State summaries / Montana / Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary / 2026-10-19

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · Weekly summary · Mon, Oct 19

● As filed227 lines reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1778

State summary

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 227 priced lines covering 12,223 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 10,048 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 2,535 head. replacement cattle receipts at 1,225 head. Counted as USDA files them — 3 of those are cow-calf pairs, each counted once.

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Mon Oct 19, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 10,048Last week 9,209Year ago 13,554

Slaughter CattleReceipts 2,535Last week 1,845Year ago 2,741

Replacement CattleReceipts 1,225Last week 792Year ago 1,328

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were both too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Steer calves under 350 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. 350-449 lbs steers sold mostly 5.00 higher; steer calves over 450 lbs sold mostly steady to firm. Heifer calves under 400 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. 400-499 lbs heifers sold steady to 5.00 higher, 500-549 lbs heifers sold mostly steady, heifers over 550 lbs sold mostly 10.00 lower. Quality this week was mixed, but mostly average to attractive. Many cutback cattle continue to be seen off summer videos this week. Trucking logistics remain difficult as buyers report trucks are very tight. Several buyers filled loads and exited the market early which led to wide price spreads again this week. Light weight steers and heifers destined for western grass sold on very good demand this week. CME positions posted more upward movement this week as cash fat cattle prices moved higher. The October contract closed Friday at 348.325, 4.70 higher than last Fridays close. The November contact close Friday at 348.125, 6.225 higher than last Fridays close. The January contract closed at 345.35, 7.075 higher than last Fridays close. Market activity was mostly active with a moderate crowd of buyers noticed at all feeder specials. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for moderate offerings. Demand for feeding cows was stronger again this week as American packers and Canadian feeders both showed good demand for high quality, mostly boning and breaking cows to feed. Private feeders were active again this week as well, but mostly purchased lean and boning cows to put on feed. Many private feeders were willing to take lame or blemished cows to feed. Feeding cows sold steady to 3.00 higher on breaking cows and boning cows; lean cows sold generally steady. A large pool of feeding cow buyers was seen again this week. Slaughter cows sold on light demand this week. The quality and yield of cows destined for immediate harvest is very low as feeding buyers continue to buy cows away from packers. Breaking cows sold steady to 2.00 higher, boning and lean cows sold fully steady. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady. Bulls have started to regain some condition lost during breeding season as late fall rains have greened pasture and range conditions. Yields continue to improved as a result. Young age offerings sold on good to very good demand. Young age offerings sold mostly 10.00-15.00 higher. Very good demand continues to be seen for young age offerings to rebreed.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	850–900	872	320.00	320.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	650–700	668	265.00–337.50	306.84
5	700–750	720	285.00–325.00	300.84
37	750–800	778	270.00–346.00	325.58
13	850–900	859	322.50–330.00	325.42
12	900–950	921	270.00–310.00	296.44
15	950–1000	970	245.00–289.00	275.92
3	1000–1050	1,008	285.00	285.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	600–650	633	325.00	325.00
2	650–700	695	312.50	312.50
6	700–750	703	255.00	255.00
1	800–850	800	297.50	297.50
2	850–900	870	240.00–299.00	269.16

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
20	250–300	267	515.00–590.00	529.42
14	300–350	329	450.00–500.00	470.89
84	350–400	381	425.00–495.00	467.62
134	400–450	426	320.00–457.50	430.57
160	450–500	477	370.00–432.50	418.65
102	500–550	534	357.50–387.50	374.61
103	550–600	581	325.00–384.00	354.63
8	600–650	639	342.50–349.00	345.80

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
23	250–300	273	525.00–600.00	544.75
50	300–350	325	460.00–540.00	510.05
119	350–400	385	400.00–520.00	492.12
175	400–450	424	365.00–560.00	480.07
491	450–500	472	345.00–470.00	445.47
651	500–550	526	347.50–420.00	401.18
476	550–600	569	325.00–406.00	372.42
129	600–650	623	280.00–379.00	355.34
39	650–700	667	337.50–349.00	345.93

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	300–350	333	430.00–535.00	472.42
16	350–400	385	417.00–465.00	437.50
21	400–450	432	310.00–415.00	393.50
9	450–500	484	385.00–412.50	404.09
7	500–550	524	275.00–350.00	301.60
6	550–600	586	260.00–360.00	343.14

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1050–1100	1,070	270.00	270.00
5	1150–1200	1,167	245.00	245.00
2	1250–1300	1,298	209.00	209.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
12	450–500	474	405.00–445.00	441.76
4	550–600	593	355.00	355.00
60	600–650	613	342.00–363.00	359.12
48	650–700	665	315.00–375.00	347.26
13	700–750	732	262.50–312.00	300.73
54	750–800	785	282.50–353.00	350.46
20	800–850	828	300.00–341.00	333.55
10	850–900	861	282.50–341.00	328.87
50	900–950	921	310.00–325.00	317.08
10	950–1000	970	270.00–283.00	278.43
14	1000–1050	1,026	287.00–292.50	290.51

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
13	350–400	383	460.00–475.00	471.71
5	500–550	506	385.00	385.00
14	550–600	589	321.00–355.00	345.62
9	600–650	609	340.00	340.00
15	950–1000	982	290.00–294.00	293.20

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
15	450–500	495	362.50–375.00	365.80

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Spayed$ per cwt · actual wt
32	750–800	780	316.00	316.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
50	450–500	479	440.00–471.00	467.53
15	500–550	511	420.00–432.50	429.07
5	550–600	592	395.00	395.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
17	250–300	272	620.00–650.00	633.03
29	300–350	324	560.00–680.00	607.77
102	350–400	371	535.00–635.00	586.88
271	400–450	423	460.00–580.00	518.19
689	450–500	474	435.00–525.00	489.53
531	500–550	518	375.00–505.00	466.33
1,154	550–600	571	345.00–447.00	422.43
323	600–650	623	368.00–415.00	401.07
223	650–700	673	355.00–396.00	380.02
63	700–750	713	358.00–375.50	367.48
1	750–800	785	360.00	360.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	250–300	292	530.00–555.00	534.53
3	300–350	330	520.00–540.00	533.74
8	350–400	383	485.00–535.00	497.08
29	400–450	436	405.00–440.00	426.70
21	450–500	487	405.00–465.00	430.27
40	500–550	521	280.00–425.00	392.03
13	550–600	575	350.00–385.00	365.05
3	600–650	637	369.00	369.00
4	650–700	682	330.00–340.00	334.90

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	600–650	612	395.00	395.00
23	1050–1100	1,051	300.00–310.00	300.43
2	1100–1150	1,118	280.00	280.00
4	1150–1200	1,157	265.00–280.00	268.79

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
24	550–600	564	426.00	426.00
473	600–650	620	377.50–417.00	401.55
114	650–700	670	355.00–412.50	398.94
32	700–750	733	340.00–380.00	360.40
27	750–800	790	324.00–371.00	334.59
4	800–850	828	310.00–331.00	320.31
2	850–900	898	312.00	312.00
17	900–950	914	329.00–332.50	330.04
46	950–1000	963	325.00	325.00
10	1000–1050	1,003	305.00	305.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
14	250–300	277	610.00–645.00	617.47
56	300–350	316	550.00–627.50	607.00
112	350–400	373	450.00–575.00	537.10
76	400–450	428	445.00–517.50	482.80
109	450–500	483	432.50–476.00	451.41
223	500–550	535	370.00–455.00	432.75
146	550–600	583	370.00–418.00	398.80
17	600–650	634	355.00–382.50	371.76
10	700–750	710	347.50–357.50	351.88

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
5	450–500	479	475.00	475.00
15	550–600	562	396.00	396.00
15	650–700	657	375.00	375.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	500–550	543	410.00	410.00
3	550–600	575	390.00	390.00
27	600–650	625	365.00–385.00	375.60
4	650–700	660	352.50–354.00	353.26
7	700–750	729	347.50–350.00	348.19
11	850–900	887	317.00–330.00	324.16
14	900–950	938	307.50–316.00	313.10
12	950–1000	963	307.00–310.00	308.13
5	1000–1050	1,023	293.00	293.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	850–900	860	315.00	315.00
7	1000–1050	1,010	299.00	299.00
3	1150–1200	1,197	265.00	265.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	500–550	522	405.00	405.00
4	550–600	584	400.00	400.00
4	600–650	625	382.00	382.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	600–650	640	350.00	350.00
9	650–700	682	225.00–368.00	328.31
2	700–750	725	325.00–345.00	334.72
2	750–800	770	265.00–310.00	287.50
3	900–950	912	260.00–275.00	270.07
1	950–1000	950	205.00	205.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	500–550	510	427.50	427.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	700–750	710	347.50	347.50
5	800–850	816	325.00	325.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	700–750	735	347.50	347.50
5	750–800	760	325.00	325.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	1050–1100	1,077	270.00–273.00	272.01
4	1100–1150	1,118	250.00–270.00	259.36

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	350–400	398	510.00	510.00
3	400–450	418	465.00–480.00	474.92
3	450–500	489	405.00–421.00	415.65
2	550–600	583	355.00	355.00
4	700–750	728	302.50	302.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
10	600–650	634	327.50–355.00	341.53
2	650–700	685	340.00	340.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1000–1050	1,010	265.00	265.00
1	1100–1150	1,100	252.50	252.50
1	1200–1250	1,200	232.50	232.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	250–300	293	530.00	530.00
12	300–350	336	530.00–605.00	544.87
6	350–400	373	530.00–570.00	549.49
26	400–450	445	480.00	480.00
19	450–500	478	420.00–507.50	438.31
47	500–550	522	395.00–420.00	412.88
23	550–600	589	365.00–382.50	368.25
2	600–650	613	355.00	355.00
5	650–700	674	315.00	315.00
1	700–750	705	315.00	315.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	600–650	620	340.00	340.00
4	650–700	663	305.00–315.00	312.47
14	700–750	707	315.00	315.00
5	750–800	762	305.00–315.00	310.92
5	900–950	927	295.00	295.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	1000–1050	1,020	247.50	247.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	750–800	795	310.00	310.00
1	950–1000	970	296.00	296.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,345	150.00–170.00	160.07
204	—	1,457	130.00–155.00	147.21
23	—	1,471	119.00–145.00	133.51

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
109	—	1,277	100.00–142.00	128.22
126	—	1,335	138.00–156.00	146.34
121	—	1,294	112.50–147.50	137.16
4	—	1,300	85.00–95.00	91.34

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,213	92.50–107.50	96.87
23	—	1,217	147.00–152.50	149.66
199	—	1,207	111.00–147.50	134.73
45	—	1,186	82.50–128.00	118.44

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
504	—	1,328	124.00–168.00	143.41
71	—	1,294	147.00–180.00	154.50
87	—	1,350	105.00–135.00	127.06

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
114	—	1,159	82.50–116.00	106.55
67	—	1,174	60.00–98.00	89.75
18	—	1,188	128.00–138.00	135.61
80	—	1,199	95.00–132.50	115.38

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	930	112.00	112.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	882	90.00–115.00	100.83
5	—	879	85.00–92.50	89.38
1	—	995	117.50	117.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
65	—	1,612	97.50–128.00	117.57
90	—	1,496	121.00–150.00	139.83
48	—	1,484	140.00–157.00	147.52

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,330	145.00–154.00	152.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	980	130.00	130.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
31	—	1,722	127.50–168.00	151.56
65	—	1,759	155.00–185.00	172.04

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
85	—	1,570	130.00–185.00	164.55
12	—	1,748	159.00–171.00	165.94
14	—	1,373	190.00–232.50	200.57

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Open Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	N/A	59	—	1,069	242.50–335.00	280.24
(<2 yrs)	N/A	27	—	1,017	255.00–310.00	285.27

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)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	33	—	1,312	2,000.00–3,400.00	2,458.50
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	24	—	1,123	2,350.00–3,700.00	3,153.20
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	12	—	1,199	3,500.00–3,750.00	3,654.21
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	1	—	1,320	2,900.00	2,900.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	2	—	1,498	2,500.00–2,900.00	2,678.30
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	2	—	1,260	2,475.00	2,475.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	2	—	1,060	3,000.00–3,050.00	3,025.59
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	40	—	1,336	2,300.00–3,100.00	2,735.82

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	3	—	1,408	2,400.00	2,400.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	—	1,300	2,425.00	2,425.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	—	1,213	1,900.00	1,900.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	3	—	1,097	1,900.00	1,900.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	2	—	1,373	2,200.00	2,200.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	3	—	1,130	1,900.00–2,300.00	2,128.32
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	3	—	1,250	2,300.00–2,400.00	2,323.59
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	3	—	1,092	1,950.00–2,350.00	2,226.03
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	10	—	1,270	1,900.00–2,400.00	2,038.58
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	28	—	1,191	1,600.00–2,200.00	1,917.75

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)	3	—	1,230	2,375.00	2,375.00

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)	2	—	920	2,400.00	2,400.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	2	—	1,633	3,600.00	3,600.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,435	4,100.00	4,100.00

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	127	—	1,072	230.00–287.50	269.60
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	33	—	1,266	146.50–175.00	162.16
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	60	—	1,183	175.00–240.00	208.46

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	134	—	955	270.00–340.00	300.58
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	18	—	1,136	178.00–235.00	201.10
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	420	—	1,045	192.50–332.50	271.56

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,645	111.00	111.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,450	149.00	149.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	23	—	1,176	145.00–240.00	188.46

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.