Cattle Market Pulse

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, January 29, 2024

6,610 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $277.24/cwt +0.34 vs last sale · ≈ $1,605/hd at 579 lb · 428 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $308.12/cwt -0.15 vs last sale · ≈ $1,779/hd at 577 lb · 425 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $307.79/cwt -1.19 vs last sale · ≈ $1,459/hd at 474 lb · 413 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 6,610 12,597 1,225
Feeder cattle 4,561 6,196 852
Slaughter cattle 1,587 2,036 263
Replacement cattle 462 1,267 110

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Steers under 500 lbs were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Steers 500-799 lbs sold generally steady, steers over 800 lbs were not well compared. Heifers under 500 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Heifers 500-549 lbs sold mostly steady. Heifers 550-799 lbs sold unevenly steady. Demand was mostly good to very good this week for moderate to heavy offerings. Quality was mixed from plain to attractive with lots of variation seen. Many different cattle breeds, frame scores and flesh conditions were seen this week. Package sizes varied greatly but several light loads and partial loads were seen. The best demand continues to be for cattle light and green enough to go to grass. Flesh conditions overall remain light especially on cattle turned out on pasture or hay meadows. CME positions continue to push higher. This week the cattle inventory report was released mid week and higher feeder positions were seen both before and after its release. The cattle inventory report showed all cattle and calves in the US down 2% at 87.157 million head. This is the lowest cattle heard since 1951. The March closed at 244.80 on Friday, 5.10 higher for the week. The April contract closed at 250.20, 4.60 higher for the week. Market activity was mostly active this week as both order-buyers, farmer feeders, and ranchers bid aggressively over high quality offerings. Sale attendance was high again this week with lots of buyers in the stands for all sales. Weigh up cows sold on good demand for light to moderate offerings. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Packers showed good demand for all cows this week as they balanced buying both feeding cows and slaughter cows. Feeding buyers on both Tuesday and Thursdays sales saw very aggressive buying, but were not as aggressive on Wednesday and prices softened slightly as a result. Slaughter cows sold steady to 3.00 higher on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold unevenly steady from 2.00 lower to 3.00 higher. Feeding cows suitable to feed to premium white sold steady to 2.00 higher. Slaughter and feeding bulls sold steady to weak in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were not well compared as more two year old heifers that lost calves were seen this week. Both feeding and rebreed buyers both showed good demand for these offerings as higher live cattle prices improved feeding demand. Coming 2 and coming 3 year old heifers remain eligible to grade choice and buyers some will to take the risk to feed these offerings. Quality was average to attractive this week.

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
375–388 378 40 365.00–372.50 $367.11 $1,388 +1.00
417 unweaned 417 42 334.00 $334.00 $1,393 —
400–448 421 37 337.50–359.00 $347.75 $1,464 -17.47
453–493 467 85 330.00–354.50 $343.96 $1,606 +0.54
450–487 unweaned 485 37 322.00–335.75 $335.06 $1,625 +30.06
502–547 524 265 319.00–340.00 $332.29 $1,741 +7.60
547 unweaned 547 25 304.00 $304.00 $1,663 —
553 thin fleshed 553 9 331.00 $331.00 $1,830 -8.00
551–592 578 416 295.00–316.00 $307.63 $1,778 -1.45
611–634 632 183 284.00–295.00 $291.00 $1,839 +2.46
650–689 679 90 253.00–272.50 $266.61 $1,810 -2.21
701–732 717 64 250.00–256.00 $252.77 $1,812 -1.74
798 798 8 237.75 $237.75 $1,897 +6.75
876 876 27 220.00 $220.00 $1,927 -6.25
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330–348 341 5 350.00 $350.00 $1,194 —
385 385 3 343.00 $343.00 $1,321 +0.43
422–447 428 59 321.00–337.50 $331.14 $1,417 -8.52
450–495 467 27 302.50–334.00 $319.34 $1,491 +6.07
500–538 529 54 297.50–315.50 $305.84 $1,618 +1.61
573–599 587 27 282.00–295.00 $291.47 $1,711 +8.76
620–643 637 35 265.00–280.00 $276.10 $1,759 +10.62
675–691 684 14 255.00–260.00 $256.29 $1,753 +7.10
719–738 732 12 235.00–241.00 $236.97 $1,735 -1.35
765–783 776 15 233.00 $233.00 $1,808 -0.34
870 870 12 210.00 $210.00 $1,827 —
873 873 2 222.00 $222.00 $1,938 —
967 967 35 208.00 $208.00 $2,011 -4.00
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
308–344 326 48 320.00–337.50 $327.24 $1,067 —
394 394 5 321.00 $321.00 $1,265 -13.00
465–490 483 15 318.00–327.00 $323.85 $1,564 +1.53
508 508 4 311.00 $311.00 $1,580 —
618–645 630 52 259.00–272.00 $267.02 $1,682 —
729 729 4 235.00 $235.00 $1,713 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
555 555 9 300.00 $300.00 $1,665 +9.70
615 615 10 267.50 $267.50 $1,645 —
651–680 652 75 232.50–264.00 $261.93 $1,708 +26.93
877 877 3 225.00 $225.00 $1,973 —
1150 1150 5 185.00 $185.00 $2,128 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1061 1061 16 188.00 $188.00 $1,995 —
1110 1110 15 184.00 $184.00 $2,042 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
307–323 315 16 280.00–310.00 $295.38 $930 -4.62
363 363 3 305.00 $305.00 $1,107 +5.00
438 438 9 305.00 $305.00 $1,336 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
413 413 2 305.00 $305.00 $1,260 +10.00
492 492 3 290.00 $290.00 $1,427 +2.73

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
318–340 337 13 320.00–322.50 $322.14 $1,086 —
382 unweaned 382 32 317.50 $317.50 $1,213 —
400–442 421 88 305.00–317.50 $314.25 $1,323 +2.24
460–469 unweaned 462 32 288.00–291.00 $288.76 $1,334 —
450–498 475 381 294.00–318.00 $309.39 $1,470 +0.18
501–545 523 193 284.00–308.00 $294.21 $1,539 -5.19
525 unweaned 525 5 290.00 $290.00 $1,522 +6.50
549 549 10 274.50 $274.50 $1,507 -14.50
566–579 573 173 285.50–286.00 $285.76 $1,637 +33.76
550–598 583 255 261.00–286.00 $271.46 $1,583 +19.46
603–645 626 140 254.00–266.00 $258.83 $1,620 -1.04
630 630 85 264.00 $264.00 $1,663 +4.13
650–690 677 46 235.00–244.00 $239.54 $1,622 -4.04
692 692 6 228.00 $228.00 $1,578 -15.58
701–746 720 27 224.00–244.00 $229.25 $1,651 +0.94
729 fancy 729 7 240.00 $240.00 $1,750 —
765 765 37 234.00 $234.00 $1,790 +12.10
845 845 2 217.50 $217.50 $1,838 +6.72
860 860 2 215.00 $215.00 $1,849 +15.00
857–880 863 4 204.00–210.00 $205.53 $1,774 +5.53
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
304–328 309 24 302.50–310.00 $308.34 $953 —
352–392 376 62 294.00–307.50 $303.30 $1,140 —
432–443 438 27 287.50–300.00 $291.01 $1,275 +3.30
450–498 480 43 277.50–291.00 $285.02 $1,368 -7.18
513–530 520 16 279.00–282.50 $281.14 $1,462 +5.65
559–598 586 37 241.00–262.00 $246.93 $1,447 -9.65
603–648 613 16 220.00–237.50 $232.98 $1,428 +9.98
730 730 7 216.00 $216.00 $1,577 -0.57
780 780 5 205.00 $205.00 $1,599 -4.00
845 845 1 199.00 $199.00 $1,682 —
873–885 881 16 199.00–201.50 $200.57 $1,767 +5.10
887 887 17 197.75 $197.75 $1,754 +2.28
956–991 986 35 189.00–190.00 $189.14 $1,865 +3.65
1035 1035 4 185.00 $185.00 $1,915 +0.68
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 5 302.50 $302.50 $1,028 +17.50
365–399 393 6 277.50–295.00 $280.21 $1,101 -25.55
486 486 5 266.00 $266.00 $1,293 -24.71
591 591 6 236.00 $236.00 $1,395 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
352–380 356 19 275.00–295.00 $278.37 $991 +11.59
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
497 497 8 293.00 $293.00 $1,456 —
576 576 4 250.00 $250.00 $1,440 -1.46
759 759 4 215.00 $215.00 $1,632 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
392 392 7 292.50 $292.50 $1,147 —
480 480 4 271.00 $271.00 $1,301 +1.60
548 548 2 245.00 $245.00 $1,343 -33.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460–494 489 7 312.00–320.00 $313.07 $1,531 —
624–627 625 7 255.00–273.00 $265.26 $1,658 -7.19
665–670 667 5 248.00–255.00 $250.81 $1,673 +28.11
750 750 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,725 —
840 840 1 217.00 $217.00 $1,823 +1.00
1033 1033 2 180.00 $180.00 $1,859 —
1085 1085 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,736 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
643 643 10 267.00 $267.00 $1,717 —
1132 1132 3 143.00 $143.00 $1,619 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
673 673 2 205.00 $205.00 $1,380 —
945 945 2 175.00 $175.00 $1,654 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
845–950 914 85-90% 4 52.50–75.00 $62.39 $570 -30.56
900–1210 974 85-90% 11 67.50–85.00 $78.24 $762 —
985 985 85-90% 1 92.00 $92.00 $906 —
978–1325 1082 85-90% 16 65.00–78.00 $74.35 $804 —
1000–1360 1151 85-90% 163 75.00–93.00 $84.79 $976 -1.38
1060–1330 1168 85-90% 74 81.00–92.50 $90.43 $1,056 -1.72
948–1290 1192 85-90% 295 89.50–100.00 $96.10 $1,146 -7.41
1038–1315 1192 85-90% 69 88.00–99.00 $93.91 $1,119 -9.60
1105–1268 1232 85-90% 23 97.00–105.00 $101.82 $1,254 +7.38
1280–1295 1286 85-90% 4 102.50–104.00 $102.88 $1,323 +35.88
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1320–1435 1351 80-85% 11 89.00–94.00 $92.64 $1,252 -5.90
1085–1590 1373 80-85% 27 80.00–94.50 $87.10 $1,196 -11.44
1235–1555 1394 80-85% 163 92.00–105.00 $99.53 $1,387 +3.61
1253–1610 1400 80-85% 53 90.00–104.50 $97.55 $1,366 +8.06
1305–1665 1413 80-85% 6 102.00–113.00 $106.71 $1,508 +16.92
1300–1678 1424 80-85% 31 102.00–106.50 $104.08 $1,482 -0.87
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1359–1585 1401 75-80% 103 99.00–103.00 $99.48 $1,394 —
1483–1670 1548 75-80% 10 98.00–104.50 $103.60 $1,604 +6.46
1395–1620 1575 75-80% 25 94.50–99.00 $95.31 $1,501 -5.01
1515–1700 1590 75-80% 5 106.50–108.00 $107.10 $1,703 +6.78
1525–1780 1618 75-80% 8 106.50–109.00 $107.83 $1,745 +15.12
1458–1890 1652 75-80% 23 93.00–101.00 $96.99 $1,602 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1621–1910 1657 65-75% 8 103.50–104.00 $103.93 $1,722 +1.50
1627–1767 1710 65-75% 74 105.25–106.25 $105.49 $1,804 +4.12

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1218–1440 1329 7 93.00–103.00 $97.04 $1,290 —
1644 1644 9 112.00 $112.00 $1,841 —
1125–2185 1750 52 90.00–111.00 $103.13 $1,805 -10.32
1575–2455 1873 43 111.00–119.00 $112.81 $2,113 —
1785–2405 1986 14 119.00–128.00 $121.77 $2,418 —
2600 2600 1 92.00 $92.00 $2,392 —
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
2340 2340 1 117.00 $117.00 $2,738 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
812–1390 1010 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 157 102.00–163.00 $131.49 $1,328
780–1215 1011 (<2 yrs)Open 94 122.00–191.50 $167.45 $1,693
1063–1369 1168 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 22 96.00–122.00 $108.99 $1,273
1223 1223 (<2 yrs)Open 20 151.00 $151.00 $1,847
1355 1355 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 114.00 $114.00 $1,545
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
785 thin fleshed 785 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 97.00 $97.00 $761
820–988 894 (<2 yrs)Open 14 120.00–185.00 $155.67 $1,392
885–1285 1030 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 91.00–125.00 $105.73 $1,089

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1145 1145 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,000.00 $2,000.00
1098–1218 1170 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 1,800.00–2,050.00 $1,956.15
1240 1240 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 2 1,500.00 $1,500.00
1310 1310 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,650.00 $1,650.00
1294–1675 1342 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 8 1,610.00–1,700.00 $1,628.88
1323–1575 1397 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 17 2,350.00–2,450.00 $2,416.84
1390–1405 1398 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 14 1,550.00–1,560.00 $1,554.97
1450 1450 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 1,710.00 $1,710.00
1455–1590 1472 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 8 1,550.00–1,635.00 $1,623.52
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1289 1289 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 24 109.00 $109.00 $1,405
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1093 thin fleshed 1093 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 1,100.00 $1,100.00
1165–1213 1197 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 3 1,700.00–1,750.00 $1,733.78
1258 1258 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 1,750.00 $1,750.00
1295–1400 1316 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 5 1,500.00–1,575.00 $1,559.04
1315–1357 1332 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 9 1,335.00–1,385.00 $1,373.91

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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.