Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 261 priced lines covering 14,546 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 8,009 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 1,306 head. replacement cattle receipts at 7,821 head. Counted as USDA files them — 1 of those are cow-calf pairs, each counted once.

Mon Dec 5, 2022

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 8,009Last week 10,567Year ago 6,289

Slaughter CattleReceipts 1,306Last week 2,476Year ago 1,894

Replacement CattleReceipts 7,821Last week 991Year ago 7,267

Compared to last week: Steer calves 500-599 lbs sold steady to 3.00 higher, all other weights of steers sold unevenly steady on a mixed quality offering. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold mostly steady, heifer calves 500-599 lbs sold steady to 3.00 higher, heifers over 600 lbs sold steady to 3.00 lower. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive, but mostly plain to average. Quality varied greatly this week. High quality offerings continue to to sell on very good demand and have pushed higher week after week. Plain quality offerings continue to struggle to find buyers. Overall demand for feeders was moderate to good. Market activity was mostly moderate to active this week. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for heavy offerings. Demand from packers was mostly light. Slaughter cows sold 1.00-2.00 lower on all offerings. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 lower on all offerings. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold 10.00 higher as higher interest and more participants were seen for cows suitable to rebreed again this week.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	576	158.00–173.50	166.76
10	—	846	150.00	150.00
23	—	639	162.00–165.00	164.47
18	—	412	180.00–190.00	185.08
4	—	766	140.50–160.00	145.34
2	—	865	151.00	151.00
53	—	532	160.00–180.00	172.29
6	—	378	185.00–204.00	188.26
55	—	490	175.00–191.50	181.88
4	—	305	197.50	197.50
6	—	713	145.00	145.00
35	—	687	164.00	164.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
91	—	574	170.00–189.50	178.31
6	—	915	170.50	170.50
12	—	432	201.00–210.00	204.85
7	—	788	139.50	139.50
29	—	662	149.50–168.00	162.73
124	—	526	174.00–205.00	187.99
29	—	381	206.00–211.00	210.65
9	—	316	215.00	215.00
184	—	619	164.00–175.00	167.24
112	—	479	180.00–205.00	197.01
2	—	715	154.00	154.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	472	162.50–178.00	170.23
9	—	573	150.00–172.00	159.29
18	—	341	190.00–195.00	193.87
21	—	389	187.50–199.00	194.97
32	—	421	184.00–192.00	187.78
21	—	522	158.00–184.00	172.30
31	—	625	149.00–160.00	156.43
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	427	170.00	170.00
11	—	345	175.00–177.50	176.15
7	—	759	155.00	155.00
9	—	393	175.00–180.00	177.23
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
25	—	650	170.50	170.50
47	—	837	176.00–182.50	181.01
6	—	325	205.00	205.00
30	—	390	201.00–208.00	204.57
46	—	966	155.00–164.00	159.69
91	—	618	161.00–177.00	173.23
95	—	886	156.00–177.50	165.65
186	—	526	178.00–197.50	189.97
258	—	431	194.00–213.00	203.82
55	—	916	157.00–162.00	161.83
55	—	729	147.00–161.00	157.00
167	—	475	188.00–208.50	198.45
100	—	574	173.00–195.00	184.60
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	434	155.00	155.00
15	—	705	144.00	144.00
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	670	141.00	141.00
10	—	1,022	147.00	147.00
13	—	501	144.00	144.00
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	500	110.00	110.00
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	337	185.00	185.00
6	—	586	154.00	154.00
16	—	515	146.00–175.50	169.55
3	—	495	188.50	188.50
22	—	388	175.00–196.00	176.86
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	448	160.00–177.50	163.43
5	—	517	157.00	157.00
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	1,059	150.50–156.50	151.21
1	—	1,155	155.00	155.00
8	—	475	188.00–195.00	192.33
15	—	1,018	150.50	150.50
12	—	523	165.00	165.00
29	—	597	150.00	150.00
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	304	205.00	205.00
Heifers — Medium 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	403	125.00	125.00
Heifers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	487	181.00	181.00
3	—	508	164.00	164.00
6	—	613	143.00–158.00	150.56
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	697	145.00	145.00
12	—	575	160.50–169.00	166.91
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	701	170.00	170.00
Heifers — Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	527	170.00	170.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Natural$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	439	192.00	192.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
50	—	532	190.00–201.00	199.42
64	—	570	187.00–196.50	190.25
24	—	612	176.50	176.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Natural$ per cwt · actual wt
56	—	532	188.25–204.00	190.27
Heifers — Medium and Large 3-4 · Spayed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	805	87.50	87.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
71	—	556	222.75	222.75
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Natural$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	429	240.00	240.00
19	—	526	212.00	212.00
85	—	591	195.50–197.00	196.79
113	—	485	218.00–234.50	233.93
1	—	615	181.00	181.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
42	—	459	239.00–241.00	240.18
77	—	568	215.00	215.00
7	—	419	256.50	256.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
282	—	577	183.00–205.50	197.93
9	—	856	170.00	170.00
522	—	529	200.50–234.00	214.32
9	—	934	167.00–169.00	167.45
60	—	429	229.00–258.00	239.30
303	—	475	217.00–242.00	228.55
22	—	763	170.00–177.00	171.31
370	—	622	184.00–204.00	192.94
52	—	382	241.00–272.50	251.71
24	—	816	165.00–177.00	171.08
116	—	722	171.00–180.50	177.90
203	—	678	177.50–194.50	188.54
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	769	174.00	174.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	737	171.00–172.00	171.75
5	—	525	205.00	205.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
203	—	633	180.00–197.00	189.34
15	—	760	175.00–178.00	177.19
14	—	341	260.00–268.00	265.15
155	—	523	203.00–226.00	212.90
48	—	712	175.00–186.00	181.45
156	—	668	173.00–184.50	180.54
17	—	461	210.00–245.00	226.82
217	—	574	187.00–206.75	200.92
6	—	386	275.00	275.00
119	—	413	230.00–264.00	253.94
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	706	171.00–174.50	173.33
6	—	279	237.50	237.50
15	—	680	179.00	179.00
81	—	563	177.00–189.50	184.14
20	—	486	199.00–218.50	208.98
4	—	988	155.00	155.00
31	—	384	231.00–247.50	234.81
10	—	1,051	158.50	158.50
3	—	773	168.00	168.00
10	—	832	154.00–168.50	165.69
10	—	628	178.00–182.00	180.07
22	—	516	180.00–213.00	195.41
51	—	428	204.00–240.00	220.96
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
23	—	624	168.00–179.00	172.77
17	—	538	176.00–197.00	189.96
10	—	427	220.00–240.00	226.26
4	—	586	173.00–180.00	176.43
7	—	341	257.50	257.50
19	—	662	167.00–179.00	173.09
16	—	395	230.00–234.00	233.27
29	—	484	187.50–217.50	209.77
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	430	213.50	213.50
Steers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	356	230.00	230.00
4	—	405	220.00	220.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	606	174.00	174.00
17	—	489	193.00	193.00
3	—	360	227.50	227.50
Steers — Medium 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	591	150.00	150.00
3	—	448	211.00	211.00
Steers — Small and Medium 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	466	135.00	135.00
Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	582	180.00	180.00
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	391	222.50	222.50
3	—	598	165.00	165.00
29	—	420	220.00–232.00	223.66
23	—	489	194.00–208.00	206.81
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	795	144.00	144.00
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
19	—	1,302	124.00	124.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	456	190.00	190.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	876	150.00	150.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	528	174.00	174.00
2	—	975	134.00	134.00
28	—	566	171.00–175.00	173.52
12	—	673	169.00	169.00
14	—	474	180.00–200.00	188.52
6	—	333	210.00	210.00
7	—	809	161.00	161.00
5	—	703	160.00	160.00
6	—	624	166.00–184.00	171.92
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	500	152.50	152.50
2	—	428	162.50	162.50
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	614	155.00	155.00
12	—	494	175.00	175.00
4	—	541	171.00	171.00
11	—	599	162.50	162.50
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	456	210.00	210.00
18	—	547	185.00	185.00
5	—	392	240.00	240.00
3	—	412	235.00	235.00
2	—	555	180.00	180.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Natural$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	405	221.00	221.00
13	—	508	196.00	196.00
26	—	630	176.50	176.50
Bulls — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	523	110.00	110.00

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
(<2 yrs)	Open	5	—	959	55.00–72.50	69.01
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	11	—	1,040	52.00–60.50	57.30
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	269	—	933	71.00–130.50	105.11
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	15	—	1,293	53.00–57.00	56.76
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	123	—	1,093	58.00–103.00	74.35
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	4	—	860	92.50	92.50
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	142	—	1,226	1,175.00–1,510.00	1,346.59
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	172	—	1,223	1,000.00–1,375.00	1,224.17
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	163	—	1,137	1,185.00–1,600.00	1,494.71
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	25	—	1,198	975.00–1,200.00	1,089.39
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	318	—	1,360	1,275.00–2,075.00	1,718.37
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	222	—	1,224	1,250.00–1,735.00	1,629.37
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	416	—	1,337	1,125.00–1,575.00	1,354.47
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	1,630	—	1,191	1,500.00–2,300.00	1,831.32
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	39	—	1,319	1,385.00–1,525.00	1,478.66
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	30	—	1,250	1,450.00–1,775.00	1,687.14
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	56	—	1,308	900.00–1,400.00	1,212.85
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	1,440	860.00	860.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	441	—	1,247	900.00–1,300.00	1,000.13
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	14	—	1,437	1,100.00	1,100.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	45	—	1,212	860.00–1,050.00	903.49
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	182	—	1,305	775.00–1,050.00	999.40
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	8	—	1,131	1,185.00–1,260.00	1,236.83
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	1	—	1,130	1,300.00	1,300.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	4	—	1,305	875.00	875.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	13	—	1,390	1,400.00	1,400.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	14	—	1,268	900.00	900.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	1	—	1,135	1,050.00	1,050.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	12	—	1,319	1,035.00–1,275.00	1,134.65
Bred Cows — Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	24	—	1,110	1,135.00	1,135.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	29	—	1,219	1,300.00–1,485.00	1,387.30
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	48	—	1,158	850.00	850.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	14	—	1,231	775.00	775.00
Bred Cows — Medium 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	48	—	894	1,300.00–1,610.00	1,566.13
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	19	—	1,039	1,260.00	1,260.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	10	—	1,221	1,285.00	1,285.00
Bred Cows — Medium 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	1,210	835.00	835.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 2$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	9	—	1,125	610.00–800.00	760.11
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	—	1,388	1,075.00	1,075.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	21	—	1,211	900.00	900.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	—	1,083	1,175.00	1,175.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	49	—	1,014	1,150.00–1,375.00	1,314.27
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	29	—	1,256	850.00–885.00	874.13
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	64	—	1,020	1,350.00–1,650.00	1,486.99
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	3	—	1,222	800.00	800.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	43	—	1,491	1,825.00	1,825.00
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	1,154	—	1,031	1,525.00–2,050.00	1,788.81
(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	85	—	1,024	1,475.00–1,735.00	1,606.98
(<2 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	74	—	951	1,110.00–1,660.00	1,534.22
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	5	—	1,206	1,850.00	1,850.00
Bred Heifers — Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	153	—	993	1,400.00–1,675.00	1,506.28
Bred Heifers — Medium 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	121	—	893	1,435.00–1,625.00	1,543.80
(<2 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	24	—	895	1,400.00–1,475.00	1,422.08
(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	23	—	886	1,335.00–1,475.00	1,416.58
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	96	—	961	1,485.00–1,550.00	1,490.42
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	75	—	888	1,525.00–1,575.00	1,540.99
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,310	900.00	900.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,367	88.00–92.50	91.26
13	—	1,648	81.00–85.50	84.38
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,090	57.00	57.00
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	1,746	88.50–99.00	93.32
25	—	1,682	63.00–90.00	82.00
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
58	—	1,127	20.00–45.00	38.83
39	—	1,212	56.00–64.50	58.59
136	—	1,154	45.00–57.00	52.23
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
30	—	1,693	57.00–73.00	64.92
4	—	1,665	74.00–78.00	75.99
1	—	1,610	55.50	55.50
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,556	63.00–73.00	70.08
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
229	—	1,181	47.00–73.00	53.31
174	—	1,213	55.00–66.00	59.48
4	—	1,154	69.00–72.00	70.80
19	—	940	28.00–50.00	44.24
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	967	34.00–42.50	39.19
7	—	888	42.50–52.50	46.39
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,330	78.00	78.00
112	—	1,389	54.00–66.00	59.65
136	—	1,382	64.00–75.00	69.82
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,152	79.50	79.50
104	—	1,417	51.00–62.50	58.00
11	—	1,378	63.00–67.50	65.60
2	—	1,403	39.00–48.00	43.64
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	2,058	57.00	57.00

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

More

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line