Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · Weekly summary · Mon, Aug 16
● As filed138 lines reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1778

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them
Montana reported 138 priced lines covering 3,410 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 2,858 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 1,052 head. replacement cattle receipts at 526 head. Counted as USDA files them — 130 of those are cow-calf pairs, each counted once.

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Mon Aug 16, 2021
USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)
Feeder CattleReceipts 2,858Last week 1,687Year ago 0
Slaughter CattleReceipts 1,052Last week 1,247Year ago 0
Replacement CattleReceipts 526Last week 439Year ago 0

Compared to last week: Steers calves under 450 lbs sold mostly 15.00-20.00 higher. All other calves were too lightly tested either this week or last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Yearling steers sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold mostly 10.00 higher, while calves over 450 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher. Yearling heifers sold 2.00-4.00 higher under 800 lbs; over 800 lbs sold steady to 2.00 higher. Quality this week was average to very attractive. Several sets of very attractive calves were seen. The best demand for calves was for fully preconditioned calves, which buyers offered mostly a $10.00 premium. Several sets of replacement heifers were on offer again 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. The August feeder contract closed Friday at 159.025, 0.975 higher 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 165.50, 2.425 higher, while the October closed at 167.625, 1.85 higher. Market activity this week was mostly active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for heavy offerings. Heavy cow supplies allowed packers to let prices slide in places. Cow quality this week was lower yet again as thin and older cows are being culled. Lots of cows were seen coming out of dry country and had freshly weaned calves. Cows with big bags continue to be seen. Packers were not as aggressive on cows this week as yields continue to inch lower compared to previous weeks. Slaughter cows sold fully steady on breaking and boning cows, while lean cows sold mostly 2.00 lower. Only a small portion of cows were purchased for feed this week as quality was not as attractive as in weeks prior. Demand for fleshy breaking cows was very good as both packer and feeding buyers were looking for fat cows to put on feed. Several sets of cows were purchased to return to the country to preg test. This took some of the cow offering off the market. Feeding cows sold mostly steady. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 1.00-2.00 lower. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average this week on cows and bulls. 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 remains good to very good. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold 5.00 to 8.00 higher. Demand for rebreed offerings was moderate to good this week.

Replacement Cattle

As reported
AgeStageHeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)131,5241,485.00–1,700.001,620.54
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)211,4111,400.00–1,450.001,439.64
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)131,6411,400.00–1,450.001,433.60
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)211,6161,500.00–1,710.001,603.34
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)271,6871,475.00–1,600.001,570.21
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open101,4911,410.00–1,450.001,429.50
Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)71,4521,500.00–1,650.001,628.23
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)161,6851,410.00–1,450.001,417.83
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)41,6191,250.001,250.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)91,31462.00–64.0063.50
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)511,28359.00–65.5061.47
Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)91,053950.00–1,000.00988.18
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)508611,410.001,410.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)Open11,32059.0059.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)Open311,11387.50–92.5091.06
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)Open901,09058.00–110.0086.74
(<2 yrs)Open7796865.00–106.0090.05
Heifer Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)Open21,3601,535.001,535.00

Feeder Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
13463163.00163.00
3312212.00212.00
4234212.50212.50
4635142.50142.50
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
7991120.50120.50
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3950133.00133.00
6693146.00146.00
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
81,13991.0091.00
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
21,113110.00110.00
21,24896.0096.00
91,172108.00–113.00110.73
41,056128.00128.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
8895142.00142.00
3777157.00157.00
24467171.00171.00
17713157.00–162.00158.80
8413173.00–174.00173.50
21627160.00–163.00160.99
6576167.00167.00
9811154.50154.50
7950135.50135.50
11911143.50–146.00144.63
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
68363190.00–219.00214.05
70474171.00–181.50177.92
24586165.00–169.00166.39
6628145.00–160.00154.92
200418185.00–209.75199.79
3327213.00213.00
20532164.50–176.00168.40
18274213.00–228.50219.08
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
7911134.00134.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
109908150.00–157.00155.43
27715160.50–170.00164.94
11677166.00–177.00170.91
37447185.00185.00
16761162.00–165.00164.04
6313210.00210.00
184879152.00–157.50155.80
78814157.75–162.50159.87
52393194.00–198.00197.44
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9417172.50–179.00176.09
5224200.00200.00
4371196.00196.00
8506171.00171.00
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4779135.00135.00
7583155.00–159.50158.29
Steers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4568142.50142.50
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3370192.50192.50
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3627167.00167.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2993130.50130.50
7250177.50177.50
35686150.00–150.75150.11
8782145.50–148.00147.05
7706147.00147.00
2908130.00130.00
11895139.50139.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
13878138.00–140.50139.23
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
117379173.50–185.00182.12
12567148.10–152.50151.01
9521154.00–156.00154.44
34330173.00–190.00184.19
9274185.00185.00
35457161.00–170.00165.69
4619136.00136.00
80423164.00–176.50169.74
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
123974133.00–142.00138.98
49764146.25–155.00150.82
90831145.00–150.00147.60
119877143.00–148.25145.95
50930135.00–143.00139.91
41,065132.00132.00
42387175.25175.25
8683157.00157.00
50736150.00–157.00154.31
12303180.00180.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
5427145.00145.00
13468145.00145.00
11623145.00145.00
14594149.00149.00
5683140.00140.00
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
211,011135.50135.50
21,115124.50124.50
111,080125.50125.50
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
11519131.00–144.50137.25
6468152.50152.50
11581146.50146.50
3703134.00134.00
4646135.00135.00
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
13563135.00135.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3382169.00169.00
3434161.00161.00
2453153.00153.00
Heifers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8389167.00167.00
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4696150.00150.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
7769159.50159.50

Slaughter Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
581,47661.00–69.0065.17
81,42569.00–75.0070.82
81,37559.00–60.0059.87
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
595553.00–56.0054.18
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
941,34560.50–69.0065.52
801,41452.00–62.0058.85
21,14381.0081.00
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
31,93778.50–80.0079.46
91,74362.00–70.5066.10
111,64672.50–76.0073.69
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1397940.00–51.0046.95
11,05569.5069.50
801,21057.00–65.0059.29
791,17849.00–60.5056.87
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
41,45875.00–75.5075.12
21,49380.00–82.0081.02
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
271,29059.00–66.0061.66
291,20952.00–59.5056.87
41,17366.00–73.5069.38
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
741,83781.00–91.5085.45
262,03490.00–96.5092.44
541,58967.00–82.5078.47
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
11,095108.00108.00
51,43168.00–80.0074.79
301,49181.00–94.0085.15
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.