Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 172 priced lines covering 5,567 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 4,246 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 1,154 head. replacement cattle receipts at 1,481 head. Counted as USDA files them — 319 of those are cow-calf pairs, each counted once.

Mon Apr 26, 2021

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 4,246Last week 2,428Year ago 5,713

Slaughter CattleReceipts 1,154Last week 618Year ago 714

Replacement CattleReceipts 1,481Last week 505Year ago 2,063

Compared to last week: The best test for steer calves was 550-599 lbs which sold mostly 5.00 lower, all other weights were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Heifers under 550 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 lower. Heifers over 550 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower. Quality this week was mixed as steer quality was mostly plain to average and heifer quality was average to attractive. Drought conditions are forcing some ranchers to cut back on replacement heifers. As a result heifer quality has been very good. Most of the replacement heifers on offer are being sold as feeders. Cattle were offered in all size packages this week with several load lots on offer. CME feeder cattle positions continue to struggle as high feed cost continue to weigh on the market. May feeder cattle settled Friday at 133.60, while the August settled at 146.75 which is 4.07 and 3.15 lower respectfully. Market activity was moderate to active as both ranchers and order buyers were actively bidding on offerings throughout the week.. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Slaughter cow buyers were aggressive early in the week as they tried to secure slaughter cows, however as the week progressed demand diminished slightly. Slaughter cows sold steady to 3.00 lower. Feeding cow demand remains strong and is mostly being driven by packers. Feeding cows sold steady to weak and remains a strong premium to slaughter cow prices. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 lower. Young age cows sold mostly 5.00-10.00 lower. Feeding demand was significantly lower this past week as buyers adjust to higher feed costs; rebreed demand remains moderate to good.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Heifers — Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	618	113.00	113.00
Dairy Heifers — Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
23	—	743	113.50	113.50
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,260	91.50	91.50
4	—	1,024	103.00–108.00	105.46
16	—	1,071	100.50–103.00	102.06
21	—	1,127	98.00–101.00	99.29
14	—	1,172	94.00–104.00	99.50
7	—	966	105.50	105.50
5	—	1,233	93.00	93.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	823	111.50–123.50	115.43
1	—	940	105.50	105.50
5	—	721	119.00	119.00
33	—	969	103.00–110.50	107.64
4	—	115	200.00–310.00	275.71
1	—	75	200.00	200.00
12	—	882	106.00–111.50	109.67
18	—	451	185.00	185.00
7	—	515	149.00	149.00
3	—	1,082	106.00	106.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	903	105.00	105.00
1	—	125	175.00	175.00
7	—	615	129.00–132.00	130.31
2	—	663	127.00	127.00
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	1,121	94.00–97.00	95.11
1	—	1,175	94.00	94.00
Bulls — Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	1,130	108.00	108.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	643	148.00	148.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
57	—	624	159.00–170.00	164.57
15	—	924	115.00–120.50	117.91
212	—	573	170.00–179.50	176.26
178	—	534	179.00–187.00	182.22
112	—	736	141.50–149.50	145.52
45	—	423	190.00–197.00	193.75
29	—	869	123.00–125.00	123.97
45	—	482	186.50–192.50	188.86
6	—	398	194.50	194.50
1	—	195	375.00	375.00
3	—	982	114.00	114.00
5	—	824	128.00	128.00
14	—	773	131.00–137.00	135.94
94	—	661	148.00–164.50	158.18
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
67	—	608	176.50–179.00	176.84
43	—	510	195.00	195.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
23	—	632	144.00–155.00	150.30
15	—	425	184.00–188.00	184.99
20	—	738	135.00–137.00	136.19
29	—	474	175.00–183.00	178.18
11	—	394	191.00	191.00
22	—	688	139.00–146.00	144.12
23	—	586	159.00–169.00	166.22
39	—	521	166.00–177.00	171.04
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	885	120.00	120.00
4	—	821	121.00	121.00
12	—	927	107.00–114.00	109.27
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
24	—	1,083	113.50	113.50
7	—	1,291	111.00	111.00
Steers — Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,081	107.00	107.00
10	—	1,144	102.00	102.00
Steers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	632	110.00	110.00
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	353	185.00	185.00
7	—	469	180.00–182.00	181.43
18	—	540	176.00	176.00
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	436	163.00	163.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
29	—	830	119.00–123.75	122.67
138	—	668	136.00–149.00	142.48
86	—	522	157.00–163.75	158.58
187	—	579	148.00–158.00	152.83
21	—	437	161.50	161.50
1	—	70	200.00	200.00
208	—	620	140.50–156.75	148.59
95	—	770	126.00–131.50	130.50
67	—	713	128.50–139.00	133.85
8	—	377	160.00	160.00
95	—	478	158.00–162.00	160.33
35	—	866	116.00–120.00	118.59
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
31	—	743	139.00	139.00
28	—	699	143.00	143.00
60	—	760	132.25	132.25
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	713	119.00–123.00	120.64
9	—	690	134.00	134.00
10	—	647	129.00–132.00	130.50
13	—	968	110.50	110.50
6	—	838	113.00	113.00
14	—	898	108.00	108.00
6	—	779	116.00–121.00	119.29
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
53	—	628	131.00–144.50	139.19
3	—	73	100.00	100.00
21	—	425	150.00–157.00	153.27
35	—	390	156.00–160.50	158.05
60	—	531	141.00–156.50	149.06
82	—	480	144.00–159.00	152.91
7	—	657	124.00–135.00	131.85
9	—	326	163.00	163.00
84	—	585	131.00–150.00	136.43
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
102	—	655	150.00	150.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	565	138.00	138.00
41	—	669	133.00–134.00	133.93
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
31	—	571	144.00	144.00
54	—	1,003	114.00	114.00
20	—	640	127.00	127.00
Heifers — Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,121	104.00	104.00
4	—	1,020	112.50	112.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
18	—	367	151.00–153.00	152.56
16	—	566	124.00	124.00
6	—	525	136.00	136.00
16	—	479	135.00	135.00
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	572	121.00–130.00	127.28
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	484	157.50	157.50
18	—	607	136.00	136.00
38	—	524	147.00–150.00	148.68
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	502	129.00	129.00
Dairy Steers — Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
27	—	825	111.50	111.50
Dairy Steers — Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	730	112.00	112.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	2,623	85.00–85.50	85.24
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
31	—	1,250	85.00–89.50	88.07
14	—	1,308	72.00–84.00	80.15
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
53	—	1,611	72.00–84.50	80.04
62	—	1,756	84.50–92.00	88.14
32	—	2,035	90.00–101.00	94.82
2	—	1,370	82.50	82.50
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,305	67.00	67.00
Bulls — Natural$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,689	87.00–93.00	91.65
2	—	1,745	85.00	85.00
8	—	1,878	95.00	95.00
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,173	47.00–52.50	50.75
3	—	1,142	70.00–72.00	70.67
129	—	1,184	53.00–64.50	59.44
52	—	1,222	62.00–69.50	64.95
Cows — Premium White 65-75%$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,712	73.00	73.00
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
77	—	1,185	56.00–64.00	60.82
82	—	1,218	64.00–69.50	66.06
32	—	1,201	70.00–74.00	71.64
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	705	46.00	46.00
2	—	928	61.00–65.00	63.03
6	—	914	53.00–60.00	55.37
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
69	—	1,414	48.00–65.50	62.06
1	—	1,385	54.00	54.00
39	—	1,439	63.50–69.50	66.90
17	—	1,489	70.00–74.50	71.66
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,425	73.00	73.00
6	—	1,541	61.00–68.00	66.82
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,790	58.00	58.00
40	—	1,648	57.00–68.50	64.05
13	—	1,591	68.00–73.00	69.95
Cows — Premium White 65-75% · Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,240	71.00	71.00
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
22	—	1,422	70.00–75.00	72.03
44	—	1,412	59.00–65.00	63.18
65	—	1,418	65.00–70.00	68.04

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
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	12	—	1,243	1,350.00	1,350.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	7	—	1,065	910.00	910.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	59	—	1,364	1,100.00–1,275.00	1,219.59
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	82	—	1,231	1,425.00	1,425.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	49	—	1,362	1,100.00–1,160.00	1,132.31
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	6	—	1,259	1,150.00	1,150.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	38	—	1,117	1,175.00–1,450.00	1,270.83
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	3	—	1,447	950.00	950.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	19	—	1,322	875.00–925.00	881.84
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	6	—	829	59.00–68.00	62.47
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	10	—	892	71.00–95.00	83.68
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	9	—	952	63.00–74.00	68.94
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	3	—	998	63.00–75.00	68.15
(<2 yrs)	Open	4	—	770	61.00–93.00	77.23
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	152	—	1,140	64.00–87.00	74.91
(<2 yrs)	Open	371	—	980	71.00–124.00	90.84
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	34	—	1,260	1,600.00–1,810.00	1,775.06
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	52	—	1,365	1,350.00–1,775.00	1,592.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	149	—	1,223	1,550.00–1,875.00	1,754.32
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	70	—	1,494	1,300.00–1,450.00	1,330.28
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	14	—	1,403	1,125.00–1,235.00	1,176.35
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	29	—	1,032	1,135.00–1,310.00	1,195.76
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	30	—	1,089	1,150.00–1,235.00	1,201.97
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	N/A	2	—	1,100	1,450.00	1,450.00

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