Cattle Market Pulse

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, August 14, 2023

1,009 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $223.84/cwt +13.82 vs last sale · ≈ $2,084/hd at 931 lb · 70 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $230.27/cwt +14.14 vs last sale · ≈ $1,983/hd at 861 lb · 49 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $250.92/cwt ≈ $1,596/hd at 636 lb · 35 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,009 2,930 1,468
Feeder cattle 610 570 948
Slaughter cattle 330 644 411
Replacement cattle 69 75 109

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Only two sales was held last week as auctions continue with summer sale schedules. Feeder steers were too lightly tested either this week or last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Demand was mostly good on light offerings. Quality this week was mostly average, with a limited offering of attractive cattle seen. Flesh conditions were mostly light as most offerings were coming off grass. The cattle on feed report was released this past Friday and it showed cattle On feed at 2% below one year ago, Placements 8% below one year ago and Marketings 5% below last year. 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. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady on boning and breaking cows. Lean cows sold 1.00-2.00 lower. Lean cow quality was mixed this week as cattle in eastern Montana offered buyers much poor yields due to poor pasture and range conditions as grasshoppers ate much of the available feed. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to firm. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 1.00 lower. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested this week and last to develop an accurate market trend, however steady 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
425 unweaned 425 3 300.00 $300.00 $1,275 —
748 748 6 269.00 $269.00 $2,012 —
768–785 778 12 255.00–260.00 $257.25 $2,001 +5.56
805–829 825 15 242.50–248.50 $247.45 $2,041 —
882 882 3 235.00 $235.00 $2,073 -2.85
942 942 20 228.00 $228.00 $2,148 —
958 958 4 227.50 $227.50 $2,179 -2.50
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1018–1033 1024 14 210.00–214.00 $211.22 $2,163 +1.22
1170 1170 6 180.00 $180.00 $2,106 —
1280 1280 4 172.00 $172.00 $2,202 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
730–734 733 11 254.00–255.00 $254.36 $1,864 +3.75
785 785 4 240.00–250.00 $247.50 $1,943 +12.50
873 873 3 223.00 $223.00 $1,947 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
582 582 14 290.00 $290.00 $1,688 +12.50
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
850–895 855 9 202.50–215.00 $213.55 $1,826 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
630–637 636 35 250.00–251.00 $250.92 $1,596 —
671–672 671 17 242.00–249.00 $244.06 $1,638 —
742 742 3 240.00 $240.00 $1,781 —
750–773 754 28 235.75–236.00 $235.80 $1,778 -5.20
826–838 831 21 227.00–232.50 $229.31 $1,906 +13.30
858–881 861 49 226.00–231.00 $230.27 $1,983 +14.14
903 fancy 903 14 227.50 $227.50 $2,054 —
900–946 938 56 213.00–228.00 $222.92 $2,091 +12.90
982–992 986 19 214.00–214.50 $214.19 $2,112 +7.32
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
617–625 619 13 225.00–242.00 $238.04 $1,473 —
714 714 13 219.00 $219.00 $1,564 —
770 770 1 217.00 $217.00 $1,671 —
838 838 2 216.00 $216.00 $1,810 -15.00
893 893 6 211.00 $211.00 $1,884 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1052–1080 1056 20 192.50–212.50 $209.43 $2,212 +16.44
1105 1105 8 194.50 $194.50 $2,149 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
549 549 22 260.00 $260.00 $1,427 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
546 546 10 237.50 $237.50 $1,297 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
565 565 —— 4 245.00 $245.00 $1,384 —
1185 1185 (<2 yrs)N/A 3 175.00 $175.00 $2,074 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1207–1237 1222 6 141.00–146.00 $143.47 $1,753 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1158–1160 1159 4 161.00–174.00 $170.75 $1,979 +1.16
1240 1240 1 152.00 $152.00 $1,885 -10.50
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
999 999 4 189.00 $189.00 $1,888 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
880–985 933 85-90% 2 85.00–95.00 $90.28 $842 +19.39
1025 1025 85-90% 1 95.00 $95.00 $974 —
960–1070 1033 85-90% 3 110.00–116.00 $114.14 $1,179 —
1095 1095 85-90% 1 112.00 $112.00 $1,226 +20.33
968–1308 1181 85-90% 53 86.00–102.00 $92.42 $1,091 +15.85
1135–1260 1213 85-90% 16 100.00–106.00 $101.96 $1,237 -8.65
1160–1315 1296 85-90% 21 99.50–107.50 $100.20 $1,299 —
1300 1300 85-90% 1 71.00 $71.00 $923 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1273–1615 1350 80-85% 12 115.50–118.00 $116.47 $1,572 -2.00
1285–1605 1388 80-85% 30 104.00–112.50 $107.31 $1,489 +0.03
1305–1530 1422 80-85% 24 109.00–114.50 $112.54 $1,600 —
1290–1615 1461 80-85% 7 91.00–105.00 $99.92 $1,460 -19.73
1450–1535 1493 80-85% 2 114.00–114.50 $114.26 $1,706 -5.39
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1340–1656 1545 75-80% 19 113.00–114.50 $113.57 $1,755 -4.18
1413–1940 1546 75-80% 7 111.00–116.50 $113.54 $1,755 -4.21
1565–1790 1641 75-80% 7 115.50–116.50 $116.05 $1,904 +2.21
1598–1855 1664 75-80% 6 103.00–110.00 $106.95 $1,780 +0.57

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1415–1840 1628 2 115.50–117.00 $116.35 $1,894 +6.99
1330–1990 1660 2 107.00–114.00 $109.80 $1,823 -4.20
1385–1998 1702 25 103.00–115.00 $111.74 $1,902 —
1805 1805 1 126.50 $126.50 $2,283 —
1535–2295 1892 49 115.00–124.00 $119.26 $2,256 -9.74
1900–2340 2123 9 123.50–135.00 $127.89 $2,715 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
820–1240 1045 (<2 yrs)Open 18 131.00–212.00 $177.90 $1,859
810–1252 1091 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 18 118.00–172.50 $125.90 $1,374
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
893 893 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 101.00 $101.00 $902
890–945 918 (<2 yrs)Open 2 130.00 $130.00 $1,193
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
885 885 (<2 yrs)Open 1 146.00 $146.00 $1,292
945 945 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 119.00 $119.00 $1,125

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1783 1783 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 4 3,000.00 $3,000.00 —

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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.