Cattle Market Pulse

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, August 18, 2025

1,638 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 steers $352.69/cwt +24.90 vs last sale · ≈ $3,255/hd at 923 lb · 138 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $318.76/cwt +14.21 vs last sale · ≈ $3,105/hd at 974 lb · 131 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $331.68/cwt ≈ $2,886/hd at 870 lb · 98 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Head itemized in priced lots 1,638 — —

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 unweaned 375 1 550.00 $550.00 $2,062 —
411 unweaned 411 9 455.00 $455.00 $1,870 —
693 693 6 400.00 $400.00 $2,772 —
708–734 733 54 394.00–397.50 $394.13 $2,889 +21.75
778–781 780 10 370.00 $370.00 $2,886 +11.24
832 832 10 325.00 $325.00 $2,704 -28.00
829–839 835 11 350.00–360.00 $353.61 $2,953 +0.61
852–880 872 84 350.00–357.00 $356.92 $3,112 +16.47
906–946 923 138 332.00–354.50 $352.69 $3,255 +24.90
1007–1020 1009 50 320.00–338.00 $334.14 $3,371 +24.14
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 unweaned 290 4 505.00 $505.00 $1,464 —
508–510 509 9 447.50–457.50 $450.84 $2,295 +40.84
589 589 14 442.50 $442.50 $2,606 —
651 thin fleshed 651 7 422.50 $422.50 $2,750 —
715 715 2 355.00 $355.00 $2,538 —
780 780 1 361.00 $361.00 $2,816 —
819 819 14 356.00 $356.00 $2,916 —
878–880 879 4 333.00–340.00 $336.50 $2,958 +3.50
1015 1015 6 322.00 $322.00 $3,268 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1081 1081 6 294.00 $294.00 $3,178 —
1322–1327 1323 15 228.00–236.00 $229.60 $3,038 —
1443 1443 2 230.00 $230.00 $3,319 —
1475 1475 3 232.00 $232.00 $3,422 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
662 662 17 376.00 $376.00 $2,489 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
630 thin fleshed 630 8 417.50 $417.50 $2,630 —
688 688 3 392.50 $392.50 $2,700 +20.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1145 1145 9 273.00 $273.00 $3,126 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
692 692 10 372.50 $372.50 $2,578 —
725–740 738 13 358.00–359.00 $358.27 $2,644 —
776–798 780 62 350.00–359.00 $355.17 $2,770 +19.17
802 802 5 340.00 $340.00 $2,727 —
803–813 808 4 348.00–352.00 $349.99 $2,828 —
835 fancy 835 11 365.00 $365.00 $3,048 —
859–894 870 98 325.00–334.00 $331.68 $2,886 —
903–943 921 59 320.00–332.00 $326.37 $3,006 +14.01
938 938 11 314.00 $314.00 $2,945 +1.64
958–999 971 106 311.00–327.50 $322.29 $3,129 +17.74
983–997 987 25 303.00–307.00 $303.81 $2,999 -0.74
1005–1038 1028 18 304.00–313.00 $307.87 $3,165 +8.35
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
726 726 6 345.00 $345.00 $2,505 +18.67
778 778 4 320.00 $320.00 $2,490 —
783 783 5 336.00 $336.00 $2,631 —
807–835 812 12 315.00–330.50 $328.33 $2,666 +13.33
865–888 881 14 307.00–323.50 $317.03 $2,793 +14.99
925 925 2 306.00 $306.00 $2,830 +13.01
951 951 5 305.00 $305.00 $2,901 —
1023 1023 2 280.00 $280.00 $2,864 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
650–676 670 48 363.00–367.00 $363.45 $2,435 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
915–935 925 2 308.00–321.00 $314.43 $2,908 —
1063–1074 1069 21 293.00–297.50 $295.31 $3,157 +10.32
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
565 565 5 350.00 $350.00 $1,978 +2.50

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
363 unweaned 363 2 470.00 $470.00 $1,706 —
573 573 2 345.00 $345.00 $1,977 —
895 895 3 305.00 $305.00 $2,730 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
880 880 2 345.00 $345.00 $3,036 —
935 935 1 330.00 $330.00 $3,086 +25.51
1008 1008 2 297.50 $297.50 $2,999 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1040 1040 1 310.00 $310.00 $3,224 —
1060 1060 1 302.50 $302.50 $3,206 —
1225 1225 1 250.00 $250.00 $3,062 —
1260 1260 1 241.00 $241.00 $3,037 +20.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1070 1070 1 270.00 $270.00 $2,889 +9.00
1170 1170 1 270.00 $270.00 $3,159 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1330 1330 80-85% 1 171.00 $171.00 $2,274 —
1185–1785 1441 80-85% 76 165.50–176.50 $170.56 $2,458 +7.56
1340–1745 1447 80-85% 35 154.00–164.00 $159.03 $2,301 -3.97
1295–1800 1461 80-85% 13 144.00–158.00 $152.33 $2,226 +10.87
1465 1465 80-85% 1 168.00 $168.00 $2,461 +26.54
1338–1925 1482 80-85% 9 135.00–148.00 $140.35 $2,080 -19.73
1260–1740 1527 80-85% 5 152.00–158.00 $155.87 $2,380 —
1535 1535 80-85% 1 164.00 $164.00 $2,517 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
905 905 85-90% 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,312 —
1010 1010 85-90% 1 112.50 $112.50 $1,136 —
900–1220 1068 85-90% 4 155.00–162.50 $158.55 $1,693 +21.05
1065–1218 1175 85-90% 5 168.00–171.00 $169.38 $1,990 +35.58
1180 1180 85-90% 1 154.00 $154.00 $1,817 +20.20
1080–1285 1213 85-90% 17 120.00–144.00 $132.06 $1,602 -17.42
1096–1591 1279 85-90% 19 140.00–156.00 $151.27 $1,935 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1420–1740 1632 75-80% 6 162.00–166.50 $164.36 $2,682 +6.72
1560–1825 1715 75-80% 4 161.00–168.00 $164.95 $2,829 -9.21
1720 1720 75-80% 1 136.00 $136.00 $2,339 -38.16
1675–1785 1730 75-80% 2 168.50–169.50 $168.98 $2,923 -5.18
1645–1915 1766 75-80% 5 145.00–158.00 $150.12 $2,651 —
2020 2020 75-80% 1 150.00 $150.00 $3,030 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1360–2030 1606 43 185.00–197.00 $191.44 $3,075 —
1265–1983 1634 17 170.00–185.00 $180.78 $2,954 —
1650–1730 1695 3 192.00–196.00 $193.68 $3,283 —
1660–2055 1865 17 176.00–185.00 $182.41 $3,402 —
1715–1995 1872 3 213.00–222.00 $216.88 $4,060 —
1528–2365 1896 67 185.00–201.00 $192.78 $3,655 —
1730–2445 2032 14 201.00–217.00 $206.54 $4,197 —
2505–2525 2515 2 190.00–194.00 $192.01 $4,829 —
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
2255–2270 2263 2 186.00–196.00 $191.02 $4,323 —
2340 2340 1 196.00 $196.00 $4,586 -7.00

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1010–1080 1035 (<2 yrs)Open 3 230.00–261.00 $243.72 $2,523
1088–1400 1179 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 10 185.00–234.00 $205.01 $2,417
1289 thin fleshed 1289 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 23 178.00 $178.00 $2,294
1283–1352 1317 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 123 184.00–185.00 $184.63 $2,432
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1145 1145 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 174.00 $174.00 $1,992
1243 thin fleshed 1243 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 4 163.00 $163.00 $2,026
1275–1323 1316 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 27 174.00–174.50 $174.43 $2,295
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
945 945 (<2 yrs)Open 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,606

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1293 1293 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 4 2,250.00 $2,250.00

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Dairy Cows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1100 1100 85-90% 1 131.00 $131.00 $1,441 —
1325 1325 80-85% 1 128.00 $128.00 $1,696 —

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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.