Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 184 priced lines covering 5,909 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 5,300 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 1,642 head. replacement cattle receipts at 728 head.

Mon Oct 9, 2023

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 5,300Last week 4,303Year ago 8,085

Slaughter CattleReceipts 1,642Last week 963Year ago 2,292

Replacement CattleReceipts 728Last week 375Year ago 1,159

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested this week to develop an accurate market trend however steady to firm undertones were noticed. Steer calves under 450 lbs sold sharlply higher, with most sales 20.00-30.00 higher than last week. 450-499 lbs steers sold steady to 15.00 higher; steer calves over 500 lbs sold generally steady. Yearling heifers under 850 lbs sold steady to 3.00 lower, heifers over 850 lbs sold unevenly steady. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold sharply higher with most sales 20.00-35.00 higher. CME positions rebounded slightly this past week. For the week the nearby October contract settled at 249.87 and the November 251.57. Demand was mostly good to very good this week for light weight calves suitable to develop into yearlings, calves heavier than 500 lbs and yearlings sold with light to moderate demand. Heavy rains fell across the region to end the week, which kept receipts unseasonably light. Quality was mixed this week from plain to attractive on both calves and yearlings. Market activity this week was moderate to active. Weight up cows sold on light to moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Quality this week was mostly average. Breaking cows sold steady to weak, boning and lean cows sold 1.00-2.00 lower. Packers continue to focus on buying feeding cows again this week. Only poorer quality cows were purchased for immediate slaughter this week. A large portion of the thin cow offering sold to private feeders as they buy cows to turn out on corn stalks or feed. Most of these offerings sold as slaughter cows last week thus no comparison is available. High quality feeding cows, suitable to feed to premium white, sold steady to 2.00 lower. Slaughter and feeding bulls sold mostly steady to 1.00 lower. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on very good demand again this week. Young age cows sold mostly 5.00-8.00 higher, with instances of sharply higher prices seen for very high quality offerings.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	620	266.00	266.00
4	—	744	253.00	253.00
3	—	1,028	200.00–205.00	201.68
5	—	922	209.50–213.00	210.87
39	—	780	230.00–238.00	234.58
9	—	891	214.00–221.50	215.63
2	—	1,080	196.50	196.50
1	—	965	202.00	202.00
31	—	826	215.00–226.00	224.63
22	—	662	239.00–255.00	244.49
Heifers — Small and Medium 2-3 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	421	150.00	150.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
32	—	326	272.50–320.00	302.87
44	—	289	297.50–320.00	310.87
78	—	372	210.00–320.00	302.22
2	—	678	222.50	222.50
13	—	588	240.00–244.00	240.61
48	—	530	235.00–260.00	253.11
46	—	477	245.00–268.00	258.13
78	—	434	250.00–275.00	272.69
8	—	241	320.00	320.00
Heifers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	498	255.00	255.00
9	—	394	292.50	292.50
3	—	550	234.00	234.00
9	—	414	247.50	247.50
23	—	531	237.00–253.00	240.28
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,105	196.00	196.00
2	—	1,153	193.50	193.50
Heifers — Medium 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	428	202.50	202.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
54	—	826	229.00–238.00	236.16
100	—	726	245.50–267.00	255.96
22	—	967	216.00–217.50	217.15
78	—	630	257.50–276.75	272.71
26	—	1,028	202.00–211.50	208.54
88	—	869	218.00–230.00	226.91
57	—	767	235.00–243.00	239.50
41	—	937	214.00–224.50	222.21
14	—	516	286.00	286.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
109	—	376	310.00–345.00	324.48
4	—	668	235.00	235.00
80	—	562	245.00–269.00	254.80
134	—	520	250.00–284.00	269.86
153	—	417	285.00–327.50	308.23
2	—	708	237.50	237.50
63	—	627	241.00–255.00	248.61
42	—	326	320.00–352.50	339.79
113	—	469	265.00–290.00	277.05
13	—	270	340.00–355.00	348.90
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	490	250.00	250.00
5	—	399	300.00	300.00
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	549	253.00	253.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	472	290.00	290.00
26	—	538	281.00	281.00
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
24	—	683	244.00–254.00	248.35
13	—	572	264.00	264.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
25	—	567	271.00	271.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	798	203.00	203.00
3	—	440	237.50	237.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	463	235.00	235.00
3	—	447	220.00	220.00
13	—	394	222.50	222.50
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	725	249.00	249.00
7	—	652	266.00	266.00
7	—	549	282.00	282.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
128	—	376	372.50–405.00	388.13
115	—	574	264.00–287.50	279.11
202	—	417	266.00–384.00	363.15
347	—	527	276.50–305.00	288.72
61	—	677	241.00–265.00	258.05
167	—	624	255.50–275.00	264.84
5	—	288	395.00	395.00
11	—	702	250.00–259.00	254.11
10	—	766	241.00	241.00
121	—	469	291.00–362.00	315.73
43	—	335	355.00–402.50	384.05
Steers — Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	626	232.50	232.50
Steers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	400	340.00	340.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	339	235.00	235.00
5	—	404	295.00	295.00
4	—	383	245.00	245.00
10	—	533	220.00–225.00	221.99
13	—	481	224.00–255.00	240.12
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	883	226.00	226.00
12	—	787	224.50–247.50	234.15
3	—	830	220.00	220.00
9	—	741	231.00	231.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	924	218.50	218.50
5	—	744	260.00	260.00
1	—	955	214.00	214.00
2	—	758	259.00	259.00
20	—	873	230.00–239.50	236.88
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
28	—	629	276.00	276.00
4	—	1,085	216.50	216.50
14	—	556	279.00	279.00
6	—	851	240.00	240.00
19	—	682	278.00	278.00
26	—	710	264.00–274.00	270.11
58	—	765	250.50–271.00	261.55
3	—	998	221.00	221.00
9	—	910	232.00	232.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
44	—	428	325.00–355.00	342.04
84	—	468	270.00–308.00	290.47
34	—	524	255.00–280.00	265.21
32	—	316	350.00–375.00	358.12
49	—	577	255.00–270.00	261.78
54	—	390	255.00–379.00	353.87
9	—	275	352.50–360.00	355.85
7	—	607	250.00	250.00
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	424	323.00	323.00
35	—	568	267.00–268.00	267.81
36	—	509	270.00–297.50	288.13
15	—	475	257.50	257.50
Steers — Small and Medium 2-3 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	343	135.00	135.00
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	634	234.50–259.50	248.43
27	—	570	256.00	256.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	830	234.00	234.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	894	229.00	229.00
3	—	1,092	213.00	213.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
34	—	618	280.00	280.00
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,108	205.00	205.00
1	—	1,205	187.00	187.00
Steers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	597	237.00	237.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	380	375.00	375.00
3	—	543	265.00	265.00
6	—	474	260.00–290.00	279.99
5	—	630	228.00	228.00
2	—	858	210.00	210.00
3	—	585	255.00	255.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,136	167.00	167.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	965	215.50	215.50
6	—	691	241.00	241.00
12	—	791	234.50	234.50
Bulls — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	565	205.00	205.00
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,070	195.00	195.00
1	—	1,190	162.50	162.50
2	—	1,220	140.00	140.00
1	—	1,105	171.00	171.00
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,193	124.00	124.00
5	—	1,094	165.00–177.00	167.40
Bulls — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	561	222.50–225.00	223.18
Bulls — Medium 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	472	210.00	210.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	421	275.00	275.00
2	—	348	305.00	305.00
11	—	295	287.50	287.50

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	7	—	1,194	950.00	950.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	39	—	1,290	1,100.00–1,375.00	1,207.33
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	2	—	1,113	1,475.00	1,475.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	3	—	1,342	1,500.00	1,500.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	18	—	1,250	1,850.00–1,900.00	1,889.84
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	15	—	1,417	1,475.00	1,475.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	30	—	1,141	1,775.00–1,960.00	1,828.14
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	11	—	1,382	1,485.00–1,535.00	1,506.88
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Non-Legible BANGS$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	3	—	1,257	1,500.00	1,500.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	3	—	1,463	90.00	90.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	19	—	946	130.00–162.00	147.05
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	8	—	1,082	104.50–112.50	108.08
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	690	120.00	120.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	223	—	1,046	102.00–175.00	133.68
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	26	—	1,099	106.50–112.00	109.39
(<2 yrs)	Open	196	—	954	129.00–206.00	168.09

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
26	—	1,791	106.00–117.00	111.44
8	—	2,006	117.00–122.00	120.29
41	—	1,629	89.00–107.00	99.83
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	1,420	106.00–120.00	115.64
25	—	1,466	91.00–106.00	100.12
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
18	—	1,281	94.00–101.00	96.43
152	—	1,184	77.00–95.00	84.99
91	—	1,116	60.00–77.00	72.97
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,511	110.00–111.50	110.61
24	—	1,443	95.00–110.00	101.31
85	—	1,402	84.00–97.00	91.49
1	—	1,430	62.50	62.50
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
270	—	1,379	97.00–110.00	103.06
37	—	1,500	109.00–114.00	112.45
71	—	1,386	86.00–98.50	94.14
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
26	—	1,537	106.50–112.00	110.17
11	—	1,628	93.00–106.50	101.72
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
117	—	1,199	92.00–107.50	100.24
174	—	1,155	79.50–94.00	86.93
3	—	1,145	107.00–111.00	109.15
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	985	95.00	95.00
5	—	925	76.00–83.00	81.00
5	—	904	62.50–74.00	69.73
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	1,668	95.00–105.50	101.79
62	—	1,560	105.00–111.25	110.67

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