Cattle Market Pulse

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, January 23, 2023

7,356 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $200.29/cwt +3.72 vs last sale · ≈ $1,042/hd at 520 lb · 367 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $187.67/cwt +0.13 vs last sale · ≈ $1,064/hd at 567 lb · 342 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $197.48/cwt -1.53 vs last sale · ≈ $1,232/hd at 624 lb · 327 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 7,356 10,759 5,439
Feeder cattle 5,803 4,061 4,043
Slaughter cattle 1,048 862 980
Replacement cattle 505 1,002 416

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Steer calves under 500 lbs sold mostly 10.00 lower, steers 500-699 lbs sold 2.00-6.00 lower, steers over 700 lbs were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, higher undertones were noticed. Heifers under 450 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on a higher quality offering. Heifers 450-649 lbs sold generally steady, heifers over 650 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady to higher undertones were noticed. Quality overall this week was mixed from plain to very attractive with lots of variance noted. Most calves were weaned this week. Cattle suitable to go to grass or wheat were met with slighly lighter demand this week as both lower CME positions and winter weather weigh on the market. Heavyweight, feedlot ready cattle, were met with mostly good demand this week as orderbuyers, buying for packers showed very good demand for high quality offerings. Market activity was mostly active again this week with a large crowd on hand for all feeder specials. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Feeding cow buyers and packer buyers both showed good demand for cows this week. Quality was mostly average to attractive. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold 2.00-5.00 higher. Feeding cows sold 2.00-3.00 higher as increased competition from slaughter buyers helped push all cow prices higher. Weigh up conditions were mixed. Slaughter bulls sold 3.00-6.00 higher in a narrow compairson. Young age cows suiable to feed or rebreed sold 10.00-12.00 higher driven mostly by quality as several ranchers sold sets of very attractive one iron homeraised young cows.

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
365–395 391 7 271.00–285.00 $272.87 $1,067 -9.87
417–446 431 106 249.00–258.00 $250.17 $1,078 -12.36
450–498 475 88 227.00–248.00 $236.04 $1,121 -11.54
500–547 524 299 211.00–230.00 $222.60 $1,166 -7.45
550–598 577 164 205.00–225.50 $212.10 $1,224 -3.67
613 unweaned 613 4 186.00 $186.00 $1,140 —
600–649 624 323 188.00–206.00 $197.62 $1,233 -1.39
650–693 667 309 178.50–197.00 $186.83 $1,246 -8.81
700–730 713 65 176.00–188.00 $181.43 $1,294 +1.84
753–790 773 99 171.00–182.00 $180.65 $1,396 +11.65
802–847 831 57 176.50–179.50 $177.94 $1,479 +7.55
866 fancy 866 69 182.00 $182.00 $1,576 —
913 913 7 155.00 $155.00 $1,415 —
991 991 9 153.00 $153.00 $1,516 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 200.00 $200.00 $400 —
380–399 392 67 235.00–257.00 $242.12 $949 -10.38
421–445 434 35 228.00–240.00 $233.15 $1,012 -1.33
460–499 489 36 200.00–230.00 $217.44 $1,063 -12.94
502–542 521 49 183.00–215.50 $205.62 $1,071 -9.52
570–591 589 22 185.00–193.00 $190.14 $1,120 -5.86
600–646 629 53 176.00–187.00 $181.65 $1,143 +4.41
658–692 676 22 173.00–179.00 $175.02 $1,183 +2.55
705–721 713 40 165.00–174.50 $169.93 $1,212 —
782 782 3 172.00 $172.00 $1,345 —
820 820 6 161.00 $161.00 $1,320 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
354 354 9 249.00 $249.00 $881 —
411 411 25 216.00 $216.00 $888 -24.00
486 486 7 205.00 $205.00 $996 -18.00
514–544 536 45 205.00–210.50 $209.09 $1,121 —
594 594 7 171.00 $171.00 $1,016 +2.00
638 638 6 180.00 $180.00 $1,148 —
676 676 8 173.00 $173.00 $1,169 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
451 451 8 174.00 $174.00 $785 —
512–525 523 62 165.00–168.00 $167.57 $876 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
309 309 11 205.00 $205.00 $633 —
362–380 373 34 207.50–215.00 $210.28 $784 —
423 423 5 210.00 $210.00 $888 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
442 442 8 210.00 $210.00 $928 —
509 509 6 195.00 $195.00 $993 —
561–577 569 16 156.00–179.00 $169.12 $962 —
605–643 617 19 160.00–170.00 $166.71 $1,029 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
502 502 5 202.00 $202.00 $1,014 —
595 595 3 189.50 $189.50 $1,128 +1.50
607 607 27 182.00 $182.00 $1,105 +5.00
693 693 3 169.50 $169.50 $1,175 -11.50
804 804 5 162.00 $162.00 $1,302 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375 unweaned 375 3 212.50 $212.50 $797 —
368–397 388 46 215.00–227.50 $221.13 $858 +12.63
400–441 429 119 206.00–217.50 $213.39 $915 +11.27
453–497 478 250 197.50–212.00 $204.31 $977 -0.19
495 unweaned 495 5 196.00 $196.00 $970 -5.00
500–547 519 351 189.00–209.00 $200.71 $1,042 +3.30
547 unweaned 547 16 191.00 $191.00 $1,045 +4.90
551–590 567 342 177.00–194.50 $187.67 $1,064 +0.42
626 unweaned 626 45 176.50 $176.50 $1,105 +2.40
601–649 629 240 168.50–183.50 $177.53 $1,117 -7.97
658–670 665 11 166.00–174.00 $169.60 $1,128 -1.05
705–716 716 23 161.00–168.00 $167.70 $1,201 +2.25
750–785 758 81 156.00–168.50 $164.16 $1,244 +4.73
903 903 4 143.00 $143.00 $1,291 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
333 unweaned 333 2 190.00 $190.00 $633 —
373–395 387 9 185.00–204.00 $193.57 $749 +1.07
418–448 434 40 180.00–199.00 $192.57 $836 -0.34
460–498 479 47 180.00–196.00 $186.39 $893 -2.31
500–520 515 4 172.00–182.00 $174.43 $898 -4.06
571 571 79 186.50 $186.50 $1,065 +14.27
550–598 583 32 164.00–178.00 $172.47 $1,006 +0.24
605–642 627 26 162.00–169.00 $166.38 $1,043 -2.62
691 691 8 159.00 $159.00 $1,099 —
710–740 718 8 148.00–159.00 $150.84 $1,083 —
752 752 7 151.00 $151.00 $1,136 —
885 885 2 149.00 $149.00 $1,319 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
339 339 36 195.00–210.00 $199.58 $677 +19.58
400–401 400 33 190.00–191.00 $190.79 $763 +6.80
468–484 475 29 197.00–199.00 $198.04 $941 +18.65
576 576 10 176.00 $176.00 $1,014 +11.00
704 704 6 153.00 $153.00 $1,077 —
767 767 3 142.00 $142.00 $1,089 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
498 498 6 185.00 $185.00 $921 —
586–599 594 36 175.50–178.00 $176.39 $1,048 —
637 637 39 176.25 $176.25 $1,123 —
737 737 3 162.00 $162.00 $1,194 —
783 783 6 160.50 $160.50 $1,257 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
498 498 9 176.00 $176.00 $876 —
519 519 4 157.50 $157.50 $817 —
852 852 7 133.00 $133.00 $1,133 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
303 303 15 180.00 $180.00 $545 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
691 691 5 1,350.00 $1,350.00 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
441 unweaned 441 4 230.00 $230.00 $1,014 —
576 unweaned 576 13 179.00 $179.00 $1,031 -3.00
620–622 622 10 177.00–179.00 $178.80 $1,112 +7.80
679 unweaned 679 55 166.00 $166.00 $1,127 —
731 unweaned 731 7 159.00 $159.00 $1,162 -6.50
771 771 4 129.00 $129.00 $995 —
807–812 810 6 137.00–144.00 $140.51 $1,138 —
881 881 10 138.00 $138.00 $1,216 —
915 915 1 129.00 $129.00 $1,180 —
956 956 4 115.00 $115.00 $1,099 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
557–588 574 24 166.00–171.00 $168.22 $966 +12.57
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
458 458 4 175.00 $175.00 $802 —
734 734 9 117.50 $117.50 $862 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
799 unweaned 799 4 136.00 $136.00 $1,087 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
838–994 923 85-90% 9 50.50–52.00 $51.08 $471 —
928 928 85-90% 4 51.00 $51.00 $473 —
850–985 942 85-90% 6 52.00–65.50 $59.63 $562 —
1022 1022 85-90% 3 43.50 $43.50 $445 -12.89
866–1224 1074 85-90% 91 58.00–66.00 $63.47 $682 +20.65
920–1260 1150 85-90% 11 71.00–77.00 $73.52 $845 +2.80
1010–1285 1159 85-90% 105 53.00–66.00 $61.18 $709 +2.42
835–1325 1213 85-90% 79 65.00–72.00 $68.89 $836 —
1148–1290 1215 85-90% 10 71.50–78.00 $74.24 $902 —
1005–1323 1243 85-90% 179 64.50–73.00 $67.82 $843 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1325–1690 1391 80-85% 118 61.50–73.00 $69.06 $961 -2.98
1230–1575 1395 80-85% 69 59.00–72.50 $69.21 $965 -2.83
1291–1625 1422 80-85% 101 71.50–79.00 $75.17 $1,069 +3.74
1262–1750 1424 80-85% 48 71.50–78.50 $74.76 $1,065 +3.33
1400–1478 1452 80-85% 3 79.00–80.50 $80.02 $1,162 —
1385–1605 1488 80-85% 3 75.00–82.50 $78.94 $1,175 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1510–1865 1628 75-80% 30 76.00–78.50 $77.67 $1,264 +5.67
1475–2050 1710 75-80% 9 68.00–75.50 $72.26 $1,236 -18.83
1715 1715 75-80% 1 85.00 $85.00 $1,458 -6.09

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060–1580 1354 9 85.00–94.50 $88.22 $1,194 —
1435–1865 1639 14 75.00–95.00 $87.90 $1,441 —
1480–1975 1712 18 93.50–107.00 $99.48 $1,703 —
1520–2320 1826 17 97.00–109.00 $102.68 $1,875 +17.94
1885–2100 2008 4 110.00–115.00 $112.02 $2,249 —
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
2405 2405 1 107.00 $107.00 $2,573 —

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
718–1153 865 (<2 yrs)Open 120 111.00–159.00 $150.59 $1,303
730–1265 982 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 247 67.00–139.00 $99.84 $980
1042 1042 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 16 86.00 $86.00 $896
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
794–810 797 (<2 yrs)Open 6 132.00–133.00 $132.83 $1,059
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
745–1055 903 (<2 yrs)Open 6 123.00–128.00 $125.98 $1,138

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1142–1308 1184 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 8 850.00–975.00 $884.54
1239–1257 1247 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 7 1,250.00–1,300.00 $1,278.39
1293 1293 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 4 1,310.00 $1,310.00
1194–1393 1305 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 9 900.00–1,010.00 $944.75

↑ Back to top

Dairy Heifers

Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
674 674 6 138.00 $138.00 $930 —
720 720 4 130.00 $130.00 $936 —
761 761 12 130.00 $130.00 $989 —
808 808 6 129.00 $129.00 $1,042 —
870 870 1 128.00 $128.00 $1,114 —

↑ Back to top

Dairy Steers

Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
727 727 28 177.00 $177.00 $1,287 —
827 827 9 140.00 $140.00 $1,158 —

↑ Back to top

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.