Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · Weekly summary · Mon, Aug 9
● As filed93 lines reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1778

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them
Montana reported 93 priced lines covering 2,479 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 1,687 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 1,247 head. replacement cattle receipts at 439 head. Counted as USDA files them — 115 of those are cow-calf pairs, each counted once.

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Mon Aug 9, 2021
USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)
Feeder CattleReceipts 1,687Last week 2,135Year ago 2,557
Slaughter CattleReceipts 1,247Last week 1,572Year ago 326
Replacement CattleReceipts 439Last week 1,162Year ago 414

Compared to last week: Steers calves were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offering. Yearling steers sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Heifer calves were too lightly tested last week to develop a full market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers under 850 lbs sold generally steady, heifers over 850 lbs sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher. Quality this week continues to be average to very attractive. Several sets of replacement heifers were on offer this week and buyers continue to offer to abort these heifers at their expense if they buyer wishes to feed them. Most heifers were purchased for feed again this week. CME positions continue to inch higher as all contracts pushed higher to end the week. The August feeder contract closed Friday at 158.05, 1.80 lower than last Friday. Traders are trying not to stray too far from the daily index price as the contract expires soon. The September contract closed at 163.075 while the October and November closed at 165.775 and 167.30 respectively. Market activity this week was mostly active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for heavy offerings. Light offerings helped hold prices for cows near steady early in the week, but heavy cow supplies later in the week allowed prices to slip. Cow quality this week was significantly lower than last week as most cows were coming out of dry country and had freshly weaned calves. Many cows had big bags as a result. Packers were not as aggressive on cows this week as yields were off significantly compared to previous weeks. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 lower. Very few cows were purchased for feed this week as quality was not as attractive as in weeks prior. Several sets of cows were purchased to return to the country to preg test. This took some of the cow offering off the market and forced packers to big more aggressive than they seemed will to earlier in the week. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to weak. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 1.00-2.00 lower. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average this week. Demand for replacement stock was stronger this week. Cow-calf pairs and bred cows both were purchased to ship south and east as demand for these offerings was good to very good. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold steady to 3.00 higher. Demand for rebreed offerings was moderate this week and southern demand helped improve prices on this class of cows.

Feeder Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
141821145.00–153.00149.45
15692152.00–156.50154.81
118871141.50–149.50144.27
5634154.00154.00
45719149.50–151.50150.63
45975130.00–137.00134.77
53931137.00–141.50139.24
79774145.00–151.00148.27
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
50805158.25158.25
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9552159.00159.00
44414158.50–164.00162.29
58371164.00–186.00172.19
5646146.00146.00
20477155.00–168.00160.01
56315168.00–202.00187.02
10272176.00176.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2305164.00164.00
3355164.00164.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2865130.00130.00
3825142.00142.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
7241217.50217.50
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
101,018124.00–131.50125.52
141,069125.50–130.00128.03
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
47557154.50–156.25154.89
5660146.00146.00
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
13683152.00152.00
15476174.50174.50
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
25680157.00–165.00163.17
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
14862156.00156.00
6463185.00185.00
14922146.50–150.00147.97
26952145.00–148.00147.53
68836152.00–159.50157.73
61782154.00–162.00159.49
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
22506170.00–176.00175.17
10278201.00–214.00207.19
36408180.00–181.00180.14
47329190.00–211.50207.11
8630156.00156.00
29374187.00–200.00189.53
5658146.00146.00
28459164.00–175.00169.51
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
14419155.00–168.00158.83
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
13790150.00150.00
13710153.50–166.00161.19
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4419166.00166.00
3353205.00205.00
7349174.00174.00
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
31,03391.0091.00
41,105108.00108.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2985125.00125.00
10930127.00127.00
33508182.50182.50

Replacement Cattle

As reported
AgeStageHeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)181,09355.7555.75
Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)28927103.00–106.50105.36
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)81,298950.00950.00
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)597791.0091.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)391,27959.50–61.5059.95
Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)21,2981,000.001,000.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)Open131,10666.00–76.0073.65
(<2 yrs)Open731,04870.00–92.0081.05
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)341,4221,550.00–1,750.001,728.08
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)111,5641,625.001,625.00
Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)21,1481,625.001,625.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)41,3051,300.001,300.00
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)261,5161,460.00–1,650.001,592.75
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)361,5911,350.00–1,450.001,366.52
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)21,3801,100.001,100.00
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)168551,200.001,200.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
601,43060.50–69.0064.89
211,35459.00–72.0060.48
531,44168.00–79.0073.19
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
111,20267.00–72.0070.70
91,16558.00–59.0058.35
201,23461.00–66.5063.86
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
11,21569.0069.00
1081,19152.00–60.5057.01
1481,24259.50–67.0060.58
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
571,40860.00–66.5062.24
401,39551.00–60.0058.06
51,32272.0072.00
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
121,63374.00–83.5078.03
81,61870.00–75.0073.01
11,83558.0058.00
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
176057.5057.50
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
501,98790.00–101.0094.33
881,72181.50–90.5086.01
291,58666.00–83.0078.58
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
521,45681.00–88.0085.53
11,50581.0081.00
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
11,27085.0085.00
21,24880.00–81.0080.51
Bulls — Natural$ per cwt · actual wt
51,54188.00–89.5089.29
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.