Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 145 priced lines covering 8,614 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 8,942 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 405 head. replacement cattle receipts at 2,013 head.

Mon Jan 6, 2020

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 8,942Last week 8,015Year ago 0

Slaughter CattleReceipts 405Last week 814Year ago 0

Replacement CattleReceipts 2,013Last week 5,550Year ago 0

Compared to three weeks ago: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Yearlings continue to sell on good demand despite many offerings starting to show some age. Steer calves weighing less than 450 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however sharply higher undertones were noticed. 450-649 lbs steers sold mostly 8.00-12.00 higher, 650-749 lbs sold mostly 5.00-8.00 higher. Heifers weighing less than 400 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend; however sharply higher undertones were noticed; 400-549 lbs heifers sold mostly 10.00-15.00 higher, 550-699 lbs heifers sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher. Quality this week was mostly average to very attractive. Calves on offer were mostly weaned this week. With a mild and mostly dry winter many calves were weaned outside on the meadows. As a result most weaned calves were in thin to light flesh. With many sales taking a holiday break over the last two weeks feedlots showed good demand for calves as a result. Demand for light weight calves to develop into yearlings was mostly good to very good. Market activity this week was mostly active. Weight up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand this week. Feeding cow demand drove the market this week as feeding buyers were very aggressive bidding on offerings. Packers showed mostly light demand for both slaughter cows and feeding cows. Feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher. Slaughter cows sold unevenly steady. Cows were noticeably fleshier this week than three weeks ago as most cows have had calves weaned off them and some have been on feed. Demand for fed cows was mostly good to very good, however most of these offerings returned to feed. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to firm. Young age cows suitable to re-breed sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher. Demand was mostly good for all young age cows on offer. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive.

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
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	12	—	1,466	54.00–55.00	54.70
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	4	—	1,540	58.50	58.50
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	4	—	1,086	950.00	950.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	4	—	1,156	1,050.00	1,050.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	11	—	1,223	53.00–59.50	57.32
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	9	—	952	94.00	94.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	8	—	1,265	775.00	775.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	12	—	1,146	885.00	885.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	7	—	1,279	635.00	635.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	4	—	1,358	43.00	43.00
Bred Cows — Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	6	—	1,430	900.00	900.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	6	—	1,124	47.00–58.00	52.56
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	67	—	1,192	44.00–54.00	50.97
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	105	—	1,221	35.50–51.00	46.62
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	320	—	1,094	58.00–106.00	73.78
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	268	—	1,374	54.00–68.00	60.88
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	281	—	1,351	51.50–63.50	57.44
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	63	—	1,548	61.50–68.25	66.82
(<2 yrs)	Open	30	—	936	114.00–123.00	122.70
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	5	—	1,624	61.00–63.50	62.92
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	20	—	1,738	64.00–68.00	66.41

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	677	138.00	138.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	587	140.00	140.00
7	—	503	148.00	148.00
20	—	380	183.00	183.00
3	—	420	160.00	160.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
20	—	614	149.00–154.00	150.64
18	—	726	138.00–143.00	141.22
42	—	419	177.50–190.00	183.92
52	—	676	140.00–152.50	147.05
64	—	486	154.00–177.00	174.24
114	—	587	149.00–163.00	158.77
120	—	539	146.00–178.00	165.20
4	—	334	205.00	205.00
7	—	816	134.00	134.00
15	—	767	137.00–143.00	137.80
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	460	170.00	170.00
5	—	598	152.00	152.00
7	—	524	160.00–162.00	161.13
8	—	433	174.00–179.00	175.83
2	—	648	148.00	148.00
2	—	760	137.00	137.00
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	445	185.00	185.00
6	—	488	165.00	165.00
20	—	535	166.00	166.00
3	—	682	140.00	140.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	856	142.50	142.50
282	—	674	147.00–161.25	155.26
318	—	472	174.00–198.00	186.27
365	—	563	161.00–176.00	167.92
438	—	525	167.50–182.00	176.93
461	—	634	157.00–166.00	163.24
38	—	381	197.00–220.00	207.60
59	—	765	144.00–151.00	149.02
260	—	430	188.00–215.00	203.05
150	—	713	145.00–155.00	151.83
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Natural$ per cwt · actual wt
57	—	454	199.50	199.50
89	—	523	182.50	182.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	490	200.50	200.50
64	—	516	186.00–189.00	187.80
Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	706	144.00	144.00
11	—	565	159.00	159.00
12	—	805	139.00	139.00
19	—	637	144.00–158.00	146.09
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
100	—	605	168.75	168.75
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
43	—	836	140.75	140.75
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	428	191.00–215.00	206.73
10	—	577	162.50–167.00	165.65
5	—	391	194.00	194.00
19	—	724	141.50–150.50	146.34
30	—	534	169.00–170.00	169.81
47	—	489	168.00–186.50	185.05
82	—	625	150.50–164.00	159.94
Steers — Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	617	143.00	143.00
Steers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	631	149.00	149.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
32	—	793	134.50–138.00	134.60
29	—	922	134.25–135.00	134.48
24	—	335	173.00–183.00	178.25
304	—	463	155.00–172.50	164.97
176	—	676	133.00–143.50	140.11
134	—	434	163.00–175.00	172.33
76	—	718	133.00–139.50	136.23
48	—	812	133.50–137.00	136.84
36	—	378	175.00	175.00
4	—	985	133.00–134.00	133.24
360	—	628	132.00–148.00	142.60
916	—	525	146.00–163.00	158.96
403	—	576	134.00–155.00	149.96
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
55	—	1,015	129.50–134.50	132.95
3	—	1,070	127.00	127.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	513	147.00–160.00	150.00
9	—	424	157.00	157.00
3	—	703	128.00	128.00
2	—	645	131.00	131.00
38	—	584	138.00–151.00	147.87
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	586	137.00	137.00
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,053	117.00	117.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	645	130.00	130.00
11	—	575	138.00	138.00
2	—	498	149.00	149.00
3	—	655	122.00	122.00
4	—	526	144.00	144.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Natural$ per cwt · actual wt
82	—	494	159.50	159.50
144	—	421	181.75–190.00	183.66
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	544	121.00	121.00
9	—	346	145.00	145.00
34	—	429	142.50–149.00	144.97
2	—	485	138.00	138.00
5	—	355	155.00	155.00
8	—	691	129.00	129.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	604	154.00	154.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
24	—	401	182.00–183.00	182.33
45	—	552	159.50	159.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	891	130.00	130.00
11	—	642	135.00–138.00	135.54
22	—	674	134.00–137.50	134.95
45	—	434	155.00–165.00	160.96
51	—	587	130.00–145.00	140.34
10	—	396	166.50	166.50
87	—	483	148.00–159.00	153.80
117	—	530	138.50–152.00	141.79
2	—	910	125.00	125.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	674	128.00	128.00
4	—	760	123.00	123.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
30	—	632	132.00–138.00	136.83
20	—	727	131.00–132.00	131.41
5	—	587	137.00	137.00
14	—	905	129.00	129.00
15	—	375	200.00–215.00	205.24
5	—	658	131.00	131.00
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,075	103.00	103.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,603	60.00–66.00	63.02
3	—	1,615	50.00–57.50	53.40
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,175	49.00–52.00	50.39
14	—	1,176	30.00–37.00	34.77
119	—	1,252	36.00–49.50	41.22
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,557	43.50–48.50	45.41
2	—	1,505	48.00–50.00	49.01
2	—	1,455	59.00–64.00	61.36
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	915	35.00–38.00	36.61
Cows — Premium White 65-75%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,880	55.50	55.50
35	—	1,475	64.00–67.00	65.89
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
23	—	1,782	61.00–78.00	69.96
53	—	1,915	71.50–85.50	76.90
9	—	2,127	79.50–92.50	84.57

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