State summaries / Montana / Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary / 2026-08-31

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · Weekly summary · Mon, Aug 31

● As filed128 lines reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1778

State summary

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 128 priced lines covering 2,174 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 1,842 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 617 head. replacement cattle receipts at 142 head. Counted as USDA files them — 8 of those are cow-calf pairs, each counted once.

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Mon Aug 31, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 1,842Last week 921Year ago 1,337

Slaughter CattleReceipts 617Last week 689Year ago 270

Replacement CattleReceipts 142Last week 173Year ago 22

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Steer calves were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend, as these were the first unweaned calves of the fall. Yearling heifers under 900 lbs sold unevenly steady, heifers over 900 lbs sold generally steady. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Cattle were offered in small to moderate size packages. Many singles and packages of less than 5 were seen as well. Demand was mostly good and overall stronger than last week. Yearling cattle continue to be purchased by Canadian feeders and shipped north to feed. CME positions did improve some early in the week which helped improve demand for feeders at auction later in the week. Cooperate packer buyers were back in the market this week and showed good demand for week over week, but were volatile throughout the week. Market activity was mostly moderate to active. A larger buyer pool was noticed this week as more private and cooperate feeders reenter the market. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand and offerings. Feeding cow demand has softened as feed prices have saw some uptick in price over the last few weeks. Also buyers worry about demand for fed cows going into the fall. Fed cow and grass fat cow supplies are heavy as many fleshy cows are coming off grass. On a dressed basis fat cows prices are currently lower than boning and lean cows. Cow quality continues to limit demand as very few attractive feeding cows are being seen. Many are blemished in some way as they come out of breeding pastures and summer range. Feeding cows sold 3.00-5.00 lower. Slaughter cows sold 3.00-4.00 lower on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows sold mostly 10.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold 10.00-12.00 lower. Bulls remain were mostly average to below average for yield as bulls continue to sell out of summer breeding pastures. Fewer bulls were purchased to feed this week as quality limited demand. Feeding bull quality this week was mostly plain to average. Feeding bulls sold mostly 5.00 lower. Demand for young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed was mostly light to moderate. Young age cows were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality limited demand this week as very few attractive rebreed type cows were seen. Most young cows were fleshy and purchased by feeding buyers again this week. A few exposed cows sold this week they are in the report below as stock cows. They sold with very little premium to feeding cows.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	200–250	225	670.00	670.00
9	250–300	289	552.50–565.00	560.99
3	300–350	313	545.00	545.00
12	350–400	362	515.00–537.50	531.78
2	400–450	438	490.00	490.00
2	450–500	495	405.00	405.00
28	500–550	518	405.00–422.50	414.90
6	550–600	558	385.00–387.50	387.08

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	400–450	420	485.00	485.00
5	600–650	616	340.00	340.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1100–1150	1,110	237.50	237.50
2	1200–1250	1,233	210.00–212.50	211.25

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	1100–1150	1,115	250.00–265.00	258.92
1	1150–1200	1,190	240.00	240.00
2	1200–1250	1,205	242.00	242.00
2	1250–1300	1,270	223.00	223.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	900–950	905	275.00	275.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	400–450	443	405.00	405.00
4	450–500	498	370.00	370.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
11	750–800	789	350.00–356.00	353.85
43	850–900	880	321.00–341.00	329.76
33	950–1000	987	311.00–317.50	312.67
16	1000–1050	1,015	302.00–305.00	302.75

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	650–700	671	345.00	345.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	150–200	186	700.00–730.00	706.65
4	250–300	283	565.00	565.00
4	350–400	379	490.00–505.00	497.48
7	400–450	431	470.00	470.00
11	450–500	466	420.00–447.50	444.25
11	500–550	530	390.00–405.00	394.11
8	550–600	573	377.00	377.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	450–500	455	440.00	440.00
6	500–550	548	417.50	417.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
12	200–250	213	675.00–690.00	684.69
1	250–300	275	580.00	580.00
34	300–350	342	522.50–570.00	527.42
63	400–450	435	474.00–527.50	486.93
119	450–500	479	435.00–477.50	454.26
94	500–550	523	415.00–454.50	445.06
24	550–600	569	380.00–399.00	391.51
38	600–650	627	361.00–381.00	368.34

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	1100–1150	1,146	290.00	290.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	1050–1100	1,098	270.00	270.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
4	650–700	656	350.00	350.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	750–800	773	345.00	345.00
2	900–950	933	320.00	320.00
14	1000–1050	1,006	287.50–296.00	293.57

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	750–800	750	326.00	326.00
58	800–850	835	323.00–332.00	327.74
84	850–900	880	289.00–318.00	309.38
32	900–950	920	289.00–313.50	309.42
74	950–1000	971	284.00–303.00	290.70
68	1000–1050	1,012	280.00–296.00	288.46

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	650–700	655	337.50	337.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	700–750	707	320.00–322.50	321.98
13	750–800	773	317.50–331.00	324.38
2	800–850	840	320.00	320.00
4	900–950	920	302.00–305.00	303.49
3	950–1000	998	294.00	294.00
5	1000–1050	1,006	270.00	270.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1050–1100	1,060	267.50	267.50
4	1100–1150	1,118	257.50–261.00	259.24
1	1150–1200	1,160	249.00	249.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
49	1050–1100	1,072	261.00–286.00	277.09
31	1100–1150	1,111	257.50–275.00	264.94
11	1150–1200	1,168	265.00	265.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	250–300	278	500.00	500.00
13	400–450	421	405.00	405.00
4	500–550	529	340.00–367.50	353.72
19	550–600	573	342.00–350.00	345.71
4	650–700	675	330.00	330.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	100–150	125	920.00	920.00
3	200–250	217	600.00	600.00
3	250–300	258	550.00	550.00
6	300–350	328	522.50	522.50
11	350–400	376	472.50–495.00	486.74
92	400–450	415	415.00–455.00	437.32
110	450–500	473	400.00–430.00	421.03
37	500–550	513	372.50–422.50	389.50
26	550–600	565	370.00	370.00
3	600–650	615	353.00	353.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
5	1000–1050	1,018	279.00	279.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
4	950–1000	999	270.00	270.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
3	1050–1100	1,097	270.00	270.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
6	1050–1100	1,066	292.50	292.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
4	1150–1200	1,176	250.00	250.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	350–400	392	380.00	380.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
55	—	1,746	151.00–175.00	168.35
15	—	1,970	186.00–194.00	190.40
1	—	2,395	175.50	175.50
54	—	1,894	176.00–187.00	181.37

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,305	145.00–160.00	152.61
1	—	1,365	182.00	182.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,510	163.00	163.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,549	177.00–183.00	178.02
28	—	1,507	157.00–176.00	168.84

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,370	158.00	158.00
1	—	1,410	120.00	120.00
12	—	1,238	122.50–139.50	131.53
16	—	1,513	140.00–151.00	143.67

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
28	—	1,598	151.50–163.00	157.11
5	—	1,464	164.00	164.00
17	—	1,607	135.00–151.50	143.55

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,128	140.00–142.00	141.28
30	—	1,221	105.00–139.00	125.01
5	—	1,068	95.00–110.00	103.29

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	1,657	150.00–151.00	150.81
14	—	1,678	133.50–142.00	136.23
14	—	1,742	141.00–146.00	144.20

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
34	—	1,198	127.50–153.00	143.28
28	—	1,208	151.00–165.00	158.63
11	—	1,195	163.50–171.00	165.46

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	1,391	166.00–172.00	170.17
29	—	1,390	143.00–158.00	147.82
117	—	1,384	157.00–167.00	161.89

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	914	105.00–117.50	113.90

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,265	117.50–125.00	122.63

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	29	—	1,056	220.00–260.00	246.90
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	27	—	1,363	167.00–175.00	169.28
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	21	—	1,150	186.00–220.00	211.50

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,150	172.00	172.00

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	14	—	1,068	185.00–250.00	210.53
(<2 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,007	220.00–241.00	226.85

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,285	175.00	175.00

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	4	—	1,283	177.00–196.00	182.06

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)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	7	—	1,518	2,300.00	2,300.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	5	—	1,354	3,400.00	3,400.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifer Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,092	3,200.00	3,200.00

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.