Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 161 priced lines covering 14,522 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 12,934 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 4,397 head. replacement cattle receipts at 2,009 head.

Mon Nov 2, 2020

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 12,934Last week 8,648Year ago 13,605

Slaughter CattleReceipts 4,397Last week 2,148Year ago 706

Replacement CattleReceipts 2,009Last week 3,412Year ago 4,015

Compared to last week: Yearling steer and heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Unweaned steer calves under 400 lbs sold 10.00-15.00 lower; 400-599 lbs steers sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher, 600-699 lbs steers sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower. Unweaned heifer calves under 400 lbs sold steady to 5.00 lower; 400-649 lbs sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher; heavier weight heifer calves not well compared. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Demand was mostly moderate for heavy offerings. Demand for lightweight calves suitable to run on grass in the south or California was significantly lighter this week as dry conditions caused these buyers to be more reserved this week. Calves with two rounds of preconditioning shots continue to sell with strong 4.00-8.00 premiums. Several sets of short weaned calves were seen this week. These calves sold with large discounts as many were very dirty and showed signs of stress. CME positions as of yesterdays close showed the November at 137.575, a gain of 1.85 for the week. Market activity was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderated demand for heavy offerings. Packers sent a large portion of the cow offering to feed this week. Packer buyers started to buy cows to feed for the upcoming holiday season. As a result, the quality of cows sent to feed was significantly lower this week compared to last. Feeding cows sold mostly 1.00-4.00 lower. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 lower on boning and lean cows, breaking cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to trend as many bulls sold to feeding buyers this week, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average this week as seasonally warm weather was seen. Demand for rebreed type cattle was light to moderate this week. This class of cows sold steady to firm.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
31	—	652	145.50	145.50
21	—	400	189.00	189.00
111	—	465	186.00–187.00	186.33
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
25	—	530	158.00	158.00
64	—	921	124.00–134.00	132.79
4	—	689	136.25	136.25
69	—	809	142.00–147.00	145.86
26	—	775	143.00–146.50	145.96
71	—	856	135.00–143.25	143.01
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
47	—	454	181.00	181.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
19	—	741	126.00	126.00
37	—	837	130.00–140.00	134.95
2	—	910	119.50	119.50
8	—	763	128.00	128.00
11	—	665	145.00	145.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	299	190.00	190.00
21	—	768	127.00–136.50	133.45
1,087	—	573	137.00–156.00	147.35
974	—	525	139.00–165.00	156.48
315	—	378	170.00–205.00	183.42
224	—	671	126.50–144.75	138.43
80	—	712	130.00–140.50	135.71
3	—	840	128.00	128.00
71	—	327	185.00–200.00	195.37
784	—	479	147.00–184.00	167.31
403	—	621	128.00–148.00	142.47
539	—	423	162.00–184.00	178.84
Steers — Medium 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
34	—	406	126.00	126.00
12	—	312	152.00	152.00
Steers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	548	150.00	150.00
21	—	420	168.00	168.00
42	—	486	142.00–164.00	155.73
Steers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	513	100.00	100.00
6	—	759	120.00	120.00
Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
37	—	1,065	116.00	116.00
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
75	—	1,051	123.25	123.25
229	—	1,018	124.00–127.25	126.93
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
52	—	571	129.00–142.00	139.52
3	—	710	121.00	121.00
87	—	379	172.00–180.00	177.04
20	—	620	124.00–134.00	131.35
6	—	298	192.50	192.50
90	—	330	170.00–185.00	174.60
97	—	428	150.00–177.00	166.81
23	—	683	131.00–134.00	132.48
122	—	533	136.00–154.00	148.08
74	—	486	142.50–164.00	155.56
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	594	131.00	131.00
7	—	665	130.50	130.50
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	399	173.00	173.00
11	—	402	145.00	145.00
12	—	315	160.00–175.00	165.02
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	872	124.00	124.00
38	—	837	123.00–127.00	123.31
11	—	960	110.00	110.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Natural$ per cwt · actual wt
23	—	505	149.50	149.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
176	—	617	123.00–135.00	130.87
816	—	476	135.00–151.00	145.99
677	—	521	127.00–147.00	140.16
17	—	670	118.00–129.50	124.37
207	—	335	150.00–162.50	159.11
471	—	572	125.00–139.50	134.45
12	—	291	160.00–172.50	164.23
15	—	720	124.00–131.75	128.54
381	—	386	145.00–163.50	154.02
600	—	434	138.00–156.50	148.90
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	1,058	114.50–116.00	115.43
2	—	1,105	114.00	114.00
8	—	1,012	118.50	118.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
138	—	372	131.00–150.00	140.82
165	—	475	126.00–144.00	137.58
4	—	614	126.50	126.50
29	—	531	127.00–134.50	133.56
45	—	329	130.00–155.00	145.74
74	—	431	133.00–145.00	138.86
15	—	568	120.00–132.00	125.09
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
35	—	877	109.00–122.00	116.23
16	—	837	116.00–124.50	120.98
4	—	709	127.00	127.00
3	—	903	114.50	114.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	666	129.00	129.00
7	—	717	134.50	134.50
10	—	892	122.00–129.00	126.89
12	—	824	132.50	132.50
45	—	980	117.00–121.50	119.19
68	—	789	125.50–135.50	131.68
16	—	935	122.00–124.25	123.66
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	434	143.00	143.00
Heifers — Medium 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	294	130.00	130.00
47	—	364	105.00–122.00	119.23
Heifers — Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	1,062	105.00	105.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
54	—	500	149.25	149.25
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	510	138.00	138.00
6	—	494	115.00	115.00
7	—	396	135.00	135.00
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	530	134.00	134.00
24	—	418	125.00–146.00	133.37
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
21	—	616	123.00–131.50	125.32
2	—	705	127.50	127.50
8	—	555	137.00–145.00	142.75
14	—	423	142.50–171.00	156.31
20	—	464	153.00	153.00
2	—	758	120.00	120.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	478	146.00	146.00
2	—	308	145.00	145.00
28	—	514	125.00–137.00	130.89
27	—	564	122.00–129.00	123.30
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	918	98.00	98.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
487	—	1,187	40.00–49.00	45.43
373	—	1,213	45.00–58.00	50.94
43	—	1,091	34.00–42.00	40.04
25	—	1,141	58.00–63.00	62.42
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
70	—	1,192	45.00–54.50	50.03
162	—	1,198	37.50–47.00	42.52
148	—	1,132	29.00–43.00	35.82
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,455	40.00–42.00	40.95
421	—	1,388	47.00–60.00	53.20
110	—	1,365	42.00–50.00	46.39
227	—	1,395	60.00–67.50	62.38
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	1,643	48.00–53.75	52.60
6	—	1,632	58.00–61.50	59.16
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	990	38.00	38.00
12	—	881	30.00–38.00	33.64
3	—	980	40.00–50.00	44.01
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,551	58.00–63.00	60.02
85	—	1,424	41.00–48.00	43.80
27	—	1,489	45.00–58.50	49.49
7	—	1,439	38.00–42.50	40.86
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	1,550	46.00–60.00	52.84
31	—	1,566	64.00–68.00	65.57
41	—	1,633	58.00–66.00	63.00
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	2,138	82.00–85.00	83.32
16	—	1,926	76.00–81.50	78.47
18	—	1,833	62.50–74.00	69.26
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
62	—	1,694	74.50–81.50	78.32
30	—	1,675	62.50–78.50	72.41

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	22	—	1,277	44.50–49.00	46.34
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	203	—	1,306	650.00–785.00	744.77
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	28	—	1,152	585.00–625.00	604.78
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	—	1,178	46.00	46.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	4	—	1,216	45.00	45.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	15	—	1,265	800.00	800.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	—	1,515	53.50	53.50
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	68	—	1,190	850.00–1,050.00	974.14
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	36	—	1,093	825.00–1,000.00	931.08
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	117	—	1,190	1,000.00–1,275.00	1,147.38
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	33	—	1,301	785.00–975.00	914.40
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	11	—	1,258	885.00	885.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	44	—	1,284	725.00–810.00	778.40
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	6	—	1,032	800.00–950.00	875.73
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	8	—	983	925.00	925.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	2	—	842	80.00	80.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	4	—	953	51.00–55.00	51.98
(<2 yrs)	Open	10	—	979	52.00–71.00	59.15
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	266	—	1,061	48.00–80.00	63.46
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	9	—	911	49.00	49.00
(<2 yrs)	Open	401	—	970	61.00–89.50	78.42
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	6	—	803	810.00	810.00
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	11	—	1,015	1,275.00	1,275.00
(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	117	—	886	1,075.00–1,225.00	1,177.89
Bred Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	12	—	759	700.00	700.00

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

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Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line