Montana’s livestock auctions saw a dramatic uptick this week, with total receipts jumping to 7,315 head compared to just 1,433 head the previous week. The surge in activity brought renewed energy to sale barns across the state, with feeder cattle comprising 84% of offerings and showing strong demand from both order buyers and local ranchers.
Market Highlights
The biggest story this week was the substantial improvement in CME futures, which provided solid support for feeder cattle prices. The April contract closed Thursday at $372.90, up $11.45 from the previous Friday, while May futures gained $10.80 to close at $370.625. This momentum carried through to the sale ring, where buyers showed good to very good demand for moderate to heavy offerings.
Quality was notably better than last week, ranging from average to very attractive, with several load lots changing hands. Grass cattle demand was particularly strong, with buyers taking steers up to 750 pounds and heifers up to 700 pounds for pasture programs.
Weekly Price Summary
| Category | Weight Range | Price Range | Average Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feeder Steers (M&L 1) | 400-500 lbs | $545.00-600.00 | $570-595 |
| Feeder Steers (M&L 1) | 600-700 lbs | $401.50-490.00 | $442-474 |
| Feeder Steers (M&L 1) | 750-850 lbs | $337.50-411.00 | $344-389 |
| Feeder Heifers (M&L 1) | 400-500 lbs | $475.00-540.00 | $488-533 |
| Feeder Heifers (M&L 1) | 600-700 lbs | $362.50-435.00 | $381-420 |
| Slaughter Cows (Premium White) | 1500-2000 lbs | $164.00-174.00 | $167-174 |
| Slaughter Cows (Breaker) | 1300-1900 lbs | $145.00-186.50 | $158-185 |
| Replacement Heifers | 750-845 lbs | $2750.00-3160.00 | $2750-3055 |
Market Conditions and Trends
Feeder Cattle: Buyers were particularly selective about flesh conditions this week, showing heavy discounts for even moderately fleshed feeders. The market showed active trading with large crowds of both order buyers and ranchers present throughout the week. Grass cattle demand was exceptional, signaling strong confidence in upcoming grazing conditions.
Slaughter Cows: The cow market continued its strong performance, with feeding cow demand driving prices $1.00-3.00 higher. Young feeding cows saw increased interest as buyers hope to capture some that will grade. Notably, several sets showed the effects of early green grass, coming to market very empty but in excellent condition for April.
Bulls: Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to $3.00 higher, while feeding bulls gained $3.00-5.00 on very good demand. Competition between packers and feeders for similar offerings helped boost prices across both classes.
Receipt Comparison
This week’s total receipts of 7,315 head represented a massive increase from last week’s light 1,433 head, and exceeded last year’s comparable week of 6,085 head by 20%. The breakdown showed feeder cattle at 6,119 head (83.7%), slaughter cattle at 762 head (10.4%), and replacement cattle at 434 head (5.9%).
The significant increase in volume, combined with improved futures support and strong buyer attendance, created the kind of market conditions Montana ranchers have been waiting for this spring. With grass conditions looking promising and feeding operations actively seeking cattle, the outlook remains positive heading into the traditional spring run.
Source: USDA AMS Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary