Cattle Market Pulse

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, March 20, 2023

2,904 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 $212.11/cwt +4.96 vs last sale · ≈ $1,334/hd at 629 lb · 492 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $217.62/cwt +4.72 vs last sale · ≈ $1,244/hd at 572 lb · 196 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $189.32/cwt -1.14 vs last sale · ≈ $1,382/hd at 730 lb · 118 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,904 4,724 2,393
Feeder cattle 1,964 1,763 1,128
Slaughter cattle 546 844 717
Replacement cattle 394 648 548

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Steer and heifer calves were both too lightly tested either this week or last week to develop an accurate market trend, however generally steady undertones were noticed on all offerings. Quality this week was mixed, from plain to very attractive. The largest consignments were heifers this week as Miles city Livestock commission hosted their annual trailhead replacement heifer sale. Many offerings were purchased to return to the country to breed. Several ranchers purchased large consignments which they plan to run on grass. Many heifers were purchased to be sorted to spay or to breed. All heifer consignments were met with very good demand. Market activity was active again this week as a large crowds were on hand for all sales. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for light to moderate offerings. Demand from western packers remains very good as much of the cow offering continues to be shipped west. Eastern packers also continued to put a limited quantity of cows away on feed. Feeding cows were mostly attractive. Slaughter cows sold steady on breaking cows, boning and lean cows mostly steady to 2.00 higher, with the biggest increase in price seen for high dressing cows. Feeding cows sold steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Demand for high dressing bulls continues to be very good as eastern and western packers fight over limited offerings. Bull quality was mostly average to attractive this week with a larger offering of high dressing bulls seen. Packers continue to show light demand for all bulls under 1600 lbs. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 10.00 higher, with instances of sharply higher sales seen on very attractive offerings.

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
522 522 5 265.00 $265.00 $1,383 -0.28
554–575 565 14 245.00–250.00 $246.76 $1,394 -4.19
603–645 627 18 220.50–240.00 $227.56 $1,427 -7.15
660–694 685 49 215.00–221.00 $216.81 $1,485 +10.31
718–749 736 16 200.00–203.00 $201.10 $1,480 -5.05
751–790 768 30 185.50–199.00 $192.15 $1,476 —
802–810 804 7 181.00–183.50 $182.78 $1,470 +2.29
833–840 837 4 171.00–175.00 $172.99 $1,448 -7.50
881–889 885 13 173.00–174.50 $173.70 $1,537 -1.30
905 905 1 171.50 $171.50 $1,552 —
944 944 11 169.00 $169.00 $1,595 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415–423 420 20 250.00–257.50 $253.76 $1,066 -12.45
455–490 459 39 252.00–272.50 $260.31 $1,195 +0.90
510–548 532 39 243.00–258.00 $250.94 $1,335 +8.85
550–585 562 6 220.00–227.00 $222.43 $1,250 -10.57
660–695 691 26 189.00–205.00 $199.76 $1,380 +0.76
745–746 745 15 195.00 $195.00 $1,453 +5.00
835 835 2 175.50 $175.50 $1,465 +10.50
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
443 443 4 227.50 $227.50 $1,008 —
488–490 489 6 225.00–226.00 $225.50 $1,103 -4.50
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
652 652 6 198.00 $198.00 $1,291 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
743 743 2 182.00 $182.00 $1,352 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
725 725 2 155.00 $155.00 $1,124 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
382 382 3 243.00 $243.00 $928 +7.59
428 428 5 235.00 $235.00 $1,006 -2.00
495 495 15 235.00 $235.00 $1,163 +4.28
510–540 518 42 215.00–229.00 $226.50 $1,173 +6.62
554–594 566 85 206.00–221.00 $216.36 $1,225 +2.09
561–596 576 111 209.00–228.00 $218.58 $1,259 +4.31
600–635 619 112 198.50–214.00 $206.69 $1,279 -0.46
606–647 632 380 205.00–217.50 $213.71 $1,351 +6.56
652–663 655 68 210.50–212.00 $210.72 $1,380 +17.49
655–677 671 12 190.00–199.00 $196.21 $1,317 +2.98
712–735 724 59 178.00–186.00 $183.30 $1,327 +2.00
724 724 7 171.00 $171.00 $1,238 -10.30
700–745 737 52 190.00–200.50 $198.61 $1,464 +17.31
753 753 5 169.50 $169.50 $1,276 —
771 771 22 179.00 $179.00 $1,380 —
795 795 13 163.00 $163.00 $1,296 —
835–837 836 8 168.00–169.00 $168.62 $1,410 —
863–873 867 8 164.00–167.00 $166.24 $1,441 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400–447 431 14 215.00–227.50 $222.11 $957 +2.97
463–475 469 4 217.50–222.00 $219.72 $1,030 +2.92
505–545 523 30 196.00–216.00 $211.86 $1,108 +1.45
555–594 575 14 191.50–205.50 $196.56 $1,130 +11.56
604 604 4 180.00 $180.00 $1,087 —
605–645 631 10 183.00–194.00 $187.25 $1,182 —
678–683 678 31 183.00–185.00 $184.81 $1,253 —
700–727 720 4 169.00–170.00 $169.24 $1,219 +19.24
755 755 5 148.00 $148.00 $1,117 —
824 824 4 149.00 $149.00 $1,228 —
852 852 3 149.00 $149.00 $1,269 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
777–797 787 20 1,400.00–1,500.00 $1,450.64 —
846 846 10 1,450.00 $1,450.00 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
582 582 3 170.00 $170.00 $989 —
737 737 3 159.00 $159.00 $1,172 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
501 501 4 212.00 $212.00 $1,062 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
674 674 4 125.00 $125.00 $842 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
633 633 4 221.00 $221.00 $1,399 —
710 710 6 199.00 $199.00 $1,413 +11.57
905 905 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,448 +8.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460 460 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,012 —
515 515 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,082 -29.00
710 710 2 172.50 $172.50 $1,225 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1035 1035 2 140.00 $140.00 $1,449 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1315–1440 1378 80-85% 2 85.00–86.50 $85.72 $1,181 +1.77
1280–1685 1408 80-85% 25 87.00–96.00 $93.52 $1,317 +1.86
1295–1620 1422 80-85% 47 81.00–86.50 $84.58 $1,203 -12.77
1195–1665 1427 80-85% 121 85.00–97.00 $90.88 $1,297 -6.47
1275–1680 1442 80-85% 28 97.00–105.50 $100.49 $1,449 +3.14
1443 1443 80-85% 3 107.50 $107.50 $1,551 +10.15
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
900 900 85-90% 1 85.00 $85.00 $765 —
950–970 957 85-90% 5 73.00–79.00 $75.99 $727 —
1080–1225 1157 85-90% 6 70.00–72.00 $71.68 $829 -9.81
1025–1345 1205 85-90% 40 75.00–85.50 $81.85 $986 -4.83
1178–1295 1207 85-90% 4 87.00–89.00 $88.46 $1,068 +1.78
1025–1415 1210 85-90% 70 85.00–93.50 $88.36 $1,069 +7.51
1230–1305 1269 85-90% 12 95.00–97.50 $96.12 $1,220 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1527–1635 1554 75-80% 4 97.50–98.50 $98.24 $1,527 +4.38
1420–1875 1589 75-80% 11 87.00–93.00 $88.70 $1,409 +1.70
1596 1596 75-80% 30 92.50 $92.50 $1,476 +5.50
1470–1935 1655 75-80% 17 92.00–97.00 $94.84 $1,570 —
2055 2055 75-80% 1 97.50 $97.50 $2,004 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1310 1310 1 105.00 $105.00 $1,376 —
1320 1320 1 92.00 $92.00 $1,214 —
1400–2100 1682 18 85.00–106.00 $96.78 $1,628 —
1640–2200 1862 9 107.00–115.00 $110.94 $2,066 —
1835–2340 2026 13 122.00–139.00 $131.05 $2,655 —
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
2290–2465 2378 2 114.00–123.00 $118.67 $2,822 —
2525–2760 2603 3 118.00–125.00 $122.53 $3,189 —
2715 2715 1 111.00 $111.00 $3,014 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
760–1363 995 (<2 yrs)Open 123 112.00–166.00 $142.76 $1,420
800–1430 1105 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 50 86.00–138.00 $108.11 $1,195
1520 1520 (<2 yrs)Open 1 116.00 $116.00 $1,763
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
790–1160 902 (<2 yrs)Open 16 100.00–142.00 $125.86 $1,135
1025 1025 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 95.00 $95.00 $974
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
991 991 (<2 yrs)Open 7 103.50 $103.50 $1,026
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
770–1005 888 (<2 yrs)Open 2 109.00–120.00 $113.77 $1,010

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1146 1146 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 4 1,050.00 $1,050.00
1359–1442 1396 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 18 2,100.00–2,200.00 $2,145.91
1430–1465 1434 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 45 2,025.00–2,110.00 $2,052.35
1442 1442 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 19 1,700.00 $1,700.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1158 1158 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 9 1,950.00 $1,950.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1144–1263 1250 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 37 1,825.00–2,250.00 $2,207.95
Medium 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
914 914 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 1,750.00 $1,750.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1352 1352 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 3 1,875.00 $1,875.00 —

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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.