Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 162 priced lines covering 11,004 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 8,367 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 2,685 head. replacement cattle receipts at 2,436 head.

Mon Nov 7, 2022

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 8,367Last week 10,613Year ago 12,235

Slaughter CattleReceipts 2,685Last week 3,519Year ago 4,316

Replacement CattleReceipts 2,436Last week 1,555Year ago 3,460

Compared to last week: Steer calves under 500 lbs sold unevenly steady, 500 lbs and heavier sold steady to frim. Yearling steers were too lightly tested last week develop an accurate market trend, higher undertones were noticed on a higher quality offering. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold generally steady, heifers over 500 lbs sold steady to 3.00 higher. Yearling heifers were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however sharply higher undertones were noticed on a very attractive offering. Quality this week was mostly average to very attractive. Demand was mostly moderate to good throughout the week. Demand for light calves suitable to run on grass remains very good, however buyers were more selective pushing high quality offerings higher and allowing average quality offerings to slide in price. Heifer calves over 500 lbs continue to see good interest as ranchers are buying this class of calves to background and develop into replacements. Demand for high quality, long weaned calves was better this week. Demand for short weaned calves continues to be very light. Most short weaned offerings were dirty, stressed, and carrying some fill. 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 to moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Most cows were purchased to feed this week as only very poor or severally blemished cows where purchased for immediate slaughter. All slaughter cows sold fully steady. Feeding cows continue to be purchased to put away for the holiday and to feed to premium white. These offerings both sold steady to firm. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 5.00 to 10.00 lower. Quality this week was not as attractive as it has been the past few weeks and fewer taker was seen on this class of cows.

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
230	—	1,406	69.00–80.00	75.33
182	—	1,398	55.00–69.50	63.77
32	—	1,479	80.00–84.00	81.49
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
22	—	1,566	67.50–78.50	74.72
1	—	1,510	85.00	85.00
35	—	1,534	80.00–82.00	80.45
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
506	—	1,228	60.50–72.00	65.09
236	—	1,158	51.00–62.00	57.71
18	—	1,186	71.00–74.50	73.89
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,540	80.00	80.00
77	—	1,412	52.00–66.50	60.02
14	—	1,460	66.50–76.00	71.99
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	965	62.00	62.00
15	—	953	44.00–56.00	51.21
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
36	—	1,571	79.00–83.50	82.49
29	—	1,619	67.00–78.00	73.84
3	—	1,635	84.50	84.50
2	—	1,898	62.00	62.00
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
40	—	1,176	60.00–65.00	62.31
41	—	1,099	31.00–48.00	42.29
211	—	1,191	48.00–62.00	54.87
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,882	96.00–102.00	98.94
12	—	1,672	90.00	90.00
29	—	1,944	87.00–98.00	93.16
34	—	1,708	69.00–87.00	81.00
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,345	78.00–82.00	80.01
18	—	1,635	90.00–98.00	95.20
Bulls — Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,545	74.00	74.00
Bulls — Natural$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,680	99.00–100.50	99.81

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
31	—	624	151.00–165.00	157.92
65	—	433	184.00–194.00	190.05
15	—	329	194.00–208.00	202.35
33	—	480	160.00–184.00	180.89
17	—	570	150.00–167.00	157.74
14	—	686	153.50	153.50
32	—	524	169.00–179.00	173.30
21	—	377	190.00–210.00	204.90
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
24	—	503	146.00	146.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	831	155.00–172.00	163.49
3	—	530	170.00	170.00
2	—	408	192.50	192.50
11	—	495	177.50–183.50	178.59
Heifers — Medium 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	485	140.00	140.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	282	222.50	222.50
181	—	616	168.00–179.00	176.01
271	—	477	182.00–214.50	196.93
241	—	428	196.00–221.00	210.40
91	—	373	197.50–229.00	214.14
26	—	690	160.00–166.00	164.40
5	—	707	156.00	156.00
40	—	328	212.50–240.00	223.98
428	—	530	171.50–194.00	183.13
501	—	575	165.00–186.00	178.06
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
152	—	534	183.00–191.50	189.18
20	—	604	175.00	175.00
23	—	421	199.00–208.00	204.74
74	—	590	173.00–178.50	176.00
7	—	770	164.00	164.00
43	—	475	188.50–193.00	191.42
18	—	833	165.00	165.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	730	196.00	196.00
172	—	793	193.50–194.00	193.97
32	—	879	183.50–186.50	184.52
60	—	831	183.00–187.00	183.59
17	—	903	181.50	181.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	606	180.00	180.00
26	—	569	184.00	184.00
65	—	519	189.00–205.50	201.45
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
63	—	520	192.50–194.50	194.10
Heifers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	575	164.00	164.00
6	—	528	176.00	176.00
7	—	431	233.00	233.00
2	—	490	189.00	189.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	651	151.50	151.50
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	583	165.00	165.00
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	692	178.50	178.50
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	449	207.00	207.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
120	—	558	209.25	209.25
41	—	713	188.00	188.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
642	—	579	182.00–210.50	197.54
140	—	378	250.00–308.00	275.20
414	—	474	201.00–257.50	227.00
487	—	529	193.00–215.00	205.61
11	—	321	280.00–296.00	288.19
91	—	426	230.00–277.00	249.95
623	—	621	166.00–199.50	189.67
170	—	671	167.00–187.00	180.12
2	—	755	169.50	169.50
86	—	722	172.00–184.00	177.44
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
46	—	573	168.00–188.00	182.25
30	—	529	184.00–192.00	189.33
15	—	331	257.50–280.00	269.59
40	—	377	235.00–277.50	252.37
13	—	675	160.00–170.00	166.39
48	—	636	165.00–183.00	177.48
5	—	734	171.00	171.00
69	—	464	188.00–217.50	208.38
54	—	435	217.50–245.00	235.16
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
107	—	887	185.50–192.00	190.75
65	—	734	174.00–185.00	176.70
11	—	798	188.50	188.50
101	—	623	181.50–194.00	187.44
40	—	474	221.00–248.00	226.05
6	—	814	181.00	181.00
12	—	903	189.00	189.00
167	—	664	184.00–198.00	190.63
139	—	569	191.00–205.00	195.84
100	—	527	202.00–212.00	210.65
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	826	170.00	170.00
9	—	635	168.00–169.50	169.01
4	—	713	168.00	168.00
4	—	750	157.00	157.00
2	—	870	180.00	180.00
Steers — Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	529	181.00	181.00
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
33	—	720	169.50	169.50
28	—	571	193.50	193.50
14	—	637	165.00–177.00	168.39
9	—	873	165.00	165.00
11	—	661	175.00–179.00	177.89
14	—	486	207.00–219.00	209.40
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,040	157.50	157.50
Steers — Medium 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	533	110.00	110.00
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	623	174.00	174.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	744	169.00	169.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	370	230.00–258.00	238.84
26	—	524	189.00–197.00	193.54
5	—	426	240.00	240.00
15	—	474	194.00–199.00	196.63
2	—	805	158.00	158.00
13	—	571	165.00–170.50	169.25
3	—	688	165.00	165.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	738	157.00	157.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	332	—	1,306	1,000.00–1,200.00	1,095.86
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	4	—	1,328	950.00	950.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	7	—	1,299	1,275.00	1,275.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	11	—	973	1,310.00	1,310.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	7	—	1,139	985.00	985.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	8	—	1,203	1,035.00	1,035.00
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	4	—	1,339	1,235.00	1,235.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	42	—	1,221	1,250.00–1,450.00	1,359.16
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	51	—	1,099	1,100.00–1,625.00	1,431.06
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	406	—	1,336	1,075.00–1,385.00	1,288.66
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	187	—	1,297	1,325.00–1,625.00	1,481.47
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	21	—	1,342	1,085.00–1,300.00	1,186.74
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	9	—	1,141	1,300.00	1,300.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	18	—	1,262	75.00	75.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	225	—	1,094	1,425.00–1,900.00	1,774.42
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	—	1,230	1,275.00	1,275.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Non-Legible BANGS$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	7	—	1,142	1,410.00	1,410.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	19	—	1,212	1,060.00	1,060.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	6	—	1,233	1,300.00	1,300.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	34	—	1,283	1,010.00–1,050.00	1,031.09
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	25	—	1,260	950.00–985.00	966.50
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	18	—	924	78.00–92.00	84.44
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	6	—	1,159	61.00–72.00	68.13
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	343	—	951	75.00–123.00	105.92
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	191	—	1,076	64.00–110.00	78.83
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	3	—	975	85.00	85.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	830	62.50	62.50
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	21	—	669	110.00	110.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	950	55.00	55.00
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	72	—	1,024	1,460.00–1,725.00	1,670.55

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