Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 163 priced lines covering 4,736 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 4,303 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 963 head. replacement cattle receipts at 375 head.

Mon Oct 2, 2023

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 4,303Last week 3,297Year ago 5,530

Slaughter CattleReceipts 963Last week 795Year ago 1,416

Replacement CattleReceipts 375Last week 322Year ago 449

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested this week to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Steer calves sold generally steady for calves weighing less than 450 lbs; steer calves over 450 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower. Yearling heifers under 850 lbs sold steady to weak, yearling heifers over 850 lbs sold mostly 5.00-7.00 lower. Heifer calves sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower on all heifer calves on offer. CME positions sold off sharply to start the week which pushed feeder prices lower again this week as buyers responded to lower board positions. For the week, the nearby October contract fell 4.95 and the November fell 4.825 to settle at 248.375 and 250.875, respectfully for Fridays close. Demand was mostly moderate this week, and demand was noticeably lower than last week. Larger groups of calves and yearlings were seen this week as the first feeder specials of the fall occurred. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive on both calves and yearlings. Market activity this week was moderate to active but activity was notably lighter this week compared to last. Weight up cows sold on light to moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Quality this week was mostly average. Breaking cows sold fully steady, boning and lean cows sold 1.00-3.00 lower. A large portion of the cow offering was comprised of wet bagged cows this week. Packers and other feeder buyers were reluctant to buy wet bagged cows for feed which made it difficult to buy cows to feed this week. Feeding cows sold steady to 3.00 lower. Slaughter and feeding bulls sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on very good demand again this week. Young age cows sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	678	254.00	254.00
48	—	789	216.00–246.00	223.24
1	—	930	215.00	215.00
3	—	1,092	195.50	195.50
3	—	709	244.00–245.00	244.34
4	—	1,000	201.50	201.50
8	—	834	210.00–225.00	219.36
7	—	865	205.00–222.50	212.95
13	—	644	244.00–248.00	247.69
5	—	982	200.00–204.00	201.60
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	314	295.00	295.00
1	—	570	240.00	240.00
2	—	385	295.00	295.00
7	—	270	317.50	317.50
25	—	437	240.00–265.00	254.12
43	—	533	248.00–256.00	251.42
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
120	—	786	237.00–249.00	239.39
143	—	661	250.00–270.50	267.70
147	—	867	213.00–237.00	221.06
83	—	814	223.00–245.50	231.99
152	—	726	241.00–264.75	257.46
18	—	968	210.00–217.00	212.61
25	—	1,029	203.25–210.50	208.36
120	—	925	210.00–232.00	219.78
22	—	1,080	194.00–215.50	206.07
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
49	—	964	218.00–220.50	218.77
Heifers — Medium 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
34	—	578	282.50–284.00	283.18
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	634	240.00	240.00
7	—	791	236.00	236.00
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,175	192.50	192.50
3	—	1,092	211.00	211.00
8	—	1,108	193.00–203.00	200.52
Heifers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	600	235.00	235.00
3	—	505	220.00	220.00
1	—	400	287.50	287.50
3	—	378	298.00	298.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
96	—	387	285.00–312.50	297.60
149	—	569	247.00–259.50	254.17
16	—	617	240.50–254.00	246.54
60	—	431	275.00–295.00	286.30
12	—	276	312.50–315.00	313.11
232	—	478	261.00–283.00	275.92
125	—	522	246.00–269.00	262.20
19	—	671	240.00–247.00	243.30
40	—	336	310.00–318.00	317.81
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	723	225.00	225.00
42	—	641	244.00–269.50	263.88
10	—	785	220.00	220.00
9	—	576	275.50	275.50
16	—	675	250.50–251.00	250.81
Heifers — Medium 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	372	252.50	252.50
Heifers — Medium 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	422	173.00	173.00
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
43	—	441	265.00–268.00	265.60
4	—	371	235.00	235.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	750	265.50	265.50
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	671	210.00	210.00
5	—	730	227.50	227.50
Heifers — Medium 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
24	—	491	201.00–210.00	208.23
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	736	209.00	209.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	569	265.00–283.00	266.88
2	—	658	243.00	243.00
12	—	605	233.00–258.00	247.49
32	—	420	300.00–315.00	305.70
40	—	530	270.50–282.00	280.03
21	—	340	322.50–335.00	330.53
47	—	470	272.50–302.00	288.76
12	—	388	300.00–322.50	306.75
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	849	243.00	243.00
16	—	912	222.00–236.00	227.42
2	—	703	268.00	268.00
6	—	645	253.00	253.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
29	—	772	249.00–259.50	256.20
9	—	914	232.00	232.00
11	—	681	282.50	282.50
2	—	1,038	216.50	216.50
11	—	881	238.50–242.00	239.74
45	—	956	225.50–233.50	232.97
76	—	722	260.00–275.00	272.88
76	—	840	239.50–245.50	245.42
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	761	230.00	230.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	700	286.00	286.00
8	—	563	287.00–290.00	288.10
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	340	332.50–352.50	342.49
3	—	680	265.00	265.00
7	—	814	237.00	237.00
111	—	474	292.00–322.50	303.95
97	—	627	254.00–272.00	269.35
11	—	383	332.50–362.50	343.81
164	—	582	260.00–293.00	277.73
14	—	720	261.00	261.00
267	—	523	280.00–313.00	292.31
100	—	429	313.00–337.50	326.25
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	517	254.00	254.00
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	558	244.00–272.00	265.50
12	—	637	247.00–248.00	247.50
6	—	418	297.50	297.50
6	—	662	239.00	239.00
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,289	177.00	177.00
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	604	275.00	275.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	712	242.50–247.50	246.25
5	—	757	232.50	232.50
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	380	316.00	316.00
Steers — Medium 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	562	220.00	220.00
Steers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	635	252.50	252.50
Steers — Medium 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	338	190.00	190.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	977	199.00–208.00	201.21
6	—	792	230.00	230.00
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,185	165.00	165.00
2	—	1,110	175.00	175.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	471	270.00	270.00
6	—	356	300.00	300.00
10	—	504	250.00	250.00
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,098	185.00	185.00
1	—	1,170	172.50	172.50
1	—	1,020	185.00	185.00
1	—	1,275	146.00	146.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,120	172.50	172.50
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	408	290.00	290.00
6	—	720	217.00	217.00
3	—	555	290.00	290.00
15	—	487	267.00–279.00	269.26
14	—	399	295.00	295.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	1,573	99.00–105.00	99.65
19	—	1,565	108.00–112.50	109.81
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
104	—	1,392	97.00–111.50	105.64
22	—	1,388	86.00–96.50	93.67
22	—	1,382	111.00–118.00	113.09
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
53	—	1,430	85.00–98.00	91.68
49	—	1,425	96.00–110.50	102.60
3	—	1,532	110.50–111.00	110.66
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,060	72.50–78.00	75.28
33	—	1,213	92.50–105.50	97.85
203	—	1,125	78.00–95.00	87.66
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
25	—	1,671	106.00–112.50	108.33
10	—	1,700	100.00–106.50	103.71
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
95	—	1,085	80.00–100.00	91.56
63	—	1,193	95.50–109.00	101.90
7	—	1,191	109.50–111.00	110.43
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	880	61.00–70.00	62.97
13	—	904	75.00–87.00	81.53
Bulls — Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,530	114.00	114.00
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,956	120.50–125.00	122.01
35	—	1,926	106.50–118.00	110.94
30	—	1,825	92.50–108.00	102.42
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
38	—	1,453	90.00–105.00	98.94
9	—	1,573	107.00–116.00	111.42
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,300	94.00	94.00

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/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	5	—	1,101	2,500.00	2,500.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	16	—	784	149.50–167.50	157.86
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	87	—	1,090	108.00–159.00	127.86
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,233	103.50	103.50
(<2 yrs)	Open	142	—	996	129.00–188.50	160.90
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	6	—	978	93.00–110.00	105.89
(<2 yrs)	Open	6	—	889	120.00–150.00	134.23
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	2	—	623	110.00	110.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	7	—	1,477	1,750.00	1,750.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	5	—	1,445	90.00	90.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	14	—	1,250	1,725.00–2,800.00	2,554.43
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	16	—	1,510	2,400.00	2,400.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	6	—	1,096	1,500.00–1,550.00	1,509.62
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	3	—	1,083	1,600.00	1,600.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	5	—	1,265	1,150.00	1,150.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Non-Legible BANGS$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	4	—	1,270	2,250.00	2,250.00

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