Montana Cattle Markets Show Strength Despite Light Trading (March 22-28, 2026)
Montana cattle markets displayed resilience this week with strong demand across most categories, even as total receipts dropped to 1,433 head compared to 2,824 head the previous week. While feeder cattle volumes were too light to establish clear trends, slaughter cattle and replacement stock showed encouraging signs.
Market Highlights:
- CME futures posted impressive gains with May contracts up $13.45 and April up $10.28 from the previous Friday
- Young feeding cows jumped $5-12 per hundredweight on very good demand
- Slaughter cow demand remained strong with higher undertones noticed across all offerings
- Feeding bull demand was excellent, with prices steady to $2 higher
Weekly Price Summary
| Category | Weight Range | Price Range ($/cwt) | Average Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feeder Steers (M&L 1) | 444-825 lbs | $361.00-$575.00 | $439.90 |
| Feeder Steers (M&L 1-2) | 266-800 lbs | $350.00-$615.00 | $437.83 |
| Feeder Heifers (M&L 1) | 554-998 lbs | $299.00-$425.00 | $374.77 |
| Feeder Heifers (M&L 1-2) | 247-795 lbs | $327.50-$565.00 | $413.24 |
| Slaughter Cows (Average) | 1187-1825 lbs | $145.92-$173.74 | $162.76 |
| Slaughter Bulls (1-2) | 1275-2220 lbs | $168.94-$212.15 | $206.52 |
| Young Stock Cows (<2 yrs) | 745-1335 lbs | $222.50-$365.00 | $283.12 |
Market Conditions and Outlook
The feeder cattle market faced challenges this week with plain to average quality cattle offered mostly in small packages and singles. No feeder specials were held, but demand remained moderate to good despite the light offerings. The lack of Canadian buyers due to unfavorable exchange rates continued to impact the market dynamic.
The real story this week was in the cow market. Feeding cow demand drove much of the activity, with younger, higher-quality cows commanding premium prices while poorer-quality animals sold weak. Major packers showed strong appetite for high-quality cows, and a large crowd of feeding cow buyers attended sales throughout the week.
Notable trends:
- Tight supplies of older cows kept buyers active even on blemished cattle
- Very good weather conditions limited the number of cows and heifers that lost calves coming to market
- Bulls saw competition between packers and feeders, helping both classes
- Quality was average to attractive across most categories
Receipt Breakdown
This week’s 1,433 total head compared to 1,977 head during the same week last year. The composition was:
- Feeder Cattle: 616 head (43.0%)
- Slaughter Cattle: 511 head (35.7%)
- Replacement Cattle: 306 head (21.4%)
Looking ahead, the strong CME performance and continued tight supply situation suggest underlying market strength, though ranchers should watch for improved feeder cattle volume to better gauge market direction in coming weeks.
Source: USDA AMS Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary
