State summaries / Montana / Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary / 2025-05-19

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · Weekly summary · Mon, May 19

● As filed137 lines reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1778

State summary

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 137 priced lines covering 1,977 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 400 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 974 head. replacement cattle receipts at 1,506 head. Counted as USDA files them — 398 of those are cow-calf pairs, each counted once.

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Mon May 19, 2025

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 400Last week 2,147Year ago 530

Slaughter CattleReceipts 974Last week 1,257Year ago 1,255

Replacement CattleReceipts 1,506Last week 892Year ago 1,808

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mixed from plain to average. Offerings were light. Demand was mostly good despite a poorer quality offering. Many fall born cattle were seen this past week, and most offerings were weaned. Many unreportable, blemished cattle continue to be seen as cattle feeders continue to clean up their remaining cattle. The internet was active this week with several buyers noticed. A large offering of cutting bulls was seen again this week and bull offerings were met with very good demand. Market activity this week was mostly active with good buyer participation noticed. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for moderate offerings. Major packers and private cow feeders continue to show good demand for high quality cattle to feed. Breaking cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher, boning and lean cows sold 2.00-5.00 higher as packers pushed to buy some slaughter offerings prior to the holiday. The volume of cows going to immediate harvest remains small, however with stronger holiday demand packers tried to purchase as many cows away from feeding buyers as possible. 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. Feeding cows sold steady to firm. Offerings were larger this week as several ranches have started to brand and sort off dry cows and bring them to market. Cow quality this week was average to attractive with many reputation ranches selling open dry cows this week. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-4.00 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 fully steady. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady. Quality this week was mostly average. Many young cows on offer were slightly blemished and were purchased to feed this week. The best demand continues to be for heifers to 4 year old cows which lost calves. Demand from rebreed buyers was very good again this week.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	950–1000	972	252.00	252.00
2	1050–1100	1,095	233.00	233.00
13	1100–1150	1,132	221.00–229.00	224.30
2	1150–1200	1,193	219.00	219.00
2	1200–1250	1,218	197.50	197.50
3	1250–1300	1,285	187.50–201.00	196.54

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	100–150	105	775.00	775.00
1	200–250	200	470.00	470.00
12	850–900	878	266.00	266.00
4	900–950	900	257.50	257.50
18	950–1000	971	245.00–257.50	250.10
1	1000–1050	1,000	232.50	232.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	500–550	510	342.50	342.50
3	750–800	767	272.50–275.00	273.33
1	950–1000	950	222.50	222.50
2	1050–1100	1,083	239.00	239.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	420	385.00	385.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	1100–1150	1,109	195.00–213.00	205.83

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
2	1150–1200	1,190	236.00	236.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
17	400–450	433	420.00–430.00	424.79
2	450–500	473	415.00	415.00
34	500–550	510	399.00–412.00	408.89
2	650–700	668	330.00	330.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
8	800–850	832	282.50	282.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	600–650	635	307.00	307.00
3	650–700	652	290.00	290.00
7	700–750	714	287.50–298.00	293.13
1	750–800	760	282.50	282.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	500–550	524	331.00	331.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	350–400	393	430.00	430.00
3	500–550	512	395.00	395.00
3	900–950	903	264.00	264.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	600–650	615	301.00	301.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	200	450.00	450.00
5	550–600	586	335.00	335.00
13	600–650	603	325.00–329.00	325.94
2	700–750	743	280.00	280.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
11	500–550	545	265.00	265.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
11	500–550	505	335.00	335.00
1	550–600	555	327.50	327.50
4	600–650	626	317.50	317.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
13	450–500	490	317.50–334.00	327.73
3	500–550	527	317.50	317.50
22	550–600	569	303.00–322.50	314.57
5	600–650	639	290.00	290.00
6	650–700	673	289.00–299.00	297.34
1	750–800	750	270.00	270.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
16	500–550	515	305.00–325.00	312.74
2	550–600	593	292.50	292.50
3	600–650	617	284.00	284.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	300–350	348	345.00	345.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	1,584	133.00–145.50	143.32
32	—	1,502	155.00–162.00	156.61
18	—	1,553	146.00–156.00	153.88

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	1,484	149.00–161.00	155.51
39	—	1,478	135.00–148.00	144.30
2	—	1,325	101.00	101.00
8	—	1,367	117.50–132.00	129.18

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
184	—	1,402	145.00–160.00	155.29
31	—	1,395	125.00–147.00	139.26
86	—	1,391	160.00–170.00	162.56

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	853	104.00–120.00	112.46
2	—	858	120.00–126.00	123.34
2	—	985	106.00	106.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	1,177	128.00–142.00	134.80
23	—	1,132	107.00–128.00	118.18

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,633	159.00	159.00
31	—	1,679	132.50–147.00	142.60
2	—	1,653	150.00	150.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
20	—	1,193	157.00–165.00	160.63
68	—	1,217	145.00–162.00	152.96
42	—	1,158	120.00–147.00	135.99

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	1,428	150.00–168.00	162.28
3	—	1,622	188.00	188.00
28	—	1,599	169.00–182.00	174.02

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,145	135.00	135.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Natural$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,544	161.00–175.00	170.79
19	—	1,803	198.00–199.00	198.70
6	—	1,635	185.00–192.00	186.37

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
31	—	1,989	184.00–207.50	197.07
6	—	1,721	155.00–168.00	160.65
38	—	1,816	169.00–191.00	180.49
1	—	1,920	200.00	200.00
1	—	2,195	184.00	184.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,063	115.00–127.00	121.38

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,645	155.00	155.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,090	126.00	126.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	9	—	921	200.00–205.00	204.35
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	6	—	1,163	162.00–191.00	186.49

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	145	—	1,004	195.00–274.00	232.71
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	6	—	1,266	168.00	168.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	104	—	1,166	160.00–240.00	189.03

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	880	180.00	180.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	4	—	920	195.00–240.00	204.42

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,303	182.50–189.00	187.18
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	4	—	1,395	161.00	161.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	21	—	1,033	154.00–202.00	174.44
(<2 yrs)	Open	6	—	1,079	179.00–222.00	196.21

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	865	210.00	210.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	1,300	200.00	200.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	2	—	1,150	202.50–255.00	226.13

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	20	—	1,523	2,600.00–3,000.00	2,799.65
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	2	—	1,335	2,500.00–2,700.00	2,607.12
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	4	—	1,505	2,200.00	2,200.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	11	—	1,490	2,500.00–2,600.00	2,590.09
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	19	—	1,337	2,500.00–2,700.00	2,652.13
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	27	—	1,333	2,950.00–3,500.00	3,154.01
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	11	—	1,571	2,800.00–2,985.00	2,886.51
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	4	—	1,134	2,900.00–2,950.00	2,937.05

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)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	—	1,314	2,000.00–2,050.00	2,032.43
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	1,640	2,450.00	2,450.00

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)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	18	—	1,519	2,650.00–2,900.00	2,682.38

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	4	—	1,078	2,250.00	2,250.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	9	—	1,257	1,875.00	1,875.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	4	—	1,398	2,650.00	2,650.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	3	—	1,330	2,675.00–2,800.00	2,760.53

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	N/A	28	—	1,150	2,750.00–4,000.00	3,090.98
(<2 yrs)	N/A	3	—	1,420	163.00–201.00	179.77

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	61	—	1,505	2,900.00–3,300.00	2,994.12

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	13	—	1,283	2,775.00	2,775.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	11	—	1,337	2,875.00	2,875.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	46	—	1,605	3,200.00–3,475.00	3,356.76
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	97	—	1,357	3,925.00–4,400.00	4,223.76
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	11	—	1,468	3,250.00	3,250.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	9	—	1,543	3,225.00–3,500.00	3,299.97
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	18	—	1,396	2,950.00–2,975.00	2,968.04
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	14	—	1,495	2,650.00–3,200.00	3,055.70
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	4	—	1,561	3,260.00	3,260.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	24	—	1,337	3,575.00–3,800.00	3,620.62
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	6	—	1,542	3,800.00	3,800.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	13	—	1,269	2,375.00–2,500.00	2,405.75
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	4	—	1,266	2,650.00	2,650.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	8	—	1,340	2,200.00–2,375.00	2,345.28

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	6	—	1,327	2,050.00	2,050.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifer Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	42	—	1,321	4,225.00–4,450.00	4,415.43
(<2 yrs)	Open	5	—	1,151	4,000.00	4,000.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifer Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	6	—	1,153	3,600.00	3,600.00

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.