Cattle Market Pulse

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, May 20, 2024

3,593 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $248.43/cwt -0.45 vs last sale · ≈ $1,712/hd at 689 lb · 42 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $332.00/cwt +1.79 vs last sale · ≈ $1,946/hd at 586 lb · 30 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $241.00/cwt ≈ $1,964/hd at 815 lb · 29 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,593 7,048 3,555
Feeder cattle 530 2,299 1,639
Slaughter cattle 1,255 1,513 1,212
Replacement cattle 1,808 1,047 704

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Too few sales were seen last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on all feeders on offer. Cattle were mostly offered in small package sizes this week. Demand was moderate to good for very light offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain to average, with a limited offering of attractive cattle seen. Cattle suitable to develop on grass continue to sell with the best demand. CME positions traded sideways for the week as traders reacted to higher cash buying ahead of the Memorial day holiday and the cattle on feed report which was released on Friday. The May feeder cattle contract settled Friday at 250.14, up 3.415 from last Friday. August closed at 260.225 up 0.375 from last Friday. Market activity this week was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Packers showed mostly very good demand for slaughter cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher on breaking and boning cows, lean cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher. Demand from private feeders forced packers to bid up lean cows in order to secure offerings. Feeding cow demand was very good this week as many buyers were in the seats, as well as on the internet, at all the sale actively buying cows. Feeding cows all sold steady to 3.00 higher. Quality this week was mostly average to very attractive with many high quality reputation cows seen. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to above average. Most cows have been out on grass and were very empty at sale time. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00 to 5.00 higher. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady. Demand was good to very good for high quality offerings which buyers are looking to rebreed. Young two year old heifers which have not calved yet sold with a 8.00-12.00 discount to ones which lost calves.

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
480 480 3 355.00 $355.00 $1,704 -12.26
524–549 537 8 341.00–348.00 $344.58 $1,850 +9.22
586 586 30 332.00 $332.00 $1,946 +1.79
661–663 662 6 280.00–300.00 $286.68 $1,898 +5.19
767 767 10 257.00 $257.00 $1,971 +4.00
998 998 3 225.00 $225.00 $2,246 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
459 459 7 334.00 $334.00 $1,533 -1.84
500–540 513 3 291.00–325.00 $302.92 $1,554 -9.69
555–585 565 8 292.00–310.00 $298.55 $1,687 -5.44
665 665 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,729 -9.49
779 779 5 251.00 $251.00 $1,955 +2.00
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
498 498 8 182.50 $182.50 $909 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
588 588 2 287.50 $287.50 $1,690 +7.50
817 817 3 222.50 $222.50 $1,818 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
752 752 3 181.00 $181.00 $1,361 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 4 311.00 $311.00 $1,088 +0.12
478 478 4 292.50 $292.50 $1,398 -2.33
520–525 521 6 287.50–296.00 $294.57 $1,535 +12.07
586–593 589 7 262.50–281.00 $273.02 $1,608 -4.60
608–634 626 10 259.00–269.00 $259.97 $1,627 -10.73
664–697 689 42 242.00–260.50 $248.43 $1,712 -0.45
730–745 738 6 238.00 $238.00 $1,756 +3.00
767 767 3 239.00 $239.00 $1,833 ±0.00
865 865 1 217.50 $217.50 $1,881 -5.50
907 907 19 216.00 $216.00 $1,959 —
948 948 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,896 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
618 618 6 279.00 $279.00 $1,724 -12.61
738 738 19 247.50 $247.50 $1,827 -3.32
815 815 29 241.00 $241.00 $1,964 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
431 431 6 297.50 $297.50 $1,282 —
553 553 3 248.00 $248.00 $1,371 —
640 640 6 227.50 $227.50 $1,456 -4.40
786 786 13 221.00 $221.00 $1,737 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
480 480 3 185.00 $185.00 $888 —
551 551 7 150.00 $150.00 $826 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
516 516 8 300.00 $300.00 $1,548 +10.03
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
673 673 2 250.50 $250.50 $1,686 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
558 558 2 242.00 $242.00 $1,350 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
80 80 1 475.00 $475.00 —

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Feeder Bulls

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
625 625 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,750 —
1040 1040 1 222.50 $222.50 $2,314 —
1068–1095 1077 3 213.00–221.00 $215.71 $2,323 —
1100–1105 1102 3 186.00–204.00 $197.98 $2,182 —
1155–1170 1165 5 177.00–207.50 $195.37 $2,276 +16.09
1205–1248 1244 10 182.00–187.50 $182.53 $2,271 +4.64
1280 1280 1 172.50 $172.50 $2,208 +12.50
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 2 340.00 $340.00 $1,190 —
563–573 566 6 270.00–277.50 $272.53 $1,543 —
664 664 4 247.50 $247.50 $1,643 —
813 813 4 232.50 $232.50 $1,890 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
442 442 3 342.50 $342.50 $1,514 —
623 623 2 264.00 $264.00 $1,645 —
735 735 2 255.00 $255.00 $1,874 +12.62
760 760 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,824 -2.00
805–825 810 4 231.00–235.00 $232.02 $1,879 —
980 980 2 215.00–218.00 $216.50 $2,122 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
85 85 4 375.00 $375.00 —
125–130 127 3 500.00–600.00 $533.33 +8.33

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1225–1643 1359 80-85% 199 129.00–142.00 $137.07 $1,863 +2.41
1260–1575 1370 80-85% 21 120.00–129.00 $126.37 $1,731 -8.29
1220–1795 1394 80-85% 88 127.00–142.00 $135.65 $1,891 +0.95
1235–1695 1420 80-85% 51 140.00–146.50 $142.51 $2,024 +20.24
1210–1595 1433 80-85% 135 140.00–149.00 $142.87 $2,047 +20.60
1325–1695 1473 80-85% 17 116.00–132.00 $125.35 $1,846 -15.24
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
870–925 905 85-90% 4 94.00–97.00 $95.01 $860 -15.24
930–945 940 85-90% 4 107.50–121.00 $113.65 $1,068 +3.40
980 980 85-90% 1 134.00 $134.00 $1,313 +12.00
1130 1130 85-90% 3 85.00 $85.00 $960 -27.63
1000–1350 1133 85-90% 64 99.00–125.00 $116.05 $1,315 +3.42
1077–1297 1177 85-90% 114 134.50–142.50 $138.71 $1,633 +8.92
1025–1320 1199 85-90% 48 121.00–135.00 $128.89 $1,545 -5.90
1145–1300 1206 85-90% 28 133.00–139.00 $136.58 $1,647 +1.69
1080–1400 1207 85-90% 18 110.00–123.00 $118.83 $1,434 -16.06
1045–1307 1217 85-90% 131 124.00–135.00 $129.86 $1,580 -5.03
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1530 1530 75-80% 1 132.00 $132.00 $2,020 —
1523–1590 1542 75-80% 5 141.00–143.00 $142.59 $2,199 —
1445–1680 1548 75-80% 21 137.00–141.00 $139.15 $2,154 —
1470–1675 1592 75-80% 3 143.50–147.00 $145.57 $2,317 +1.14
1423–1910 1643 75-80% 16 142.50–147.00 $144.73 $2,378 —
1500–1960 1788 75-80% 8 131.00–136.00 $134.06 $2,397 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1255 1255 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,820 —
1320–1330 1325 2 135.00–141.00 $138.01 $1,829 +10.48
1220–1440 1335 11 142.00–152.00 $147.43 $1,968 +19.90
1260–1650 1458 10 127.50–143.00 $139.94 $2,040 —
1260–1810 1587 16 127.00–143.00 $137.60 $2,184 —
1475–2260 1768 33 143.00–160.00 $154.27 $2,727 +5.23
1680–2470 2027 59 157.00–179.75 $165.39 $3,352 +1.98
2565 2565 1 158.00 $158.00 $4,053 —
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1735–1740 1738 2 144.00–157.00 $150.49 $2,616 —
2505 2505 1 151.00 $151.00 $3,783 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
778–783 thin fleshed 781 (<2 yrs)Open 4 205.00–207.50 $206.25 $1,611
849–972 thin fleshed 904 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 29 171.00–180.00 $175.66 $1,588
688–1280 986 (<2 yrs)Open 222 146.00–246.00 $201.15 $1,983
855–1355 1106 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 166 137.00–224.00 $167.23 $1,850
1023–1250 1128 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 31 138.00–158.00 $150.33 $1,696
1197 1197 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 3 145.00 $145.00 $1,736
1285 1285 (<2 yrs)Open 1 165.00 $165.00 $2,120
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
800–1135 920 (<2 yrs)Open 16 155.00–200.00 $184.07 $1,693
898–1265 1085 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 15 132.00–181.00 $147.23 $1,597
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
910 910 (<2 yrs)Open 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,410
959 959 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 6 130.00 $130.00 $1,247
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1042–1300 1107 (<2 yrs)Open 6 142.00–182.50 $167.90 $1,859
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1603 1603 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 3 2,775.00 $2,775.00
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
793 thin fleshed 793 (<2 yrs)Open 2 160.00 $160.00 $1,269

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1020–1408 1271 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 16 2,200.00–2,450.00 $2,366.67
1346 1346 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 10 1,800.00 $1,800.00
1360 1360 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,250.00 $2,250.00
1380 1380 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 3 1,700.00 $1,700.00
1362–1433 1406 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 8 1,775.00–1,900.00 $1,854.60
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1429 1429 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 4 128.50 $128.50 $1,836

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
940–1335 1138 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,150.00–2,325.00 $2,252.69

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1006 thin fleshed 1006 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 31 2,950.00 $2,950.00 —
1211–1358 thin fleshed 1236 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 12 2,950.00–2,975.00 $2,954.58 —
1216–1423 1323 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 127 3,000.00–3,500.00 $3,135.94 —
1415 thin fleshed 1415 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 2,600.00 $2,600.00 —
1434 thin fleshed 1434 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 25 2,600.00 $2,600.00 —
1232–1661 1473 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 34 2,700.00–3,100.00 $2,886.88 —
1390–1835 1627 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 62 2,750.00–2,975.00 $2,913.32 +181.97
1643–1755 1653 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 25 2,725.00–2,825.00 $2,768.81 —
1879 1879 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 5 3,250.00 $3,250.00 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1349 thin fleshed 1349 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 9 2,200.00 $2,200.00 —
1358–1365 1361 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 48 2,350.00–2,475.00 $2,399.63 —
1398 thin fleshed 1398 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 2 2,150.00 $2,150.00 —
1475 1475 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 18 2,525.00 $2,525.00 —
1475 1475 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 2 2,425.00 $2,425.00 —
Medium 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1068 1068 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 10 2,675.00 $2,675.00 —
1075–1112 1087 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 16 2,875.00–3,025.00 $2,922.97 —
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
891 891 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 2,050.00 $2,050.00 —

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Dairy Bulls

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
920 920 1 110.00 $110.00 $1,012 —

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Heifer Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1144–1630 1224 (<2 yrs)Open 93 3,100.00–3,800.00 $3,310.23 —
Medium 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
997 997 (<2 yrs)Open 12 2,900.00 $2,900.00 —

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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.