Cattle Market Pulse

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, May 10, 2021

6,325 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 $151.04/cwt +9.64 vs last sale · ≈ $946/hd at 626 lb · 356 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $157.58/cwt +8.38 vs last sale · ≈ $888/hd at 563 lb · 301 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $136.31/cwt -0.59 vs last sale · ≈ $921/hd at 676 lb · 224 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 6,325 3,896 5,847
Feeder cattle 3,576 1,944 3,783
Slaughter cattle 1,507 1,214 473
Replacement cattle 1,242 738 1,591

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Heifer under 650 lbs sold mostly 3.00-6.00 higher, while heifers over 650 lbs sold unevenly steady. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Much better demand was seen for feeder cattle this week. Demand overall was moderate. Heifer quality continues to be much better than steer quality as many ranchers continue to cull the bottom end of their replacements due to drought or limited water. With some locations receiving rain this week many of these heifers sold as replacements as ranchers purchased these offerings. CME feeder positions saw strong upside movement this last week. The May contract closed Friday at 137.55 while the August closed at 151.15, 5.825 and 6.875 higher respectfully. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for heavy offerings. Despite seasonally heavy offerings packers continue to be fairly aggressive as they purchased cows to feed and to kill. The cutter cow cutout continues to gain value as we enter the height of ground beef season. The weekly cutter cow cutout value was up 3.76 to 204.92. Slaughter cows sold 3.00-4.00 higher on Breaking cows, while boning and lean cows sold 1.00-3.00 higher. Feeding cows sold steady to firm. Cow quality this week was average to attractive. Weigh up conditions were mixed but overall better weigh conditions were seen compared to last week. Cows are starting to graze on green grass and this has helped improve weigh up. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher. Bull quality was mostly attractive. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold unevenly steady. Good demand was seen for high quality rebreed type cows, while average to plain feeding cows sold with lighter demand.

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
508 508 12 181.00 $181.00 $919 +16.00
535 thin fleshed 535 14 190.50 $190.50 $1,019 +0.50
553–568 thin fleshed 558 124 188.00–190.50 $189.05 $1,055 —
556–595 560 34 170.00–184.00 $177.26 $993 +16.97
607–616 thin fleshed 611 76 178.00–180.00 $178.88 $1,093 —
600–637 622 17 157.00–176.00 $163.89 $1,019 +10.69
650–690 673 91 148.00–167.00 $157.31 $1,059 +10.96
705–746 733 24 141.00–144.00 $142.93 $1,048 +7.92
753–775 762 16 133.00–143.00 $135.13 $1,030 +0.14
816–842 830 59 119.00–134.00 $129.52 $1,075 +9.02
895–897 897 67 125.00–126.00 $125.99 $1,130 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
439–444 441 20 155.00–157.50 $156.74 $691 —
468–470 468 16 157.50–162.00 $158.06 $740 -8.32
500–543 532 98 156.00–167.00 $162.71 $866 +9.50
570 570 5 147.50 $147.50 $841 -12.50
600–648 625 43 145.00–155.00 $147.73 $923 -0.27
663–690 675 12 136.50–147.00 $140.12 $946 +5.12
710–748 724 12 131.00–140.00 $134.51 $974 —
770–780 775 4 126.00–129.00 $127.51 $988 —
830 830 18 118.50 $118.50 $984 +1.50
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
493 493 7 147.50 $147.50 $727 —
613 613 16 111.00 $111.00 $680 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
561 561 8 127.50 $127.50 $715 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
637 637 5 161.00 $161.00 $1,026 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
561 561 5 144.00 $144.00 $808 +4.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
451 451 9 160.00 $160.00 $722 +14.00
508–539 515 146 150.00–163.00 $155.01 $798 +6.00
551 thin fleshed 551 12 173.00 $173.00 $953 —
555–595 564 289 147.00–159.50 $156.94 $885 +7.74
609–622 thin fleshed 615 119 157.00–158.75 $157.96 $971 —
613–640 632 237 142.50–149.00 $147.56 $933 +6.16
667 thin fleshed 667 36 149.50 $149.50 $997 —
653–698 677 180 127.00–148.00 $134.66 $912 -2.24
690 690 8 114.00 $114.00 $787 -22.90
701–733 fancy 710 24 137.00 $137.00 $973 —
704–718 715 85 136.50–137.00 $136.60 $977 +6.20
705–732 723 12 122.00–129.00 $126.47 $914 -3.93
753 753 33 133.00 $133.00 $1,001 +9.57
778–798 786 87 118.00–129.00 $122.75 $965 -0.68
816 816 26 127.50 $127.50 $1,040 +14.41
820–845 824 23 112.00–119.00 $115.12 $949 +2.03
878 878 16 120.00 $120.00 $1,054 +12.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
386 386 11 150.00 $150.00 $579 ±0.00
460–483 467 27 147.00–151.00 $148.49 $693 +11.40
504–539 518 69 144.00–148.00 $145.14 $752 -0.96
563–596 582 164 132.00–147.00 $141.49 $823 +2.88
602 602 5 134.00 $134.00 $807 -1.52
688 688 2 132.00 $132.00 $908 -0.84
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420–448 426 26 124.00–142.50 $138.02 $588 —
548 548 6 135.00 $135.00 $740 —
607 607 6 128.00 $128.00 $777 —
671 671 7 115.00 $115.00 $772 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
472 472 18 140.00 $140.00 $661 —
512 512 24 127.50 $127.50 $653 -6.50
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
407–445 425 21 122.50–125.00 $123.75 $526 -19.25
544 544 16 115.50 $115.50 $628 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
473 473 4 120.00 $120.00 $568 -29.00
668 668 16 112.00 $112.00 $748 —
Medium 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
466 466 9 116.00 $116.00 $541 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
96–98 97 6 200.00–250.00 $216.90 —
165 165 2 200.00 $200.00 —
200 200 1 350.00 $350.00 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1086 1086 5 99.00 $99.00 $1,075 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
844 844 4 115.50 $115.50 $975 —
910 910 2 104.00 $104.00 $946 -4.13
989 989 6 101.00 $101.00 $999 -0.10
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1020–1044 1041 8 98.50–102.00 $98.93 $1,030 —
1058 1058 2 104.00 $104.00 $1,100 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
105–130 125 9 250.00–350.00 $289.97 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
438 438 5 135.00 $135.00 $591 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
944 944 5 90.00 $90.00 $850 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
785–995 910 85-90% 16 51.00–61.00 $55.48 $505 +2.17
1010–1096 1082 85-90% 6 49.00–49.50 $49.42 $535 +3.90
872–1303 1131 85-90% 90 52.00–63.00 $59.52 $673 -9.50
1015–1370 1180 85-90% 161 50.50–61.50 $57.52 $679 -8.41
1135–1270 1202 85-90% 20 69.00–73.25 $70.84 $851 +9.75
1058–1335 1204 85-90% 91 60.50–65.50 $62.87 $757 +1.78
975–1300 1208 85-90% 131 61.00–68.50 $63.83 $771 +2.74
1290 1290 85-90% 2 69.00 $69.00 $890 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1255–1460 1355 80-85% 50 69.00–74.00 $72.09 $977 +2.59
1289–1775 1396 80-85% 73 55.00–63.50 $59.69 $833 -4.28
1075–1655 1417 80-85% 187 62.00–69.50 $66.28 $939 +4.34
1290–1795 1419 80-85% 84 62.00–68.00 $64.54 $916 +5.98
1260–1610 1422 80-85% 47 58.00–63.00 $61.23 $871 +2.67
1450–1470 1453 80-85% 6 72.50 $72.50 $1,053 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1468–1517 1497 75-80% 5 67.75–68.50 $68.04 $1,019 —
1440–1985 1612 75-80% 23 65.50–69.50 $67.37 $1,086 +3.86
1535–1735 1635 75-80% 2 71.00–72.00 $71.47 $1,169 +7.96
1505–1830 1640 75-80% 22 58.00–68.50 $64.09 $1,051 +0.58
1485–1795 1646 75-80% 9 57.50–66.50 $61.51 $1,012 -2.00

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1298 1298 2 78.00 $78.00 $1,012 —
1045–1655 1322 23 70.50–84.50 $77.50 $1,025 —
1047–1933 1579 9 84.00–90.00 $87.40 $1,380 +8.50
1260–2085 1627 55 70.00–84.50 $80.86 $1,316 —
1435–2198 1787 57 84.00–93.00 $87.64 $1,566 +0.39
1810–2320 2065 28 94.00–110.00 $98.72 $2,039 —
2525 2525 1 96.00 $96.00 $2,424 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
713–890 thin fleshed 761 (<2 yrs)Open 9 71.00–84.00 $76.98 $586
718–1370 959 (<2 yrs)Open 302 70.50–109.50 $92.50 $887
950–1195 thin fleshed 1057 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 8 63.00–65.00 $64.42 $681
795–1330 1059 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 145 65.00–95.00 $75.13 $796
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
760–933 858 (<2 yrs)Open 14 78.00–89.00 $81.20 $697
823–1125 980 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 11 55.00–72.00 $61.48 $603
1105 thin fleshed 1105 (<2 yrs)Open 1 61.00 $61.00 $674
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
960–977 973 (<2 yrs)Open 4 72.00–74.00 $73.51 $715
1075 1075 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 64.50 $64.50 $693
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
753 753 (<2 yrs)Open 3 77.00 $77.00 $580
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
955 955 (<2 yrs)Open 1 58.00 $58.00 $554

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1098–1308 1246 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 35 1,025.00–1,050.00 $1,045.50
1392 1392 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 13 1,035.00 $1,035.00
1355–1423 1406 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 910.00–1,050.00 $943.73
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1553 1553 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 64.50 $64.50 $1,002

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1014–1084 1045 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 22 1,085.00–1,100.00 $1,087.83

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1205–1400 1284 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 26 1,425.00–1,800.00 $1,655.85 —
1297 1297 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 1,400.00 $1,400.00 —
1208–1366 thin fleshed 1298 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 14 950.00–985.00 $971.04 —
1343 thin fleshed 1343 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 13 1,000.00 $1,000.00 —
1340–1728 1398 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 120 1,010.00–1,225.00 $1,068.35 —
1232–1790 1436 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 95 1,060.00–1,475.00 $1,179.69 —
1224–1755 1490 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 8 1,200.00 $1,200.00 —
1458–1574 1515 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 17 1,275.00–1,510.00 $1,381.62 —

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Heifer Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
988–1108 1055 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 18 1,375.00–1,550.00 $1,477.14 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1115 1115 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 1,250.00 $1,250.00 —

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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.