Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 186 priced lines covering 11,052 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 10,039 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 2,623 head. replacement cattle receipts at 1,313 head.

Mon Oct 16, 2023

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 10,039Last week 5,300Year ago 8,515

Slaughter CattleReceipts 2,623Last week 1,642Year ago 2,720

Replacement CattleReceipts 1,313Last week 728Year ago 1,537

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested this week to develop any market trend. Steer calves under 500 lbs sold generally steady to firm, steer calves over 500 lbs sold uneven as late week prices were lower than early week prices. Yearling heifers under 800 lbs sold mostly 10.00 lower, heifers over 800 lbs sold 5.00-7.00 lower. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold generally steady, heifer calves over 450 lbs sold unevenly. CME positions nosedived late week as the market adjusted to the potential of more cattle on feed. The cattle on feed report which was released Friday showed larger than expected placements and a on feed number over 11 million head. Demand was mostly good to very good to start the week but moderated as the week progressed. Quality was mostly average to attractive on calves, and plain to average on yearlings. More selection was seen this week as buyers pieced together loads. No load lots were seen again this week as most calves were purchased in small to moderate size packages. Market activity this week was moderate to active. Weight up cows sold on light to moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Quality this week was mostly average. Breaking cows sold steady to 3.00 lower, boning and lean cows sold 5.00-8.00 lower. Packers continue to focus on buying feeding cows again this week. Only poorer quality cows were purchased for immediate slaughter. A large portion of the thin cow offering sold to private feeders as they buy cows to turn out on corn stalks or feed. Packers also jumped into buying this class of cows as they worry about supplies going forward. This is notably 2-3 weeks ahead of when packers historically start buying cows for the holidays. This class of cows sold 1.00-2.00 lower. High quality feeding cows, suitable to feed to premium white, sold 2.00-3.00 lower on a poorer quality offering. Slaughter and feeding bulls sold fully steady. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on very good demand again this week. Young age cows sold fully steady.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	573	236.00–240.00	237.99
21	—	622	240.50	240.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
184	—	714	235.00–255.00	246.99
75	—	817	213.00–231.50	224.43
4	—	1,009	197.00	197.00
7	—	572	253.00	253.00
6	—	996	207.50	207.50
75	—	780	229.00–240.50	234.44
52	—	918	210.00–220.00	214.88
66	—	684	246.00–254.50	250.05
104	—	870	215.00–226.00	220.60
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
224	—	525	252.00–269.00	263.02
20	—	287	326.00–360.00	350.85
45	—	676	230.00–240.50	235.23
331	—	478	265.00–289.00	274.01
349	—	379	290.00–337.50	320.35
358	—	425	280.00–316.00	295.47
198	—	570	242.50–263.00	254.38
136	—	321	310.00–352.50	333.60
209	—	619	233.00–254.00	246.87
43	—	833	230.00	230.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	797	220.00–229.00	222.66
12	—	809	220.00–226.00	221.92
12	—	729	229.00–243.00	235.64
32	—	631	234.00–246.00	244.13
3	—	1,040	187.00	187.00
16	—	872	212.00–221.50	215.60
2	—	663	235.00	235.00
12	—	943	200.00–211.00	203.83
2	—	970	193.00	193.00
Heifers — Medium 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	424	182.00	182.00
4	—	549	180.00	180.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
157	—	487	248.00–270.00	260.84
45	—	377	285.00–306.00	292.38
50	—	530	230.00–258.00	247.34
14	—	287	312.50–320.00	315.53
3	—	700	240.00	240.00
14	—	330	270.00–312.50	300.36
29	—	424	244.00–282.00	258.18
10	—	635	229.00–236.00	231.11
10	—	555	235.00	235.00
4	—	680	210.00	210.00
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	663	236.00	236.00
14	—	732	212.00	212.00
4	—	890	215.00	215.00
34	—	615	221.00–243.00	224.37
6	—	763	221.00	221.00
Heifers — Medium 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	453	200.00	200.00
6	—	418	225.00	225.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	625	217.00	217.00
11	—	503	230.00	230.00
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	753	224.00	224.00
14	—	1,121	191.00–196.00	194.36
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	780	209.00	209.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	322	255.00	255.00
11	—	431	236.00	236.00
8	—	351	280.00	280.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
45	—	518	277.50–279.00	278.43
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	554	236.00	236.00
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	648	227.00	227.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	719	225.00	225.00
Heifers — Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,127	187.50	187.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	896	204.00	204.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	970	210.00–221.00	212.72
13	—	730	239.00–254.00	248.44
9	—	910	223.50	223.50
17	—	861	220.50	220.50
7	—	652	246.00	246.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	522	290.00	290.00
63	—	622	276.00–280.00	278.77
2	—	948	226.00	226.00
150	—	692	249.50–273.00	268.17
26	—	866	234.00–235.00	234.12
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
53	—	320	330.00–385.00	365.09
25	—	277	380.00–390.00	386.03
54	—	618	233.50–251.00	247.39
182	—	535	256.00–287.00	273.97
61	—	573	244.50–279.00	258.63
126	—	484	212.50–305.00	285.67
66	—	435	310.00–335.00	324.37
11	—	727	232.00	232.00
18	—	657	231.00–247.00	236.74
145	—	380	335.00–370.00	348.96
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	459	271.00	271.00
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	858	220.00	220.00
8	—	928	197.00	197.00
8	—	733	229.00	229.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	288	400.00–405.00	401.34
528	—	522	270.00–316.00	298.06
258	—	670	238.00–266.00	255.78
366	—	620	240.00–278.50	267.56
462	—	575	249.00–294.00	275.10
78	—	719	245.00–253.00	249.35
502	—	427	337.00–388.00	361.51
591	—	469	300.00–356.00	328.20
129	—	331	362.50–416.00	390.53
282	—	378	375.00–408.00	390.98
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	283	365.00	365.00
31	—	438	206.00–282.00	226.18
3	—	618	230.00	230.00
24	—	511	232.00–250.00	241.36
8	—	486	240.00–280.00	260.19
15	—	356	330.00	330.00
22	—	303	354.00	354.00
2	—	598	215.00	215.00
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	649	238.00	238.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	563	249.00	249.00
4	—	548	276.00	276.00
7	—	732	240.00	240.00
11	—	626	248.00	248.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
28	—	636	280.00	280.00
10	—	751	258.00	258.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
23	—	633	254.00–258.50	257.70
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	525	283.00	283.00
4	—	410	302.50	302.50
31	—	619	251.00–257.00	253.21
Steers — Medium 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	385	290.00	290.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	332	359.00	359.00
28	—	476	270.00–290.00	284.22
3	—	423	295.00–337.50	308.72
1	—	675	222.50	222.50
27	—	521	270.00–275.00	270.36
9	—	586	252.50–254.00	253.67
7	—	377	330.00–380.00	361.73
16	—	639	225.00–265.00	232.20
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	327	298.00	298.00
4	—	445	272.50	272.50
2	—	480	250.00	250.00
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,155	165.00	165.00
17	—	1,043	190.00	190.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,195	150.50	150.50

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
261	—	1,404	94.00–108.50	100.47
128	—	1,387	83.00–98.00	88.52
51	—	1,403	105.00–114.00	107.98
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
43	—	974	50.00–66.00	63.56
1	—	980	87.50	87.50
21	—	970	71.00–82.00	76.86
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,240	97.00	97.00
79	—	1,146	62.00–79.00	72.87
141	—	1,192	77.00–91.00	83.94
16	—	1,212	88.00–95.50	90.52
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,633	102.00	102.00
15	—	1,514	107.50–110.00	107.96
1	—	1,420	111.00	111.00
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
520	—	1,145	75.00–93.00	84.09
70	—	1,158	97.00–106.00	101.89
94	—	1,098	71.00–78.50	77.46
283	—	1,197	88.00–102.00	93.78
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
75	—	1,439	80.00–96.50	87.07
25	—	1,458	90.00–97.00	93.72
1	—	1,420	74.00	74.00
4	—	1,580	103.00–105.50	104.28
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
29	—	1,614	96.00–104.00	100.25
1	—	1,980	115.00	115.00
22	—	1,611	105.00–110.00	107.05
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,199	83.00–100.00	89.11
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	1,641	106.00–118.00	110.71
25	—	1,504	95.00–107.50	101.08
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	2,076	117.00–125.00	120.67
27	—	1,897	107.00–117.00	111.14
31	—	1,717	90.00–111.00	100.65

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	4	—	1,333	1,375.00	1,375.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	24	—	886	2,175.00	2,175.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	33	—	1,170	1,800.00–2,200.00	2,077.25
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	6	—	1,191	91.00–94.00	92.12
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	13	—	1,349	1,300.00–1,350.00	1,319.52
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	44	—	1,374	1,400.00–1,925.00	1,823.68
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	4	—	1,073	1,800.00	1,800.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	22	—	1,413	2,000.00–2,225.00	2,051.39
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	74	—	1,191	2,000.00–2,500.00	2,315.96
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	6	—	1,557	1,700.00	1,700.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	15	—	1,266	1,310.00	1,310.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	26	—	1,215	107.00	107.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	6	—	1,283	1,525.00–1,800.00	1,672.50
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	452	—	950	130.00–202.00	169.26
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	214	—	1,046	102.00–175.00	129.68
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,005	115.00	115.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	18	—	1,064	94.00–117.50	105.89
(<2 yrs)	Open	13	—	879	102.50–155.00	136.06
Stock Cows — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	2	—	953	105.00	105.00
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	10	—	924	186.00	186.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	5	—	1,122	154.00	154.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	28	—	894	92.00–109.00	107.71
(<2 yrs)	Open	67	—	746	140.00–179.00	170.73
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	12	—	841	1,375.00–1,800.00	1,631.63
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	94	—	878	1,975.00–2,425.00	2,302.27

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