Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 166 priced lines covering 10,112 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 8,515 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 2,720 head. replacement cattle receipts at 1,537 head. Counted as USDA files them — 19 of those are cow-calf pairs, each counted once.

Mon Oct 17, 2022

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 8,515Last week 8,085Year ago 17,243

Slaughter CattleReceipts 2,720Last week 2,292Year ago 5,414

Replacement CattleReceipts 1,537Last week 1,159Year ago 1,972

Compared to last week: Steer calves under 450 lbs sold sharply higher, with most sales 15.00-25.00 higher. 450-599 lbs sold unevenly steady from 2.00 higher to 5.00 lower. Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed. Heifer calves all sold steady to 3.00 higher. Yearling heifers sold steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Quality this week was average to attractive. A heavier offering was seen this week, however receipts trail both last year and the 5 year average as weather has helped keep many cattle in the country and the drought last summer has helped lighten receipts. Demand was mostly good throughout the week and improved as the week progressed. Live cattle prices improved to 152.00 which added some additional support late in the week. A good crowed was on hand at every sale this week with both order buyers and farmer feeders actively bidding on offerings. Market activity this week was mostly active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. Many cows were out of dry country and were very thin. Slaughter cows sold steady to weak on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 lower. Feeding cow quality was lower this week compared to last week. Packers continue to put most of the high quality bulls away on feed. Feeding bulls sold fully steady. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady to 4.00 higher. Good demand continues to be seen for these offerings.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	546	185.00	185.00
5	—	299	250.00	250.00
6	—	400	222.50	222.50
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,025	165.50	165.50
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
29	—	598	168.00–173.00	168.52
6	—	465	211.00–215.00	212.94
3	—	657	165.00	165.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	586	166.00–181.00	175.28
7	—	627	173.50	173.50
4	—	251	245.00	245.00
30	—	373	212.50–235.00	223.01
3	—	695	162.00–165.00	163.00
10	—	325	215.00–245.00	227.78
69	—	530	180.00–191.00	188.82
73	—	486	180.00–211.50	199.31
28	—	431	198.00–224.00	213.68
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
357	—	619	171.00–194.00	185.04
715	—	570	176.00–205.00	193.34
148	—	662	170.00–182.00	176.06
19	—	740	173.00–178.50	176.21
328	—	429	216.00–255.00	237.58
34	—	328	225.00–271.00	252.65
532	—	480	198.00–244.00	216.72
131	—	378	220.00–263.00	255.60
15	—	765	162.00–171.00	167.16
53	—	286	250.00–264.00	260.63
939	—	526	189.00–226.00	205.46
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	843	170.50	170.50
3	—	705	175.00	175.00
12	—	765	169.00–170.50	170.00
6	—	939	158.50–166.00	159.72
7	—	466	204.00	204.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	887	170.00–179.00	176.78
17	—	625	190.50	190.50
16	—	768	175.50	175.50
19	—	938	174.50	174.50
3	—	953	161.50	161.50
13	—	721	171.00–172.00	171.38
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	406	172.00	172.00
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	591	171.00	171.00
17	—	742	163.00–168.00	165.96
Steers — Medium 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	414	127.50	127.50
Heifers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	592	153.00	153.00
12	—	461	170.00–180.00	172.45
22	—	516	155.00–167.00	157.27
2	—	415	170.00	170.00
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	729	164.50	164.50
10	—	1,126	142.50	142.50
3	—	898	149.00	149.00
11	—	1,020	150.00–159.00	155.91
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
167	—	433	172.00–193.00	187.92
11	—	368	185.00–200.00	194.52
10	—	339	191.00–206.00	200.28
42	—	575	145.00–157.00	152.41
25	—	533	161.00–171.00	164.92
46	—	489	161.00–179.50	173.48
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
19	—	581	151.00–158.50	156.08
6	—	616	151.00	151.00
6	—	667	155.50	155.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
75	—	924	159.50–168.00	162.86
22	—	817	167.00–170.00	169.32
8	—	744	167.50	167.50
51	—	884	162.00–167.00	162.90
56	—	970	150.00–159.50	156.25
Heifers — Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	1,005	149.00	149.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	558	156.00	156.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
31	—	283	210.00–227.00	219.67
3	—	765	162.00	162.00
227	—	423	192.50–214.00	201.39
103	—	618	147.00–172.50	165.98
9	—	710	162.50	162.50
269	—	564	162.00–185.75	173.14
389	—	477	174.00–205.00	189.40
28	—	665	144.00–168.50	161.69
619	—	523	169.50–186.00	179.88
148	—	380	195.00–218.00	208.49
148	—	322	205.00–229.00	219.36
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	877	152.00	152.00
3	—	745	167.00	167.00
11	—	826	154.00–160.00	157.23
17	—	769	160.50	160.50
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
23	—	713	161.00–166.50	162.46
17	—	795	150.50	150.50
6	—	643	161.00	161.00
5	—	673	164.00	164.00
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	294	202.50	202.50
10	—	518	150.00–151.00	150.51
11	—	454	155.00–165.00	157.74
24	—	577	145.00–162.50	156.46
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	505	132.50	132.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
63	—	503	196.00	196.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Natural$ per cwt · actual wt
46	—	512	199.50	199.50
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	986	130.00	130.00
2	—	850	131.00	131.00
35	—	753	147.50–166.00	164.39
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	478	190.00–200.00	190.80
6	—	372	240.00–242.50	240.44
9	—	432	225.00–236.00	231.35
3	—	503	201.00	201.00
13	—	584	163.00–176.00	173.08
7	—	699	156.00	156.00
6	—	712	157.00	157.00
2	—	340	232.50–235.00	233.73
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	448	175.00	175.00
4	—	326	225.00	225.00
9	—	564	151.00–154.00	151.70
5	—	481	165.00	165.00
4	—	536	142.50	142.50
Bulls — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	515	147.50	147.50
3	—	440	180.00	180.00
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,026	121.00–127.00	122.48
1	—	1,170	116.00	116.00
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,050	111.00	111.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	983	120.00	120.00
2	—	933	121.00–123.00	121.99
Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
21	—	339	239.00	239.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
26	—	800	45.00–55.00	46.63
1	—	965	66.00	66.00
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
40	—	1,630	70.00–77.00	74.54
34	—	1,524	78.00–83.00	80.39
9	—	1,494	82.00–84.00	82.99
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
400	—	1,200	50.00–65.00	57.60
241	—	1,216	61.50–74.50	66.46
75	—	1,164	40.00–49.00	46.40
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,594	81.00–83.00	82.68
39	—	1,545	73.00–77.50	75.58
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
435	—	1,384	68.00–78.50	73.75
89	—	1,405	56.50–69.00	63.37
49	—	1,459	78.00–81.00	79.19
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
84	—	1,437	52.50–68.00	59.51
8	—	1,601	77.50–87.00	81.76
1	—	1,530	54.00	54.00
57	—	1,457	68.00–76.50	71.27
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
210	—	1,248	63.00–75.50	68.08
172	—	1,116	52.00–64.50	58.14
1	—	1,170	77.50	77.50
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
23	—	1,979	88.00–95.00	92.44
31	—	1,753	70.00–93.00	82.99
1	—	2,200	98.00	98.00
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	1,635	72.00–90.00	83.40
33	—	1,689	92.00–102.50	97.01
7	—	1,774	103.00–106.50	103.98
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,268	71.00–81.00	76.07

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	18	—	1,396	78.00–80.00	79.58
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	5	—	1,315	1,150.00	1,150.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	8	—	1,228	1,050.00–1,075.00	1,065.85
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	24	—	1,053	1,250.00–1,385.00	1,354.86
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	61	—	1,298	1,085.00–1,200.00	1,135.58
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	6	—	1,380	1,310.00	1,310.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	6	—	1,158	1,260.00	1,260.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	3	—	1,252	900.00	900.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	28	—	1,313	985.00	985.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	92	—	1,342	1,025.00–1,260.00	1,139.36
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	137	—	1,022	1,250.00–1,585.00	1,429.25
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	23	—	1,273	1,225.00–1,425.00	1,389.73
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	34	—	1,385	66.00–74.25	72.21
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	137	—	1,281	960.00–1,160.00	1,051.93
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	21	—	1,142	1,075.00–1,285.00	1,181.98
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	22	—	991	70.00–111.00	87.79
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	7	—	1,088	57.00–77.00	63.26
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	10	—	729	96.00–110.00	103.88
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	306	—	912	87.00–126.50	112.42
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	201	—	1,032	64.00–108.00	89.60
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	81	—	1,057	1,525.00–1,900.00	1,820.56
(<2 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	3	—	1,048	1,450.00–1,550.00	1,519.63
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	19	—	1,389	1,600.00	1,600.00

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

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Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line