Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 126 priced lines covering 2,958 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 2,646 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 776 head. replacement cattle receipts at 105 head. Counted as USDA files them — 2 of those are cow-calf pairs, each counted once.

Mon Sep 18, 2023

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 2,646Last week 2,593Year ago 2,051

Slaughter CattleReceipts 776Last week 616Year ago 921

Replacement CattleReceipts 105Last week 256Year ago 181

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested either this week or last to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed. Steer calves were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Yearling heifers under 800 lbs sold mostly 4.00-8.00 higher, heifers 800-849 lbs sold 3.00-4.00 higher, yearling heifers over 850 lbs sold generally steady. Heifer calves were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand remains good to very good. Most cattle were offered in small to moderate size packages this week. All package sizes sold on good demand as buyers pieced together loads. Quality this week was average to very attractive. Early consignments of spring born calves continue to sell on moderate to good demand. Most of these offerings were in small packages and buyers purchased these offerings on lighter demand as not enough of these offerings were seen to put together multiple loads. Market activity this week was active. Weight up cows sold on moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Quality this week was average to attractive. Packers continue to focus on buying feeding cows again this week. Only poorer quality cows were purchased for immediate slaughter this week. Slaughter cows sold generally steady on boning and breaking cows, lean cows sold mostly 5.00-10.00 lower. Feeding cows sold steady to weak. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00 lower. Feeding bulls sold 2.00 lower. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on very good demand this week; steady undertones were noticed.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	674	242.50–260.00	254.06
16	—	771	235.00–253.00	238.56
8	—	326	332.50–340.00	335.01
2	—	913	203.00–207.00	204.97
9	—	362	320.00–330.00	325.26
3	—	583	260.00–264.00	262.70
1	—	840	244.00	244.00
2	—	873	218.00–225.00	221.43
3	—	525	260.00	260.00
4	—	712	235.00–240.00	236.25
18	—	610	258.00–262.50	259.48
5	—	402	295.00–307.50	304.95
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,010	229.00	229.00
3	—	587	291.00	291.00
60	—	924	234.00–245.00	242.51
10	—	678	271.00–282.50	276.22
79	—	530	300.00	300.00
19	—	644	278.00–285.50	284.31
30	—	470	315.00–330.00	322.16
12	—	317	359.00–397.50	377.40
8	—	1,059	220.00	220.00
78	—	817	250.00–258.00	255.02
52	—	420	332.50–352.50	343.75
76	—	774	260.00–268.00	264.67
12	—	964	227.50–242.00	237.47
16	—	392	344.00–352.50	351.54
26	—	721	271.00–280.00	272.54
22	—	872	245.00–257.00	249.19
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	715	258.00	258.00
9	—	1,059	217.00–220.00	219.67
36	—	433	310.00–325.00	323.58
1	—	1,040	220.00	220.00
8	—	554	276.00–284.00	278.00
12	—	760	245.00–252.50	250.74
71	—	478	295.00–318.00	314.95
12	—	340	347.50–357.50	350.68
20	—	372	320.00–344.00	334.29
36	—	834	238.00–249.50	248.13
31	—	919	223.00–233.00	228.54
11	—	676	261.00–270.00	262.60
25	—	635	260.00–278.00	274.21
48	—	515	287.50–301.00	293.68
28	—	869	227.00–239.00	235.18
4	—	976	220.00–234.00	226.97
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
23	—	731	283.00	283.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	419	297.50–310.00	304.25
2	—	608	265.00	265.00
1	—	525	282.50	282.50
57	—	766	240.00–259.50	253.02
90	—	974	215.00–230.00	221.31
10	—	1,036	209.50–221.00	215.61
79	—	877	225.00–239.00	232.80
16	—	327	337.50–350.00	339.74
19	—	451	285.00	285.00
127	—	728	247.50–261.50	258.80
3	—	597	268.00	268.00
36	—	812	236.50–245.50	240.43
55	—	937	219.50–224.00	220.84
82	—	687	255.00–266.50	264.34
17	—	352	312.50–332.50	327.66
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	401	322.50	322.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
29	—	464	257.00–281.00	274.76
40	—	723	230.00–256.00	245.33
36	—	881	215.00–224.00	221.25
74	—	986	205.00–226.00	216.26
21	—	530	265.00–266.00	265.41
38	—	433	280.00–288.00	284.55
29	—	930	212.00–217.00	216.05
80	—	780	227.50–250.00	244.77
1	—	1,025	194.00	194.00
31	—	671	241.00–260.00	252.36
8	—	629	245.00–253.00	250.13
53	—	819	225.00–241.50	237.07
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	540	265.00	265.00
8	—	681	227.50–251.00	240.24
10	—	823	200.00–236.00	215.96
29	—	948	200.00–205.00	201.10
2	—	990	201.00	201.00
9	—	768	210.00–243.00	234.56
4	—	894	202.00–217.50	212.29
7	—	714	212.50–221.00	214.98
5	—	571	236.00–244.00	239.23
16	—	620	235.00–253.00	236.28
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	385	320.00	320.00
2	—	538	265.00	265.00
1	—	800	217.00	217.00
2	—	758	220.00	220.00
1	—	745	225.00	225.00
4	—	619	235.00	235.00
1	—	570	240.00	240.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	763	237.50–242.50	238.61
1	—	1,000	197.00	197.00
1	—	645	243.00	243.00
6	—	586	255.00	255.00
3	—	982	210.00	210.00
11	—	811	237.50	237.50
8	—	694	235.00	235.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,656	111.00–117.50	112.96
2	—	1,585	105.00	105.00
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
69	—	1,200	91.50–108.50	98.58
7	—	1,168	81.00–88.00	81.87
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
31	—	1,601	100.00–117.00	111.08
1	—	1,540	120.00	120.00
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
162	—	1,322	98.00–118.00	107.76
25	—	1,416	112.00–115.00	113.36
30	—	1,276	96.50–107.00	98.45
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,153	96.00–97.00	96.52
20	—	1,188	74.00–103.00	82.02
52	—	1,151	84.00–113.00	90.54
2	—	1,063	69.00	69.00
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
51	—	1,270	86.00–101.00	95.00
60	—	1,308	96.00–110.00	103.95
4	—	1,451	106.00–112.50	110.24
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	1,601	95.00–106.00	102.60
66	—	1,773	107.00–122.00	113.76
19	—	1,980	119.00–127.00	122.83
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,314	101.00–110.00	104.08
53	—	1,701	103.00–120.00	112.00

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
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	79	—	1,123	102.00–157.00	124.22
(<2 yrs)	Open	8	—	1,038	132.50–191.00	162.19
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · n/c wt
(<2 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	3	—	—	1,700.00	1,700.00
(<2 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	6	—	864	1,700.00–1,725.00	1,704.36
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	2	—	1,198	1,125.00–1,475.00	1,313.52
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	9	—	1,187	1,375.00–1,500.00	1,442.69
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per head · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	1	—	1,210	1,600.00	1,600.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,273	1,850.00	1,850.00

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

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Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line