Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · Weekly summary · Mon, Feb 20
● As filed89 lines reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1778

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them
Montana reported 89 priced lines covering 2,779 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 1,879 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 396 head. replacement cattle receipts at 825 head.

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Mon Feb 20, 2023
USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)
Feeder CattleReceipts 1,879Last week 912Year ago 1,974
Slaughter CattleReceipts 396Last week 302Year ago 330
Replacement CattleReceipts 825Last week 462Year ago 165

Compared to last week: Steer calves under 550 lbs too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. 550-699 lbs steers sold mostly 10.00 higher. Steers over 700 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher. All heifers were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Demand for feeder cattle under 700 lbs for steers and 675 lbs for heifers was very good as these weights were mostly purchased to run on grass. Demand for heavy weight offerings was moderate to good. Several offerings were out of grow lots this week. Many of these were carrying light to moderate amounts of tag and mostly moderate to moderate plus flesh. Ranchers, looking for replacement heifers and order buyers looking for high quality heifers to spay competed over heifer offerings this week. This helped push heifer offerings sharply higher in places. Market activity was active again this week as a large crowd was on hand for all sales this week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly very good demand for light offerings. Packers continue to show good demand for cows and bulls for immediate harvest. Cold and snowy weather has kept cow offerings light as many ranchers are not bringing cattle to town in these conditions. Light offerings continue to drive cow prices higher as this weather pattern has been seen across the upper plains. Packers showed the best demand for lean grinding materials this week as lean cows and bulls sold with the best demand. Several offerings of fed cows were seen again this week. Fed cow offerings sold generally steady. Fed cows were noticeably fuller this week and offered buyers a lower yield than last. Demand for fed offerings was good. Breaking cows sold 2.00-3.00 higher, boning cows sold 4.00-6.00 higher, lean cows sold 6.00-10.00 higher. Feeding cow buyers were mostly pushed out of the market this week as packers pushed prices higher in order to secure offerings. Prices climbed as the week went on. Feeding cows were not well tested, no comparison is available. Slaughter bulls sold 3.00 to 5.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Cow and bull quality was mostly average. Weigh up conditions were mixed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold with higher undertones in a narrow comparison. Slaughter cow buyers picked up some of these heavier weight offerings as prices for slaughter cows have increased enough for packer buyers to become competitive for young offerings.

Feeder Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
9938168.75168.75
5892172.00172.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
23528233.50–255.00240.75
102725193.00–198.00197.50
97877180.00180.00
83565219.00–237.00231.60
51483252.50–269.50265.91
44773182.50–188.50186.56
35820181.00–182.00181.89
124664199.00–213.00208.63
136628218.00–226.00219.70
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6433258.00258.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
7706166.00166.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
21430222.50–255.00250.52
5689189.00–191.00190.20
2588210.00210.00
4513237.00237.00
10482247.00247.00
7372273.00273.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
25482273.00273.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
8315197.50–205.00200.34
1420190.00190.00
7394185.00185.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
64483223.00–230.00228.41
33633183.00–201.00193.44
140520214.50–220.50217.40
72568203.00–221.00216.54
33435223.00–235.00230.07
21760173.00–182.50181.59
61717179.50–184.00180.16
45666195.00–197.00195.69
6382229.00229.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
86543204.00204.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
78622202.00–210.50210.16
40571198.50198.50
19780182.00–188.00184.80
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
14740168.00–175.00169.96
3340212.50212.50
7610187.00–190.00187.89
28424212.00–217.50213.54
7512176.00–201.00193.49
6373218.00218.00
11491197.50–219.00207.45
12685177.00177.00
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7599191.00191.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
50734190.00190.00
Heifers — Medium 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
10670158.00158.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5610202.00202.00
3702198.00198.00
1505210.00210.00
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
11,015134.00134.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3523202.50202.50

Slaughter Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
431,66387.50–96.5093.80
321,56597.50–98.0097.60
61,66480.25–89.0083.57
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
151,41595.00–100.5099.09
351,38786.00–98.0092.14
81,40380.00–86.5083.49
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1390573.00–90.0084.78
292079.50–85.5082.42
188062.0062.00
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
71,69298.5098.50
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
51,49290.5090.50
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
51,08862.00–65.0063.12
101,22093.00–100.0098.22
251,16377.25–89.0083.52
571,23185.00–99.0091.42
Cows — Premium White 65-75%$ per cwt · actual wt
441,67088.00–93.0088.46
51,381107.50107.50
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
91,749108.00–116.00113.80
52,019117.00–124.00120.62
131,71189.50–111.00100.64
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
11,09595.5095.50
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
61,134118.00118.00
31,20787.50–111.0098.50

Replacement Cattle

As reported
AgeStageHeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open2950119.00–122.50120.39
Young (2-4 yrs)Open292097.50–109.00103.13
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open44982119.50–146.00139.06
Young (2-4 yrs)Open5198980.50–132.00103.00
Bred Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)419371,860.001,860.00
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)1061,0671,935.00–2,125.001,984.91
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)571,3021,375.00–1,660.001,566.05
Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)711,1392,025.00–2,100.002,052.36
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)1531,1951,650.00–1,850.001,734.18
Bred Cows — Medium 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo)69291,200.001,200.00
Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)1109551,550.00–1,875.001,817.94
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)861,3161,300.00–1,660.001,440.57
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Registered$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)161,5701,550.001,550.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)61,1771,100.00–1,260.001,210.14
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.