Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 204 priced lines covering 10,839 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 9,641 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 3,212 head. replacement cattle receipts at 1,652 head.

Mon Nov 29, 2021

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 9,641Last week 1,362Year ago 7,576

Slaughter CattleReceipts 3,212Last week 2,444Year ago 2,781

Replacement CattleReceipts 1,652Last week 2,077Year ago 1,289

Compared to last week: Comparative sales are slim due to the holiday last week. Too few comparative sales were seen to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed on both steers and heifers. Quality was average to very attractive. Many sets of calves were weaned this past week and buyers showed mostly very good demand for calves weaned over 45 days. A few sets of calves were weaned up to 90 days this past week. Demand for young age calves suitable to develop into yearlings was mostly very good. The August CME feeder cattle contract has hovered in the upper 170's for the past few weeks giving buyers support to buy light weight calves at higher prices. CME positions traded mixed this past week before trading lower to end the week. The January contract closed at 164.125 on Friday, 3.025 lower. The March contract closed at 167.10, down 0.875 for the week. Market activity this week was mostly active with a large buyer pool actively bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand for heavy offerings. Aggressive bidding from feeder buyers kept packers on their toes this week as they pushed to secure offerings for immediate harvest. Packer buyers were more active in purchasing slaughter cows this week as they showed need for cows to fill immediate harvest needs. The best demand for cows was for lean cows which sold on mostly good demand. Lean cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher. Boning and breaking cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold steady to firm. Young age cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher. Quality this week was average to attractive and slightly more attractive than was seen last week. Most of these offerings continue to sell to Southern fall breeding programs.

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,108	42.00	42.00
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	95	—	1,053	43.00–70.00	56.51
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	6	—	1,299	44.00–45.00	44.83
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	195	—	1,044	49.00–86.00	67.69
(<2 yrs)	Open	454	—	924	67.00–113.00	94.16
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	8	—	945	63.00–86.00	73.92
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	17	—	1,063	41.00–61.00	51.44
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	4	—	1,218	36.00	36.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,155	38.00	38.00
(<2 yrs)	Open	7	—	719	89.00–105.00	99.43
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,095	45.00–48.00	46.64
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,095	52.00	52.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	3	—	975	775.00	775.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	10	—	1,249	575.00	575.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	9	—	1,099	810.00–1,085.00	994.33
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	21	—	1,468	1,000.00–1,150.00	1,052.95
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	6	—	1,139	1,250.00–1,300.00	1,282.95
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	11	—	1,337	870.00	870.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	—	1,230	53.50	53.50
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	11	—	1,374	820.00	820.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	18	—	1,264	50.75	50.75
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	5	—	1,005	1,100.00	1,100.00

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
113	—	378	165.00–193.00	182.81
211	—	469	155.00–168.00	160.63
31	—	671	132.00–145.00	139.89
193	—	579	137.50–155.00	148.53
13	—	711	135.00–139.00	138.38
4	—	334	190.00	190.00
204	—	526	150.00–160.00	153.88
210	—	420	162.00–180.00	171.20
173	—	621	137.00–152.00	145.55
16	—	779	130.00–136.00	133.75
Heifers — Medium 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	345	125.00	125.00
3	—	454	112.50	112.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
22	—	522	144.00–147.00	144.83
30	—	579	135.00–140.00	136.50
33	—	479	139.00–154.00	145.51
2	—	323	175.00	175.00
14	—	422	153.00–159.00	156.81
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	589	136.00	136.00
15	—	491	132.00	132.00
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	577	140.00	140.00
12	—	541	131.00	131.00
1	—	1,100	127.00	127.00
8	—	1,093	127.50–129.50	129.26
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
219	—	383	172.00–191.00	183.59
31	—	658	137.00–147.00	141.52
15	—	963	139.50–140.25	140.15
29	—	341	182.00–195.00	189.04
189	—	467	149.00–166.00	162.40
10	—	1,004	133.50–135.50	135.10
112	—	515	149.50–160.00	153.65
223	—	440	162.00–184.00	174.04
66	—	712	135.00–154.50	146.87
101	—	810	146.00–155.00	151.56
107	—	910	136.50–153.00	149.97
69	—	867	140.00–149.00	145.16
102	—	613	137.00–147.50	143.24
17	—	770	131.00–156.00	150.74
373	—	574	142.00–154.00	150.68
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	465	110.00–125.00	118.35
5	—	374	152.50	152.50
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	389	160.00	160.00
53	—	540	145.00–149.00	146.56
96	—	410	154.00–163.00	156.43
30	—	692	151.00	151.00
2	—	853	130.00	130.00
23	—	493	142.00	142.00
6	—	583	142.50	142.50
5	—	781	131.00	131.00
5	—	320	155.00	155.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	565	133.00–140.00	134.79
13	—	768	135.00–137.00	136.45
9	—	321	165.00	165.00
2	—	703	142.00	142.00
22	—	425	154.00–156.00	155.27
27	—	518	145.00–147.00	146.08
2	—	955	128.00	128.00
4	—	903	131.50	131.50
18	—	629	131.00–135.00	132.31
37	—	468	137.00–149.50	144.31
17	—	377	165.00–172.50	169.99
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	688	131.00	131.00
Heifers — Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,063	119.00	119.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
112	—	546	165.75	165.75
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	479	129.00–137.00	133.55
6	—	559	125.00	125.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	519	129.00	129.00
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	419	157.00	157.00
17	—	541	141.00–143.00	142.51
2	—	373	175.00	175.00
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,129	117.50	117.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	552	157.00	157.00
66	—	524	166.25	166.25
52	—	855	156.50	156.50
6	—	452	178.00	178.00
Heifers — Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
19	—	1,007	137.25	137.25
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	690	151.00	151.00
10	—	1,068	134.00	134.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	309	217.50	217.50
56	—	462	171.00–199.00	187.33
5	—	366	181.00–200.00	192.42
45	—	625	149.50–159.00	150.85
7	—	436	190.00–197.50	194.86
46	—	535	149.50–179.00	168.77
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
63	—	727	156.00–166.00	161.57
193	—	628	158.00–174.50	164.52
129	—	525	185.00–194.50	187.41
41	—	853	163.50–165.50	164.67
60	—	371	227.50–233.00	230.37
126	—	912	168.75	168.75
6	—	795	145.00	145.00
114	—	668	157.00–169.00	163.00
347	—	465	164.00–217.00	211.51
201	—	412	201.00–225.00	218.49
350	—	571	165.50–179.75	173.16
26	—	341	216.00–235.00	225.90
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	717	142.50	142.50
18	—	669	137.00–146.00	143.52
8	—	628	150.00	150.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
193	—	433	203.00–225.00	211.28
71	—	675	154.00–168.00	159.75
73	—	716	152.00–164.50	156.27
6	—	303	213.00	213.00
347	—	625	160.50–170.50	166.40
72	—	383	210.00–233.00	222.91
299	—	485	191.00–210.00	200.62
393	—	521	180.00–204.00	189.98
5	—	824	150.00	150.00
370	—	578	162.00–181.00	172.41
18	—	761	158.00	158.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
29	—	448	165.00–209.00	199.90
103	—	533	165.00–179.00	174.24
18	—	383	207.50–214.00	210.35
11	—	660	145.00–154.00	148.25
28	—	564	154.00–162.00	156.69
4	—	335	205.00	205.00
8	—	629	152.00–154.00	152.76
8	—	468	174.00–178.00	175.23
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	436	135.00–172.00	149.19
6	—	457	165.00	165.00
4	—	641	141.00	141.00
3	—	385	145.00	145.00
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
38	—	605	155.00	155.00
38	—	545	160.00–174.00	168.85
17	—	447	179.00–195.00	182.71
4	—	720	148.00	148.00
13	—	472	155.00–183.00	161.20
34	—	559	159.00–166.00	164.58
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	691	150.00	150.00
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	404	162.50	162.50
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	450	167.00	167.00
Steers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	463	150.00	150.00
5	—	399	210.00	210.00
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	630	151.00	151.00
Bulls — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	339	180.00	180.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	592	137.00–156.00	144.51
2	—	393	212.50	212.50
9	—	462	185.00	185.00
17	—	426	170.00–208.00	184.46
2	—	320	190.00	190.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
25	—	986	119.00–135.00	133.08
3	—	793	135.00	135.00
6	—	698	128.00	128.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	916	100.00	100.00
10	—	761	131.00	131.00
6	—	718	123.00	123.00
24	—	666	133.00	133.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	595	130.00	130.00
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,220	107.00	107.00
5	—	1,087	111.00–122.00	119.87
2	—	1,180	104.00	104.00
7	—	1,049	111.00	111.00
7	—	619	136.00	136.00
5	—	495	164.00	164.00
Bulls — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	548	133.00	133.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,885	81.50	81.50
39	—	1,844	80.00–87.00	84.72
2	—	1,883	89.00–90.50	89.73
29	—	1,751	62.00–79.50	72.74
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	1,530	60.50–80.00	78.00
41	—	1,706	79.00–90.50	85.46
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,267	65.50–74.00	70.12
Bulls — Natural$ per cwt · actual wt
47	—	1,773	84.00–90.50	89.28
7	—	1,808	75.00–84.00	77.78
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
47	—	1,113	34.00–39.00	36.77
360	—	1,185	47.00–58.50	50.18
153	—	1,140	38.00–49.00	45.24
35	—	1,196	58.00–63.00	59.56
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
76	—	1,424	40.00–54.00	46.92
21	—	1,429	50.50–58.00	52.97
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,778	55.00–62.00	58.21
8	—	1,684	63.00–66.00	64.14
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
348	—	1,180	37.00–50.00	42.69
174	—	1,204	45.50–54.00	49.10
47	—	1,126	30.00–37.50	33.93
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	1,618	54.50–63.00	56.18
66	—	1,521	63.00–68.00	63.95
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
55	—	1,397	62.00–67.50	63.29
206	—	1,416	51.00–61.50	55.88
46	—	1,394	44.00–53.00	50.47
Cows — Premium White 65-75%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	2,075	66.00	66.00
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	925	24.00–30.00	27.05
46	—	962	30.00–45.00	38.43

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