State summaries / Montana / Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary / 2025-03-31

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · Weekly summary · Mon, Mar 31

● As filed147 lines reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1778

State summary

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 147 priced lines covering 5,451 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 4,924 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 754 head. replacement cattle receipts at 407 head.

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Mon Mar 31, 2025

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 4,924Last week 777Year ago 5,526

Slaughter CattleReceipts 754Last week 956Year ago 470

Replacement CattleReceipts 407Last week 244Year ago 592

Compared to last week: Feeder steer and heifer calves were all too lightly tested the previous week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Only two sales were held the previous week and this week two sales offered feeder specials. Offerings were moderate. Demand was mostly very good. Feeder cattle quality was average to very attractive. Quality overall was significantly more attractive than the previous weeks sales. Many backgrounded cattle were seen this week, however many of these cattle were developed for grass and in mostly light flesh. Demand for these offerings was good to very good. Several ranchers were in the stands this week looking for cattle to run on grass this summer. Buyers gave strong premiums for light and thin fleshed cattle as these will see quick, compensatory gains at turn out time. Package sizes were mostly moderate to large this week with several load lots and partial load lots noted. Demand for replacement heifers was light to moderate as buyers showed concern that high input costs will not overcome the value they need to receive for these cattle as bred heifers this fall or next spring. Packer buyers were very aggressive as they purchased large heifers to feed, with some feeding heifers outselling replacements on some sales. CME feeder and live cattle positions ended the week on a sour note as outside market forces weakened the entire cattle complex. Cattle supplies remain tight but traders showed concern over a potential downturn in the economy and packers ability to keep selling meat at these price levels. The April contract closed Friday at 279.425 on Friday, 7.50 lower than last Fridays close. The May contract closed at 274.875, 10.30 lower than last Fridays close; the August closed at 281.050, 8.625 lower than last Fridays close. Market activity this week was mostly active with large crowds on hand at all the sales this week. Bidding was rapid with bidders both on the internet and in the stands actively trying to buy cattle. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Regional packers and major packers continue to show very good demand for high quality cattle. Regional packers are purchasing their cattle for immediate harvest while major packers are purchasing cows mostly to feed. Premium white fed cows were not tested this week. Breaking cows sold 6.00-9.00 higher, boning and lean cows sold steady to 5.00 higher. The volume of cows going to immediate harvest is very small. Feeding cows sold on very good demand this week as private buyers and packer buyers both showed very good demand for cows to feed. Many blemished cows continue to go to feed or to grass until cow supplies shorten. Feeding cows sold mostly 4.00-8.00 higher Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00 to 5.00 higher. A portion of the bull offering continues to be purchased to feed, especially light weight, thin bulls which could see quick improvements to yield. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally 5.00-10.00 higher. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Several sets of heifers which lost calves sold on very good demand. Demand from rebreed buyers was very good again this week as many try to buy cows to use as recips or to rebreed.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	50–100	90	900.00	900.00
1	350–400	360	500.00	500.00
8	650–700	697	284.00	284.00
9	750–800	759	262.50–279.00	277.14
4	850–900	858	253.00–257.50	254.12
7	900–950	915	244.00–257.50	247.06
7	1000–1050	1,017	223.00–242.00	233.73

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1050–1100	1,060	227.00	227.00
2	1100–1150	1,100	221.00–227.50	224.25
2	1150–1200	1,175	209.00–219.00	213.98

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	1200–1250	1,248	187.50	187.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	400–450	440	397.50–402.50	398.06
2	600–650	608	307.50	307.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
11	600–650	627	346.00	346.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	400–450	443	365.00	365.00
1	450–500	485	350.00	350.00
1	500–550	510	345.00	345.00
4	550–600	587	342.50	342.50
7	600–650	628	322.00	322.00
7	650–700	656	284.00	284.00
8	750–800	763	274.00	274.00
4	800–850	804	258.00	258.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	305	530.00	530.00
15	400–450	414	437.50–455.00	444.78
38	450–500	467	407.50–412.50	409.09
132	500–550	526	391.00–411.00	397.05
102	550–600	580	357.00–387.00	374.76
282	600–650	627	340.00–364.00	350.83
63	650–700	672	321.00–339.50	327.87
194	700–750	732	300.75–318.00	308.22
111	750–800	770	289.50–303.50	296.11
96	800–850	809	280.00–293.50	292.01
8	850–900	882	276.00–281.00	279.78
16	900–950	915	270.00–274.00	272.23

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	350–400	370	430.00–465.00	445.68
2	400–450	430	420.00–425.00	422.47
14	450–500	475	400.00–405.00	404.65
57	500–550	535	360.00–380.00	376.39
60	550–600	590	324.00–352.50	331.50
63	600–650	621	320.00–340.00	329.76
19	650–700	666	313.00–327.50	315.95
60	700–750	710	287.50–305.00	301.80
11	750–800	786	280.00–282.50	280.68
8	800–850	835	271.00–278.00	274.49
3	950–1000	955	244.00	244.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	450–500	457	400.00	400.00
21	600–650	637	313.00–340.00	327.27
4	700–750	703	279.00	279.00
7	800–850	831	265.00	265.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	1050–1100	1,078	231.00	231.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
16	750–800	776	283.00–288.00	285.38
13	850–900	877	261.00–267.00	264.16
16	900–950	903	260.00	260.00
10	950–1000	974	252.00–256.00	254.38

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
35	650–700	650	362.00	362.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	450–500	454	382.50	382.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	350–400	395	362.00	362.00
4	400–450	415	320.00	320.00
3	450–500	488	302.50	302.50
8	500–550	542	322.50	322.50
3	550–600	588	277.50	277.50
3	600–650	632	260.00	260.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	600–650	612	312.00	312.00
7	650–700	697	279.00	279.00
21	750–800	780	258.50	258.50
3	800–850	815	252.00	252.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	550–600	586	316.00	316.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	300–350	338	447.50	447.50
4	350–400	389	415.00–420.00	416.27
31	400–450	422	393.00–415.00	399.78
63	450–500	468	360.00–395.00	381.84
143	500–550	531	331.00–372.00	358.61
217	550–600	565	330.50–355.00	349.92
668	600–650	623	312.00–336.00	322.64
454	650–700	664	304.00–315.25	312.64
160	700–750	717	274.00–300.50	296.76
95	750–800	770	275.00–287.50	283.72
71	800–850	822	267.00–277.00	272.44

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	323	407.00	407.00
10	350–400	369	395.00–400.00	397.11
33	400–450	433	350.00–375.00	368.05
14	450–500	494	342.50–359.00	350.40
39	500–550	533	312.50–345.00	330.74
70	550–600	573	300.00–332.50	316.01
32	600–650	638	286.00–313.00	305.52
23	650–700	678	291.00–295.00	293.46
16	700–750	720	273.00–281.00	277.46
6	750–800	768	268.00	268.00
4	800–850	814	253.00–259.00	256.04

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
3	750–800	793	255.00	255.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
6	500–550	544	340.00	340.00
72	600–650	636	311.50–312.50	312.29
12	650–700	675	292.50–299.00	296.88
22	700–750	728	275.50–281.00	278.49
9	750–800	774	266.00	266.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	500–550	500	375.00	375.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
71	650–700	698	311.00	311.00
247	700–750	716	293.50–310.50	303.57
28	700–750	713	2,100.00	2,100.00
31	750–800	759	2,275.00	2,275.00
48	750–800	760	280.00–287.00	283.45
69	800–850	800	2,310.00	2,310.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	350–400	387	380.00	380.00
4	450–500	491	350.00	350.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

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)	3	—	1,523	2,400.00	2,400.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	3	—	1,402	2,625.00	2,625.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	1	—	1,335	2,300.00	2,300.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	2	—	955	1,900.00	1,900.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	5	—	1,178	2,800.00	2,800.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	5	—	1,015	2,725.00	2,725.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	6	—	1,226	2,100.00	2,100.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	2	—	1,463	155.50	155.50

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	9	—	1,028	162.50–218.00	193.29
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	1	—	920	152.50	152.50
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	21	—	982	160.00–225.00	188.49

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	136	—	1,112	152.00–233.00	194.59
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	4	—	1,274	153.00–158.00	156.76
(<2 yrs)	Open	129	—	981	186.00–265.00	231.89

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	23	—	1,055	225.00–236.00	227.22

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	3	—	837	162.50–250.00	202.66

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	N/A	2	—	1,088	241.00	241.00

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)	3	—	1,263	3,000.00	3,000.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,496	121.00–136.00	128.99
1	—	1,385	99.00	99.00
32	—	1,470	132.00–152.00	143.97
6	—	1,514	154.00–160.00	157.94

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,542	151.00–153.00	152.31
7	—	1,555	157.00–160.00	158.56

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
117	—	1,401	140.00–158.50	153.34
70	—	1,409	154.00–166.00	159.20
4	—	1,416	134.00–136.00	134.97

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
22	—	1,696	150.50–156.00	153.13
7	—	1,598	155.00–160.00	158.16

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	893	102.50–105.00	103.65
8	—	944	105.00–127.00	114.21

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
58	—	1,215	152.00–159.00	155.95
119	—	1,210	140.00–154.00	148.93
78	—	1,098	119.00–143.00	135.78

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	1,137	107.50–130.00	120.77
6	—	1,090	90.00–101.00	97.08
6	—	1,169	131.00–144.00	138.95

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
33	—	1,800	160.00–184.00	175.98
12	—	1,752	135.00–161.00	151.75
9	—	2,094	182.50–197.00	188.24

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	1,452	134.50–162.00	151.16
5	—	1,413	162.00–166.00	164.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,305	151.00	151.00

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.