Cattle Market Pulse

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, May 30, 2022

3,822 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $184.55/cwt +14.91 vs last sale · ≈ $1,336/hd at 724 lb · 206 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $173.63/cwt +20.18 vs last sale · ≈ $1,277/hd at 736 lb · 73 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $176.93/cwt +10.29 vs last sale · ≈ $1,224/hd at 692 lb · 57 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,822 4,615 0
Feeder cattle 946 2,386 0
Slaughter cattle 1,560 1,177 0
Replacement cattle 1,316 1,052 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: All weights of steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed on steers and mostly steady undertones were noticed on heifers. Quality this week was mixed from plan to attractive, with the highest quality offerings being offered in load lots. Replacement quality heifers continue to be offered. Many of these offerings are high quality and grass cattle buyers continue to compete with replacement buyers over these offerings. CME positions had a strong week moving sharply higher. On Friday the August contract closed at 173.875, 7.55 higher for the week, while the September closed at 176.30, 7.00 higher for the week. Market activity this week was mostly moderate to active. Demand this week was moderate to good for all feeders on offer. Market activity was mostly moderate to active, with a good crowd on hand for each sale. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Slaughter cows sold fully steady on breaking cows, while boning and lean cows sold steady to 1.00 lower. Demand for slaughter cows was mixed this week as packer buyers showed lighter demand to start the week but stronger demand to end the week. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 lower. Lighter slaughter cow demand and fewer independent feeding cow buyers allowed prices to slip this week. High quality cows continue to sell fully steady. Early in the week a few ranchers looking for cows to turn out purchased a few sets of young to middle age cows in thin flesh away from packers. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 1.00 higher. Bull quality this week was average to attractive. Weigh conditions were mixed this week. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold steady to weak. Quality this week was average to attractive. Demand for rebreed type cattle remains good, but has started to lighten as we are getting close to breeding season.

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
553 unweaned 553 10 170.00 $170.00 $940 —
616 616 18 211.00 $211.00 $1,300 +25.00
680 680 32 198.50 $198.50 $1,350 -2.75
713–744 724 206 162.00–185.50 $184.55 $1,336 +11.05
783 783 2 159.00 $159.00 $1,245 +4.77
878 878 2 146.00 $146.00 $1,282 +2.50
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
472 472 8 194.00 $194.00 $916 —
555 555 11 184.00 $184.00 $1,021 —
605–649 636 14 154.50–190.00 $171.05 $1,088 -11.49
675–693 692 57 175.00–177.00 $176.93 $1,224 +10.29
748 748 2 165.00 $165.00 $1,234 —
962–990 973 5 131.50–133.00 $132.39 $1,288 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
692 692 13 155.00 $155.00 $1,073 —
811 811 4 142.00 $142.00 $1,152 —
831 831 8 137.00 $137.00 $1,138 —
1082 1082 8 129.00 $129.00 $1,396 —
1147 1147 19 127.00 $127.00 $1,457 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425 unweaned 425 16 165.00 $165.00 $701 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
458 458 2 150.00 $150.00 $687 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
382 unweaned 382 5 155.00 $155.00 $592 -12.50
438 unweaned 438 2 161.00 $161.00 $705 -1.50
473 unweaned 473 10 177.00 $177.00 $837 +9.50
510–532 531 16 173.00–175.00 $173.12 $919 -4.29
500–543 unweaned 536 18 146.00–171.00 $167.11 $896 -3.59
561 561 8 165.00 $165.00 $926 -4.71
611 611 9 162.00 $162.00 $990 +0.06
653–683 669 13 151.00–165.00 $160.54 $1,074 -2.16
702 702 5 155.00 $155.00 $1,088 +3.54
738 fancy 738 68 175.00 $175.00 $1,292 —
763–784 767 28 138.00–148.00 $146.17 $1,121 +2.09
811–819 814 15 134.00–139.00 $135.34 $1,102 -6.98
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
520 520 1 166.00 $166.00 $863 +12.00
553–578 569 9 160.00–161.00 $160.51 $913 +0.30
605–648 611 22 146.00–155.00 $148.03 $904 -7.97
668–695 684 8 144.00–149.00 $145.64 $996 +1.09
708 708 4 136.00 $136.00 $963 -7.13
866 866 5 133.50 $133.50 $1,156 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
688 688 7 133.00–134.00 $133.29 $917 —
751–782 760 26 130.00–143.00 $133.48 $1,014 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
429 unweaned 429 4 170.00 $170.00 $729 —
496 unweaned 496 5 162.50 $162.50 $806 —
612 612 12 152.00 $152.00 $930 —
669–693 683 10 145.00–147.00 $145.78 $996 -10.00
747 747 6 136.00 $136.00 $1,016 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1006–1020 1009 7 113.00–122.00 $120.42 $1,215 +3.42
1120–1128 1125 3 106.00–111.00 $107.66 $1,211 -1.34
1150 fancy 1150 2 116.00 $116.00 $1,334 —
1165–1175 1173 5 106.00–117.00 $108.18 $1,269 +3.17
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
512 512 3 155.00 $155.00 $794 —
595 595 1 146.00 $146.00 $869 —
623 623 2 146.00 $146.00 $910 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1275 1275 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 5 1,750.00–2,000.00 $1,850.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1303–1690 1378 80-85% 26 67.00–82.00 $72.09 $993 -6.61
1200–1685 1394 80-85% 334 70.00–81.50 $77.79 $1,084 -0.91
1281–1685 1404 80-85% 118 80.50–86.50 $82.45 $1,158 +6.08
1163–1655 1410 80-85% 62 64.00–74.50 $70.13 $989 -13.59
1297–1653 1413 80-85% 94 72.00–80.00 $77.18 $1,091 -6.54
1340–1530 1429 80-85% 25 79.50–85.00 $82.07 $1,173 +8.75
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
835–988 922 85-90% 15 60.00–70.00 $64.10 $591 -0.17
865–1015 928 85-90% 14 51.00–58.00 $55.70 $517 -8.57
955–970 963 85-90% 2 70.00–73.00 $71.51 $689 —
1048–1333 1111 85-90% 23 44.00–59.50 $53.54 $595 -3.46
1005–1370 1178 85-90% 198 61.00–73.00 $67.37 $794 -4.48
1025–1420 1223 85-90% 199 69.00–78.50 $74.18 $907 -6.83
1202–1243 1224 85-90% 15 79.00–84.50 $80.67 $987 -0.34
975–1324 1245 85-90% 90 70.00–78.00 $73.03 $909 -9.41
1140–1300 1249 85-90% 11 69.00–71.50 $69.59 $869 -12.85
1220–1337 1292 85-90% 20 79.00–82.50 $80.87 $1,045 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1595 1595 75-80% 2 86.50 $86.50 $1,380 +10.10
1435–1838 1603 75-80% 19 79.00–83.50 $80.83 $1,296 +5.14
1421–1900 1605 75-80% 31 67.00–79.25 $75.01 $1,204 -0.68
1675–1708 1692 75-80% 5 75.00–77.00 $76.60 $1,296 —
1590–1755 1700 75-80% 3 80.00–81.50 $81.03 $1,378 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205–1365 1291 7 72.00–87.00 $79.64 $1,028 -22.47
1238–1610 1383 15 93.00–105.00 $100.84 $1,395 +16.15
1290–2375 1641 17 78.00–93.00 $86.60 $1,421 —
1325–2355 1839 52 91.00–106.50 $100.63 $1,851 —
1718–2360 2035 23 104.00–118.00 $110.21 $2,243 +1.00
1983–2510 2124 10 104.00–113.00 $110.26 $2,342 —
2510 2510 1 99.00 $99.00 $2,485 +2.52
2560–2645 2597 3 97.00–108.00 $102.99 $2,675 —
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1900 1900 1 92.00 $92.00 $1,748 —
2370 2370 1 111.00 $111.00 $2,631 +10.46
2555 2555 1 96.00 $96.00 $2,453 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
735–1375 1032 (<2 yrs)Open 184 86.50–124.00 $106.95 $1,104
1085 fancy 1085 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 113.00 $113.00 $1,226
1125 thin fleshed 1125 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 24 71.75 $71.75 $807
853–1380 1128 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 222 72.00–109.00 $89.70 $1,012
1125–1390 thin fleshed 1135 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 60 71.00–72.50 $71.45 $811
1020–1405 1208 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 42 72.00–89.00 $78.39 $947
1295 thin fleshed 1295 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 74.50 $74.50 $965
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
935–1005 972 (<2 yrs)Open 6 92.00–94.00 $93.32 $907
890–1270 1011 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 12 65.00–93.00 $78.08 $789
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
662 thin fleshed 662 (<2 yrs)Open 3 110.00 $110.00 $728
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
780 780 (<2 yrs)Open 1 100.00 $100.00 $780

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1267–1406 1338 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 11 1,100.00–1,285.00 $1,222.96
1433 1433 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 1,050.00 $1,050.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1226–1262 1245 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 23 1,675.00–1,850.00 $1,785.74 —
1345–1437 fancy 1402 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 140 2,150.00–2,250.00 $2,194.23 —
1384–1477 1415 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 15 1,525.00–1,785.00 $1,694.54 +169.54
1473–1723 1544 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 7 1,335.00–1,535.00 $1,398.75 -350.09
1625 fancy 1625 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 42 1,935.00 $1,935.00 —
1632 fancy 1632 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 12 2,000.00 $2,000.00 —
1715 1715 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 2 1,425.00 $1,425.00 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1442 1442 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 5 1,200.00 $1,200.00 —
1610 1610 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,325.00 $1,325.00 —

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Heifer Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1109 thin fleshed 1109 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 7 1,650.00 $1,650.00 —
1185 fancy 1185 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 24 2,210.00 $2,210.00 —

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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.