Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 188 priced lines covering 14,735 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 12,115 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 5,380 head. replacement cattle receipts at 2,057 head.

Mon Oct 4, 2021

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 12,115Last week 8,234Year ago 3,870

Slaughter CattleReceipts 5,380Last week 3,825Year ago 1,150

Replacement CattleReceipts 2,057Last week 2,439Year ago 783

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were all too lightly tested either this week or last to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed. Steer calves under 450 lbs sold mostly 5.00 higher, 450-599 lbs sold steady to 3.00 higher, steer calves over 600 lbs sold 5.00-10.00 higher. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher, heifers 450-599 lbs sold unevenly steady, heifer calves over 600 lbs sold 3.00-6.00 higher. Quality this week was average to very attractive. Transportation was the biggest factor limiting demand this week. Drought conditions and early marketing's coupled with heavy cow movement has truck availability very tight. This led to large and often overlapping price spreads at times. Many feeders in the state have opted to sell their feed and yard space to ranchers for cows instead of feeding calves this year. This has also put some pressure on the market as many offerings that normally sell to local feeders have no place available to feed. The best demand was seen on lightweight calves suitable to develop into yearlings or for heavyweight calves which buyers thought could finish against the April board. CME positions were higher almost daily last week. The October contract closed at 159.475, 6.925 higher, while the November contract closed 161.15, 8.25 higher. Market activity was moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mixed demand from very light to moderate for heavy offerings. Packers were active buying cows for immediate harvest early in the week but showed very light demand for slaughter cows late in the week as very heavy supplies are starting to be seen. Slaughter cows sold fully steady on breaking cows, boning cows sold steady to 8.00 lower, and lean cows sold mostly 3.00-10.00 lower. Feeding cows sold steady to 5.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Many long strings of cows were sold as exposed again this week. Most older cows sold as exposed or ranch tested bred. Young replacement cows sold on mostly good demand again this week. Quality was mostly attractive with many long strings and load lot offerings of one iron home-raised open cows. Offerings sold steady to 5.00 higher.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	515	134.00–135.00	134.58
4	—	611	134.50	134.50
25	—	563	128.50–138.00	134.64
41	—	323	161.00–179.00	172.59
66	—	381	148.00–169.00	163.47
139	—	482	140.00–147.00	144.71
90	—	417	143.00–155.00	152.53
4	—	263	179.00	179.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	403	145.00	145.00
8	—	551	136.50	136.50
13	—	930	125.50–130.50	126.64
13	—	773	137.50–147.00	141.93
15	—	878	132.50–135.50	133.80
2	—	808	135.00	135.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	430	148.00	148.00
3	—	493	125.00	125.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	808	138.50–146.25	142.00
27	—	722	145.00–155.00	148.71
15	—	489	151.50	151.50
63	—	978	129.00–135.50	134.00
16	—	776	152.50	152.50
15	—	551	148.00	148.00
11	—	607	141.50	141.50
8	—	389	178.00	178.00
31	—	934	135.00–139.50	137.64
201	—	857	137.00–142.75	141.65
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
757	—	478	145.00–164.00	154.78
182	—	319	174.00–196.00	186.75
10	—	236	182.00	182.00
240	—	568	133.00–153.50	144.85
38	—	287	185.00–190.00	188.81
33	—	676	136.00–144.50	142.14
765	—	517	137.00–159.50	152.86
555	—	378	163.00–182.50	172.69
96	—	631	127.00–148.50	144.72
725	—	426	157.00–178.00	166.77
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	783	144.00	144.00
4	—	458	149.00	149.00
14	—	415	167.50	167.50
7	—	744	144.00	144.00
Heifers — Small and Medium 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
19	—	381	105.00	105.00
Heifers — Medium 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	515	133.00	133.00
Heifers — Medium 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	307	160.00	160.00
15	—	391	146.00	146.00
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	831	114.00	114.00
Heifers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	540	136.00	136.00
3	—	605	122.00	122.00
5	—	576	137.00	137.00
16	—	481	145.00	145.00
6	—	398	157.00	157.00
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	346	170.00	170.00
15	—	589	131.00	131.00
14	—	518	127.00–140.00	134.55
65	—	429	149.00–159.00	153.36
48	—	487	139.00–151.00	144.89
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
39	—	396	163.00	163.00
8	—	489	144.00	144.00
21	—	980	127.00	127.00
5	—	889	136.00	136.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	413	177.50	177.50
101	—	454	168.00	168.00
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	1,086	122.50–127.50	125.72
11	—	1,030	130.00	130.00
Heifers — Medium 2-3 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	410	125.00	125.00
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	571	110.00	110.00
Heifers — Small and Medium 2-3 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
22	—	371	80.00–110.00	91.31
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	523	172.00	172.00
21	—	630	154.50–162.00	159.49
6	—	340	207.50	207.50
35	—	895	143.50–147.50	147.17
72	—	408	202.00–217.00	209.50
10	—	836	146.50–150.00	148.59
15	—	946	142.50	142.50
4	—	564	167.00	167.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
126	—	674	143.00–163.00	159.42
676	—	571	149.50–169.00	162.74
713	—	425	181.50–207.00	194.85
389	—	376	185.00–222.50	204.66
442	—	624	148.00–168.00	160.76
989	—	473	168.00–194.00	180.80
155	—	326	202.50–229.00	217.09
1	—	715	155.00	155.00
58	—	274	212.50–227.50	221.63
588	—	525	157.00–181.00	170.39
Steers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	423	117.50	117.50
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	350	195.00	195.00
62	—	493	168.50–171.00	169.64
7	—	421	184.00	184.00
14	—	573	154.00–158.00	156.62
35	—	533	161.00–165.00	163.35
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
18	—	476	170.00–180.00	173.55
28	—	438	179.00	179.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
27	—	336	180.00–200.00	194.70
113	—	425	164.00–180.00	174.68
130	—	375	166.00–202.00	189.06
70	—	519	148.00–161.00	154.27
10	—	280	197.50–205.00	201.41
106	—	480	158.00–174.00	169.96
15	—	575	155.00–156.00	155.40
3	—	672	137.00	137.00
Steers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	396	185.00	185.00
12	—	421	175.00–177.00	176.19
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	527	136.00	136.00
Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	796	135.00	135.00
10	—	811	136.00	136.00
Steers — Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	503	152.00	152.00
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	525	147.50	147.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	599	145.00	145.00
5	—	436	171.00	171.00
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	533	147.00	147.00
6	—	328	184.00	184.00
16	—	413	179.00	179.00
Steers — Medium 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	363	170.00	170.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
190	—	518	184.25	184.25
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
39	—	505	183.00–184.50	184.08
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
54	—	443	160.75–169.00	161.20
5	—	523	140.00	140.00
6	—	377	160.00	160.00
Steers — Small and Medium 2-3 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
18	—	414	105.00	105.00
6	—	348	130.00	130.00
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,216	100.00	100.00
2	—	1,268	93.00	93.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	498	155.00	155.00
14	—	426	160.00–164.00	161.18
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
44	—	523	146.00–158.00	153.24
11	—	637	140.00–140.50	140.14
31	—	581	137.00–147.50	144.68
1	—	655	143.00	143.00
9	—	346	202.00	202.00
18	—	474	149.00–177.00	167.41
6	—	408	185.00	185.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,145	108.00	108.00
25	—	512	159.00	159.00
Bulls — Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,206	101.50	101.50

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
121	—	1,221	45.00–58.00	52.56
574	—	1,163	40.00–53.50	48.27
316	—	1,135	31.00–45.00	38.00
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	1,125	38.50	38.50
35	—	1,216	64.00–77.00	69.91
336	—	1,248	47.00–67.00	54.73
400	—	1,179	41.75–54.00	49.19
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,065	78.00	78.00
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
48	—	962	44.00–52.00	47.16
44	—	918	14.00–43.50	35.30
4	—	938	47.00	47.00
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
77	—	1,416	69.50–79.00	73.15
136	—	1,430	44.00–57.00	51.31
409	—	1,410	56.00–70.00	64.24
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
30	—	1,400	47.50–64.00	57.18
78	—	1,373	44.00–55.00	49.28
7	—	1,424	41.00–42.00	41.16
10	—	1,567	73.50–76.50	73.78
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
25	—	1,601	70.50–78.50	75.65
11	—	1,661	79.50–83.00	81.28
5	—	1,693	66.00–72.50	67.88
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,300	66.50–69.00	67.75
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
25	—	1,790	63.00–78.00	71.56
85	—	1,761	79.00–87.50	83.69
8	—	2,064	89.00–94.50	91.94
Bulls — Canadian Origin$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,440	78.00	78.00
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,454	61.00–79.50	73.59
27	—	1,545	78.00–85.50	82.37
1	—	1,250	90.00	90.00

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)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	79	—	1,227	55.50–63.50	60.20
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	41	—	1,222	740.00	740.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	26	—	1,081	60.00	60.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	13	—	1,108	1,000.00–1,050.00	1,020.19
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	13	—	1,193	950.00–1,025.00	1,019.34
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	38	—	1,104	1,075.00–1,225.00	1,168.37
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	36	—	1,203	825.00–860.00	849.81
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	27	—	1,176	1,120.00	1,120.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	24	—	1,143	1,110.00–1,160.00	1,137.17
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	6	—	1,158	950.00–1,050.00	1,029.48
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	7	—	1,254	775.00	775.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Non-Legible BANGS$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	8	—	1,141	725.00	725.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	4	—	866	72.00–85.00	76.77
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	26	—	962	45.00–70.00	56.52
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	4	—	951	47.50	47.50
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	699	—	907	65.00–115.75	100.02
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	6	—	1,146	56.00	56.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	13	—	1,233	66.00	66.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	391	—	1,032	54.00–95.00	76.64
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,010	70.00	70.00
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	15	—	951	79.00	79.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	6	—	863	63.00	63.00
(<2 yrs)	Open	10	—	853	62.50–85.00	77.93
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	59	—	761	1,095.00	1,095.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	11	—	824	142.50	142.50

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