Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 134 priced lines covering 5,417 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 4,990 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 1,173 head. replacement cattle receipts at 578 head. Counted as USDA files them — 6 of those are cow-calf pairs, each counted once.

Mon Sep 28, 2020

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 4,990Last week 3,129Year ago 1,177

Slaughter CattleReceipts 1,173Last week 1,184Year ago 458

Replacement CattleReceipts 578Last week 157Year ago 250

Compared to last week: Unweaned steer calves were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Yearling steers over 800 lbs sold mostly 2.00-5.00 higher in a narrow comparison; all other weights of steers were too lightly tested either this week or last to develop an accurate market trend, steady to firm undertones were noticed. Unweaned heifer calves were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher, except 900-949 lbs heifers which sold steady to weak. CME positions as of yesterdays close showed the October and November at 140.925, and 141.25 respectfully. Last week saw strong gains in both live and feeder cattle, however those gains were quickly erased this week as a very bullish grain report led to sharply higher grain prices. Market activity this week was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand and offerings. Slaughter cows sold on mostly light demand this week as packers continue to show light demand for cows for immediate harvest. Feeding cow demand was mostly moderate as both packers and feeding buyers showed a desire to put high quality cows on feed. Slaughter cows sold steady to 3.00 lower on boning and lean cows, Breaking cows sold steady to firm as packers competed with feeding buyers over these offerings. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 lower on a lower quality offering overall compared to last week. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00-4.00 lower. Bull quality was not as attractive this week and fill conditions were not in buyers favor. Demand for rebreed type cattle was stronger this week as more buyers were interested in this class of cow. Offerings sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher. Quality was average to attractive.

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	935	51.00	51.00
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
20	—	1,244	52.50–55.00	53.31
43	—	1,124	39.00–47.50	43.65
195	—	1,223	45.00–54.00	50.04
Cows — Premium White 65-75% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
20	—	1,495	76.00	76.00
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,278	64.50	64.50
1	—	1,530	46.50	46.50
37	—	1,471	54.00–64.50	59.32
65	—	1,472	50.00–55.50	52.83
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,509	66.00–68.00	66.87
45	—	1,422	62.50–66.50	64.05
30	—	1,501	56.00–62.25	61.14
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,263	67.50	67.50
83	—	1,221	55.00–65.00	57.00
61	—	1,202	47.00–58.00	52.04
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
19	—	1,356	63.75–68.00	64.86
101	—	1,352	52.00–65.50	58.51
64	—	1,394	51.50–55.50	53.49
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,663	66.00–69.50	67.87
9	—	1,646	63.00–67.00	64.71
10	—	1,592	51.00–63.50	57.23
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	970	52.00	52.00
7	—	962	45.00–49.00	48.36
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
28	—	1,571	74.00–81.50	78.59
12	—	1,625	68.00–75.50	73.56
9	—	1,533	73.00	73.00
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	1,995	80.50–85.50	82.54
40	—	1,746	63.50–75.00	70.96
57	—	1,901	75.00–81.25	77.94

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	735	132.00	132.00
32	—	614	131.00–141.50	138.31
55	—	679	134.50–138.00	137.40
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
20	—	811	124.50–131.50	127.69
31	—	779	134.00–136.25	134.89
20	—	734	136.00–137.00	136.45
13	—	916	125.00–126.00	125.62
9	—	893	127.50–128.50	128.06
28	—	971	118.00–125.00	118.95
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	810	125.00	125.00
3	—	878	127.50	127.50
2	—	710	135.00	135.00
35	—	768	126.00–136.00	131.33
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
115	—	876	130.50–134.50	132.24
295	—	826	134.75–139.25	137.40
3	—	443	152.00	152.00
136	—	725	138.00–142.50	139.98
63	—	968	127.00–130.75	128.77
185	—	923	126.00–130.75	129.40
82	—	781	137.00–140.00	138.57
81	—	686	140.00–142.00	141.54
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
222	—	427	146.00–155.00	150.31
14	—	617	129.00	129.00
14	—	340	161.00–170.00	164.12
113	—	371	151.00–165.00	159.43
68	—	577	130.00–137.50	134.25
124	—	527	137.00–144.00	140.02
202	—	470	140.00–155.00	149.79
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
54	—	777	131.00	131.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
26	—	389	147.50–187.50	153.15
7	—	324	157.00	157.00
7	—	445	139.50	139.50
14	—	545	134.00	134.00
13	—	475	139.00	139.00
Heifers — Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,015	117.00–120.50	118.99
5	—	1,072	119.50	119.50
Heifers — Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	1,115	111.50	111.50
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,085	125.75–126.50	126.08
22	—	1,028	120.50–126.25	124.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Natural$ per cwt · actual wt
50	—	777	139.00–140.50	140.23
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	683	146.50	146.50
18	—	747	129.00	129.00
4	—	796	136.00	136.00
9	—	643	147.00	147.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	985	125.00–125.50	125.30
34	—	836	137.50–143.50	139.70
20	—	773	142.00–144.00	143.05
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	438	167.00	167.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
21	—	888	132.00–135.50	132.33
41	—	709	147.00–149.00	148.95
21	—	992	125.00	125.00
5	—	756	144.00	144.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	648	137.00	137.00
6	—	307	190.00	190.00
55	—	481	150.00–168.00	159.79
11	—	586	142.75–147.00	144.77
30	—	388	178.00–182.50	180.66
54	—	520	149.00–155.50	153.78
9	—	676	126.50–136.00	131.87
17	—	420	173.00–175.00	173.61
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
34	—	779	147.00–148.00	147.41
99	—	930	133.50–138.50	136.33
191	—	877	138.50–144.50	142.37
70	—	829	144.00–151.00	146.58
13	—	716	152.00	152.00
46	—	979	130.25–140.00	132.15
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
125	—	424	170.00–184.00	175.31
183	—	517	153.00–161.00	157.47
2	—	280	200.00	200.00
2	—	710	138.00	138.00
254	—	475	155.50–180.00	163.64
26	—	668	131.00–144.00	140.54
24	—	388	191.00–194.00	193.54
40	—	618	139.50–158.50	152.51
161	—	569	146.00–161.00	157.75
7	—	773	125.00–127.00	126.15
41	—	333	191.00–198.00	195.02
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
21	—	1,089	127.25	127.25
4	—	1,006	127.00	127.00
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	368	192.00	192.00
Steers — Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,082	117.00	117.00
7	—	1,140	115.00	115.00
Dairy Steers — Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	938	106.00	106.00
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,013	95.00	95.00
7	—	1,227	85.00	85.00
1	—	1,145	92.00	92.00
4	—	1,271	81.00	81.00
1	—	1,160	92.00	92.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	678	129.50	129.50
3	—	625	125.00	125.00
2	—	373	176.00	176.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	532	143.00	143.00
1	—	975	100.00	100.00
6	—	625	130.00	130.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	899	117.00	117.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	26	—	1,203	57.50	57.50
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	80	—	1,103	59.00–77.00	67.61
(<2 yrs)	Open	247	—	993	67.00–102.00	85.03
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	7	—	1,061	55.00	55.00
(<2 yrs)	Open	19	—	930	79.75–84.00	80.63
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	14	—	954	77.50	77.50
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	4	—	1,135	66.00	66.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	21	—	1,171	1,075.00	1,075.00
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	10	—	954	1,000.00–1,010.00	1,008.03
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	6	—	1,321	1,385.00	1,385.00

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