Cattle Market Pulse

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, July 27, 2026

509 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 $330.00/cwt -4.00 vs last sale · ≈ $3,036/hd at 920 lb · 15 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $312.01/cwt ≈ $2,877/hd at 922 lb · 10 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1 steers $523.41/cwt ≈ $1,973/hd at 377 lb · 10 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 509 931 701
Feeder cattle 158 401 188
Slaughter cattle 250 409 395
Replacement cattle 101 121 118

Market comments — USDA reporter

Only one sale was held this week as Montana continues with summer sale schedules. Please check out Public Auction yards sale report (https://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/ams_1774.pdf) for the latest weekly market commentary.

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
310 unweaned 310 1 560.00 $560.00 $1,736 -70.00
365–388 unweaned 377 10 512.50–535.00 $523.41 $1,973 —
400 unweaned 400 1 500.00 $500.00 $2,000 —
715 715 2 380.00 $380.00 $2,717 —
825 825 1 355.00 $355.00 $2,929 +1.00
855 855 1 345.00 $345.00 $2,950 -0.97
920 920 15 330.00 $330.00 $3,036 -4.00
1047 1047 6 310.00 $310.00 $3,246 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
725 725 1 370.00 $370.00 $2,682 -15.00
755 755 1 350.00 $350.00 $2,642 —
973 973 3 323.00 $323.00 $3,143 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205 1205 2 262.50 $262.50 $3,163 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
698 698 2 380.00 $380.00 $2,652 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 unweaned 305 2 475.00–480.00 $477.50 $1,456 —
365 unweaned 365 1 445.00 $445.00 $1,624 —
862–869 866 8 327.50–330.00 $328.43 $2,844 -1.49
986 986 5 290.00 $290.00 $2,859 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
780 780 1 315.00 $315.00 $2,457 -12.50
875–885 881 5 321.00–325.00 $322.59 $2,842 —
918–923 922 10 300.00–315.00 $312.01 $2,877 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1062 1062 6 278.00 $278.00 $2,952 —
1170 1170 2 251.00 $251.00 $2,937 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
770 770 4 290.00 $290.00 $2,233 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
302 unweaned 302 3 510.00 $510.00 $1,540 —
425 unweaned 425 1 485.00 $485.00 $2,061 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1140 1140 1 257.50 $257.50 $2,936 —
1155 1155 1 260.00 $260.00 $3,003 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
710 710 2 285.00 $285.00 $2,024 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
835 835 1 302.00 $302.00 $2,522 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1323–1490 1396 80-85% 15 150.00–164.00 $157.44 $2,198 -3.46
1300–1545 1414 80-85% 4 182.00–188.00 $184.86 $2,614 +30.79
1325–1530 1429 80-85% 7 135.00–148.00 $142.74 $2,040 -35.89
1270–1610 1437 80-85% 14 153.00–169.00 $163.72 $2,353 -14.91
1240–1610 1457 80-85% 47 171.00–180.00 $176.66 $2,574 —
1400–1598 1472 80-85% 6 165.00–171.00 $168.69 $2,483 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1405–1637 1545 75-80% 25 168.00–179.00 $173.85 $2,686 -8.15
1500–1630 1565 75-80% 2 161.00–165.00 $162.92 $2,550 —
1617 1617 75-80% 3 179.00 $179.00 $2,894 +15.80
1555–1800 1639 75-80% 5 169.00–171.00 $169.73 $2,782 -0.52
1445–1995 1709 75-80% 4 154.00–165.50 $161.31 $2,757 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
880 880 85-90% 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,276 -14.18
1020 1020 85-90% 2 160.00 $160.00 $1,632 ±0.00
1075 1075 85-90% 1 183.00 $183.00 $1,967 —
1010–1235 1126 85-90% 13 125.00–145.00 $137.61 $1,549 —
925–1290 1165 85-90% 5 149.00–155.00 $151.70 $1,767 +0.71
1140–1233 1223 85-90% 10 152.50–163.00 $159.09 $1,946 +4.77
1120–1395 1240 85-90% 3 174.00–179.00 $177.08 $2,196 +22.76

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1480–1630 1519 4 160.00–180.00 $171.15 $2,600 —
1565 1565 2 195.00 $195.00 $3,052 -6.25
1345–1855 1636 6 187.00–197.00 $191.01 $3,125 —
1715–2040 1840 10 200.00–211.00 $204.63 $3,765 —
1565–2345 1998 28 200.00–211.00 $206.63 $4,128 -6.09
1830–2300 2046 7 213.00–238.00 $225.93 $4,623 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1135–1150 1143 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 215.00 $215.00 $2,457
1185–1193 1190 (<2 yrs)Open 3 222.50–237.50 $232.52 $2,767
1200–1375 1303 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 6 180.00–190.00 $183.76 $2,394
1308–1483 1396 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 4 179.50–188.00 $183.48 $2,561
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
970–1130 1028 (<2 yrs)Open 3 215.00–240.00 $227.70 $2,341
1060–1270 1143 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 8 181.00–210.00 $193.16 $2,208
1300 1300 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 180.00 $180.00 $2,340

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1235 1235 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,500.00 $2,500.00
1430 1430 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,000.00 $3,000.00
1450–1463 1457 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 2,850.00–2,900.00 $2,874.89
1570 1570 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,750.00 $2,750.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
940 940 (<2 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 4 2,850.00 $2,850.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1155 1155 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,700.00 $2,700.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1764 1764 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 16 4,500.00 $4,500.00 —
2008 2008 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 4,800.00 $4,800.00 —

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Dairy Cows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1160 1160 80-85% 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,798 —

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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.