Week of 11/02/2026 – 11/08/2026

Montana cattle market

Auction averages from 3 reporting markets in Montana, head-weighted across 4,354 head. Compared with 10/26/2026–11/01/2026.

Open the Montana Cattle Square

How to read these figures

Head-weighted averages across every auction USDA Market News reported for the week, quoted on Medium & Large 1–2 — the same grade your sale barn quotes. Every table can be switched to all grades, which runs lower because it folds in the plain cattle. These are averages, not bids: yours will bring what they bring. Not financial advice.

5wt steers: $426.45; ▼ 15.40
7wt steers: $349.86; ▼ 14.17
Cull cows: $129.24; ▼ 3.86
Head sold: 4,354
Markets: 3

Feeder cattle

Head-weighted average price per hundredweight across Montana auctions. Premium is what steers brought over heifers of the same weight. ▲ green is up on last week, ▼ red is down; thin means too few head to compare.

The run-of-the-mill good feeder calf, and the grade most sale barns quote on their own market report.

300–400 lb258 head

Steers: thinthin
Heifers: $488.43▼ 9.22

400–500 lb970 head

Steers: $490.70▼ 30.32
Heifers: $429.99▼ 21.12
Steer premium: $60.71

500–600 lb1,639 head

Steers: $426.45▼ 15.40
Heifers: $371.48▼ 16.59
Steer premium: $54.97

600–700 lb948 head

Steers: $384.96▼ 13.30
Heifers: $329.84▼ 26.13
Steer premium: $55.12

700–800 lb159 head

Steers: $349.86▼ 14.17
Heifers: thinthin

800–900 lb57 head

Steers: ——
Heifers: thinthin

900–1000 lb90 head

Steers: ——
Heifers: thinthin

Weight	Steers	Per head	vs last wk	Heifers	vs last wk	Premium	Head
300–400 lb	thin	—	thin	$488.43	▼ 9.22	—	258
400–500 lb	$490.70	$2,203	▼ 30.32	$429.99	▼ 21.12	$60.71	970
500–600 lb	$426.45	$2,337	▼ 15.40	$371.48	▼ 16.59	$54.97	1,639
600–700 lb	$384.96	$2,448	▼ 13.30	$329.84	▼ 26.13	$55.12	948
700–800 lb	$349.86	$2,512	▼ 14.17	thin	thin	—	159
800–900 lb	—	—	—	thin	thin	—	57
900–1000 lb	—	—	—	thin	thin	—	90

What’s a calf worth in Montana?

At this week's Montana class average. A class average is not a bid — yours will bring what they bring — but it is the number to argue from.

Weight, pounds

$2,345

a head at this week's 500–600 lb average of $426.45 per hundredweight — down $15.40 on last week.

Based on 684 head sold in that class across every reporting auction. A class average, not a bid — your cattle will bring what they bring.

The Montana Cattle Square

Full tool

Every weight class priced against every other, at Montana averages. Sell down the side, buy across the top; the figure is what the spread pays per pound of gain.

The run-of-the-mill good feeder calf, and the grade most sale barns quote on their own market report.

Your cost of gain$1.10/lb

Return on gain for selling each weight class and buying each other weight class, at Montana averages.
Sell ↓ Buy →	400	500	600	700
400	—
500		—
600			—
700				—

Each figure is the return on gain in dollars per pound — what the spread between the two classes pays you for a pound. Green means the trade is ahead of your cost of gain, red means it is behind. Below the diagonal you sell the heavier animal and buy back lighter, so you want a high figure. Above it you are trading up and buying pounds ready-made, so you want a low one. Tap any cell for the whole trade.

This week's best spreads

Cows, bulls & replacements

Every class Montana auctions reported this week. Cull cows price on condition — Breakers fleshiest, Leans thinnest. Replacement classes trade by the head. A class shows its price whenever anything sold; the week-over-week move is withheld when too few head changed hands for the comparison to mean anything, which happens more often at state level than nationally.

Cull cows, all$129.24 /cwt
▼ 3.861,949 head
Breaker 75-80%$129.12 /cwt
▼ 3.3298 head
Boner 80-85%$135.47 /cwt
▼ 2.701,080 head
Lean 85-90%$120.53 /cwt
▼ 5.33771 head
Slaughter bulls$168.12 /cwt
▲ 1.2770 head
Bred cows$2710.00 /hd
▼ 11.001,153 head
Bred heifers$3361.04 /hd
thin309 head
Stock cows$248.59 /cwt
▼ 5.24623 head

Class	Price	vs last wk	Head
Cull cows, all	$129.24 /cwt	▼ 3.86	1,949
Breaker 75-80%	$129.12 /cwt	▼ 3.32	98
Boner 80-85%	$135.47 /cwt	▼ 2.70	1,080
Lean 85-90%	$120.53 /cwt	▼ 5.33	771
Slaughter bulls	$168.12 /cwt	▲ 1.27	70
Bred cows	$2710.00 /hd	▼ 11.00	1,153
Bred heifers	$3361.04 /hd	thin	309
Stock cows	$248.59 /cwt	▼ 5.24	623

Other states

South Dakota 22,725 Missouri 15,779 Nebraska 14,534 Oklahoma 11,985 Colorado 11,005 Wyoming 8,018 Kansas 6,392 North Dakota 6,239

Source: USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, Market News. Boxed beef and slaughter figures are national and appear on the home page. Averages are not bids and nothing here is financial advice.