State summaries / Montana / Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary / 2025-04-21

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · Weekly summary · Mon, Apr 21

● As filed128 lines reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1778

State summary

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 128 priced lines covering 2,163 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 1,530 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 543 head. replacement cattle receipts at 423 head.

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Mon Apr 21, 2025

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 1,530Last week 5,620Year ago 1,548

Slaughter CattleReceipts 543Last week 158Year ago 495

Replacement CattleReceipts 423Last week 62Year ago 613

Compared to last week: Feeder steer and heifer calves were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed on like quality offerings. No feeder specials were seen this week. Offerings were very light. Demand was mostly good to very good despite light offerings. CME positions gave support to the market as higher feeder cattle contract prices provided buyers additional market support. The April contract settled Monday at 292.42. The May contract closed Friday at 285.525. The August closed Friday at 289.15, and the September closed Friday at 288.00. Quality this week was mostly plain to average with a limited selection of attractive quality cattle seen. A moderate size crowd was on hand for every sale with both ranchers and order buyers in the market , despite a lighter offering of feeder cattle noticed. Market activity this week was mostly active with takers both in the seats and over the internet actively bidding on limited offerings. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for light to moderate offerings. Regional packers and major packers and private cow feeders 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. Breaking cows sold mostly steady to firm, boning cows sold steady to 2.00 higher, lean cows sold sharply higher this most sale 5.00-10.00 higher. The volume of cows going to immediate harvest is very small, but was larger this week compared to last week as packers all showed a stronger need for cows for immediate harvest. Feeding cows demand was very good again this week. Canadian cow feeders remain a large player in all auction markets pushing packer buyers to own high quality feeding cows. Some blemished cows continue to go to feed many of these offerings were purchased by private feeders this week. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher on all classes. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 1.00 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. Feeding bulls sold steady to 5.00 higher. Buyers looking for light weight and lower yielding bulls to feed helped push lower yielding bulls higher this week and this is where most of this weeks price increases were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady firm. 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. Additionally, feeding buyers were in the market this week buying cows to blend onto fed loads. This helped improve the price of young cows with slight blemishes as many of these offerings had short ears or tails of poor bags or a slightly long toe.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	300–350	323	480.00	480.00
24	350–400	376	445.00–470.00	453.99
28	400–450	418	430.00–435.00	431.64
176	450–500	486	365.00–390.00	379.44
12	500–550	519	349.00–370.00	355.35
34	550–600	580	325.00–352.50	339.03
37	600–650	625	309.00–328.00	323.22
86	650–700	678	297.00–310.50	305.38
76	700–750	718	288.00–297.50	294.96
5	750–800	784	281.00	281.00
4	800–850	841	274.00	274.00
72	850–900	867	265.50–277.00	275.73

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	250–300	288	495.00	495.00
6	400–450	431	380.00–417.50	411.12

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
92	700–750	723	304.00–305.00	304.46

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
17	650–700	691	288.00	288.00
37	750–800	760	274.00–277.50	276.66

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
32	550–600	559	364.00–367.00	364.93

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	350–400	395	417.50	417.50
16	450–500	474	340.00–360.00	354.44
8	500–550	528	340.00–352.00	345.90
5	600–650	644	287.50–299.00	294.44
18	650–700	670	275.00–295.00	290.67
16	750–800	768	259.00–275.00	267.18
14	850–900	897	248.00	248.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	500–550	515	290.00	290.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	650–700	698	285.00	285.00
21	750–800	796	276.00	276.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	600–650	601	276.00	276.00
8	650–700	693	264.00	264.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
2	700–750	733	272.00	272.00
6	750–800	773	254.00	254.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	260	470.00	470.00
2	300–350	328	460.00	460.00
12	350–400	377	445.00–479.00	461.82
7	400–450	416	395.00–410.00	403.43
6	450–500	474	352.50–380.00	361.29
6	500–550	540	355.00–375.00	367.41
24	550–600	585	333.00–350.00	335.01
6	600–650	621	327.50–333.00	330.54
12	700–750	709	282.00–299.00	286.28
4	750–800	764	287.00	287.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	250–300	274	495.00	495.00
3	450–500	480	420.00	420.00
14	650–700	664	314.50	314.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	343	515.00	515.00
102	450–500	474	415.00–431.00	427.60
10	500–550	517	387.50–400.00	388.82
44	550–600	587	361.00–388.00	368.21
1	600–650	605	342.00	342.00
4	650–700	663	320.00	320.00
16	800–850	812	285.00	285.00
14	850–900	864	283.00	283.00
3	1000–1050	1,033	250.00	250.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
7	800–850	849	279.00	279.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	400–450	447	330.00	330.00
3	550–600	587	325.00	325.00
3	600–650	635	314.00	314.00
2	750–800	783	278.00	278.00
2	800–850	833	276.00	276.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	550–600	563	285.00	285.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
3	650–700	683	235.00	235.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	700–750	701	280.00	280.00
11	750–800	773	289.00	289.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	200–250	245	390.00	390.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	600–650	620	310.00	310.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	800–850	813	265.00	265.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per head · estimate wt
2	50–100	95	775.00	775.00
2	50–100	75	800.00	800.00
3	450–500	478	375.00	375.00
6	850–900	896	258.00	258.00
1	900–950	935	249.00	249.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	450–500	450	412.50	412.50
4	650–700	656	272.50–282.00	277.27
7	700–750	720	265.00–280.00	269.35
5	800–850	821	246.00	246.00
4	1000–1050	1,045	217.00	217.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	500–550	530	330.00	330.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7	1050–1100	1,067	230.00–231.00	230.72
2	1150–1200	1,170	215.00	215.00
1	1200–1250	1,205	202.00	202.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1050–1100	1,055	215.00	215.00
2	1100–1150	1,143	185.00–187.50	186.25

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	182	—	1,037	198.00–266.00	227.82
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	83	—	1,153	168.00–226.00	190.73

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	45	—	964	171.00–238.00	214.93
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	16	—	1,027	157.00–217.50	183.56

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	2	—	998	150.00	150.00
(<2 yrs)	Open	13	—	784	225.00–242.50	233.84

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)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	—	1,278	2,500.00	2,500.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	17	—	1,294	3,150.00–3,675.00	3,629.40
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	8	—	1,500	2,525.00	2,525.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	5	—	1,548	2,900.00–3,000.00	2,957.36
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	1	—	1,245	3,100.00	3,100.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	8	—	1,401	2,300.00	2,300.00

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)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	12	—	1,077	2,400.00	2,400.00

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)	2	—	1,458	2,325.00	2,325.00

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 Stage (4-6 mo)	5	—	1,272	2,375.00	2,375.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	3	—	1,813	2,875.00	2,875.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
27	—	1,909	166.00–185.50	177.01
9	—	2,126	184.00–193.00	187.79
13	—	1,625	157.00–169.00	164.34

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	1,572	157.50–167.50	163.61
12	—	1,479	168.00–180.00	172.34

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	3,040	180.00	180.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
52	—	1,163	146.00–165.00	158.75
19	—	1,120	128.00–145.00	138.61
27	—	1,188	161.00–170.50	166.90

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	1,507	129.00–146.00	140.35
22	—	1,449	145.00–159.50	155.37
13	—	1,522	159.00–170.00	164.58

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,229	160.00–162.00	161.02
5	—	1,113	146.00–151.00	149.51
18	—	1,168	110.00–141.00	123.16

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	900	127.50	127.50
2	—	940	92.50–107.50	100.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	1,635	159.50–164.00	162.49

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	1,715	164.00–168.00	164.54
1	—	1,715	144.00	144.00
48	—	1,632	151.50–163.50	159.02

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
74	—	1,428	150.00–165.00	159.11
9	—	1,409	131.00–149.00	140.35
64	—	1,439	164.00–170.00	167.99

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Premium White 65-75%$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,560	159.00–160.00	159.09

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,290	118.00	118.00
2	—	1,455	127.50–147.00	136.35

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,853	145.50	145.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,340	149.00	149.00

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.