Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 143 priced lines covering 7,516 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 7,305 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 659 head. replacement cattle receipts at 783 head. Counted as USDA files them — 113 of those are cow-calf pairs, each counted once.

Mon Apr 12, 2021

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 7,305Last week 1,064Year ago 2,214

Slaughter CattleReceipts 659Last week 1,234Year ago 130

Replacement CattleReceipts 783Last week 580Year ago 91

Compared to last week: Receipts were too light last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to weak undertones were noticed on steers under 500 lbs. Steers over 500 lbs. sold with steady to frim undertones. Steady to higher undertones were noticed on all weights of heifers. Quality was average to very attractive this week and significantly higher than last week. Several load lots were seen this week, many out of backgrounding lots. Offerings were mixed for flesh from thin to moderate. Very few fleshy offerings were seen this week. Despite lower CME feeder contract prices, demand was moderate to good for all offerings as quality was better this week. CME contract prices lost money almost daily last week as grain prices continue to push higher. The April feeder contract settled Friday at 139.625 while the May contract settled at 143.725 that's 5.125 and 5.90 lower on the April and May contracts respectfully. Market activity this week was moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand and offerings. Packers showed mostly good demand for high quality feeding cows and mostly moderate demand for slaughter cows. Feeding cows sold steady to firm, slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 lower. Feeding buyers were less aggressive on thin fleshed or lower quality cows this past week. This allowed packers to buy slaughter cows lower. Weigh up conditions were average to below average this week. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady. Bull quality was not as attractive this week as they were last week. Two year old to young age cows sold on mostly good to very good demand this week. Buyers continue to show similar demand for both cows the feed or rebreed. This class sold fully steady.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	337	178.00	178.00
424	—	620	143.50–155.50	151.38
9	—	369	176.00	176.00
512	—	572	149.00–164.50	158.46
297	—	524	159.00–169.00	163.96
629	—	725	134.50–144.00	139.86
130	—	481	167.00–171.00	168.90
105	—	427	165.50–182.50	172.01
311	—	679	137.00–149.50	145.95
16	—	962	120.00	120.00
132	—	829	125.00–131.00	128.92
75	—	852	127.75–130.00	128.14
224	—	771	130.00–134.50	132.39
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
49	—	474	151.00–165.00	155.87
19	—	730	129.00–133.50	131.28
97	—	524	150.00–158.00	154.17
5	—	838	117.00	117.00
47	—	768	121.00–129.75	127.45
46	—	385	165.00–173.00	169.15
116	—	582	139.00–152.00	146.71
89	—	436	157.00–162.00	160.28
155	—	634	131.00–139.50	138.60
73	—	681	128.00–139.00	135.12
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	698	134.00	134.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	836	133.00	133.00
125	—	766	132.00–136.00	134.05
35	—	739	145.50	145.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
21	—	581	165.00	165.00
Heifers — Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
29	—	1,028	114.00	114.00
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	729	128.50–131.00	129.02
8	—	791	129.50	129.50
41	—	662	134.00–139.50	139.08
2	—	493	153.00	153.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	309	145.00	145.00
29	—	432	149.00	149.00
37	—	542	137.50–145.00	143.76
13	—	366	155.00	155.00
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
20	—	395	170.00	170.00
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	342	154.00	154.00
18	—	354	159.00	159.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
164	—	572	175.00–184.00	181.17
33	—	760	141.00–150.00	146.60
21	—	338	208.00–220.00	210.92
19	—	928	127.00–130.00	128.99
76	—	525	185.00–195.00	190.46
560	—	632	169.25–181.50	174.01
55	—	475	191.00–199.00	194.06
13	—	392	200.00–202.00	201.55
176	—	875	133.00–138.25	136.20
193	—	721	148.00–158.00	153.14
321	—	674	157.00–171.00	162.59
129	—	814	135.50–139.00	136.41
33	—	413	198.00–205.00	201.58
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
37	—	733	140.00–147.50	144.75
15	—	395	194.00–202.00	200.97
49	—	482	180.00–189.00	184.74
41	—	534	176.00–182.00	180.81
6	—	909	120.00–121.00	120.34
57	—	440	182.50–193.00	190.45
5	—	762	136.50–142.00	138.23
37	—	625	149.00–168.00	156.33
5	—	840	127.00–127.50	127.30
57	—	576	154.00–175.00	167.21
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
29	—	966	120.00	120.00
11	—	788	136.50	136.50
23	—	586	174.50	174.50
33	—	649	163.50	163.50
35	—	736	146.50–147.00	146.70
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	550	175.00	175.00
3	—	438	181.00	181.00
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	992	125.00	125.00
26	—	741	140.00	140.00
6	—	1,183	113.00	113.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	858	135.00	135.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	490	161.00	161.00
11	—	693	133.00	133.00
16	—	501	162.00–169.00	165.50
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	435	179.00	179.00
14	—	572	176.50	176.50
Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,068	113.00	113.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	950	114.00	114.00
10	—	678	133.00–142.00	138.31
2	—	140	410.00	410.00
2	—	515	160.00–168.00	164.12
2	—	848	127.00	127.00
14	—	603	136.00	136.00
4	—	909	113.50–114.00	113.87
10	—	792	125.00–128.00	126.79
8	—	490	175.00–177.50	176.58
2	—	85	175.00	175.00
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,130	90.00	90.00
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,145	107.00	107.00
4	—	1,228	100.00–103.00	100.76
3	—	1,055	110.00–116.00	114.00
3	—	1,267	90.50–91.00	90.67
6	—	1,164	106.00–109.00	108.34
14	—	1,026	111.00–116.00	114.06
2	—	810	127.00	127.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifer Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	10	—	1,141	1,600.00	1,600.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	16	—	1,569	1,350.00–1,550.00	1,503.47
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	7	—	1,409	1,250.00	1,250.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	9	—	1,555	1,675.00	1,675.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	32	—	1,613	1,400.00	1,400.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	19	—	1,629	1,350.00–1,375.00	1,371.29
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	20	—	1,387	1,150.00–1,225.00	1,182.01
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	14	—	1,288	1,035.00	1,035.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	11	—	1,333	935.00	935.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	249	—	1,015	79.50–117.00	98.35
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	143	—	1,068	66.00–99.50	81.65
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,015	85.00	85.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	11	—	929	70.00–93.00	86.89
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,215	67.50	67.50

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
34	—	1,435	60.00–66.00	63.77
20	—	1,379	65.50–69.00	67.37
1	—	1,340	54.00	54.00
7	—	1,489	71.00–74.00	71.91
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	923	55.00–62.50	60.14
6	—	921	51.00–54.00	52.57
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,452	58.00–65.50	63.63
32	—	1,412	71.00–74.50	72.68
94	—	1,400	67.00–72.00	69.12
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
61	—	1,203	57.00–66.00	62.93
4	—	1,094	50.00–51.00	50.76
10	—	1,221	70.00–72.50	70.47
37	—	1,212	55.00–69.50	66.59
Cows — Premium White 65-75%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,785	67.00	67.00
4	—	1,565	71.25	71.25
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,718	64.50–69.00	65.85
10	—	1,652	69.50–73.00	70.60
9	—	1,622	72.00–74.50	73.04
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,273	71.00–72.50	71.74
44	—	1,141	62.00–66.25	64.55
37	—	1,198	66.00–71.50	67.29
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,678	70.00–72.00	71.26
2	—	1,725	68.00–68.50	68.24
2	—	1,473	74.50	74.50
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,305	93.00	93.00
13	—	1,276	85.00–91.00	86.15
6	—	1,262	77.50–83.00	81.10
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,308	71.00–73.00	72.01
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
44	—	1,812	85.00–93.50	90.19
16	—	1,672	74.00–85.00	82.30
20	—	1,970	93.50–101.00	96.16

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