Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were scarcely tested this week as this sale featured mostly cow calf pairs. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand. Demand for cows to ship to packers on the west coast remains very good. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher on all classes. Feeding cow demand was mostly moderate to good. Packer buyers purchased several groups of cows to feed for the upcoming 4th of July holiday. These cows were of plain to average quality. Feeding cows sold unevenly steady as packers purchased poorer quality cows to hold for the holiday. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 higher. Weigh up conditions were mostly average this week and lower overall compared to last week. This week featured several complete dispersions off reputation ranches and demand for these offerings was very good. Recent rains have many ranchers looking to restock from last years drought. Most ranches in Central, Southern, and Eastern Montana have an abundance of grass following recent spring rains. Demand for all offerings was good to very good. A large crowd was on hand for todays sale and pairs sold sharply higher as competition was strong. Young age open cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady. Quality this week was average to attractive.
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.
Cattle Market
Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were scarcely tested this week as this sale featured mostly cow calf pairs. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand. Demand for cows to ship to packers on the west coast remains very good. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher on all classes. Feeding cow demand was mostly moderate to good. Packer buyers purchased several groups of cows to feed for the upcoming 4th of July holiday. These cows were of plain to average quality. Feeding cows sold unevenly steady as packers purchased poorer quality cows to hold for the holiday. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 higher. Weigh up conditions were mostly average this week and lower overall compared to last week. This week featured several complete dispersions off reputation ranches and demand for these offerings was very good. Recent rains have many ranchers looking to restock from last years drought. Most ranches in Central, Southern, and Eastern Montana have an abundance of grass following recent spring rains. Demand for all offerings was good to very good. A large crowd was on hand for todays sale and pairs sold sharply higher as competition was strong. Young age open cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady. Quality this week was average to attractive.