Cattle Market Pulse

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, April 1, 2024

6,588 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 $299.83/cwt +13.83 vs last sale · ≈ $1,724/hd at 575 lb · 588 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $315.18/cwt ≈ $1,976/hd at 627 lb · 419 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $350.49/cwt ≈ $1,854/hd at 529 lb · 316 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 6,588 906 2,280
Feeder cattle 5,526 236 929
Slaughter cattle 470 461 725
Replacement cattle 592 209 626

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Too few sales were seen the previous week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed on a significantly higher quality offering. Two large feeder specials were seen this past week and demand. Cattle suitable to develop on grass sold with the best demand. Most cattle on offer were light and green and fit the weigh requirements buyers were looking for in grass offerings. Timely rains and snow have supplies much needed moisture to the area with heavy mountain snow and valley rain and snow. Grass fever has set in and despite lower CME positions buyers showed good demand for offerings as supplies remain light. Demand was mostly good to very good for moderate offerings. Several ranchers were in town this week buying cattle for grass, and heifers for replacements. Quality was mostly average to very attractive. Replacement type heifers were very attractive this week. CME positions struggled much of the week and lower closing prices were seen for the second week in a row. Market activity this week was mostly active. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for light offerings. Packers continue to show very good demand for cows for immediate harvest. Packers were also forced to compete with feeding buyers as well as a few ranchers looking for young cows to turn out and rebreed. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Packers showed very good demand for slaughter cows this week. Slaughter cows generally steady on all offerings. Feeding cows suitable to feed to premium white sold mostly steady to firm. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 3.00 higher. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold with higher undertones in a narrow comparison. Demand remains good for high quality 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
365–389 374 16 400.00–404.00 $401.28 $1,501 —
401–447 434 53 346.00–407.00 $389.49 $1,690 —
460–486 470 87 341.00–386.00 $374.70 $1,761 +24.70
506–548 529 316 325.00–368.00 $350.49 $1,854 —
554–598 569 171 320.00–343.00 $334.71 $1,904 +0.71
600–648 627 419 296.00–324.00 $315.18 $1,976 —
655–695 679 219 280.00–304.00 $297.63 $2,021 —
704–748 731 68 262.00–281.00 $268.50 $1,963 —
750 fancy 750 87 280.00 $280.00 $2,100 —
764–799 789 107 248.00–258.00 $252.20 $1,990 -2.80
882–893 888 11 232.00–236.00 $234.19 $2,080 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–398 380 18 356.00–380.00 $367.71 $1,397 —
405–438 423 20 334.00–370.00 $355.45 $1,504 +15.76
450–499 475 43 305.00–373.00 $343.30 $1,631 +0.93
520–539 534 48 290.00–335.00 $316.16 $1,688 -16.84
570–595 582 53 297.00–323.00 $312.64 $1,820 +1.15
600–649 639 43 260.00–298.00 $286.68 $1,832 -12.30
652–693 676 58 250.00–290.00 $274.96 $1,859 +2.96
705–745 726 17 241.00–255.00 $251.49 $1,826 -14.34
765–798 782 26 222.00–249.00 $234.77 $1,836 —
805–845 827 15 217.00–227.00 $222.85 $1,843 -2.15
934–948 944 7 214.00–219.00 $217.59 $2,054 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415–432 425 7 310.00–330.00 $318.38 $1,353 —
450–494 473 32 300.00–325.00 $308.49 $1,459 —
585 585 4 277.00 $277.00 $1,620 —
600–628 607 20 210.00–220.00 $212.59 $1,290 —
677–685 680 13 227.00–258.00 $243.80 $1,658 —
755–775 761 8 208.00–234.00 $223.90 $1,704 —
840 840 2 212.00 $212.00 $1,781 —
856 856 7 227.00 $227.00 $1,943 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–360 357 5 342.00–350.00 $345.23 $1,232 —
400–448 430 169 325.00–344.00 $333.61 $1,435 —
463–499 483 199 313.00–331.00 $321.70 $1,554 +1.25
510–545 521 100 292.00–320.00 $311.82 $1,625 —
553–595 575 588 288.00–315.00 $299.83 $1,724 +13.83
600–639 608 214 277.00–297.00 $285.10 $1,733 +11.57
653–687 673 170 255.00–290.00 $271.05 $1,824 +9.05
700–725 716 123 252.00–270.00 $264.24 $1,892 —
753–765 757 38 246.00–270.00 $256.86 $1,944 —
805–815 808 7 225.00–237.00 $233.54 $1,887 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
625–630 630 370 1,835.00–1,900.00 $1,894.59 —
672 672 21 1,910.00 $1,910.00 —
709–712 710 158 1,960.00–2,025.00 $2,000.66 —
774–796 789 141 1,950.00–2,185.00 $2,098.47 —
825–847 832 125 2,200.00–2,210.00 $2,203.10 —
854 854 8 2,075.00 $2,075.00 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325–348 336 26 287.50–340.00 $318.91 $1,072 —
355–395 385 33 322.00–344.00 $335.15 $1,290 —
400–448 428 111 305.00–329.00 $318.40 $1,363 -1.60
452–495 475 85 282.00–325.00 $304.95 $1,449 —
500–549 529 160 255.00–301.00 $280.71 $1,485 -11.32
556–585 576 69 254.00–284.00 $273.42 $1,575 -2.04
602–617 614 85 257.00–279.00 $269.95 $1,657 —
650–698 674 49 237.50–262.00 $251.61 $1,696 +9.11
705–741 727 28 237.00–260.00 $246.15 $1,790 —
775–788 781 31 234.00–253.00 $243.04 $1,898 +13.04
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330–340 335 4 307.00–310.00 $308.48 $1,033 —
360–375 372 18 310.00–330.00 $315.56 $1,174 —
485–486 485 24 270.00–290.00 $275.21 $1,335 —
504–530 513 29 245.00–285.00 $251.64 $1,291 —
560–585 577 24 237.00–262.00 $242.00 $1,396 —
600–635 621 11 215.00–250.00 $236.73 $1,470 —
682–698 690 13 215.00–233.00 $227.25 $1,568 —
785–795 789 8 200.00–217.00 $206.43 $1,629 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
377 377 14 375.00 $375.00 $1,414 —
475–480 476 43 320.00–340.00 $337.65 $1,607 —
500–529 526 10 290.00–305.00 $291.43 $1,533 -21.57
555–593 578 5 275.00–277.00 $276.23 $1,597 -31.12
739 739 8 253.00 $253.00 $1,870 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
609 609 14 309.00 $309.00 $1,882 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1150–1345 1248 80-85% 2 119.00–121.00 $119.92 $1,497 —
960–1540 1326 80-85% 14 127.00–145.00 $136.83 $1,814 —
1145–1610 1347 80-85% 8 137.00–150.00 $142.79 $1,923 —
1014–1755 1348 80-85% 49 121.00–139.00 $133.48 $1,799 —
1230–1600 1408 80-85% 5 137.00–143.00 $140.44 $1,977 +24.08
1295–1620 1410 80-85% 11 115.00–129.00 $122.81 $1,732 +6.45
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1155–1845 1470 75-80% 25 122.00–139.00 $131.81 $1,938 —
1425–1625 1475 75-80% 4 117.00–125.00 $119.20 $1,758 —
1465–1620 1561 75-80% 16 136.00–142.00 $140.29 $2,190 +16.20
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1085 1043 85-90% 2 114.00–116.00 $114.96 $1,199 +23.73
910–1275 1104 85-90% 7 105.00–114.00 $109.42 $1,208 —
1135–1445 1257 85-90% 16 111.00–129.00 $121.06 $1,522 —
1025–1425 1263 85-90% 4 123.00–127.00 $124.33 $1,570 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1540–1925 1675 8 116.00–137.00 $126.85 $2,125 —
1455–2340 1807 17 131.00–153.00 $139.89 $2,528 —
1780–2178 1954 12 150.00–169.00 $159.25 $3,112 —

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
730–1055 862 (<2 yrs)Open 90 177.50–240.00 $215.23 $1,855
860–1449 1029 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 70 123.00–213.00 $160.84 $1,655

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
960 960 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,400.00 $1,400.00
1193–1225 1195 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 21 1,775.00–2,700.00 $2,654.83
1260 1260 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 1,600.00 $1,600.00
1055–1470 1336 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 1,910.00–2,350.00 $2,127.53
1125–1385 1370 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 17 1,950.00–2,100.00 $2,092.75
1385 1385 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,850.00 $1,850.00

↑ Back to top

Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
835–885 852 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,100.00–1,750.00 $1,325.15
1092 1092 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 11 2,400.00 $2,400.00
1150 1150 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 1,100.00 $1,100.00

↑ Back to top

Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
980–1300 1107 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 2,050.00–2,450.00 $2,293.37 —

↑ Back to top

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.