Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 213 priced lines covering 9,982 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 6,964 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 2,868 head. replacement cattle receipts at 3,510 head. Counted as USDA files them — 21 of those are cow-calf pairs, each counted once.

Mon Dec 13, 2021

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 6,964Last week 6,289Year ago 7,439

Slaughter CattleReceipts 2,868Last week 1,894Year ago 3,184

Replacement CattleReceipts 3,510Last week 7,267Year ago 4,428

Compared to last week: All yearlings were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on both steers and heifers. Steer calves under 500 lbs sold steady to 10.00 lower. 500-599 lbs steers sold steady to firm. Steer calves over 600 lbs sold unevenly steady. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold mostly 10.00 lower, 450-499 lbs heifers sold generally steady, heifers over 500 lbs sold 3.00-6.00 higher. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Many calves were offered in small size packages with a few load lots seen as well. Small packages of calves sold on noticeably lighter demand this week. Many calves continue to be offered as weaned and most were weaned over 45 days. Some sets this week were weaned as long as 100 days. Demand for young age calves suitable to develop into yearlings was mostly very good. Buyers were willing to buy heavier weight calves for yearling programs this week which helped increase the price of 500-599 lbs offerings. CME feeder cattle contracts sold off this week which pressured the market later in the week. The January contract closed at 160.25, 4.625 lower. The March contract closed at 161.70, down 5.40 for the week. Transportation became an issue later in the week as many trucks were stuck on the highway due to high winds. Market activity this week was mostly active with a large buyer pool actively bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Feeder buyers continued to control the market this week as packers took a back seat to buying slaughter cows. Packers opted to put most of the cow offering on feed again this week. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-2.00 lower on boning and lean cows, breaking cows sold steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Young age cows sold mostly steady to weak. Quality this week was plain to average and similar to last week. Demand from Southern fall breeding programs has lightened over the last few weeks as it is starting to get late in the season to rebreed for these producers.

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
38	—	1,314	800.00	800.00
115	—	1,357	46.00–54.00	50.80
249	—	1,332	52.00–64.00	57.15
31	—	1,436	64.00–68.00	67.16
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,738	74.00–78.00	75.86
9	—	1,646	63.50–69.00	66.61
12	—	1,606	55.00–63.00	59.43
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
49	—	1,127	30.50–37.00	34.77
169	—	1,168	45.00–53.00	47.46
319	—	1,161	37.00–46.50	43.44
23	—	1,101	67.50	67.50
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	1,717	72.50	72.50
9	—	1,720	55.00–61.50	59.36
5	—	1,742	66.00–68.50	67.30
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
56	—	1,166	38.00–48.00	43.41
41	—	1,074	36.00–40.00	38.82
9	—	1,241	59.50–65.00	61.26
8	—	1,292	735.00	735.00
297	—	1,197	46.00–56.50	50.58
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
81	—	1,435	40.00–51.00	46.22
29	—	1,354	53.00–58.00	55.85
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	975	42.00	42.00
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	934	35.00–41.00	38.23
5	—	901	31.00–41.00	34.19
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,375	76.00	76.00
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
50	—	1,616	80.50–87.00	83.95
8	—	1,693	74.50–80.00	77.80
2	—	1,895	89.00	89.00
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	2,083	87.00–96.00	91.41
15	—	1,910	72.00–82.00	78.88
31	—	1,902	80.00–87.50	84.28

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	315	184.50	184.50
6	—	692	130.00	130.00
24	—	394	172.00–177.00	173.59
73	—	592	146.50–161.00	159.07
55	—	521	162.00–169.00	167.93
43	—	448	169.00	169.00
33	—	616	143.00–144.00	143.15
65	—	470	162.00–167.50	164.79
16	—	705	131.00	131.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
165	—	378	168.00–184.00	177.88
39	—	723	146.00–150.00	148.61
16	—	663	135.00–152.00	148.03
185	—	473	155.00–174.00	163.83
3	—	803	145.00	145.00
68	—	933	142.00–153.25	152.07
242	—	568	148.00–165.00	156.16
149	—	620	140.00–156.50	153.20
14	—	1,001	136.00	136.00
19	—	989	136.00–143.50	142.30
181	—	532	150.00–172.00	161.10
16	—	777	130.00–152.00	147.82
10	—	870	144.50–150.50	148.10
51	—	325	170.00–186.00	184.42
168	—	425	164.00–177.50	169.86
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
55	—	370	151.00–172.50	169.15
33	—	335	163.00–180.00	170.66
34	—	538	146.00–147.00	146.71
21	—	470	153.00–161.00	158.27
16	—	440	156.00–161.00	158.28
11	—	643	133.00	133.00
12	—	782	148.00	148.00
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
33	—	513	145.00–158.00	155.49
2	—	1,085	136.00	136.00
7	—	320	150.00	150.00
Heifers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
29	—	434	157.00–161.00	158.10
20	—	543	155.00	155.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	554	134.00–146.00	141.55
26	—	782	140.00–145.50	143.65
61	—	522	140.00–156.00	149.11
14	—	489	144.00–154.00	149.43
15	—	366	163.00	163.00
7	—	332	163.00–172.00	166.60
5	—	659	140.00	140.00
9	—	641	140.50	140.50
34	—	425	153.00–164.00	159.73
6	—	820	140.00	140.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	434	142.50	142.50
Heifers — Small 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
32	—	343	29.50	29.50
Heifers — Small and Medium 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	412	61.00	61.00
Heifers — Medium 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
134	—	457	80.00–135.50	131.25
44	—	413	82.50	82.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	344	171.00	171.00
36	—	441	157.00–165.00	158.05
27	—	369	159.00–161.00	160.25
5	—	536	146.00	146.00
8	—	497	143.00	143.00
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	409	135.00	135.00
14	—	639	133.50	133.50
21	—	263	140.00	140.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	701	138.50	138.50
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,051	125.00	125.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	576	161.00–168.00	165.13
63	—	361	195.00–217.50	210.42
10	—	726	153.00	153.00
5	—	656	155.00	155.00
97	—	529	177.00–194.00	186.86
43	—	460	197.00–207.00	204.70
34	—	442	193.00–206.00	193.70
115	—	624	158.00–178.50	173.31
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	620	144.00	144.00
19	—	420	171.00	171.00
35	—	524	160.00	160.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
254	—	470	190.00–212.50	201.31
1	—	795	161.00	161.00
105	—	570	161.00–189.50	178.82
3	—	278	215.00	215.00
149	—	617	156.00–175.00	164.27
69	—	326	210.00–225.00	218.46
13	—	878	148.50–164.00	151.56
482	—	423	191.50–227.50	214.44
395	—	529	184.00–204.75	198.91
84	—	728	148.00–164.00	160.37
4	—	831	163.00–166.00	164.53
202	—	666	153.00–172.00	164.75
79	—	373	210.00–232.50	223.80
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
24	—	394	187.50–210.00	194.95
21	—	506	179.00	179.00
12	—	671	149.50–161.00	156.07
5	—	711	147.00	147.00
15	—	334	191.50–210.00	201.73
33	—	433	175.00–204.00	192.43
2	—	610	151.00	151.00
34	—	579	148.00–163.00	156.25
73	—	480	171.00–195.00	182.33
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	409	150.00	150.00
15	—	673	141.00	141.00
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
19	—	477	180.00–189.00	186.94
11	—	417	185.00–195.00	188.56
39	—	368	185.00–215.00	202.72
16	—	265	210.00	210.00
7	—	571	164.00	164.00
5	—	300	207.50	207.50
5	—	634	152.00	152.00
4	—	685	155.50	155.50
23	—	517	173.00	173.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	634	149.50	149.50
7	—	734	144.00	144.00
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
20	—	523	183.50	183.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
153	—	469	181.50–189.50	185.02
5	—	431	200.00	200.00
40	—	536	175.00–178.50	177.98
6	—	657	148.00	148.00
4	—	638	157.00	157.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	641	134.00	134.00
Steers — Medium 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
30	—	466	105.00–115.00	109.26
Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	1,097	120.00	120.00
Steers — Small 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	358	28.00	28.00
48	—	564	34.00	34.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	618	122.50	122.50
11	—	481	170.00	170.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	578	140.00	140.00
5	—	955	107.50	107.50
38	—	436	171.00–175.00	174.11
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	569	137.00	137.00
48	—	531	161.00–180.00	175.94
3	—	820	122.00	122.00
26	—	462	178.00–190.00	184.76
3	—	420	185.00	185.00
27	—	620	126.00–137.00	132.65
9	—	690	130.00	130.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
25	—	465	165.00–178.00	174.44
6	—	582	158.00–162.50	160.28
4	—	886	127.50	127.50
26	—	522	164.00–175.00	169.39
14	—	431	185.00–199.00	188.77
6	—	297	230.00	230.00
8	—	615	132.50–141.00	138.93

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	16	—	930	41.00–71.00	60.76
(<2 yrs)	Open	11	—	979	68.00–81.00	72.83
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	145	—	1,063	48.00–93.00	65.20
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	27	—	1,289	46.00–49.50	47.11
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	18	—	1,230	40.00–47.00	43.20
(<2 yrs)	Open	319	—	969	63.00–107.50	87.31
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	3	—	952	44.50	44.50
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	8	—	752	86.00	86.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	17	—	1,333	1,600.00	1,600.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	4	—	1,278	1,375.00	1,375.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	39	—	1,410	750.00–775.00	767.56
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	245	—	1,336	775.00–875.00	821.27
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	273	—	1,382	900.00–1,300.00	1,033.20
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	6	—	1,530	61.00	61.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	8	—	1,120	1,275.00	1,275.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	424	—	1,190	1,160.00–1,685.00	1,498.34
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	122	—	1,429	1,100.00–1,500.00	1,375.27
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	11	—	1,395	1,150.00	1,150.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	104	—	1,386	775.00–1,050.00	1,032.38
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	11	—	1,258	1,075.00–1,300.00	1,130.16
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	4	—	1,358	800.00	800.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	72	—	1,099	1,150.00–1,450.00	1,324.19
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	7	—	1,357	1,100.00–1,300.00	1,236.84
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	14	—	1,132	835.00–950.00	879.26
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	36	—	1,160	650.00–725.00	697.72
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	10	—	1,298	700.00	700.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	32	—	1,005	1,250.00–1,300.00	1,277.11
Bred Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	5	—	1,199	1,100.00	1,100.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	3	—	1,082	1,300.00	1,300.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	17	—	1,344	1,000.00	1,000.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	24	—	1,296	825.00–835.00	827.66
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	9	—	1,165	1,075.00–1,200.00	1,188.50
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	16	—	1,267	1,050.00–1,110.00	1,079.44
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	5	—	1,266	1,150.00	1,150.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	6	—	1,020	1,275.00	1,275.00
Bred Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	15	—	928	1,050.00–1,275.00	1,134.99
Bred Cows — Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	32	—	1,345	810.00	810.00
Bred Cows — Medium 1 · Non-Legible BANGS$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	10	—	941	1,100.00	1,100.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Non-Legible BANGS$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	5	—	1,084	1,250.00	1,250.00
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Registered$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	2	—	963	1,925.00	1,925.00
Bred Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	21	—	880	1,100.00–1,300.00	1,233.33
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	318	—	1,015	1,300.00–1,535.00	1,446.86
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	2	—	965	1,100.00	1,100.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	33	—	934	1,425.00	1,425.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	15	—	994	1,025.00–1,575.00	1,161.18

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