Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 170 priced lines covering 12,727 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 13,605 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 706 head. replacement cattle receipts at 4,015 head.

Mon Nov 4, 2019

USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)

Feeder CattleReceipts 13,605Last week 10,528Year ago 0

Slaughter CattleReceipts 706Last week 674Year ago 0

Replacement CattleReceipts 4,015Last week 3,040Year ago 0

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Yearling heifers sold mostly 4.00-8.00 higher. Steer calves under 500 lbs sold unevenly, 5.00 higher to 15.00 lower, mostly 2.00-5.00 lower; 500-599 lbs sold mostly 2.00-3.00 lower; 600-749 lbs steers sold generally steady to weak. Heifer calves weighing less than 500 lbs sold unevenly steady from 3.00 lower to 5.00 higher; 500-599 lbs sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher; heifer calves weighing over 600 lbs sold generally steady. Quality this week was mixed from plain to very attractive. Calves with two rounds of preconditioning shots sold with the best demand again this week with buyers offerings a solid 8.00-12.00 premium for vaccinated calves. Demand for light weight calves lightened late in the session due to lighter demand caused by dry conditions on the west coast. The April live cattle contract continues to inch higher. As of Thursdays close the April live cattle contract closed at 125.85, 1.90 higher than last Thursdays close. Transportation issues tightened demand late in the week as well as trucks remain tight. Market activity this week was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows and sold on mostly moderate to good demand for heavy offerings. Packer showed significantly better demand for slaughter cows this week, purchasing cows on mostly moderate to good demand. The cutter cow cutout gained substantial ground this week led mostly by 90% lean trim which sold sharply higher. The cutter cow cutout as of yesterdays close was 178.54 up 0.34 from Wednesdays value. Slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher on all classes of cows. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher on high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white. Thin cows destined for short term feeding

programs sold sharply higher as demand for these cows was mostly good from both packer buyers looking for slaughter cows, packers looking for cows to store for the lightened holiday schedule, and farmer feeders searching for cows to turn out. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher. Young age cows suitable to re-breed sold on mostly moderate demand with moderate to good demand seen at times. Offerings sold steady 10.00 higher.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	824	144.00	144.00
28	—	874	139.00–146.00	144.29
11	—	655	148.50	148.50
9	—	601	153.00	153.00
4	—	971	139.75	139.75
43	—	530	158.00–160.00	159.86
53	—	927	137.00–144.00	140.17
56	—	722	148.50–151.50	149.88
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
298	—	477	151.00–175.00	159.80
9	—	708	135.00–139.00	136.77
26	—	329	177.50–198.00	188.35
6	—	299	196.00	196.00
10	—	662	133.00–142.00	137.51
17	—	639	134.00–142.00	138.92
79	—	434	150.00–180.00	169.62
89	—	382	171.50–188.50	182.53
95	—	578	136.00–151.50	144.27
188	—	534	140.00–156.00	149.28
7	—	766	135.00	135.00
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	617	137.00	137.00
2	—	778	136.00	136.00
2	—	513	157.00	157.00
62	—	696	136.00–147.00	146.29
Steers — Medium 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	408	155.00	155.00
6	—	520	137.50	137.50
Steers — Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,026	130.00	130.00
4	—	1,124	122.00	122.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	493	147.00–149.00	147.82
12	—	410	160.00–162.00	161.19
2	—	558	129.00	129.00
10	—	614	135.00	135.00
4	—	276	170.00	170.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
28	—	816	134.50–136.00	134.82
19	—	876	139.00–140.50	139.54
13	—	529	151.00	151.00
24	—	779	147.00	147.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
113	—	380	186.00–215.00	192.70
149	—	722	133.50–149.25	143.66
294	—	425	175.00–194.00	182.38
14	—	332	200.00–206.00	200.44
48	—	775	132.00–144.00	141.27
639	—	522	152.00–168.50	160.49
522	—	473	160.00–177.00	167.99
500	—	672	140.50–151.75	147.39
1,255	—	580	147.00–162.00	153.15
786	—	622	144.00–154.50	148.17
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	648	137.00	137.00
Steers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
27	—	478	155.00–165.00	159.58
6	—	539	148.00	148.00
4	—	350	172.50	172.50
10	—	591	143.00	143.00
7	—	417	168.00	168.00
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	1,015	130.00–134.50	131.81
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	653	138.50	138.50
7	—	518	149.50	149.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
65	—	532	170.50	170.50
Steers — Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
19	—	593	145.00	145.00
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	743	143.50	143.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
25	—	573	136.75	136.75
50	—	868	132.00–137.50	135.14
4	—	1,051	117.50	117.50
25	—	830	137.50–141.25	139.58
41	—	513	151.50	151.50
32	—	956	127.00–133.00	130.95
36	—	674	137.50	137.50
28	—	636	137.00	137.00
21	—	451	159.00	159.00
86	—	913	131.50–136.00	133.26
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
43	—	725	127.00–135.00	130.92
894	—	573	132.00–141.50	137.35
695	—	526	134.50–153.50	142.32
656	—	476	137.50–162.00	151.73
365	—	430	154.00–164.50	158.52
211	—	619	128.00–140.00	134.60
141	—	378	159.00–170.00	165.17
107	—	677	129.00–139.00	136.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	919	126.00	126.00
6	—	850	128.00	128.00
17	—	764	136.00	136.00
Heifers — Medium 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
25	—	431	131.00–136.00	132.33
Heifers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
35	—	646	140.50	140.50
15	—	566	138.50	138.50
7	—	697	130.00	130.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Natural$ per cwt · actual wt
31	—	506	153.50	153.50
61	—	484	157.50–169.00	158.39
26	—	644	138.00	138.00
64	—	571	140.00–144.00	142.16
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	661	123.00–126.00	124.14
48	—	323	152.00–157.00	154.32
63	—	379	149.00–164.00	154.94
68	—	471	130.00–145.00	140.34
93	—	527	128.00–138.50	134.69
121	—	576	128.00–134.00	130.84
5	—	620	128.00	128.00
143	—	423	144.00–156.00	148.89
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
24	—	474	164.50	164.50
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	602	138.00	138.00
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
65	—	694	144.00	144.00
22	—	702	136.00	136.00
5	—	772	137.50	137.50
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
20	—	1,056	118.50–132.50	123.33
6	—	1,126	116.50–117.00	116.75
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
23	—	424	139.00–141.00	139.92
7	—	388	142.50–147.00	144.37
5	—	556	120.00	120.00
3	—	477	130.00	130.00
3	—	345	155.00	155.00
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	1,000	118.50	118.50
Heifers — Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,035	120.00	120.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	956	128.50	128.50
4	—	919	128.00	128.00
Heifers — Medium 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	345	151.00	151.00
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
34	—	428	145.50–153.00	152.08
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	680	133.00–135.00	134.09
9	—	610	135.00–140.00	138.00
7	—	765	132.00	132.00
4	—	738	132.00	132.00
2	—	335	190.00	190.00
4	—	535	149.00	149.00
8	—	418	164.00–176.00	170.83
3	—	955	126.00	126.00
26	—	472	144.00–163.00	154.21
16	—	558	139.00–147.00	145.41
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	960	107.00	107.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	360	160.00	160.00
6	—	632	132.00	132.00
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	986	95.00	95.00
Bulls — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	579	138.00	138.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
133	—	1,206	40.50–51.00	45.13
38	—	1,279	47.00–55.00	51.85
32	—	1,164	27.50–41.00	37.14
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	962	37.50–45.00	42.60
3	—	942	32.50–38.00	36.08
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
29	—	1,417	49.50–58.00	53.04
26	—	1,421	59.00–64.50	62.98
19	—	1,514	45.00–51.00	49.03
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,679	71.50–74.00	73.01
13	—	1,566	63.00–66.00	64.45
9	—	1,713	54.50–56.00	55.85
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	910	45.00	45.00
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,898	63.50	63.50
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
23	—	1,653	54.00–70.50	64.97
32	—	1,899	66.50–81.50	74.74
3	—	2,200	81.50–87.50	84.67
Bulls — Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,535	79.00	79.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	53	—	1,084	925.00–1,150.00	1,031.62
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	68	—	1,198	975.00–1,110.00	1,035.54
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	41	—	1,359	760.00–925.00	833.86
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Non-Legible BANGS$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	12	—	1,156	910.00	910.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	4	—	1,221	825.00	825.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	4	—	1,233	850.00	850.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	1,265	48.50	48.50
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	7	—	1,094	850.00	850.00
Bred Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	—	1,440	800.00	800.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	12	—	1,396	700.00–750.00	722.19
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	10	—	1,308	58.00–58.50	58.25
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	23	—	1,100	49.00–59.00	55.58
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	42	—	1,224	43.00–58.00	53.20
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	34	—	1,190	46.50–54.00	51.23
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	248	—	1,219	39.00–54.00	48.33
(<2 yrs)	Open	6	—	774	60.00–65.00	62.36
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	64	—	1,315	52.50–72.00	63.34
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,230	1,000.00	1,000.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	5	—	1,411	55.00–65.00	60.79
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	194	—	1,141	58.50–82.00	67.75
(<2 yrs)	Open	314	—	977	69.00–98.00	79.82
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	335	—	1,371	49.00–71.50	62.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	394	—	1,312	47.50–66.00	54.85
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,087	66.00–70.00	67.29
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	18	—	1,098	1,060.00–1,075.00	1,063.21

Head, weight ranges, average weights and price ranges are exactly as USDA AMS filed them — nothing recomputed, nothing rounded — in USDA's own reporting structure. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of that data, not a copy of USDA's document.

Source: USDA AMS, as filed — nothing recomputed and nothing rounded. This summary aggregates the same sales the Montana barn reports cover, so it must never be added to a state total built from those barns.

Feeder Cattle — prices, barns, and planning

Fed Cattle — the cash market and what quality pays

Beef & Retail — from the box to the grocery shelf

Feed & Hay — the cost side, cash not futures

Cows & Bred Stock — the rebuild market

More

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line