Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · Weekly summary · Mon, Mar 27
● As filed140 lines reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1778

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them
Montana reported 140 priced lines covering 5,019 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 4,619 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 693 head. replacement cattle receipts at 534 head. Counted as USDA files them — 9 of those are cow-calf pairs, each counted once.

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Mon Mar 27, 2023
USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)
Feeder CattleReceipts 4,619Last week 1,964Year ago 5,750
Slaughter CattleReceipts 693Last week 546Year ago 1,107
Replacement CattleReceipts 534Last week 394Year ago 1,595

Compared to last week: Steers 550-749 lbs sold steady to 10.00 higher. Steers over 750 sold steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Heifers sold under 550 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady to higher undertones were noticed. Heifers 550-749 lbs sold mostly 10.00-15.00 higher, heifers over 750 lbs were too lightly tested last week to trend, steady to firm undertones noted. Quality this week was mixed from average to very attractive. Several load lots were seen this week as Billings livestock held their spring N.I.L.E. feeder special. All size packages sold on good demand as buyers were able to piece together loads of like quality. Demand for grass cattle was good to very good. This sale had some of the strongest demand seen for heifers all year as both grass buyers and replacement buyers bid aggressively over attractive offerings between 600 and 750 lbs. Many sets of heifers were purchased for replacements this sale. Market activity was mostly active this week with a large pool of buyers bidding aggressively and rapidly throughout the week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light to moderate offerings. Cow prices improved as the week progressed, pushed mostly by western packers searching for offerings for immediate harvest. Eastern packers showed mostly good demand for feeding cows but picked around as they purchased slaughter cows. Slaughter cows sold steady to firm on breaking and lean cows, boning cows sold mostly 2.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 3.00 higher. Feeding cows sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Cow and bull quality was average to attractive this week. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average throughout the week. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed continue to sell on good to very good demand. Steady to firm undertones were noticed.

Feeder Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5678170.00–194.00179.28
56482212.50–229.50225.16
49530211.00–225.00221.93
9378228.00–235.00231.87
22730167.00–171.00168.67
39424230.00–231.00230.87
44626194.00–207.00201.03
155589203.00–215.00209.96
8809161.50161.50
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2600208.50208.50
14737177.50177.50
14591215.00215.00
3467229.00229.00
8684189.00–196.00191.65
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
57428228.00–239.00229.29
38542206.00–215.00210.31
12384232.00–244.00234.78
10571205.00–211.00208.69
4743167.00167.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
263637209.00–225.00217.15
2958160.00160.00
32411234.00–252.50237.94
75788172.00–185.00176.85
49894166.00–171.00168.04
6825169.00–169.50169.42
70727186.00–199.00193.13
167579217.00–234.00230.04
61520221.00–235.00229.55
89491230.00–238.00230.89
262678184.00–219.00212.74
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3515185.00185.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
127777186.00–197.50194.20
46858181.00–198.50189.43
93735200.50–218.00201.55
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
55967157.75157.75
34847161.50–162.00161.79
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3392210.00210.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
24652217.00–224.00218.48
28614229.00229.00
Heifers — Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
21,060141.00141.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7406200.00200.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
16646203.00203.00
13576212.00–215.00212.68
15528223.00–225.00223.97
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4411255.00255.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
118674211.00–232.00222.52
197622227.00–248.00239.13
3973168.00168.00
74810197.25197.25
120531249.00–268.00257.61
121781185.00–200.50193.75
5396271.00271.00
206721201.00–214.00209.41
19442270.00–275.00270.53
114476261.00–272.00265.94
2865174.00174.00
98583247.00–256.00252.69
30912169.00–182.00172.50
Steers — Small and Medium 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
3603100.00100.00
4459120.00120.00
3378155.00155.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
165586220.00–239.00232.55
14672202.00–208.00203.50
12379252.00–270.00258.09
57530231.50–251.00244.57
17427264.00–270.00267.21
113628210.00–230.00219.87
33727194.00–199.00197.85
65485240.00–272.00249.68
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
16532217.00–246.00229.37
41636200.00–211.00208.61
6443263.00263.00
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4811170.00170.00
2645220.00220.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
31581260.00260.00
96602260.00260.00
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3381230.00230.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
8731191.00–196.00195.39
11638209.00–210.00209.26
1885151.00151.00
4500230.00–252.50241.25
7478232.50232.50
3580225.00225.00
4940156.00156.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4630157.50–192.50183.61
1985140.00140.00
5561213.00213.00
1830162.50162.50
2928147.00147.00
4485220.00220.00
6528227.00–230.00227.51
Bulls — Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
31,160140.00140.00
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
81,124121.00–124.00121.49
41,010157.00157.00
81,074145.00–155.00146.76
21,173120.00–122.00121.01
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3583197.00197.00
2473205.00205.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
771,56593.00–97.5094.74
21,70098.00–98.5098.26
201,62686.00–92.5089.70
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
651,16972.00–85.0080.09
41,16666.00–76.0069.90
941,22884.50–95.0088.92
31,24095.00–97.0095.68
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
21,51886.00–93.0089.46
541,41886.50–96.0091.94
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
31,14585.00–87.0085.63
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
22,01092.0092.00
12,00081.0081.00
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
21,53889.0089.00
271,46693.50–100.0095.00
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
189092.5092.50
996275.00–82.0080.32
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
151,47296.75–104.5098.97
311,43180.00–93.0086.88
831,40287.00–98.0092.73
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
321,776107.00–120.00115.94
191,896121.00–139.00125.70
151,64285.00–108.0099.16
Bulls — Natural$ per cwt · actual wt
11,840123.00123.00
31,715114.00–118.00116.08
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
21,23585.00–93.0088.81
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
141,375110.00–121.00116.34

Replacement Cattle

As reported
AgeStageHeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)Open971,15385.00–132.00104.66
(<2 yrs)Open138970117.00–163.00142.33
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open10875108.00–142.00128.19
Young (2-4 yrs)Open993984.00–106.0093.72
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open5853139.00–145.00141.08
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open1795121.00121.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open11,435140.00140.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)261,4501,450.00–2,025.001,905.73
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)671,3731,700.00–2,050.002,005.85
Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)201,3181,650.00–2,050.001,933.35
Bred Cows — Medium 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)151,1551,400.00–1,675.001,627.19
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)71,2641,150.00–1,350.001,291.99
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)431,3781,325.00–1,650.001,467.61
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)Open91,0522,000.002,000.00
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Non-Legible BANGS$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)41,0051,375.001,375.00
Bred Heifers — Medium 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)89661,450.001,450.00
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.