State summaries / Montana / Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary / 2025-02-03

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · Weekly summary · Mon, Feb 3

● As filed129 lines reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1778

State summary

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 129 priced lines covering 5,640 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 1,543 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 918 head. replacement cattle receipts at 4,029 head. Counted as USDA files them — 11 of those are cow-calf pairs, each counted once.

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Mon Feb 3, 2025

USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)

Feeder CattleReceipts 1,543Last week 4,514Year ago 5,194

Slaughter CattleReceipts 918Last week 1,139Year ago 549

Replacement CattleReceipts 4,029Last week 466Year ago 2,932

Compared to last week: Steer calves under 450 lbs were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Steers 450-649 lbs sold mostly steady to 10.00 lower; steers over 650 lbs sold mostly 10.00-12.00 lower in a narrow comparison. One consignment of steers over 900 lbs was seen this week and these offerings were met with very good demand as quality was very attractive. Heifers under 500 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market however lower undertones were noticed on a smaller, poorer quality offering. Heifers over 500 lbs sold mostly 10.00-20.00 lower. Demand was mostly moderate to good for light offerings. Most cattle were of plain to average quality with a limited offering of attractive quality cattle seen. CME positions sold off sharply this past week as traders reacted to the reopening of the southern border to receive Mexican live cattle imports after being closed since late November. The March contract closed Friday at 264.90, 10.825 lower than last Fridays close. The April contract closed at 264.825 on Friday, 10.30 lower than last Fridays close. Package sizes were mostly small this week and not as large as last weeks sale. Cooperate packer feeders continue to show very good demand for high quality feeder cattle and when pushed this past week would give close to steady with last week for very attractive offerings. Market activity was moderate to active this week as bidders showed some reluctance as they tried to buy cattle lower. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for light offerings. Regional packers were very active as they showed stronger demand for all classes of cows this week. Major packers were very active as well as they showed very strong demand for cows for immediate harvest. Breaking cows sold mostly 3.00-6.00 higher. Boning and lean cows sold sharply higher with most sales 8.00 to 12.00 higher. Slaughter cow prices improved throughout the week as packers were forced to pay higher prices in order to secure offerings. Many cows which would normally go to feed were purchased for slaughter this week. Most packer buyers only purchased cows to slaughter this week while private farmer feeders and order buyers were active in buying cows to feed. Feeding cow demand remains very good as private buyers were both very aggressive as they bid on cows to feed. Even slightly lame or slightly blemished cows sold to feeding buyers again this week. High quality feeding cows, suitable to feed to premium white sold mostly 4.00-6.00 higher. Thin short term feeding or holding cows sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher driven by strong demand from packers for immediate harvest. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold 8.00-12.00 higher. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Very good demand was seen from both feeder and rebreed buyers this week.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
8	450–500	475	334.00–372.50	352.58
3	650–700	660	275.00	275.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	400–450	439	330.00–350.00	336.80
6	550–600	584	287.50	287.50
6	700–750	739	252.00	252.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	1250–1300	1,298	175.00	175.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	300–350	329	500.00	500.00
18	350–400	375	428.50	428.50
20	400–450	430	405.50	405.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	600–650	620	310.00	310.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
11	350–400	397	395.00–417.00	407.03
59	400–450	443	347.50–404.00	357.08
13	450–500	463	255.00–365.00	314.17
24	500–550	524	332.00–346.00	341.67
43	550–600	586	320.00–328.50	324.55
15	600–650	634	287.00–312.50	304.09
28	650–700	661	281.00–288.00	286.31
4	700–750	705	275.00	275.00
2	750–800	798	266.00	266.00
1	850–900	850	251.00	251.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
11	400–450	435	398.00	398.00
51	450–500	477	370.00–392.00	386.47
102	500–550	531	367.00–376.00	373.46
35	550–600	579	330.00–360.00	337.22
73	600–650	612	312.00–341.00	331.11
108	650–700	679	294.00–314.00	299.67
21	700–750	723	280.00–287.00	285.64
105	750–800	781	275.00–277.50	275.92
19	800–850	804	276.00	276.00
66	900–950	923	261.00–264.00	263.56
3	950–1000	963	250.50	250.50
10	1200–1250	1,208	201.50	201.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
4	650–700	681	284.00	284.00
12	750–800	779	273.00–274.00	273.83
4	850–900	870	244.00	244.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	350–400	351	365.00	365.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
18	700–750	733	283.00	283.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
47	550–600	592	311.50	311.50
1	1050–1100	1,075	228.00	228.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	385	360.00	360.00
11	450–500	499	316.00	316.00
37	500–550	527	303.00–322.00	310.37
12	550–600	581	290.00–309.00	298.51
20	600–650	632	281.00–287.50	282.22
6	700–750	703	248.00	248.00
4	750–800	772	244.00	244.00
4	800–850	810	150.00–249.00	223.95
1	850–900	880	243.00	243.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
45	550–600	567	302.00	302.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	338	327.50	327.50
6	350–400	387	330.00	330.00
8	450–500	491	260.00	260.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
8	300–350	335	417.00–422.00	417.64
15	350–400	380	394.00	394.00
1	400–450	440	403.00	403.00
73	450–500	478	335.00–340.00	338.61
45	500–550	525	320.00–335.00	325.82
32	550–600	582	301.50–320.00	304.42
23	600–650	626	281.00–292.50	284.29
50	650–700	691	261.00–283.00	274.16
4	700–750	724	248.00	248.00
4	750–800	785	262.50	262.50
5	850–900	863	250.00	250.00
5	1000–1050	1,014	243.50	243.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	350–400	368	315.00	315.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	400–450	423	282.50	282.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1050–1100	1,090	222.00	222.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	600–650	633	242.50	242.50

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	10	—	1,100	2,600.00	2,600.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	9	—	1,351	1,950.00–2,200.00	2,077.92
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	47	—	1,204	2,800.00–2,910.00	2,867.82
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	3	—	1,335	2,100.00	2,100.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	11	—	1,192	2,500.00	2,500.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Non-Legible BANGS$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	8	—	1,411	2,950.00	2,950.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	100	—	1,305	2,350.00–2,850.00	2,710.04
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	14	—	1,338	2,525.00–2,650.00	2,600.18
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	83	—	1,418	2,600.00–3,100.00	2,945.46
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	274	—	1,167	2,700.00–3,025.00	2,969.90
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	24	—	1,208	2,500.00–2,900.00	2,767.35
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	566	—	1,224	2,775.00–3,375.00	3,225.12
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	101	—	1,331	164.00	164.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	233	—	1,411	2,400.00–3,175.00	2,821.18
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	54	—	1,070	2,400.00–2,600.00	2,546.01
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	57	—	1,327	2,200.00–2,550.00	2,422.15

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	15	—	822	3,100.00	3,100.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	59	—	1,369	2,200.00–2,450.00	2,373.40
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	5	—	1,306	2,500.00	2,500.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	305	—	1,354	2,300.00–2,700.00	2,427.67

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	11	—	1,199	153.00	153.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	8	—	1,194	1,500.00–1,650.00	1,615.21
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	5	—	1,189	1,800.00–1,900.00	1,843.07

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	46	—	1,222	1,850.00–2,200.00	2,007.67

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	72	—	1,076	145.00–192.50	169.94
(<2 yrs)	Open	162	—	936	145.50–233.00	213.89

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	14	—	925	133.00	133.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	14	—	1,013	142.00–190.00	165.56

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	845	185.00	185.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	897	—	1,065	2,850.00–3,225.00	3,123.93
(<2 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	44	—	1,087	2,650.00–2,825.00	2,763.76

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Non-Legible BANGS$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	14	—	1,023	3,000.00	3,000.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	39	—	968	2,700.00–3,050.00	2,900.27

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	87	—	895	2,500.00–2,950.00	2,805.26
(<2 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	88	—	891	2,500.00–2,800.00	2,697.31

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	11	—	1,384	3,550.00	3,550.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
58	—	1,150	100.00–132.00	122.66
16	—	1,209	122.00–145.00	133.99
7	—	1,122	92.50–101.00	98.07

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,823	128.00	128.00
7	—	1,714	143.00–149.50	144.17
9	—	1,521	147.00–152.50	150.70

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,805	134.00	134.00
8	—	1,651	135.00–145.00	143.06

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	1,435	119.00–131.00	127.62
50	—	1,417	144.00–152.50	148.72
53	—	1,381	130.00–148.00	139.26

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
77	—	1,066	111.00–129.00	118.07
192	—	1,164	127.00–143.00	138.97
90	—	1,195	139.00–152.00	146.09

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
72	—	1,421	129.00–148.00	142.99
9	—	1,356	113.00–132.00	120.72
9	—	1,508	149.50–152.50	150.88

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	915	125.00	125.00
5	—	810	80.00–91.00	88.62
3	—	908	118.00	118.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,850	160.00	160.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	1,560	130.00–159.00	145.10
1	—	2,490	176.00	176.00
39	—	1,925	150.00–172.00	167.87

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,451	150.00–159.00	156.52

Head, weight ranges, average weights and price ranges are exactly as USDA AMS filed them — nothing recomputed, nothing rounded — in USDA's own reporting structure. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of that data, not a copy of USDA's document.

Source: USDA AMS, as filed — nothing recomputed and nothing rounded. This summary aggregates the same sales the Montana barn reports cover, so it must never be added to a state total built from those barns.