Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · Weekly summary · Mon, Mar 20
● As filed106 lines reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1778

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them
Montana reported 106 priced lines covering 2,340 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 1,964 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 546 head. replacement cattle receipts at 394 head. Counted as USDA files them — 3 of those are cow-calf pairs, each counted once.

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Mon Mar 20, 2023
USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)
Feeder CattleReceipts 1,964Last week 1,763Year ago 1,128
Slaughter CattleReceipts 546Last week 844Year ago 717
Replacement CattleReceipts 394Last week 648Year ago 548

Compared to last week: Steer and heifer calves were both too lightly tested either this week or last week to develop an accurate market trend, however generally steady undertones were noticed on all offerings. Quality this week was mixed, from plain to very attractive. The largest consignments were heifers this week as Miles city Livestock commission hosted their annual trailhead replacement heifer sale. Many offerings were purchased to return to the country to breed. Several ranchers purchased large consignments which they plan to run on grass. Many heifers were purchased to be sorted to spay or to breed. All heifer consignments were met with very good demand. Market activity was active again this week as a large crowds were on hand for all sales. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for light to moderate offerings. Demand from western packers remains very good as much of the cow offering continues to be shipped west. Eastern packers also continued to put a limited quantity of cows away on feed. Feeding cows were mostly attractive. Slaughter cows sold steady on breaking cows, boning and lean cows mostly steady to 2.00 higher, with the biggest increase in price seen for high dressing cows. Feeding cows sold steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Demand for high dressing bulls continues to be very good as eastern and western packers fight over limited offerings. Bull quality was mostly average to attractive this week with a larger offering of high dressing bulls seen. Packers continue to show light demand for all bulls under 1600 lbs. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 10.00 higher, with instances of sharply higher sales seen on very attractive offerings.

Feeder Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
26691189.00–205.00199.76
6562220.00–227.00222.43
2835175.50175.50
20420250.00–257.50253.76
39532243.00–258.00250.94
39459252.00–272.50260.31
15745195.00195.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
4837171.00–175.00172.99
11944169.00169.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5522265.00265.00
14565245.00–250.00246.76
7804181.00–183.50182.78
49685215.00–221.00216.81
1905171.50171.50
18627220.50–240.00227.56
30768185.50–199.00192.15
13885173.00–174.50173.70
16736200.00–203.00201.10
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
6489225.00–226.00225.50
4443227.50227.50
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2725155.00155.00
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6652198.00198.00
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2743182.00182.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5755148.00148.00
3852149.00149.00
14431215.00–227.50222.11
14575191.50–205.50196.56
31678183.00–185.00184.81
4469217.50–222.00219.72
4720169.00–170.00169.24
4824149.00149.00
10631183.00–194.00187.25
30523196.00–216.00211.86
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
8836168.00–169.00168.62
3382243.00243.00
85566206.00–221.00216.36
12671190.00–199.00196.21
8867164.00–167.00166.24
42518215.00–229.00226.50
5753169.50169.50
112619198.50–214.00206.69
5428235.00235.00
59724178.00–186.00183.30
15495235.00235.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per head · actual wt
207871,400.00–1,500.001,450.64
108461,450.001,450.00
22771179.00179.00
380632205.00–217.50213.71
68655210.50–212.00210.72
111576209.00–228.00218.58
52737190.00–200.50198.61
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4674125.00125.00
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4501212.00212.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3737159.00159.00
3582170.00170.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
13795163.00163.00
7724171.00171.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
4604180.00180.00
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
21,035140.00140.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1515210.00210.00
1460220.00220.00
2710172.50172.50
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4633221.00221.00
1905160.00160.00
6710199.00199.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
61,15770.00–72.0071.68
401,20575.00–85.5081.85
121,26995.00–97.5096.12
701,21085.00–93.5088.36
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
595773.00–79.0075.99
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
190085.0085.00
41,20787.00–89.0088.46
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
301,59692.5092.50
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
21,37885.00–86.5085.72
31,443107.50107.50
251,40887.00–96.0093.52
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
111,58987.00–93.0088.70
41,55497.50–98.5098.24
171,65592.00–97.0094.84
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
471,42281.00–86.5084.58
281,44297.00–105.50100.49
1211,42785.00–97.0090.88
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
12,05597.5097.50
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
22,378114.00–123.00118.67
91,862107.00–115.00110.94
132,026122.00–139.00131.05
181,68285.00–106.0096.78
Bulls — Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
12,715111.00111.00
32,603118.00–125.00122.53
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
11,310105.00105.00
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
11,32092.0092.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported
AgeStageHeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)191,4421,700.001,700.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)41,1461,050.001,050.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)181,3962,100.00–2,200.002,145.91
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)451,4342,025.00–2,110.002,052.35
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)91,1581,950.001,950.00
Bred Heifers — Medium 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)49141,750.001,750.00
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)371,2501,825.00–2,250.002,207.95
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open11,520116.00116.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)Open11,02595.0095.00
(<2 yrs)Open16902100.00–142.00125.86
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open123995112.00–166.00142.76
Young (2-4 yrs)Open501,10586.00–138.00108.11
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open2888109.00–120.00113.77
Stock Cows — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open7991103.50103.50
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open31,3521,875.001,875.00
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.