Cattle AuctionPrices

Montana cattle auction prices

5 sales at 3 USDA-reported barns from Oct 17 to October 23, 2026. Statewide prices combine every barn, weighted by head.

Steers 500–599 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 19, 2026)
$420.80/cwt
4-week average
$408.03
13-week average
$417.81
4-week vs 13-week
−2.3%
52-wk low $372.00high $516.27

Sales in 8 of the last 13 weeks.

Steers 700–799 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 19, 2026)
$348.56/cwt
4-week average
$357.12
13-week average
$361.98
4-week vs 13-week
−1.3%
52-wk low $327.00high $415.50

Sales in 12 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Rising

Latest (week of October 19, 2026)
$355.00/cwt
4-week average
$383.17
13-week average
$375.84
4-week vs 13-week
+1.9%
52-wk low $333.32high $469.35

Sales in 5 of the last 13 weeks.

Direction compares the 4-week average with the 13-week average: Rising +1% or more, Steady within ±1%, Easing −1% to −3%, Falling −3% or more. Weekly prices are head-weighted averages of Medium and Large No. 1 and 1–2 feeder cattle, regular lots.

The label describes recent prices; it is not a forecast. In our backtest of every barn since 2019 (about 35,000 barn-weeks), barns labeled Falling went on to beat other barns' average move over the next 13 weeks 61% of the time, and barns labeled Rising trailed it 56% of the time.

Every sale this week

BarnSaleHead sold Steers 500–599Steers 700–799Heifers 500–599 13-week trend
Public Auction Yards Livestock, Billingsunweaned Fri Oct 23 2,601 $434.66—$378.06 Rising (+1.5%)
Billings Livestock Commission, Billingsunweaned Thu Oct 22 3,119 $438.06$365.27$386.42 Rising (+3.0%)
Public Auction Yards Livestock, Billingsunweaned Wed Oct 21 1,905 $396.00—$362.56 Rising (+1.5%)
Miles City Livestock Commission Auction, Miles Cityunweaned Tue Oct 20 4,049 $433.40—$393.74 Rising (+1.3%)
Billings Livestock Commission, Billingsunweaned Mon Oct 19 1,212 $394.14—$370.24 Rising (+3.0%)
$/cwt, Medium and Large No. 1 and 1–2, head-weighted. 13-week trend = that barn's 4-week vs 13-week average for 500–599 lb steers. Barns tagged unweaned sold mostly unweaned calves over the last 13 weeks, so their prices are unweaned lots; statewide trends use regular lots only. Rows tagged special or graded are a barn's special sales. † Based on fewer than 5 head; treat as a rough price. Click a column to sort.

Direct trade (ranch to feedlot)

USDA direct reportWeek ofHeadSteers 800–899Steers 700–799Heifers 700–799
Montana Sep 28290 ———
Latest week's current-delivery cash trades, $/cwt (F.O.B. unless tagged delivered); — means no such trades that week. Direct trades are cattle sold outside auction barns; they are not in the statewide auction trend above.

Statewide, last 52 weeks

Weekly average $/cwt4-week average

Statewide price history

Weekly average $/cwt

All Montana barns

Source: USDA AMS Market News auction reports for 3 Montana barns. Barns that hold more than one sale a week count every sale.