Cattle Market Pulse

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, February 23, 2026

5,268 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $433.61/cwt +39.60 vs last sale · ≈ $2,752/hd at 635 lb · 640 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $389.73/cwt ≈ $2,628/hd at 674 lb · 524 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $432.86/cwt +7.86 vs last sale · ≈ $2,485/hd at 574 lb · 233 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 5,268 2,103 6,644
Feeder cattle 4,727 1,247 4,758
Slaughter cattle 362 380 1,239
Replacement cattle 179 476 647

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Steers under 750 lbs sold generally steady to firm. Steers over 750 lbs were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Heifers under 450 lbs were too lightly tested to develop any market trend, 450-549 lbs heifers sold generally steady. 550-649 lbs heifers offered the best test this week selling mostly 10.00-20.00 higher. All other weights of heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Most cattle were offered in moderate size packages up to load lots this week. Quality was mostly average to very attractive this week with lots of variation noticed. Demand overall was good to very good. Demand for high quality cattle, suitable to run on grass, remains very good. Replacement and feeding heifer buyers both showed very good demand for heifers which could fit both buyers needs. This class of offerings these offerings showed the largest week over week gains. CME positions sold off late in the week as lower fed cattle prices weighed on the market. The March closed at 355.425, 12.60 lower than last Friday. The April closed at 351.20, 13.85 lower than last Friday. The May contract closed Friday at 347.20, 13.80 lower than last Friday. Market activity was mostly active despite lower CME positions for the week as buyers continue to bid aggressively over limited offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for light offerings. Feeding cow demand remains the driving force in the market. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to weak as packer buyers were less aggressive when bidding on feeding cows. A large crowd of feeding cow buyers were present at all sales this week which helped hold feeding cow prices near steady. Buyers showed willingness to take even blemished cows to feed as supplies are currently very tight as very few older cows are being marketed. One sale this week only had 28 cows on offer! Slaughter cow demand remains strong as packers continue to show good demand for limited slaughter offerings. Packers were forced to purchase some feeding cows for slaughter this week as packers needed cows to cover immediate harvest needs. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however sharply higher undertones were noticed. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady. Demand for young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed was mostly moderate to good this week. A few cows and heifers which lost calves are starting to be marketed. Demand for high quality offerings is very good. Coming 2 year old cows sold mostly steady to firm on an average to attractive quality offering.

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
400–424 415 16 600.00–620.00 $618.80 $2,568 -6.72
453–484 474 66 559.00–615.00 $574.00 $2,721 -6.78
509–548 540 230 511.00–550.00 $517.32 $2,794 +2.21
550–584 573 160 485.00–517.00 $493.75 $2,829 +4.16
600–649 613 136 445.00–487.50 $465.08 $2,851 +13.43
660–690 671 207 413.50–435.00 $425.91 $2,858 +1.62
700–730 725 35 395.00–415.00 $402.49 $2,918 +10.55
760–778 778 62 377.50–391.00 $377.79 $2,939 —
808–849 828 54 359.50–369.00 $363.41 $3,009 -3.59
815–847 829 31 340.50–345.00 $342.92 $2,843 -24.08
886 886 11 348.00 $348.00 $3,083 +10.00
967 967 21 328.00 $328.00 $3,172 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
303–334 317 9 620.00–640.00 $629.37 $1,995 +1.87
373–377 375 5 575.00–595.00 $587.05 $2,201 -36.16
406–442 415 39 560.00–596.00 $584.33 $2,425 +28.06
465–495 480 4 530.00–552.50 $541.60 $2,600 +29.79
528–549 545 52 495.00–505.00 $499.90 $2,724 -26.31
570–598 585 29 452.00–477.50 $468.80 $2,742 +16.55
621–648 641 15 422.50–438.00 $426.51 $2,734 +11.51
663 663 10 382.50 $382.50 $2,536 —
666 thin fleshed 666 8 430.00 $430.00 $2,864 —
657–675 672 37 402.50–422.00 $416.82 $2,801 —
710 710 5 375.00 $375.00 $2,662 —
710–745 734 31 370.50–390.00 $374.50 $2,749 —
795 795 64 360.50 $360.50 $2,866 -7.08
886 886 10 336.00 $336.00 $2,977 -3.00
898 898 2 344.00 $344.00 $3,089 +5.00
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
455–495 475 2 527.50–557.50 $541.87 $2,574 —
510 510 2 547.50 $547.50 $2,792 +47.50
626 626 4 435.00 $435.00 $2,723 —
708 708 24 395.00 $395.00 $2,797 —
775 775 3 375.00 $375.00 $2,906 —
914–937 926 24 333.00–338.00 $335.26 $3,105 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
590–598 595 17 442.50–473.00 $453.17 $2,696 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 3 565.00 $565.00 $2,147 —
400 400 2 525.00 $525.00 $2,100 -12.98
494 494 5 507.50 $507.50 $2,507 —
585 585 1 415.00 $415.00 $2,428 —
673 673 3 367.50 $367.50 $2,473 +37.50
745 745 2 362.50 $362.50 $2,701 —
805 805 1 340.00 $340.00 $2,737 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
391 391 11 550.00–562.50 $556.82 $2,177 -0.68
425–428 427 18 532.50–542.00 $539.37 $2,303 -12.63
461–499 474 198 488.00–531.00 $512.38 $2,429 +14.85
502–548 524 188 456.00–487.00 $473.76 $2,483 -5.33
553–597 573 216 430.00–467.00 $451.88 $2,589 +10.89
600–649 634 411 399.00–452.50 $432.34 $2,741 +38.33
617–645 636 229 410.00–446.00 $435.90 $2,772 +41.89
650–695 672 388 365.00–398.00 $386.03 $2,594 —
675–696 681 136 392.00–407.00 $400.27 $2,726 —
700–717 705 16 398.00–418.00 $404.35 $2,851 —
700–725 717 62 356.00–380.00 $375.08 $2,689 +16.08
726–746 743 34 341.00–351.00 $349.56 $2,597 -9.44
767–774 769 19 359.00–362.00 $359.79 $2,767 -0.21
785 785 11 343.00 $343.00 $2,693 -17.00
808–845 831 116 340.00–347.50 $342.78 $2,849 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
403–445 422 14 510.00–540.00 $533.44 $2,251 +16.29
470–495 483 10 490.00–500.00 $496.48 $2,398 +29.53
536–548 541 14 448.00–455.00 $451.96 $2,445 +0.30
567–593 574 233 412.50–438.00 $432.86 $2,485 +7.86
620–649 636 25 365.00–405.00 $389.57 $2,478 +7.40
656–688 672 31 350.00–377.50 $373.52 $2,510 +18.50
705–743 738 7 353.00–356.00 $355.59 $2,624 —
769 769 18 339.00 $339.00 $2,607 —
828–840 829 9 310.00–330.00 $327.75 $2,717 —
863 863 6 331.00 $331.00 $2,857 —
955 955 9 312.00 $312.00 $2,980 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
739 739 62 2,900.00 $2,900.00 —
751–752 752 179 3,050.00–3,075.00 $3,072.07 —
852 852 5 2,950.00 $2,950.00 —
939 939 39 2,975.00 $2,975.00 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435 435 2 505.00 $505.00 $2,197 —
543–545 544 84 447.50–450.00 $448.96 $2,442 —
567 567 5 415.00 $415.00 $2,353 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460–465 461 4 505.00 $505.00 $2,328 —
616 616 7 405.00 $405.00 $2,495 —
668–679 677 20 364.00–386.00 $382.75 $2,591 —
702 702 28 371.00 $371.00 $2,604 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
336 336 10 505.00 $505.00 $1,697 —
393 393 2 482.50 $482.50 $1,896 —
420–429 428 9 495.00–505.00 $503.91 $2,157 +24.21
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
630 630 8 375.00 $375.00 $2,362 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510 510 1 540.00 $540.00 $2,754 —
570 570 1 430.00 $430.00 $2,451 -6.42
620–639 636 7 402.50–410.00 $403.54 $2,567 -15.73
695 695 3 385.00 $385.00 $2,676 —
705–715 710 2 375.00 $375.00 $2,662 +34.15
806–837 819 7 322.50–350.00 $334.54 $2,740 -5.46
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
357 357 3 507.50 $507.50 $1,812 —
480–490 484 5 477.50–490.00 $484.94 $2,347 —
500 500 1 490.00 $490.00 $2,450 —
798 798 2 345.00 $345.00 $2,753 —
895 895 1 315.00 $315.00 $2,819 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1220–1545 1359 80-85% 16 142.00–173.00 $151.58 $2,060 -10.62
1255–1675 1369 80-85% 50 180.00–182.00 $180.24 $2,467 +18.04
1315–1565 1380 80-85% 5 120.00–150.00 $133.88 $1,848 -28.32
1225–1545 1397 80-85% 85 164.50–180.00 $173.27 $2,421 +11.07
1280–1600 1431 80-85% 20 145.00–164.00 $157.17 $2,249 +25.85
1320–1715 1446 80-85% 7 171.00–175.00 $173.86 $2,514 +42.54
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
805–855 830 85-90% 2 110.00–125.00 $117.27 $973 —
900 900 85-90% 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,170 —
935 935 85-90% 1 85.00 $85.00 $795 -29.94
990 990 85-90% 1 182.50 $182.50 $1,807 —
1010–1245 1129 85-90% 24 135.00–163.00 $148.35 $1,675 -26.95
1000–1255 1141 85-90% 8 139.00–169.00 $149.51 $1,706 -25.79
1060–1255 1157 85-90% 14 122.00–136.00 $130.94 $1,515 -20.79
1155–1160 1158 85-90% 2 110.00–112.50 $111.25 $1,288 -40.48
1115–1243 1202 85-90% 20 161.00–177.00 $171.85 $2,066 —
1214–1220 1215 85-90% 9 179.00–179.50 $179.44 $2,180 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1382 1382 75-80% 10 180.50 $180.50 $2,495 —
1575 1575 75-80% 1 163.00 $163.00 $2,567 -14.30
1545–1660 1615 75-80% 5 170.00–176.50 $173.60 $2,804 —
1670 1670 75-80% 1 156.00 $156.00 $2,605 -18.00
1505–2020 1671 75-80% 21 165.00–178.50 $171.61 $2,868 -2.39

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1290–1685 1566 6 188.00–197.50 $192.48 $3,014 +32.50
1245–1965 1581 9 170.00–186.50 $174.79 $2,763 +14.81
1740–2015 1940 4 173.00–186.00 $179.98 $3,492 —
1680–2305 1987 16 184.00–205.00 $194.89 $3,872 —
1870–2350 2098 5 209.00–218.00 $211.40 $4,435 —
2540 2540 1 202.00 $202.00 $5,131 —
2620 2620 1 206.00 $206.00 $5,397 —
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1825–2315 1948 4 198.00–206.00 $200.38 $3,903 —
2490 2490 1 186.00 $186.00 $4,631 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
713–1155 914 (<2 yrs)Open 34 235.00–340.00 $307.97 $2,815
840–1400 1020 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 69 200.00–320.00 $279.83 $2,854
1200–1260 1223 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 6 174.00–187.00 $183.29 $2,242
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
820–980 928 (<2 yrs)Open 6 255.00–290.00 $279.82 $2,597
860–1345 1091 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 18 167.50–277.50 $212.70 $2,321
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
840–985 911 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 205.00–240.00 $223.44 $2,036
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
820 820 (<2 yrs)Open 1 275.00 $275.00 $2,255

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1363–1455 1394 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 11 2,700.00 $2,700.00
1545 1545 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 3,050.00 $3,050.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1315 1315 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 3,400.00 $3,400.00
1363 1363 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 3,800.00 $3,800.00
1610 1610 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 3,250.00 $3,250.00

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Dairy Cows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
725 725 85-90% 1 115.00 $115.00 $834 —

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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.