Cattle Market Pulse

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, August 7, 2023

2,930 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $216.13/cwt +7.13 vs last sale · ≈ $1,887/hd at 873 lb · 63 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $269.14/cwt ≈ $1,911/hd at 710 lb · 62 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $251.69/cwt ≈ $1,993/hd at 792 lb · 39 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,930 3,383 3,284
Feeder cattle 570 169 586
Slaughter cattle 644 277 449
Replacement cattle 75 48 37

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Only one sale was held last week as auctions continue with summer sale schedules. As a result, feeder cattle were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed on both steers and heifers. Demand was mostly good on light offerings. Quality this week was mostly average. Flesh conditions were mostly light as most offerings were coming off grass. Eastern Montana cattle were in very light flesh as competition with grasshoppers has deteriorated pasture and range conditions. Market activity this week was mostly active with a large crowd on hand to bid on limited offerings. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for light offerings. Packers opted to send the majority of cows to immediate harvest opting to only send very high quality offerings to feed. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher on boning and breaking cows. Lean cows sold uneven. Lean cow quality was mixed this week as cattle from Eastern Montana offered buyers much poor yields due to poor pasture and range conditions. Feeding cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold unevenly steady from 2.00 lower to 3.00 higher. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested this week and last to develop an accurate market trend, however higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed. Several buyers looking for rebreed and receipt cows were seen this week. Demand for this class of cows was very good.

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
701–741 710 62 260.00–271.00 $269.14 $1,911 —
762–796 792 39 251.50–253.00 $251.69 $1,993 —
850–870 863 21 237.00–241.00 $237.85 $2,053 —
900 900 1 236.00 $236.00 $2,124 —
963 963 2 230.00 $230.00 $2,215 +18.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
542 542 3 274.00 $274.00 $1,485 —
636 636 5 260.00 $260.00 $1,654 -7.00
741–744 743 28 250.00–252.50 $250.61 $1,862 +8.11
793 793 2 235.00 $235.00 $1,864 —
840 840 2 244.00 $244.00 $2,050 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
581–595 586 8 277.50 $277.50 $1,626 —
663–686 676 18 265.00–270.00 $268.07 $1,812 —
776 776 4 237.50 $237.50 $1,843 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
572 572 5 245.00 $245.00 $1,401 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1018 1018 4 210.00 $210.00 $2,138 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
753 753 20 241.00 $241.00 $1,815 —
805–833 818 25 212.00–240.00 $216.01 $1,767 —
856–892 873 63 210.00–239.00 $216.13 $1,887 +7.13
900–907 906 23 206.50–210.50 $210.02 $1,903 —
961–985 973 32 201.50–209.00 $206.87 $2,013 +6.87
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
660–688 681 8 247.50 $247.50 $1,685 —
943 943 6 197.50 $197.50 $1,862 —
1025 1025 1 196.00 $196.00 $2,009 +3.51
1068–1083 1078 6 192.00–195.00 $192.99 $2,080 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
827 827 18 231.00 $231.00 $1,910 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
644 644 4 245.00 $245.00 $1,578 —
661–674 665 13 245.00 $245.00 $1,629 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
557 557 3 232.50 $232.50 $1,295 —
750 750 3 205.00 $205.00 $1,538 —

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Feeder Bulls

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060–1070 1063 3 190.00–197.50 $194.98 $2,073 +20.96
1130–1145 1135 6 169.00–187.50 $177.07 $2,010 +12.07
1155–1180 1174 5 167.50–173.00 $169.59 $1,991 +10.59
1205 1205 1 162.50 $162.50 $1,958 —
1283 1283 2 156.00 $156.00 $2,001 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
850 850 2 232.50 $232.50 $1,976 —
950–968 962 3 207.50 $207.50 $1,996 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
743 743 2 232.50 $232.50 $1,727 —
785 785 3 227.50 $227.50 $1,786 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1110 1110 1 156.00 $156.00 $1,732 —
1173 1173 2 167.50 $167.50 $1,965 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1308–1505 1346 80-85% 18 94.00–102.00 $99.46 $1,339 —
1203–1523 1352 80-85% 16 114.00–122.00 $118.47 $1,602 +7.98
1269–1575 1380 80-85% 27 105.50–114.50 $111.24 $1,535 +0.75
1227–1673 1387 80-85% 60 103.00–114.00 $107.28 $1,488 -3.21
1295–1588 1474 80-85% 63 115.00–125.00 $119.65 $1,764 +3.04
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
815–980 917 85-90% 3 70.00–72.50 $70.89 $650 —
985 985 85-90% 1 85.00 $85.00 $837 —
1000–1120 1061 85-90% 7 87.00–101.00 $91.67 $973 +8.67
1075–1210 1156 85-90% 9 110.00–115.00 $112.19 $1,297 +16.52
965–1275 1158 85-90% 9 105.00–108.00 $105.84 $1,226 +10.17
1040–1268 1187 85-90% 6 70.50–81.00 $76.57 $909 -29.75
980–1365 1200 85-90% 31 78.00–98.00 $92.64 $1,112 -20.88
1198–1285 1220 85-90% 5 110.00–112.00 $110.61 $1,349 -2.91
1025–1335 1232 85-90% 41 100.00–108.00 $103.49 $1,275 -10.03
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1400–1602 1536 75-80% 9 115.50–120.00 $117.75 $1,809 —
1533–1915 1597 75-80% 6 115.00–116.00 $115.20 $1,840 -2.05
1440–1858 1620 75-80% 20 111.00–117.00 $113.84 $1,844 —
1475–1781 1677 75-80% 9 105.00–111.00 $106.38 $1,784 -5.62
1600–1745 1681 75-80% 7 121.00–127.50 $122.60 $2,061 +10.60
2065 2065 75-80% 1 106.50 $106.50 $2,199 -3.50
2120 2120 75-80% 1 123.00 $123.00 $2,608 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
925 925 1 109.50 $109.50 $1,013 —
1000–1285 1193 4 95.00–109.00 $102.74 $1,226 —
1185–1765 1350 12 117.00–134.00 $121.27 $1,637 —
1285–1508 1397 7 97.50–112.00 $107.00 $1,495 —
1230–2200 1623 39 100.00–114.00 $109.36 $1,775 —
1660 1660 1 114.00 $114.00 $1,892 —
1760 1760 1 124.00 $124.00 $2,182 +4.18
1405–2305 1787 101 111.00–125.00 $118.93 $2,125 -0.89
1645–2285 1895 34 125.00–139.00 $129.00 $2,445 —
2060 2060 1 116.00 $116.00 $2,390 -9.88
2670 2670 1 130.00 $130.00 $3,471 —
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1855 1855 1 129.00 $129.00 $2,393 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
935–1150 1017 (<2 yrs)Open 30 127.00–207.50 $182.26 $1,854
910–1383 1201 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 10 107.50–140.00 $127.36 $1,530
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1305 1305 (<2 yrs)Open 1 160.00 $160.00 $2,088

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1381 1381 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 9 1,950.00 $1,950.00
1473 1473 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 6 1,550.00 $1,550.00

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Bucks

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205 205 2 88.00 $88.00 $180 +22.00
240 240 1 75.00 $75.00 $180 -7.74
250 250 1 67.00 $67.00 $168 -12.00
310 310 1 43.00 $43.00 $133 -19.00

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Bucks Billies

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
70 70 1 170.00 $170.00 $119 -12.50
88 88 2 155.00 $155.00 $136 -5.00
135 135 1 210.00 $210.00 $284 -0.46
160–190 175 2 160.00–182.50 $172.21 $301 -7.79

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Ewes

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
119 119 10 10.00 $10.00 $12 -27.74
120 120 1 33.00 $33.00 $40 -4.74
129–145 133 27 56.00–64.00 $58.65 $78 +4.89
128–140 134 14 69.00–73.00 $69.71 $93 +15.95
154–161 157 24 65.00–71.00 $68.33 $107 +26.93
156–158 157 16 60.00–63.00 $60.76 $95 +19.36
188 188 3 61.00 $61.00 $115 +2.33
225–240 236 4 55.00–63.00 $56.90 $134 -11.58
254 254 7 45.00 $45.00 $114 -13.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
142 142 Lambs (<1 yr)Open 17 170.00 $170.00 $241 +92.00
139–149 145 Yearlings (1-2 yrs)Open 9 95.00–101.00 $98.44 $143 +20.44

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Hair Breeds

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
89 89 12 151.00 $151.00 $134 -19.00

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Hair Bucks

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
165 165 2 81.00 $81.00 $134 —
214–240 217 9 80.00–85.00 $84.39 $183 —

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Hair Ewes

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
72 72 6 40.00 $40.00 $29 —
113 113 4 67.00 $67.00 $76 -14.00
115 115 11 50.00 $50.00 $58 -31.00
181 181 20 65.00 $65.00 $118 +11.00

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Hair Lambs

Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
47 47 6 215.00 $215.00 $101 —
53–57 56 138 180.00–190.00 $183.30 $103 —
61–68 65 134 167.00–187.50 $175.27 $114 —
83 83 15 160.00 $160.00 $133 —

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Kids

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
24 24 4 125.00 $125.00 $30 +82.55
29 29 8 160.00 $160.00 $46 +80.00
30 30 1 222.50 $222.50 $67 +142.50
35 35 5 85.00 $85.00 $30 -104.07
40 40 1 240.00 $240.00 $96 +160.00
43 43 2 212.50 $212.50 $91 +87.50
43 43 2 115.00 $115.00 $49 -10.00
43–44 44 8 207.50–210.00 $208.11 $92 +83.11
43–47 46 20 140.00–147.50 $146.10 $67 -89.06
52 52 5 150.00 $150.00 $78 -5.00
52 52 5 205.00 $205.00 $107 +50.00
53 53 18 240.00 $240.00 $127 +11.22
53–55 55 13 170.00–182.50 $172.80 $95 -37.20
51–58 56 20 237.50–250.00 $243.73 $136 +33.73
63 63 9 202.00 $202.00 $127 +72.00
60–68 67 13 230.00–247.50 $232.69 $156 +5.26
73–75 74 14 230.00–240.00 $233.78 $173 +28.78
75 75 1 207.50 $207.50 $156 -2.50
80 80 12 225.00 $225.00 $180 -7.00
82 82 3 197.50 $197.50 $162 -34.50

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Lambs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
53–58 54 30 220.00–227.00 $224.30 $121 +22.30
60–68 64 65 217.50–227.00 $223.80 $143 +16.14
71 71 4 190.00 $190.00 $135 -8.00
70–75 72 135 211.50–224.50 $218.63 $157 +20.63
80–88 83 271 209.00–220.50 $216.56 $180 +39.06
90–99 95 68 201.00–213.00 $209.50 $199 -2.23
108 108 3 200.00 $200.00 $216 -6.62
115–116 116 10 183.00–190.00 $186.48 $216 -20.14
118 118 6 160.00 $160.00 $189 -46.62
125 125 3 155.00 $155.00 $194 -51.62
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
51–57 54 28 172.50–190.00 $181.11 $98 +11.33
60 60 1 190.00 $190.00 $114 +22.30
78 78 11 201.00 $201.00 $157 +36.00
83 83 9 202.50 $202.50 $168 +37.50
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
99 99 13 191.00 $191.00 $189 —

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Nannies Does

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
70 70 Kids (<1 yr)Open 1 220.00 $220.00 $154 +75.70
70–74 73 —— 11 125.00–135.00 $130.55 $95 -13.75
84–89 86 —— 9 145.00–175.00 $158.76 $137 +29.91
88 88 —— 2 137.50 $137.50 $121 +15.00
93 93 —— 21 145.00 $145.00 $135 +45.00
100–110 105 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 150.00–160.00 $154.76 $162 +35.22
110 110 —— 1 150.00 $150.00 $165 +30.46
103–137 122 —— 6 112.50–125.00 $115.87 $141 -3.67
155 155 —— 1 122.50 $122.50 $190 -7.50

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Sheep

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
115 thin fleshed 115 2 40.00 $40.00 $46 +5.00
150–158 152 70 56.00–63.00 $59.88 $91 +6.14
161–166 165 41 60.00–65.00 $61.07 $101 +1.97

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Wethers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
75 75 1 195.00 $195.00 $146 -23.00
80–85 83 2 167.50–180.00 $173.56 $144 -29.92
100 100 1 177.50 $177.50 $178 +10.00
167–185 172 4 180.00–195.00 $190.95 $328 +0.95

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Wooled & Shorn

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
117–145 120 10 155.00–156.00 $155.12 $186 -8.19
133 133 3 161.00 $161.00 $214 -2.31

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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.