Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 140 priced lines covering 3,457 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 3,297 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 795 head. replacement cattle receipts at 322 head.

Mon Sep 25, 2023

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 3,297Last week 2,646Year ago 4,221

Slaughter CattleReceipts 795Last week 776Year ago 291

Replacement CattleReceipts 322Last week 105Year ago 327

Compared to last week: The best test for yearling steers was for 750-849 lbs steers which sold fully steady all other yearling steers were too lightly tested either this week or last to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to lower undertones were noticed. Steer calves sold mostly 10.00-15.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Yearling heifers under 800 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower, heifers over 800 lbs sold 5.00-8.00 lower. Heifer calves sold mostly 10.00-15.00 lower. CME positions sold off sharply to start the week which pushed feeder prices lower as buyers responded to lower board positions. CME contracts rebounded slightly on Thursday but after the bulk of sales had already taken place. Demand was mostly moderate to good, however demand was lighter than previous weeks. Most yearlings were offered in moderate size packages up to load lots this week. Calves were mostly offered in small packages or as singles. Offerings were too light on calves for buyers to put together loads and that coupled with lower feeder cattle contract prices pressured prices lower. Quality this week was plain to average on calves and average to very attractive on yearlings. Market activity this week was moderate to active but activity was notably lighter this week compared to last. 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 to weak on boning and breaking cows, lean cows sold generally steady. Feeding cows sold fully steady. Slaughter and feeding bulls sold generally steady. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on very good demand again this week. Too few sales were seen last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed.

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,970	122.00–130.00	123.81
38	—	1,845	111.00–121.00	114.60
22	—	1,722	95.00–111.50	105.45
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
22	—	1,571	112.00–119.00	115.13
40	—	1,499	103.50–113.50	107.78
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,112	87.00–105.00	99.80
Bulls — Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,520	109.00	109.00
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
32	—	1,139	87.00–98.00	95.96
10	—	1,174	111.00–113.00	111.48
36	—	1,181	98.00–109.00	103.36
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,629	114.00–116.00	115.33
15	—	1,555	111.00–112.50	111.10
3	—	1,400	109.00	109.00
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	1,416	92.00–104.00	98.97
100	—	1,413	100.00–114.00	105.16
18	—	1,472	113.00–119.00	115.86
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	905	80.00–94.00	85.84
3	—	883	66.00–69.00	67.39
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
48	—	1,391	100.00–108.00	102.23
2	—	1,423	113.00–114.00	113.52
59	—	1,379	92.50–101.00	96.40
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,720	115.50–116.00	115.74
6	—	1,773	107.00–114.00	108.89
6	—	1,828	94.00–105.00	102.87
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
49	—	1,267	97.00–107.00	99.01
1	—	1,230	109.50	109.50
11	—	1,110	68.00–84.00	78.67
69	—	1,147	77.00–96.50	92.32
Cows — Premium White 65-75%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,740	119.00	119.00

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	309	337.50	337.50
12	—	474	282.50–297.50	294.25
3	—	608	245.00	245.00
22	—	434	316.50	316.50
30	—	537	262.50–290.00	278.02
1	—	590	266.00	266.00
3	—	655	239.00	239.00
7	—	292	355.00	355.00
19	—	379	332.00	332.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	403	292.00	292.00
5	—	267	250.00	250.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	914	232.00	232.00
23	—	832	239.00–249.50	245.75
40	—	781	248.00–253.00	252.16
2	—	1,065	218.50	218.50
14	—	732	252.00–258.00	255.74
11	—	865	235.50–244.00	242.42
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	333	342.50–351.00	348.03
27	—	519	294.00–306.00	298.76
6	—	683	265.00	265.00
43	—	633	254.00–277.00	267.40
32	—	572	270.00–289.00	282.70
41	—	478	298.00–327.00	319.40
61	—	426	325.00–340.00	327.04
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
27	—	668	255.00–270.50	266.93
15	—	728	259.00–265.00	262.53
22	—	570	267.50–282.50	272.61
8	—	753	240.00	240.00
23	—	630	260.00–276.00	269.75
Steers — Medium 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	548	277.00	277.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
44	—	589	281.00	281.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	625	276.00	276.00
29	—	909	238.00–239.00	238.48
23	—	658	278.00	278.00
75	—	770	259.50–268.00	265.71
27	—	876	237.00–247.00	240.68
6	—	1,062	218.50–221.00	220.18
98	—	809	250.00–258.00	252.83
2	—	983	233.00	233.00
56	—	710	268.00–275.00	273.48
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,143	205.00	205.00
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	552	240.00	240.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	720	242.00–243.50	242.69
4	—	778	237.00	237.00
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	647	241.00	241.00
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,135	187.00	187.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
51	—	736	241.00–248.50	244.37
36	—	803	227.00–232.00	227.29
19	—	919	218.00–219.00	218.89
17	—	883	224.00–226.00	224.46
3	—	993	212.00–216.00	214.67
62	—	785	225.00–239.00	232.47
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	550	232.00	232.00
11	—	306	300.00–305.00	303.56
13	—	473	240.00	240.00
4	—	433	262.00	262.00
25	—	387	246.00–262.00	259.67
12	—	523	244.00	244.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
18	—	760	258.50	258.50
40	—	686	269.50	269.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
26	—	483	282.00–286.00	284.84
17	—	621	245.00–257.00	247.83
52	—	386	300.00–310.00	306.66
41	—	518	259.00–272.00	264.56
30	—	573	225.00–262.00	252.07
5	—	322	320.00–334.00	331.35
4	—	673	242.50	242.50
35	—	412	275.00–300.00	284.13
Heifers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	573	245.00	245.00
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	886	225.00–228.50	226.00
6	—	1,155	190.00–196.00	193.25
10	—	843	225.00	225.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	743	241.00–249.00	244.97
2	—	768	237.00	237.00
6	—	994	222.50–223.50	222.92
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	373	285.00	285.00
9	—	336	252.00	252.00
13	—	272	251.00	251.00
5	—	443	215.00	215.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,068	198.00–212.50	206.14
151	—	877	223.50–233.50	230.74
219	—	781	238.50–253.00	246.84
62	—	648	270.00	270.00
34	—	972	217.00–229.00	221.05
147	—	725	249.50–260.00	253.68
15	—	660	269.00	269.00
44	—	1,021	208.00–219.50	216.22
97	—	822	224.00–238.75	235.08
116	—	922	217.00–230.75	224.42
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
20	—	678	239.00–247.00	241.30
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	623	251.00	251.00
31	—	756	240.00	240.00
2	—	665	263.00	263.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	251	262.50	262.50
13	—	367	292.50	292.50
10	—	430	250.00	250.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	653	225.00	225.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	873	217.00–221.00	219.05
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	925	211.00	211.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	2	—	1,003	1,950.00	1,950.00
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,040	114.50	114.50
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	885	125.00	125.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	47	—	1,146	106.00–153.00	122.20
(<2 yrs)	Open	150	—	1,015	109.00–193.00	155.67
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	4	—	915	146.00–160.00	154.96
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	870	109.00	109.00
(<2 yrs)	Open	6	—	961	112.00–148.00	132.21
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	16	—	1,172	1,675.00–1,900.00	1,782.44
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	10	—	1,283	1,700.00–1,775.00	1,742.70
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	32	—	1,348	1,300.00–1,500.00	1,430.14
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	2	—	1,293	1,500.00	1,500.00

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