Mother Nature took a bite out of what is normally the busiest selling time for calves in North Central Montana. The combination of late August heat and last week's October snowstorm has put some calves on an unwanted weight-loss plan.

Tim Brunner of Western Livestock Auction explained, "It got so dry, the grasshoppers came out and the grass quit growing, and then we got some moisture and the grass started growing, but then it froze, so it shut down."

And the fall grazing that usually puts on a few extra pounds hasn't been prevalent.

Some counties across Montana have seen good range and heavier calves, but here in Cascade County, calves are 40 to 50 pounds lighter than normal, something that Cascade rancher Jim Pribyl knows all too well. Pribyl noted, "Our calves come in about 38 pounds lighter than last year."

Poorer range lands also contribute to a loss of some minerals in the calves' diet. Brunner said, "We've had a lot more question about nutrients and why the calves aren't performing like they usually do."

Rancher Pribyl lamented, "I'm sure the cows are going to be lower because the hay piles are so small and the grass is so poor, plus the price of calves are lower than a year ago or two years ago."

But ranchers still have to sell and overall Brunner says they've seen a fairly normal marketing pattern. "I don't think the calves being lighter has affected the sales, the price as much...it's just a normal, run of the year, the calf prices seem to be a little soft," he commented.

And it's hard to tell now what the repercussions will be down the road, with Pribyl remarking, "Its hold on and wait for next year."

Pribyl added that some calves in the community have not sold yet, and says some buyers aren't bidding due to the economy and lost equity in their cattle.