Cattle Market Pulse

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, April 5, 2021

2,878 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $174.99/cwt +1.00 vs last sale · ≈ $745/hd at 426 lb · 50 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $146.55/cwt -6.15 vs last sale · ≈ $891/hd at 608 lb · 49 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $173.48/cwt -13.70 vs last sale · ≈ $980/hd at 565 lb · 48 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,878 9,751 2,357
Feeder cattle 1,064 8,740 910
Slaughter cattle 1,234 610 231
Replacement cattle 580 401 1,216

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Receipts were too light this week to make an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on both steers and heifers for like quality animals. Quality this week was plain to average and significantly lower than last weeks offering. Feeders were mostly offered in small packages or as singles with no load lots seen this week. The majority of cattle on offer were in light flesh with a few thin fleshed calves on offer as well. CME positions made positive gains most of the week but gave up some position on Friday as higher grain prices caused feeders to retreat. The April contract closed Friday at 144.75 while the May contract closed at 149.625 that's 0.875 higher on the April and 0.40 higher on the May contract. Market activity was mostly slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand again this week. Packers continue to show need for cows for immediate harvest as well as cows to feed. Packers were aggressive as they tried to purchase the majority of cows this week. Feeding buyers showed good demand for cows as well which helped push all cow prices higher. Slaughter cows sold 1.00-3.00 higher on breaking and boning cows. Lean cows saw the greatest advance in price this week selling 3.00-4.00 higher. Feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher. Average weigh up conditions were seen throughout the week. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-4.00 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 steady to 5.00 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
368 368 2 210.00 $210.00 $773 -1.85
372–385 thin fleshed 374 19 211.00–215.50 $214.77 $803 —
405 unweaned 405 4 186.00 $186.00 $753 —
421 thin fleshed 421 35 214.00 $214.00 $901 —
465 unweaned 465 2 180.00 $180.00 $837 —
452–482 469 30 191.00–203.00 $196.64 $922 -7.07
506–526 515 27 179.00–187.00 $180.99 $932 -8.87
550–587 565 48 166.00–177.00 $173.48 $980 -10.76
610–630 620 12 161.00–165.00 $163.49 $1,014 -9.92
653–664 658 21 159.00–162.50 $160.99 $1,059 +19.99
748 748 2 140.00 $140.00 $1,047 -15.67
898 898 5 132.50 $132.50 $1,190 -8.50
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
313–342 326 39 188.00–205.00 $197.22 $643 —
355–389 381 14 192.50–193.00 $192.93 $735 -13.93
403–423 415 14 186.00–195.00 $190.57 $791 -2.63
460 unweaned 460 3 167.50 $167.50 $770 —
450–487 481 35 185.50–190.00 $188.70 $908 +7.54
515–523 521 8 163.00–176.00 $166.21 $866 -9.50
553–589 583 13 171.50–174.00 $171.86 $1,002 +3.09
605–647 629 11 145.00–157.00 $152.18 $957 -8.10
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
323 323 4 187.50 $187.50 $606 —
430 430 1 170.00 $170.00 $731 -15.50
710–735 718 3 114.00–117.00 $115.02 $826 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
332 thin fleshed 332 23 180.00 $180.00 $598 —
411–440 424 11 170.00–174.00 $171.89 $729 -2.10
401–429 thin fleshed 426 39 175.75–177.00 $175.87 $749 —
460–490 477 25 164.00–168.00 $165.53 $790 -4.24
507–525 510 38 160.00–168.50 $166.68 $850 +2.72
550–592 574 25 146.00–160.50 $156.14 $896 -3.26
600–645 608 49 143.50–151.50 $146.55 $891 +7.20
684–690 686 19 133.50–146.00 $140.93 $967 +4.93
715–741 730 7 129.00–136.00 $131.94 $963 -7.69
768–797 793 14 127.50–132.00 $128.16 $1,016 -6.84
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
356–397 377 22 156.00–170.00 $163.73 $617 -2.01
410–430 425 17 165.50–169.00 $168.22 $715 +4.79
450–489 464 22 157.00–163.00 $160.85 $746 -5.76
500 500 28 160.00–163.00 $161.39 $807 +5.68
568–595 582 4 146.00–150.00 $147.95 $861 -2.85
658–663 661 7 125.00–131.00 $128.44 $849 -7.40
802 802 5 109.50 $109.50 $878 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
339 339 9 163.00 $163.00 $553 —
384 384 7 155.50 $155.50 $597 +2.25
427 427 4 154.00 $154.00 $658 —
478 478 4 148.00 $148.00 $707 -1.00
517 517 6 144.00 $144.00 $744 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
439 439 4 166.00 $166.00 $729 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
657 657 3 124.00 $124.00 $815 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
413 413 5 177.50 $177.50 $733 —
491 491 4 165.00 $165.00 $810 -14.02
721 721 11 136.00 $136.00 $981 -10.00
843 843 3 121.00 $121.00 $1,020 -7.98
920 920 1 127.00 $127.00 $1,168 +1.51
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
600 600 3 131.00 $131.00 $786 —
805 805 2 120.00 $120.00 $966 —
1055 1055 3 108.00 $108.00 $1,139 -12.50
1128 1128 8 114.00 $114.00 $1,286 -2.58
1155 1155 3 108.00 $108.00 $1,247 -1.30
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405 405 2 162.50 $162.50 $658 —
872 872 3 128.00 $128.00 $1,116 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
95 95 2 150.00 $150.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
855–985 928 85-90% 11 54.00–63.00 $59.33 $551 +14.40
925–960 943 85-90% 2 65.00–67.00 $66.02 $623 +21.09
955 955 85-90% 1 42.00 $42.00 $401 -12.25
935–1370 1115 85-90% 138 56.00–68.00 $64.84 $723 —
1030–1320 1142 85-90% 88 65.00–71.00 $69.47 $793 —
1000–1460 1150 85-90% 63 60.50–68.00 $64.86 $746 +2.87
1085–1285 1167 85-90% 7 72.00–75.00 $73.52 $858 +3.14
1032–1345 1200 85-90% 75 64.50–71.00 $68.45 $821 —
1135–1315 1210 85-90% 5 54.00–57.00 $55.62 $673 —
1135–1250 1218 85-90% 4 70.00–74.50 $72.33 $881 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1230–1750 1384 80-85% 12 70.00–74.00 $71.34 $987 +4.20
1284–1540 1386 80-85% 67 71.00–76.00 $74.08 $1,027 +6.94
1207–1576 1387 80-85% 96 67.50–71.50 $69.17 $959 +2.03
1274–1618 1417 80-85% 34 63.50–67.50 $65.55 $929 -5.56
1315–1530 1418 80-85% 16 61.00–68.50 $65.77 $933 -5.34
1305–1698 1455 80-85% 67 66.50–71.00 $69.01 $1,004 +6.91
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1480 1480 75-80% 1 66.00 $66.00 $977 —
1488–1588 1495 75-80% 54 73.00–73.50 $73.04 $1,092 —
1374–1825 1539 75-80% 37 68.25–72.50 $69.82 $1,075 —
1625 1625 75-80% 3 72.50 $72.50 $1,178 +4.37
1535–1785 1631 75-80% 27 64.00–68.50 $65.84 $1,074 -2.29
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1380 1380 65-75% 1 71.00 $71.00 $980 —
1358–1618 1553 65-75% 60 72.00–73.50 $72.51 $1,126 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1275 1275 1 86.50 $86.50 $1,103 —
1170–1335 1291 8 86.50–91.00 $87.91 $1,135 —
1235–1382 1328 6 79.00–86.00 $81.06 $1,076 -5.88
1288–1917 1616 29 74.00–85.00 $80.28 $1,297 +0.43
210–2290 1760 61 86.00–94.00 $89.63 $1,577 —
1765–2360 2059 30 94.00–104.00 $98.09 $2,020 —
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1825 1825 1 80.00 $80.00 $1,460 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
765–950 thin fleshed 927 (<2 yrs)Open 8 89.00–90.00 $89.10 $826
718–1320 999 (<2 yrs)Open 255 80.00–115.50 $101.18 $1,011
725–1555 1081 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 123 63.00–100.00 $84.09 $909
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
880–996 986 (<2 yrs)Open 12 84.00–93.00 $84.67 $835
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
866–1020 892 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 6 66.00–71.00 $70.05 $625
798–1095 955 (<2 yrs)Open 6 86.00–94.50 $88.86 $849

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1253 thin fleshed 1253 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 50 75.50 $75.50 $946
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1457 1457 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 1,285.00 $1,285.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1023–1050 1026 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 28 1,335.00 $1,335.00

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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.