Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 187 priced lines covering 8,511 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 7,496 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 2,670 head. replacement cattle receipts at 714 head.

Mon Nov 27, 2023

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 7,496Last week 1,411Year ago 10,567

Slaughter CattleReceipts 2,670Last week 2,435Year ago 2,476

Replacement CattleReceipts 714Last week 1,919Year ago 991

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to lower undertones were noticed. Steer calves under 500 lbs were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed. Steer calves over 500 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed on steers 500-599 lbs and, steer calves over 600 lbs sold with lower undertones. Heifer calves under 500 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed, 500-599 lbs heifers offered the best test this week and these offerings sold steady to 5.00 lower. Heifer calves over 600 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on a higher quality offering. Demand this week was mostly moderate for moderate offerings. Quality was mixed from plain to attractive. Package sizes were larger this week with several large consignments seen. Despite lower CME positions, buyers were active in buying calves this week. Quality was much more attractive this week compared to last. The January feeder contract settled Friday at 214.425, 4.90 lower for the week. The March contract closed at 217.225, 5.50 lower for the week. Market activity this week was mostly active with a large buyer pool seen for feeder cattle. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. The best demand was seen for fleshy cows this week as some buyers opted to send them to feed, while others sent them to immediate harvest. Packers showed good demand for fleshy cows as many thin cows have packers searching for fat to blend down lean trim. Breaking cows sold mostly 1.00-2.00 higher, boning and lean cows sold steady to firm. Packers continue to focus on buying feeding cows this week. Only poorer quality cows were purchased for immediate slaughter, most slaughter cows had some kind of blemish. Both packer buyers and private feeders continue to buy thin cows to feed or turn out on corn stalks this winter. This class of feeding cows sold generally steady. High quality feeding cows, suitable to feed to premium white, sold steady to weak. Slaughter and feeding bulls sold 1.00-2.00 higher. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on light demand this week. Young age cows sold mostly sharply lower. Quality was average to attractive.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
69	—	575	238.00–246.00	242.42
148	—	485	268.00–281.00	273.52
14	—	355	280.00–316.00	310.67
91	—	426	272.50–287.00	279.72
90	—	819	193.00–214.00	210.62
20	—	968	190.00–195.00	194.49
40	—	863	196.00–208.00	200.36
39	—	776	213.00–220.00	215.76
4	—	659	204.00	204.00
22	—	1,027	171.00–188.00	180.58
72	—	917	192.00–201.50	198.74
46	—	620	242.00–243.50	243.41
217	—	522	250.00–274.00	263.94
7	—	711	219.50	219.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
34	—	368	280.00–300.00	296.31
173	—	475	261.50–284.00	275.17
112	—	622	214.00–244.00	231.97
89	—	431	270.00–289.00	278.74
175	—	514	252.00–272.00	265.08
46	—	658	215.00–223.00	216.79
311	—	569	235.00–256.00	247.66
19	—	714	207.00	207.00
Heifers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	562	233.00	233.00
1	—	625	226.00	226.00
3	—	512	230.00	230.00
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	500	227.50	227.50
62	—	431	235.00–277.50	260.13
24	—	482	255.00	255.00
80	—	672	203.00–221.75	215.56
48	—	390	225.00–274.00	260.64
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	543	229.00	229.00
18	—	413	232.50	232.50
3	—	383	245.00	245.00
5	—	477	235.00	235.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,019	160.00	160.00
10	—	895	199.00	199.00
6	—	847	188.00	188.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
43	—	429	212.50–268.50	251.34
3	—	697	196.00	196.00
87	—	580	221.00–237.00	227.53
20	—	613	207.50–228.00	223.38
20	—	331	270.00–285.00	275.13
69	—	536	222.00–247.00	241.20
28	—	379	230.00–272.50	252.36
35	—	484	227.50–253.00	248.13
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	941	182.50	182.50
7	—	874	187.00–195.00	191.61
18	—	781	189.00–210.00	197.48
2	—	1,033	172.00	172.00
11	—	823	194.00–195.50	194.82
29	—	373	255.00–284.00	272.93
40	—	434	258.00–267.50	261.55
44	—	530	240.00–246.00	242.99
23	—	710	200.00–204.00	201.41
1	—	600	206.00	206.00
3	—	667	195.00	195.00
10	—	951	183.00	183.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	481	235.00	235.00
12	—	576	202.00–207.00	204.11
10	—	389	240.00	240.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
86	—	610	247.00–248.00	247.71
61	—	889	215.00	215.00
Heifers — Medium 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	343	220.00	220.00
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	653	187.50	187.50
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	362	210.00–270.00	259.77
3	—	465	232.50	232.50
Heifers — Medium 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	685	172.00	172.00
19	—	404	185.00	185.00
4	—	399	162.50	162.50
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	560	190.00	190.00
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	381	292.50	292.50
7	—	497	285.00	285.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	331	282.50–390.00	372.97
81	—	412	311.00–358.00	341.60
296	—	525	270.00–302.50	289.25
45	—	366	329.00–397.50	348.92
210	—	475	290.00–328.00	302.66
180	—	617	239.50–260.00	251.74
482	—	578	246.00–281.00	257.35
26	—	720	220.00–224.00	221.72
2	—	295	385.00	385.00
8	—	768	207.00–220.00	215.05
245	—	669	224.00–250.50	236.51
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	606	215.00	215.00
11	—	675	212.00–224.00	218.60
12	—	707	209.50	209.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
121	—	481	295.00–330.00	312.75
95	—	421	309.00–356.00	332.82
32	—	674	230.50–245.00	242.30
31	—	1,064	191.00–192.50	191.10
6	—	979	194.00	194.00
6	—	1,022	191.00	191.00
22	—	377	345.00–387.50	356.01
7	—	901	200.00	200.00
78	—	727	216.00–233.00	225.65
247	—	578	247.00–278.00	262.62
139	—	522	274.50–313.00	291.95
243	—	628	230.50–266.85	253.91
10	—	344	337.50	337.50
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	455	265.00	265.00
3	—	598	213.00	213.00
6	—	339	300.00–305.00	303.34
17	—	673	198.00–206.00	201.68
10	—	541	229.00	229.00
4	—	357	285.00–297.50	288.24
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	427	270.00–305.00	276.03
19	—	615	190.00–223.00	212.63
11	—	541	225.00–226.00	225.55
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	778	211.00	211.00
23	—	388	322.50–340.00	332.46
4	—	954	190.00	190.00
3	—	610	207.00	207.00
15	—	671	220.00–229.00	223.95
11	—	580	237.00	237.00
22	—	524	258.00–265.00	261.00
2	—	433	300.00	300.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	377	290.00–350.00	317.59
10	—	339	265.00–370.00	335.04
34	—	431	300.00–337.00	328.63
33	—	534	240.00–268.00	259.65
28	—	477	280.00–295.00	288.75
82	—	576	230.00–243.00	236.29
60	—	635	225.00–237.00	232.27
12	—	717	206.00–215.00	211.95
15	—	680	214.00–227.00	220.78
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	825	203.00	203.00
5	—	738	205.50	205.50
8	—	697	207.50	207.50
8	—	1,117	178.00	178.00
Steers — Medium 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	597	202.50	202.50
11	—	415	235.00–277.50	246.73
Steers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	445	301.00	301.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	637	237.00	237.00
Bulls — Medium 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	319	242.50	242.50
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	601	227.00	227.00
34	—	465	289.00–300.00	291.42
7	—	504	285.00	285.00
9	—	381	286.00	286.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	619	190.00	190.00
5	—	724	202.50–203.00	202.80
13	—	689	197.50	197.50

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	10	—	1,408	1,450.00–1,600.00	1,542.86
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	21	—	1,351	1,500.00–1,750.00	1,584.11
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	9	—	1,279	100.00	100.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	8	—	1,371	1,375.00–1,450.00	1,393.39
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	12	—	1,163	1,800.00–1,850.00	1,835.60
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	9	—	1,186	1,400.00–1,450.00	1,432.50
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	6	—	1,117	1,175.00	1,175.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	1,115	1,275.00	1,275.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	11	—	1,250	1,150.00–1,350.00	1,288.27
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	15	—	1,454	1,475.00	1,475.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	—	1,343	1,385.00	1,385.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	6	—	1,468	1,400.00–1,500.00	1,412.83
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	140	—	1,104	85.00–135.00	97.17
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,218	90.00	90.00
(<2 yrs)	Open	257	—	1,003	97.50–186.00	131.12
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,068	76.00–85.00	80.43
(<2 yrs)	Open	36	—	881	97.00–140.00	123.70
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	4	—	774	80.00	80.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
46	—	1,625	92.00–96.50	94.00
9	—	1,658	85.00–89.00	87.31
11	—	1,484	97.00–99.00	97.38
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
499	—	1,215	79.00–91.00	83.54
369	—	1,149	65.00–82.00	77.17
15	—	1,153	90.00–97.00	92.13
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	948	54.00–57.50	55.67
16	—	952	61.00–72.00	66.79
2	—	970	76.00–82.50	79.27
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	1,686	98.50–99.50	98.72
9	—	1,675	83.00–89.00	87.15
13	—	1,691	91.50–98.50	94.93
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	1,441	96.50–99.50	97.25
304	—	1,422	84.00–97.00	89.81
180	—	1,395	72.50–85.50	82.01
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
72	—	1,158	61.00–79.00	69.42
52	—	1,215	79.00–88.00	82.89
28	—	1,123	52.00–63.00	58.13
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,125	89.00	89.00
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
18	—	1,455	82.00–91.00	85.11
42	—	1,429	73.00–86.00	80.47
3	—	1,417	69.00–70.50	69.51
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
38	—	1,655	85.00–110.00	99.01
4	—	2,013	118.00–128.00	123.39
41	—	1,843	108.00–121.00	116.49
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,196	77.50	77.50
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	1,526	83.00–108.00	95.14
10	—	1,720	111.00–116.50	113.88

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