Montana  - ( Weekly Weighted Average ) - March 17, 2025

Billings, MT Mon Mar, 17 2025 Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary Feeder Cattle Weighted Average Report for 3/10/2025 Current Previous Year Ago —————————— —————————— —————————— Total 6034 7471 4542 Slaughter Sheep/Lambs 2039 0 1095 Feeder Cattle 1294 3291 1135 Slaughter Cattle 867 1392 849 Slaughter Goats 842 0 882 Replacement Cattle 417 2788 358 Feeder Sheep/Lambs 325 0 0 Feeder Goats 230 0 215 Replacement Goats 15 0 3 Replacement Sheep/Lambs 5 0 5 Compared to last week: Steer calves were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed on all offerings. Feeder heifers were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed on heifers under 650 lbs, while steady undertones were noticed on heifers over 650 lbs. Demand was mostly good to very good for light offerings. Feeder cattle were mostly plain to average for quality, with a limited offering of attractive cattle seen. Quality overall was not as attractive as last week. Package sizes were mostly small to moderate this week with no load lots on offer. Packages were smaller than last weeks sale. Many sets of calves were cut backs off winter video sales. Several sets of backgrounded feeders were seen this week. Some of these cattle were moderate to fleshy and discounted as a result. Many backgrounded cattle were dirty and taggy as melting snow and mud continues to be an issue for cattle feeders. Demand for grass cattle continues to be very strong as differed CME positions continue to post large gains. CME positions traded mostly higher this week, spurred by higher direct slaughter cattle prices. In Nebraska and the Western Cornbelt slaughter cattle traded 3.00-5.00 higher at 205.00 on Friday. The March feeder cattle contract closed Friday at 281.975, 5.00 higher than last Fridays close. The April contract closed at 281.20 on Friday, 3.05 higher than last Fridays close. Despite light offerings of feeder cattle seen this week demand continues to be very good with large crowds on hand actively bidding on offerings. Market activity this week was mostly active as a result. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for moderate offerings. Regional packers and major packers continue to show very good demand for high quality cows. Regional packers are purchasing their cattle for immediate harvest while major packers are purchasing cows mostly to feed. Premium white fed cows sold mostly 4.00-8.00 higher, breaking and boning cows sold steady to 5.00 higher, lean cows sold generally steady. Feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-5.00 higher on all high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white. Short term feeding cows sold unevenly steady on a mixed quality offering. Many blemished cows continue to go to feed or to grass until cow supplies shorten. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady. Very good demand from major packers was seen this week as bull quality was mostly attractive. Several sets of fed bulls were seen this week and were marketed as all natural. Fed bull quality was not as attractive this week as it was the past few weeks. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady. 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 this week as many try to buy cows to use as recips or to rebreed. Steers Medium and Large 1 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 1 305 305 505.00 505.00 3 353-365 357 500.00-505.00 503.30 103 401-442 439 430.25-440.00 430.85 12 443 443 405.00 405.00 Unweaned 8 455-495 475 390.00-400.00 393.98 4 501 501 377.50 377.50 21 565-598 588 341.00-376.00 345.38 1 620 620 285.00 285.00 Unweaned 8 618-635 622 329.00-331.00 330.49 4 674 674 312.00 312.00 Full 41 700-744 718 296.00-309.00 306.60 7 767-783 775 287.00-293.00 291.72 12 827 827 282.00 282.00 6 832 832 272.00 272.00 Fleshy 2 855 855 273.00 273.00 8 904-935 916 260.00-268.00 263.06 Steers Medium and Large 1-2 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 1 310 310 455.00 455.00 2 413 413 385.00 385.00 3 483 483 367.50 367.50 5 520-535 532 345.00-365.00 351.93 20 550-594 587 320.00-347.50 324.95 15 600-648 639 322.00-329.00 324.52 4 655-692 683 292.50-298.00 293.82 11 700-745 716 285.00-293.00 287.68 Steers Medium and Large 2 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 3 392 392 390.00 390.00 1 420 420 365.00 365.00 2 498 498 332.50 332.50 4 563 563 290.00 290.00 Steers Large 1 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 2 698 698 308.00 308.00 1 740 740 282.50 282.50 1 790 790 280.00 280.00 16 851-895 857 249.00-256.00 249.91 Steers Large 1-2 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 11 1217-1230 1222 180.00-199.00 186.96 Fleshy Steers Large 2 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 4 1136 1136 175.00 175.00 Steers Medium 1 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 2 493 493 340.00 340.00 Heifers Medium and Large 1 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 3 282 282 437.50 437.50 3 348 348 345.00 345.00 Unweaned 3 433 433 370.00 370.00 35 455-481 464 350.00-367.50 362.41 53 501-548 528 334.00-337.00 335.35 6 555 555 346.00 346.00 Fancy 2 588 588 304.00 304.00 Fleshy 41 608-643 632 309.00-322.50 313.50 118 668-689 686 279.00-289.50 287.69 35 704-739 732 259.00-261.00 259.38 Fleshy 10 766-780 772 243.00-268.00 257.89 12 804-825 806 256.00-262.00 261.49 4 821 821 232.00 232.00 Fleshy Heifers Medium and Large 1-2 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 4 384 384 380.00 380.00 10 418-430 420 337.50-365.00 356.94 11 488 488 341.00 341.00 19 515-548 540 315.00-333.00 318.22 51 550-595 573 304.00-320.00 312.57 2 613 613 285.00 285.00 7 711-718 714 260.00-265.00 262.85 3 782 782 254.00 254.00 18 1035 1035 210.50 210.50 Fleshy Heifers Medium and Large 2 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 2 590 590 285.00 285.00 Heifers Large 1 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 3 418 418 347.50 347.50 8 523 523 312.00 312.00 2 565 565 318.00 318.00 1 605 605 284.00 284.00 3 745 745 261.00 261.00 4 894 894 236.00 236.00 Heifers Large 1-2 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 11 1134 1134 197.00 197.00 Fleshy Heifers Medium 1 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 8 462-487 478 320.00-330.00 326.37 4 584 584 282.50 282.50 Fleshy Bulls Medium and Large 1 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 1 345 345 425.00 425.00 Unweaned 7 345 345 435.00 435.00 14 383 383 415.00 415.00 2 413 413 430.00 430.00 Unweaned 3 448 448 405.00 405.00 3 590 590 320.00 320.00 1 640 640 287.50 287.50 Unweaned 5 693 693 285.00 285.00 3 715 715 290.00 290.00 7 758-776 768 263.00-274.00 267.65 5 801-830 807 260.00-262.00 260.41 1 875 875 238.00 238.00 4 909 909 245.00 245.00 6 957 957 242.00 242.00 2 1120-1125 1123 215.00-231.00 222.98 Bulls Medium and Large 1-2 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 4 580 580 317.50 317.50 11 627 627 304.00 304.00 Thin Fleshed 2 748 748 267.50 267.50 Bulls Large 1 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 3 1153-1160 1155 197.00-226.00 216.29 1 1240 1240 210.00 210.00 1 1255 1255 212.00 212.00 Bulls Medium 1 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 4 715 715 264.00 264.00 Slaughter Bulls Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 1 1370 1370 131.00 131.00 Light Weight, Low Dressing 1 1370 1370 141.00 141.00 Return to Feed, Low Dressing 2 1480-1565 1523 165.00-171.00 168.08 Return to Feed 3 1710-1775 1745 146.50-165.00 156.92 Natural, Low Dressing 15 1450-2460 1806 131.00-165.00 150.37 Low Dressing 30 1510-2430 1899 162.00-179.00 168.98 16 1625-2130 1916 165.00-182.00 173.86 Natural 1 1980 1980 185.00 185.00 Natural, High Dressing 2 1990-2055 2023 175.00-180.00 177.46 7 1800-2290 2041 179.50-184.00 182.03 High Dressing 2 2520-2545 2533 182.00-185.00 183.51 Heavy Weight, High Dressing Slaughter Cows Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 5 740-915 861 92.50-106.00 100.98 Light Weight, Low Dressing, Lean 42 810-1295 1153 110.00-136.00 125.00 Return to Feed, Low Dressing, Lean 21 985-1345 1177 101.00-131.00 111.19 Low Dressing, Lean 3 1090-1275 1178 129.00-135.00 132.50 Lean 3 1150-1255 1188 95.00-103.00 97.58 Very Low Dressing, Lean 59 1045-1330 1198 139.00-148.00 142.92 Return to Feed, Lean 28 1085-1285 1217 146.00-154.00 150.00 Return to Feed, High Dressing, Lean 94 1110-1635 1379 135.00-150.00 143.47 Return to Feed, Boner 54 1258-1510 1405 149.00-160.00 152.94 Return to Feed, High Dressing, Boner 43 1275-1713 1415 129.00-149.50 143.67 Boner 31 1290-1685 1448 120.00-139.00 129.78 Return to Feed, Low Dressing, Boner 17 1270-1725 1451 110.00-135.00 126.22 Low Dressing, Boner 41 1480-1505 1481 142.00-150.00 142.20 Return to Feed, Breaker 71 1310-1920 1496 140.00-153.50 144.82 Breaker 137 1310-1730 1503 146.50-160.50 157.56 High Dressing, Boner 62 1497-1634 1584 139.50-149.00 143.27 Premium White 16 1505-1945 1684 154.00-160.00 157.46 High Dressing, Breaker 16 1530-1910 1698 130.00-144.00 137.46 Low Dressing, Breaker Slaughter Dairy Cows Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 2 1115-1300 1208 111.00-117.00 114.23 Low Dressing, Lean Bred Cows Medium and Large 1 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 6 1081-1245 1133 2,700.00-2,725.00 2,715.90 Young, 3rd Stage 4 1184 1184 2,750.00 2,750.00 Middle Aged/Aged, 3rd Stage 1 1190 1190 2,700.00 2,700.00 Middle Aged, 3rd Stage 3 1287 1287 2,200.00 2,200.00 Young, 1st/2nd Stage Bred Cows Medium and Large 1-2 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 2 1200 1200 1,750.00 1,750.00 Thin Fleshed, Aged, 3rd Stage Bred Heifers Medium and Large 1 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 2 1048 1048 2,100.00 2,100.00 (<2 yrs), 1st/2nd Stage 1 1165 1165 2,700.00 2,700.00 (<2 yrs), 3rd Stage Stock Cows Large 1 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 1 885 885 210.00 210.00 (<2 yrs), Open 5 893 893 177.50 177.50 Young, Open Stock Cows Medium 1 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 8 708-775 750 220.00-230.00 223.65 (<2 yrs), Open Stock Cows Medium and Large 1 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 122 805-1265 1010 173.00-259.00 216.98 (<2 yrs), Open 158 753-1465 1115 148.00-220.00 178.16 Young, Open 11 1065-1410 1196 145.00-170.00 157.92 Young/Middle Aged, Open 4 1357-1695 1442 162.00-181.00 175.41 Fleshy, (<2 yrs), Open 6 1434-1590 1465 157.00-183.00 162.64 Fleshy, Young, Open Stock Cows Medium and Large 1-2 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price 5 815-990 945 200.00-215.00 208.55 (<2 yrs), Open 29 785-1185 980 146.00-195.00 162.63 Young, Open