,228 —
1365–1545 1455 2 83.00 $83.00 $1,208 —
1299–2020 1629 43 72.00–85.00 $79.85 $1,301 —
1270–2480 1851 63 83.50–93.50 $88.03 $1,629 —
1703–2360 1941 27 93.00–99.50 $95.89 $1,861 —
2645 2645 1 94.00 $94.00 $2,486 —
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
2635 2635 1 83.00 $83.00 $2,187 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
900 thin fleshed 900 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 65.00 $65.00 $585
745–1360 1011 (<2 yrs)Open 235 71.00–120.00 $97.69 $988
875–1355 1083 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 98 64.00–106.00 $79.88 $865
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
853 853 (<2 yrs)Open 2 88.00 $88.00 $751

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
655 655 4 60.50 $60.50 $396 —

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Reading this report

What does "Medium and Large 1" mean?

USDA feeder grades describe frame size and muscle thickness, not quality of the individual animal. "Medium and Large" is the frame score; the number is muscle (1 = heaviest muscled). "Medium and Large 1–2" pens mix both muscle scores — common across the Southeast.

What is $/cwt?

Dollars per hundredweight — per 100 lb of animal. A 500-lb calf at $450/cwt brings 5 × $450 = $2,250. Lighter cattle usually bring more per cwt but less per head.

Why are some prices per head?

Bred cows, cow-calf pairs, and some replacement classes sell by the head, not by weight. We show those exactly as USDA reports them — a $/head figure is never converted into $/cwt on this site.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service's Livestock Market News — federal reporters at the sale. We publish each report in full and link the official USDA document at the top of the page.