Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, November 20, 2023

5,765 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 $258.39/cwt -5.87 vs last sale · ≈ $1,355/hd at 525 lb · 147 head

heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $280.26/cwt +3.70 vs last sale · ≈ $1,295/hd at 462 lb · 135 head

light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $286.88/cwt -8.50 vs last sale · ≈ $1,532/hd at 534 lb · 128 head

Receipts

Head	This sale	Last sale	Last year
Total receipts	5,765	23,016	7,023
Feeder cattle	1,411	11,490	3,016
Slaughter cattle	2,435	4,278	2,087
Replacement cattle	1,919	1,170	1,920

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Steer calves 500-549 lbs sold steady to 5.00 lower. All other weights of steer calves were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Heifer calves 500-549 lbs offered the best test this week these offerings sold 5.00-8.00 lower, all other heifer calves were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Demand this week was mostly light to moderate for very light offerings. Quality was plain to average. Package sizes were mostly small this week with many singles in the offering. Lower CME positions and poorer quality offerings kept many buyers from raising their hands. The January feeder contract settled Friday at 219.325, 7.10 lower for the week. The March contract closed at 222.725. Market activity this week was mostly slow with a small buyer pool seen for feeder cattle. Weight up cows sold on moderate demand for heavy offerings. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Breaking cows sold unevenly steady, boning cows sold 1.00-3.00 lower, and lean cows sold 2.00-4.00 lower. Packers continue to focus on buying feeding cows this week. Only poorer quality cows were purchased for immediate slaughter. Both packer buyers and private feeders continue to buy thin cows to feed or turn out on corn stalks this winter. This class of feeding cows sold 2.00-3.00 lower. High quality feeding cows, suitable to feed to premium white, sold steady to weak. Slaughter and feeding bulls sold generally steady. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on moderate to good demand this week. Young age cows sold mostly steady to firm. Quality was average to very attractive.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
260–273	267	4	245.00–300.00	$273.17	$729	—
325–335	331	7	295.00–337.50	$312.80	$1,035	—
340 thin fleshed	340	4	365.00	$365.00	$1,241	—
369 thin fleshed	369	12	353.00	$353.00	$1,303	—
350–390	380	18	250.00–320.00	$290.42	$1,104	-50.52
403 thin fleshed	403	8	318.00	$318.00	$1,282	—
405–435	419	13	240.00–304.00	$289.99	$1,215	—
458 thin fleshed	458	72	340.00	$340.00	$1,557	—
465–498	487	37	280.00–299.00	$297.04	$1,447	-24.75
505–540	534	128	224.00–291.00	$286.88	$1,532	-2.29
563 thin fleshed	563	28	284.00	$284.00	$1,599	—
555–598	582	40	224.00–260.00	$251.54	$1,464	-3.68
609–622	618	57	230.00–250.25	$248.57	$1,536	-6.43
672–675	672	12	223.00–225.00	$223.50	$1,502	—
727	727	6	215.00	$215.00	$1,563	—
800–813	809	3	210.00–219.00	$212.97	$1,723	—
1060–1075	1065	3	182.00–190.50	$187.64	$1,998	—

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
350–395	381	5	205.00–260.00	$246.78	$940	—
425–430	428	2	200.00–210.00	$205.03	$878	—
450–490	461	6	150.00–230.00	$195.83	$903	—
553–597	569	16	155.00–216.00	$203.63	$1,159	—
610–644	636	17	207.50–231.00	$212.66	$1,353	—
687–691	688	22	214.00–217.00	$216.18	$1,487	—
730–745	733	11	212.00–225.00	$220.53	$1,616	—
750	750	5	215.00	$215.00	$1,612	—
950–956	955	5	187.00–192.50	$188.09	$1,796	—

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
350–385	370	8	292.50–299.00	$295.72	$1,094	-24.28
416–438	423	17	271.00–284.00	$280.62	$1,187	-36.88
468–478	471	11	279.00–284.00	$282.62	$1,331	-10.02
500–547	519	23	271.00–279.00	$275.30	$1,429	+1.30
585–591	589	6	243.00–244.00	$243.67	$1,435	+4.67
670	670	2	212.50	$212.50	$1,424	-12.50

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
280–295	288	4	275.00–290.00	$282.30	$813	—
310–325	315	3	250.00–255.00	$251.72	$793	-43.29
373–389	375	36	250.00–295.00	$291.76	$1,094	-21.24
400–440	423	37	222.50–271.00	$264.30	$1,118	-35.07
457 thin fleshed	457	85	289.00	$289.00	$1,321	—
451–495	471	50	217.00–274.00	$265.41	$1,250	-15.09
502–545	523	133	221.00–272.00	$255.59	$1,337	+1.17
539 thin fleshed	539	14	285.00	$285.00	$1,536	—
550–594	575	50	216.00–270.00	$255.42	$1,469	+13.42
605–628	619	11	185.00–223.00	$218.44	$1,352	-28.56
655–695	682	3	197.50–217.00	$210.75	$1,437	—
715–732	728	10	202.00–215.00	$210.52	$1,533	-6.48
813–835	816	9	182.00–198.00	$193.30	$1,577	-20.92
863	863	7	212.00	$212.00	$1,830	+5.56
903–928	912	9	201.00–207.00	$204.66	$1,866	+6.94
978–995	982	4	154.00–194.00	$183.87	$1,806	-13.79
1160	1160	1	142.50	$142.50	$1,653	—

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
364–389	382	14	251.00–278.00	$259.81	$992	-1.62
403–445	429	21	251.00–256.00	$252.85	$1,085	—
458–494	482	35	245.00–257.00	$253.88	$1,224	+21.38
506–546	525	23	251.00–259.00	$254.83	$1,338	+26.85
569	569	25	241.00	$241.00	$1,371	—

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
318–330	323	6	190.00–265.00	$220.32	$712	—
390–395	391	5	210.00–230.00	$225.96	$884	-34.04
402–443	424	12	230.00–245.00	$238.66	$1,012	—
450–478	466	19	214.00–245.00	$233.45	$1,088	—
510–547	532	9	233.00–242.00	$240.05	$1,277	+19.05
570–587	579	10	194.00–209.00	$199.25	$1,154	+0.25
613–640	627	20	177.50–207.50	$192.86	$1,209	—
650–677	670	14	155.00–215.00	$190.84	$1,279	—
720–749	740	7	162.50–190.00	$172.36	$1,275	—
754–796	779	13	183.00–197.50	$196.09	$1,528	—
930	930	1	175.00	$175.00	$1,628	—

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
330	330	3	340.00	$340.00	$1,122	—
468	468	3	245.00	$245.00	$1,147	—
504–541	523	19	235.00–270.00	$262.41	$1,372	—
550	550	3	212.00	$212.00	$1,166	—
620–645	633	2	180.00–185.00	$182.45	$1,155	—
750	750	1	190.00	$190.00	$1,425	—

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
880	880	4	155.00	$155.00	$1,364	—

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
998–1610	1166	80-85%	103	87.00–92.00	$88.70	$1,034	—
1055–1500	1216	80-85%	133	70.50–79.50	$76.58	$931	—
1145–1485	1247	80-85%	29	72.00–81.00	$77.89	$971	—
958–1620	1256	80-85%	173	79.00–93.00	$84.16	$1,057	—
945–1465	1260	80-85%	72	88.00–110.00	$95.92	$1,209	—
1002–1630	1266	80-85%	355	78.00–96.50	$82.93	$1,050	—

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1070–1105	1078	85-90%	6	69.00	$69.00	$744	—
840–1332	1140	85-90%	35	80.00–87.50	$83.05	$947	+20.95
918–1325	1170	85-90%	41	59.00–69.00	$65.84	$770	-5.13
955–1452	1176	85-90%	168	68.00–81.00	$77.01	$906	+6.04
890–1428	1187	85-90%	194	68.00–79.00	$74.13	$880	-24.26
1204–1305	1213	85-90%	11	81.00–82.00	$81.10	$984	-2.56

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1098–1110	1101	75-80%	4	110.00	$110.00	$1,211	—
1107–1555	1158	75-80%	28	95.00–110.50	$102.82	$1,191	—
1175–1910	1528	75-80%	22	90.00–103.00	$95.02	$1,452	—
1058–2000	1542	75-80%	88	88.50–100.50	$93.31	$1,439	—
1545	1545	75-80%	1	88.00	$88.00	$1,360	—

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1100–2450	1591	8	80.00–105.00	$95.93	$1,526	—
1703	1703	3	108.00	$108.00	$1,839	+7.90
1440–1920	1734	65	102.50–118.00	$110.24	$1,912	+10.14
1035–2230	1864	11	120.00–167.50	$129.48	$2,414	+19.91

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1070–1185	1162	5	120.00–122.00	$121.63	$1,413	—
1085–2030	1415	18	75.00–103.00	$88.27	$1,249	—
1115–2255	1686	37	92.00–112.00	$108.79	$1,834	—

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
812–1185	961	(<2 yrs)	Open	111	131.00–194.50	$156.91	$1,508
735–1585	1014	Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	90	88.00–182.50	$141.82	$1,438
1112	1112	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	40	119.00	$119.00	$1,323
1384	1384	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	14	90.00	$90.00	$1,246

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
683–1015	838	Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	33	110.00–136.00	$123.37	$1,034
865–910 thin fleshed	874	(<2 yrs)	Open	56	147.00–161.00	$150.76	$1,318
851–1921	1055	(<2 yrs)	Open	110	124.00–162.50	$127.17	$1,342

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
907–1068	951	(<2 yrs)	Open	41	107.00–116.00	$110.50	$1,051
848–1213	992	Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	20	104.00–132.50	$110.59	$1,097

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
962–1318	1157	Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	117	1,500.00–2,310.00	$2,056.69
1186–1246	1221	Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	75	1,325.00–1,510.00	$1,416.53
875–1443	1241	Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	148	1,500.00–2,550.00	$2,200.39
1251–1352	1289	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	8	1,385.00–1,475.00	$1,420.40
1276–1520	1343	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	51	1,300.00–1,575.00	$1,511.11
930–1471	1362	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	30	1,700.00–1,850.00	$1,726.94
1020–1476	1374	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	91	1,700.00–1,850.00	$1,743.54
1096–1711	1426	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	25	1,575.00–2,100.00	$1,690.82

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
1068–1374	1213	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	76	1,300.00–1,525.00	$1,399.85
1110–1325	1218	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	4	1,100.00–1,275.00	$1,166.79
1023–1534	1323	Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	85	1,300.00–1,775.00	$1,515.46
1335	1335	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	5	1,350.00	$1,350.00
1391	1391	Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	6	1,385.00	$1,385.00
1345–1550	1398	Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	40	1,310.00–1,550.00	$1,454.70
1228–1521	1401	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	20	1,100.00–1,450.00	$1,384.98

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
887–1167	973	(<2 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	70	1,810.00–2,550.00	$2,176.11

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	Δ last sale
1603–1620	1613	Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	5	1,900.00–2,450.00	$2,231.39	—

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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.