Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 198 priced lines covering 10,150 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 8,015 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 814 head. replacement cattle receipts at 5,550 head.

Mon Dec 16, 2019

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 8,015Last week 12,513Year ago 0

Slaughter CattleReceipts 814Last week 523Year ago 0

Replacement CattleReceipts 5,550Last week 9,097Year ago 0

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Yearling quality this week was average to attractive with several long strings of late season offerings. Yearlings continue to sell on good demand. Steer calves weighing less than 500 lbs sold mostly steady to 10.00 lower on a significantly lighter and lower quality offering; 500-599 lb steers sold mostly 3.00-6.00 higher; steers over 600 lbs sold unevenly steady from 3.00 lower to 4.00 higher. Heifer calves 400-599 lbs sold mostly 3.00 -7.00 higher, 600-649 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher, with higher instances seen at times. All other weights of heifers were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however calves under 400 lbs sold with higher undertones and calves over 650 lbs sold with lower undertones. Most of the offering was comprised of un-weaned calves this week. Buyers looking for lightweight calves suitable to develop into grass calves purchased weaned and un-weaned calves with very similar demand. Demand this week was mostly moderate to good. Offerings were light to moderate. Market activity was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Packers showed significantly lighter demand for both feeding and slaughter cows this week. This caused the entire cow complex to soften in price. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 lower on breaking cows, boning cows sold 3.00-5.00 lower, and lean cows sold 3.00-6.00 lower. Feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower. Thin cows sold with the lightest demand this week as packers showed very light demand to feed or slaughter these offerings. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 3.00 lower. Young age cows suitable to re-breed sold unevenly steady. Quality this week was mostly average.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	829	134.00	134.00
3	—	967	128.00	128.00
28	—	338	150.00–160.00	151.74
24	—	474	141.00–147.00	144.78
17	—	1,072	122.50	122.50
13	—	388	137.50–145.00	141.65
3	—	702	127.00	127.00
3	—	565	143.00	143.00
7	—	530	137.50	137.50
13	—	430	144.00–150.00	147.20
3	—	939	122.00–130.00	124.67
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
202	—	471	145.00–163.75	154.50
85	—	417	148.00–164.00	155.31
45	—	389	153.50–168.00	156.46
8	—	965	131.50–132.50	131.81
33	—	684	129.00–134.00	130.66
31	—	908	131.00–135.00	134.03
97	—	604	128.50–136.00	135.00
24	—	768	130.00–134.00	130.51
11	—	724	129.00–131.00	130.11
5	—	815	136.50	136.50
1	—	890	137.00	137.00
383	—	524	134.00–149.50	142.45
257	—	574	130.00–149.50	140.11
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	431	148.00–149.00	148.56
7	—	355	155.00	155.00
11	—	511	136.00–141.00	139.57
3	—	333	156.00	156.00
42	—	480	136.00–145.50	140.40
16	—	626	123.00–126.50	125.06
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	428	141.50	141.50
7	—	317	130.00	130.00
22	—	389	159.00	159.00
8	—	669	126.00	126.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	635	128.50	128.50
4	—	899	125.00	125.00
2	—	675	130.00	130.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	543	140.00	140.00
Heifers — Medium 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	482	139.00–140.00	139.56
6	—	421	140.00–150.00	146.77
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,071	126.00	126.00
14	—	1,022	127.50–130.75	129.19
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
36	—	413	131.00–139.00	134.11
8	—	327	135.00	135.00
3	—	480	137.00	137.00
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,036	122.50–123.00	122.72
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	466	125.00	125.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
303	—	527	138.00–153.50	144.94
247	—	568	130.00–146.00	137.13
18	—	365	165.00–174.00	170.36
159	—	625	129.00–148.00	135.71
122	—	467	142.00–159.00	153.34
95	—	423	145.00–160.00	156.75
49	—	676	127.00–131.50	128.42
Heifers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
39	—	584	134.00–134.25	134.21
15	—	489	135.00	135.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · NHTC$ per cwt · actual wt
30	—	586	136.25	136.25
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
118	—	529	149.50–155.00	149.96
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
66	—	1,065	127.00–133.50	132.53
4	—	1,150	120.00	120.00
1	—	1,020	133.50	133.50
12	—	825	134.00–135.00	134.75
6	—	495	159.00	159.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
36	—	434	168.00–177.00	173.06
34	—	471	154.00–167.00	159.47
20	—	613	130.00–143.00	136.74
5	—	328	170.00	170.00
3	—	767	129.00	129.00
10	—	392	175.00–185.00	177.89
12	—	535	152.00–152.50	152.33
7	—	684	134.00–142.00	140.91
9	—	716	128.00	128.00
94	—	556	132.00–152.50	151.13
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
49	—	474	146.00–168.00	161.80
2	—	883	138.50	138.50
49	—	386	170.00–177.50	170.59
20	—	327	170.00–172.50	171.18
9	—	576	153.00	153.00
5	—	678	138.00–139.00	138.40
3	—	538	152.00	152.00
7	—	619	135.00	135.00
10	—	428	165.00–170.00	167.97
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	701	142.00	142.00
8	—	496	157.50	157.50
2	—	678	145.00	145.00
59	—	599	153.50	153.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	763	144.50	144.50
4	—	823	136.00	136.00
298	—	477	167.00–183.00	177.01
65	—	718	140.00–146.00	143.16
59	—	673	142.00–150.00	147.63
37	—	374	177.50–199.00	187.79
11	—	933	139.50–145.00	142.57
5	—	329	192.50–200.00	195.49
342	—	522	158.00–175.50	167.14
337	—	568	150.50–163.75	160.04
303	—	618	144.00–157.25	152.84
37	—	435	177.00–181.00	179.17
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	593	144.00	144.00
14	—	476	163.00	163.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	855	138.50	138.50
7	—	681	133.00	133.00
4	—	575	140.00	140.00
Steers — Medium 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	557	134.00	134.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
118	—	519	159.00–173.00	163.97
113	—	673	139.00–148.25	144.29
8	—	374	187.00–202.50	191.90
49	—	424	180.00–195.50	189.69
93	—	474	167.50–179.00	173.74
279	—	582	153.00–159.00	156.54
234	—	625	144.00–156.00	149.05
142	—	716	139.00–144.00	142.00
9	—	782	132.00–141.00	135.06
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · NHTC$ per cwt · actual wt
74	—	657	151.25	151.25
Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,198	111.00	111.00
6	—	1,040	121.00	121.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	417	162.50	162.50
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
20	—	437	164.00–172.50	167.64
7	—	365	170.00	170.00
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	492	137.50	137.50
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	370	160.00–166.00	164.28
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	830	118.00	118.00
8	—	565	142.00	142.00
4	—	643	129.00	129.00
3	—	930	108.00	108.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	643	129.00	129.00
10	—	715	133.00	133.00
33	—	663	138.50–140.50	139.30
2	—	443	165.00	165.00
17	—	750	134.50	134.50
8	—	561	137.00–141.00	138.38
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	710	130.00	130.00
2	—	668	123.00	123.00

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
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	9	—	1,369	1,025.00	1,025.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	56	—	1,373	1,100.00–1,450.00	1,227.29
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	8	—	1,474	1,200.00	1,200.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	28	—	1,345	760.00–1,000.00	925.45
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	6	—	1,470	875.00–950.00	926.39
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	7	—	1,467	1,075.00	1,075.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	14	—	1,586	56.50–59.00	57.52
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	5	—	1,329	835.00	835.00
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	89	—	1,248	1,000.00–1,575.00	1,473.38
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	7	—	1,363	1,400.00	1,400.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	6	—	1,160	1,175.00–1,185.00	1,181.59
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	80	—	1,312	900.00–1,200.00	1,181.21
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	9	—	1,648	1,000.00	1,000.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	29	—	1,253	1,075.00–1,410.00	1,269.29
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	471	—	1,121	1,050.00–1,600.00	1,434.23
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	130	—	1,364	800.00–1,200.00	1,016.37
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	7	—	1,199	54.00	54.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	322	—	1,309	710.00–925.00	804.17
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	4	—	1,290	725.00	725.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	3	—	1,495	850.00	850.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	23	—	1,138	900.00–1,160.00	1,037.31
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	5	—	1,022	850.00	850.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	11	—	1,207	800.00–1,100.00	938.92
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	43	—	1,303	800.00–885.00	850.10
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Non-Legible BANGS$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	4	—	1,251	1,300.00	1,300.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	10	—	1,073	1,100.00–1,200.00	1,143.40
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	—	1,133	1,000.00	1,000.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	9	—	1,239	600.00	600.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	27	—	1,188	42.00–55.00	48.32
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	114	—	1,190	41.50–52.00	46.19
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	5	—	1,291	44.50–52.50	47.61
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	825	79.00	79.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	194	—	1,247	36.50–49.00	44.15
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	79	—	1,340	50.50–65.00	60.31
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	209	—	1,165	52.00–78.00	65.20
(<2 yrs)	Open	281	—	1,021	62.00–112.50	75.37
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	318	—	1,360	48.00–65.50	56.24
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	296	—	1,354	45.00–61.00	52.38
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,030	65.00	65.00
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	309	—	987	1,200.00–1,435.00	1,340.04
(<2 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	13	—	1,051	1,150.00–1,250.00	1,187.06
(<2 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	114	—	982	1,210.00–1,450.00	1,330.89
Bred Heifers — Medium 1 · Non-Legible BANGS$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	9	—	1,005	850.00	850.00
Bred Heifers — Medium 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	19	—	752	875.00	875.00
Bred Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	3	—	918	1,075.00	1,075.00
(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	63	—	898	1,125.00–1,235.00	1,190.30
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	13	—	969	1,025.00–1,100.00	1,064.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
57	—	1,470	48.00–58.00	50.80
9	—	1,608	57.00–64.50	60.79
77	—	1,457	36.00–51.00	45.53
3	—	1,483	36.50–46.00	42.99
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	975	30.00–31.00	30.50
6	—	915	32.00–42.00	37.19
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,213	56.00	56.00
201	—	1,220	31.00–49.00	41.44
47	—	1,186	22.00–37.50	29.40
16	—	1,239	45.00–57.50	50.87
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	1,722	60.50–68.00	62.51
6	—	1,631	52.00–60.00	56.42
2	—	1,630	72.50	72.50
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,365	61.50	61.50
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
54	—	1,899	70.50–84.00	76.97
54	—	1,736	54.50–75.00	66.68
5	—	2,206	84.00–91.50	87.17
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,190	72.00	72.00

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