Cattle Market Pulse

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, June 6, 2022

6,348 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $153.38/cwt +7.21 vs last sale · ≈ $1,190/hd at 776 lb · 125 head
heavy 5-weight L 1 steers $188.00/cwt ≈ $1,087/hd at 578 lb · 49 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $176.49/cwt -0.51 vs last sale · ≈ $861/hd at 488 lb · 48 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 6,348 3,822 9,940
Feeder cattle 1,062 946 2,670
Slaughter cattle 1,869 1,560 3,294
Replacement cattle 973 1,316 1,381

Compared to last week: All weights of steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed on steers and mostly higher undertones were noticed on heifers. Quality this week was mixed from plan to attractive. Most offerings were in small lots or singles this week with only a few packages of cattle seen. Despite light offerings demand was mostly good this week. CME positions slowed upward momentum as they moved sideways for the week. On Friday the August contract closed at 174.475, 0.60 higher for the week, while the September closed at 176.05, 0.25 lower for the week. Order buyers and ranchers looking for grass cattle were very competitive over limited offerings. Market activity was mostly active as a result. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Slaughter cows sold with the best demand this week as western packers were very active in buying cows for immediate harvest. Breaking cows sold with the lightest demand this week as these offerings sold steady to 2.00 higher. Boning cows sold 2.00-3.00 higher, while lean cows sold with the best demand and sold mostly 2.00-5.00 higher. Feeding cows sold steady to 4.00 higher as stronger slaughter demand pushed all cows higher. Many high quality cows were seen this week as ranchers brand calves and sell off cows which lost calves or have yet to calve. Slaughter bulls sold steady to firm. Bull quality this week was average to attractive. Weigh conditions were very good for buyers this week as most cows were very empty and hallowed out from the fresh green grass. Yields this week were significantly higher than last week on both cows and bulls. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold 5.00-10.00 higher. Quality this week was average to attractive. Demand for rebreed type cattle strengthened this week following higher CME feeder cattle prices and additional rains which have pastures and range in very good condition in many parts of the state.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
498 498 12 198.00 $198.00 $986
544 544 4 190.00 $190.00 $1,034
578 578 49 188.00 $188.00 $1,087
662 662 40 180.00 $180.00 $1,192 +25.00
733 733 4 160.00 $160.00 $1,173
838 838 14 152.00 $152.00 $1,274 +15.00
853 853 2 153.00 $153.00 $1,305
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
436 436 8 200.00 $200.00 $872
517–533 529 21 192.00–196.00 $192.93 $1,021
609–639 621 29 174.00–185.00 $180.92 $1,124 +9.87
670 670 2 175.00 $175.00 $1,172 -1.93
708–725 720 15 162.00–168.00 $163.57 $1,178 -1.43
762–790 774 7 147.00–150.00 $149.28 $1,155
865 865 3 140.00 $140.00 $1,211
944 944 4 131.00 $131.00 $1,237
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
495–498 unweaned 497 6 185.00–190.00 $186.66 $928
639 unweaned 639 6 173.00 $173.00 $1,105
654–660 655 9 177.00–179.00 $178.78 $1,171 -19.72
753–773 760 27 159.00–166.00 $161.29 $1,226 +2.29
865–898 882 4 150.00–151.00 $150.49 $1,327 +4.49
920 920 4 146.00 $146.00 $1,343
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
509 509 4 175.00 $175.00 $891
608 608 2 172.00 $172.00 $1,046
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
690 690 4 160.00 $160.00 $1,104

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 unweaned 400 11 175.00 $175.00 $700
469–491 unweaned 488 48 175.00–177.00 $176.49 $861 -0.51
544 544 20 174.50 $174.50 $949 +1.38
546 unweaned 546 17 166.50 $166.50 $909 -0.61
553–589 583 24 167.00–174.00 $169.28 $987 +4.28
601–638 614 28 167.00–172.50 $169.67 $1,042 +7.67
634 unweaned 634 6 166.00 $166.00 $1,052
650–698 672 24 152.00–173.00 $163.91 $1,101 +3.37
700–735 711 21 145.50–159.00 $154.67 $1,100 -0.33
761 fancy 761 20 159.50 $159.50 $1,214
758–799 779 105 151.00–155.00 $152.22 $1,186 +6.05
827 827 8 147.00 $147.00 $1,216 +11.66
858–887 876 11 147.00–152.00 $148.78 $1,303
918–930 920 16 144.00 $144.00 $1,325
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
522 522 31 174.50 $174.50 $911
596 596 28 166.00 $166.00 $989
615 615 4 162.50 $162.50 $999
740 740 10 146.00 $146.00 $1,080
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370–383 unweaned 376 7 155.00–160.00 $157.19 $591
400 unweaned 400 2 170.00 $170.00 $680
443 443 3 177.00 $177.00 $784
461 461 15 164.00 $164.00 $756
490 unweaned 490 2 167.50 $167.50 $821
512 unweaned 512 9 170.50 $170.50 $873
580–588 583 5 150.00–159.00 $155.37 $906 -5.14
643 643 2 150.00 $150.00 $964 +1.97
678 678 6 148.00 $148.00 $1,003 +2.36
751 751 10 148.00 $148.00 $1,111
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
500 unweaned 500 12 146.00 $146.00 $730
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
529 529 5 171.00 $171.00 $905

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Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1004–1015 1008 6 119.00–122.00 $120.01 $1,210 -0.41
1050 1050 6 121.00 $121.00 $1,270
1130 1130 1 112.00 $112.00 $1,266 +4.34
1150–1159 1156 7 105.00–113.00 $110.73 $1,280 +2.55
1250–1270 1263 3 106.00–107.00 $106.33 $1,343
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
515 515 1 180.00 $180.00 $927
637 637 5 151.00 $151.00 $962 -1.00
813 813 2 144.00 $144.00 $1,171
934 934 6 125.00 $125.00 $1,168
960–975 972 7 123.00–130.00 $126.85 $1,233
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
962–987 978 14 118.00–118.50 $118.32 $1,157

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Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1321–1670 1369 80-85% 20 68.00–77.00 $72.80 $997 +0.71
1259–1620 1378 80-85% 295 81.50–88.50 $83.18 $1,146 +11.09
1257–1710 1386 80-85% 169 75.50–82.50 $79.78 $1,106 +1.99
1175–1760 1395 80-85% 73 74.00–82.00 $78.06 $1,089 +0.27
1257–1725 1414 80-85% 136 80.50–88.00 $83.63 $1,183 +6.45
1365–1505 1435 80-85% 2 73.00–74.00 $73.48 $1,054 -8.59
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
880–965 910 85-90% 3 54.00–57.00 $55.94 $509 -8.16
840–993 926 85-90% 12 59.00–69.00 $65.51 $607 +9.81
930–935 933 85-90% 2 78.00–79.00 $78.50 $732 +22.80
930–941 939 85-90% 5 73.00–74.00 $73.80 $693 +18.10
1085–1205 1130 85-90% 4 56.00–62.00 $58.51 $661 +4.97
972–1400 1143 85-90% 75 62.00–74.00 $70.69 $808 +17.15
1003–1390 1186 85-90% 185 73.00–80.50 $77.60 $920 +10.23
1015–1398 1207 85-90% 144 79.50–88.00 $82.19 $992 +8.01
1171–1289 1207 85-90% 12 74.00–80.00 $76.11 $919 +1.93
1116–1326 1235 85-90% 81 81.00–87.50 $83.89 $1,036 +10.86
1305 1305 85-90% 1 72.00 $72.00 $940
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1469–1795 1541 75-80% 69 79.50–84.50 $82.32 $1,269
1435–1665 1582 75-80% 9 84.50–87.00 $85.10 $1,346 -1.40
1501–1794 1591 75-80% 16 79.50–82.50 $80.78 $1,285 -5.72
1380–1825 1601 75-80% 11 74.00–78.50 $76.41 $1,223 -4.42
1660–1755 1708 75-80% 2 73.00–78.00 $75.43 $1,288 -5.60
1500–1860 1722 75-80% 7 84.50–88.50 $85.72 $1,476 +4.69
2050 2050 75-80% 1 83.00 $83.00 $1,702

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1190–1255 1221 7 82.00–88.00 $86.09 $1,051
1375 1375 1 89.00 $89.00 $1,224 -11.84
1250–1780 1394 19 91.00–106.00 $97.82 $1,364 -3.02
1357–2140 1642 26 81.00–93.00 $89.08 $1,463 +2.48
1441–2325 1697 50 92.00–105.00 $100.05 $1,698
1515–2375 1978 65 105.00–125.00 $110.12 $2,178
2610 2610 1 107.00 $107.00 $2,793
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
2205 2205 1 90.00 $90.00 $1,984

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
760–1490 998 (<2 yrs)Open 182 91.00–135.50 $115.13 $1,149
1090–1360 1150 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 46 74.00–82.00 $76.82 $883
1050–1255 thin fleshed 1153 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 74.00–75.00 $74.54 $859
810–1488 1172 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 191 77.00–120.00 $90.24 $1,058
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
785–1085 893 (<2 yrs)Open 13 85.00–100.00 $89.93 $803
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
925–1065 995 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 84.00–85.00 $84.46 $840
1125 1125 (<2 yrs)Open 3 81.00 $81.00 $911

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Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1176 1176 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 12 1,200.00 $1,200.00
1135–1304 1194 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 21 1,050.00–1,085.00 $1,076.31
1068–1493 1227 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 21 1,110.00–1,260.00 $1,224.69
1287 1287 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 9 1,085.00 $1,085.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1165–1215 1194 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 7 103.00–106.00 $105.02 $1,254
1210–1450 1370 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 74.00–99.00 $91.64 $1,255
1578 1578 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 6 74.50 $74.50 $1,176

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
175–180 180 13 114.00–123.00 $114.67 $206
185 185 1 98.00 $98.00 $181
213 213 7 76.00 $76.00 $162
209–223 215 13 86.00–90.00 $89.02 $191
215 215 1 89.00 $89.00 $191
263–270 267 5 78.00–80.00 $78.79 $210

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
50 50 3 100.00 $100.00 $50
78 78 6 160.00 $160.00 $125
100 100 1 235.00 $235.00 $235
125 125 8 197.50 $197.50 $247
155 155 2 192.50 $192.50 $298
150–190 171 7 215.00–237.50 $221.21 $378

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Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1211–1530 1293 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 55 1,800.00–1,925.00 $1,897.22
1379 1379 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 1,700.00 $1,700.00
1318–1585 1422 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 18 1,700.00–1,850.00 $1,765.03 +70.49
1334–1533 1454 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 53 1,425.00–1,750.00 $1,684.22
1691–1698 1692 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 28 1,550.00–1,575.00 $1,570.52
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1227–1352 1274 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 8 1,625.00–1,650.00 $1,640.05

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
104–133 113 123 51.00–62.00 $54.42 $61
115–149 136 44 42.00–66.50 $54.10 $74
135–140 136 4 79.00–85.00 $80.54 $110
125–149 139 117 69.00–77.00 $71.93 $100
151–167 159 103 68.00–76.00 $72.88 $116
163–176 174 16 64.00–67.00 $65.37 $114
162–197 177 59 65.00–77.00 $68.40 $121
175–195 179 25 63.00–65.00 $64.42 $115
201 201 5 76.00 $76.00 $153
206–220 208 18 61.00–64.00 $63.82 $133
202–230 211 18 71.00–76.00 $74.27 $157
255 255 2 58.00 $58.00 $148
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
120 thin fleshed 120 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 11 72.00 $72.00 $86
120–142 127 Yearlings (1-2 yrs)Open 67 107.00–130.00 $116.67 $148
124–145 132 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 46 76.00–92.50 $77.66 $103
178–179 178 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 10 71.00–84.00 $78.78 $140
205–248 227 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 77.00–79.00 $78.09 $177

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
82 82 34 142.50 $142.50 $117
85 85 23 222.50 $222.50 $189
96 96 8 176.00 $176.00 $169

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
123 123 2 109.00 $109.00 $134
149 149 5 87.00 $87.00 $130
155 155 1 117.00 $117.00 $181

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
89 89 6 112.50 $112.50 $100
120 120 1 90.00 $90.00 $108
151 151 4 79.00 $79.00 $119
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
148 148 Young (2-4 yrs)Exposed 10 89.00 $89.00 $132

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
49 49 77 255.00 $255.00 $125
61 61 40 259.00 $259.00 $158

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Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1125 1125 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 25 1,950.00 $1,950.00

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
15 15 1 307.50 $307.50 $46
25 25 3 335.00 $335.00 $84
33 33 3 210.00 $210.00 $69
34 34 16 185.00 $185.00 $63
34–39 35 59 240.00–250.00 $242.63 $85
40 40 19 325.00 $325.00 $130
40 40 5 205.00 $205.00 $82
42 42 37 265.00 $265.00 $111
43 43 2 185.00 $185.00 $80
43 43 4 210.00 $210.00 $90
42–48 44 8 300.00–345.00 $323.72 $142
50 50 18 342.50 $342.50 $171
52 52 3 370.00 $370.00 $192
52 52 5 270.00 $270.00 $140
55 55 1 185.00 $185.00 $102
58 58 2 240.00 $240.00 $139
60 60 1 380.00 $380.00 $228
61 61 19 372.50 $372.50 $227
60–69 68 10 272.50–290.00 $274.04 $186
78 78 3 250.00 $250.00 $195
80–85 83 4 275.00–287.50 $279.24 $232
85 85 5 260.00 $260.00 $221
110 110 1 240.00 $240.00 $264
N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
18 18 4 40.00 $40.00

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
45 45 61 249.00 $249.00 $112
53–54 54 40 254.00–266.00 $260.06 $140
63–66 66 31 253.00–270.00 $259.89 $172
70 70 11 261.00 $261.00 $183
80–88 84 110 227.00–265.50 $251.21 $211
80–89 88 32 190.00–215.00 $192.13 $169
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
88 88 11 168.00 $168.00 $148
124 124 26 142.50 $142.50 $177
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
34 34 6 245.00 $245.00 $83
58 58 12 230.00 $230.00 $133
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
39 39 8 211.00 $211.00 $82

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
63 63 5 110.00 $110.00 $69
80–84 83 5 130.00–210.00 $145.38 $121
83 83 19 145.00 $145.00 $120
85 85 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 170.00 $170.00 $144
85 85 Yearlings (1-2 yrs)Open 2 282.50 $282.50 $240
94 94 18 132.50 $132.50 $125
100 100 Middle Aged (4-6 yrs)Open 1 125.00 $125.00 $125
110 110 Middle Aged (4-6 yrs)Open 6 150.00 $150.00 $165
101–145 115 14 142.50–172.50 $167.39 $192
115 115 14 140.00 $140.00 $161
121 121 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 200.00 $200.00 $242
130 130 Middle Aged (4-6 yrs)Open 1 155.00 $155.00 $202
140 140 1 185.00 $185.00 $259
140 140 1 135.00 $135.00 $189
148 148 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 160.00 $160.00 $237
155 155 4 126.00 $126.00 $195
190 190 1 160.00 $160.00 $304

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
62 62 3 160.00 $160.00 $99
75 75 2 230.00 $230.00 $172
110 110 1 280.00 $280.00 $308
146 146 5 207.50 $207.50 $303
155 155 1 190.00 $190.00 $294
150–170 165 4 202.50–215.00 $205.34 $339

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
42 42 6 231.00 $231.00 $97
52 52 11 237.50 $237.50 $124
56 56 19 209.00 $209.00 $117
60–69 65 30 234.00–249.00 $240.97 $157
65–66 66 12 227.50–236.00 $230.30 $152
71 71 4 215.00 $215.00 $153
72 72 6 237.00–237.50 $237.25 $171
71–78 75 88 225.00–250.00 $239.61 $180
80–86 83 76 234.00–261.50 $251.92 $209
92–98 97 136 176.00–195.00 $192.75 $187
102–113 108 97 167.50–178.00 $174.45 $188

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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.