Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 160 priced lines covering 5,114 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 3,740 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 1,844 head. replacement cattle receipts at 621 head.

Mon Dec 11, 2023

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 3,740Last week 6,358Year ago 4,907

Slaughter CattleReceipts 1,844Last week 1,904Year ago 2,359

Replacement CattleReceipts 621Last week 7,796Year ago 4,133

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Steer calves under 450 lbs sold mostly steady on a lower quality offering; 450-599 sold steady to 5.00 higher, steers over 600 lbs sold 5.00-10.00 higher. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher, heifers 500-649 lbs sold unevenly steady on a mixed quality offering, heifers over 650 lbs sold mostly 5.00 higher. Demand this week was mostly moderate to good for light to moderate offerings. Quality was mixed from plain to very attractive. Package sizes were mixed this week, but smaller overall compared to last week. No load lots were seen and fewer partial loads were seen. CME positions finally posted week over week gains and demand improved as a result. The January feeder cattle contract closed Friday at 220.90, a gain of 5.60 for the week, while the March closed at 222.175, 6.10 higher for the week. Market activity this week was mostly active this week as more takers were seen for feeders. Additionally, a larger buyer pool seen for feeder cattle this week. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand for moderate offerings. Quality this week was mostly 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. Breaking cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher, boning cows sold steady, lean cows sold 1.00-3.00 higher. 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 again this week. 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 2.00-3.00 higher. High quality feeding cows, suitable to feed to premium white, sold 2.00 to 3.00 higher. Slaughter and feeding bulls sold 2.00-3.00 higher. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on light to moderate demand this week. Young age cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower on a lower quality offering this week. Quality was average to attractive.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	390	285.00	285.00
5	—	318	305.00	305.00
2	—	548	230.00	230.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	547	260.00	260.00
5	—	627	236.00	236.00
5	—	658	197.50–205.00	200.50
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	694	205.00	205.00
3	—	575	227.50	227.50
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	808	205.00	205.00
13	—	515	267.50–283.00	279.49
6	—	645	225.00	225.00
4	—	714	209.00	209.00
11	—	436	300.00–310.00	305.33
1	—	370	365.00	365.00
8	—	559	270.00	270.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	953	150.00	150.00
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,120	141.00	141.00
1	—	1,185	135.00	135.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
36	—	705	199.00–222.00	217.13
13	—	917	188.00–188.50	188.42
5	—	960	188.00	188.00
4	—	1,063	181.00–188.00	184.48
106	—	415	275.00–312.00	294.15
28	—	676	205.00–228.00	219.89
273	—	470	255.00–291.00	275.43
51	—	640	210.00–232.50	227.79
13	—	1,129	173.50–176.00	173.89
16	—	1,028	186.50	186.50
34	—	591	222.00–241.00	229.86
92	—	518	240.00–259.50	256.04
51	—	382	280.00–310.00	294.58
23	—	831	195.00–205.00	202.38
13	—	893	193.00	193.00
10	—	1,169	170.50–176.00	174.90
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	297	270.00	270.00
17	—	382	264.00–265.00	264.61
30	—	484	232.00–255.00	248.60
7	—	922	181.00–185.00	183.85
9	—	420	251.00–277.00	269.54
41	—	538	220.00–242.00	233.70
2	—	682	195.00	195.00
17	—	340	265.00–272.50	269.94
4	—	570	206.00–226.00	215.74
23	—	876	183.00–188.00	185.99
4	—	849	187.50	187.50
17	—	759	180.00–192.00	188.91
3	—	1,003	178.00	178.00
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
42	—	356	260.00–270.00	269.47
8	—	633	190.00	190.00
22	—	307	270.00–276.00	274.91
14	—	403	257.00–275.00	266.03
4	—	539	223.00	223.00
3	—	742	195.00	195.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
30	—	676	195.00–230.50	210.52
57	—	576	225.00–250.00	235.75
57	—	425	279.00–295.00	286.69
51	—	487	261.00–281.00	264.78
15	—	515	244.00–256.00	251.66
14	—	389	316.00	316.00
20	—	635	209.00–230.00	228.02
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	413	270.00	270.00
5	—	374	280.00	280.00
Heifers — Medium 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	338	200.00	200.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	525	200.00–220.00	204.67
2	—	393	235.00	235.00
3	—	453	220.00	220.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	455	225.00	225.00
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	608	206.00	206.00
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	401	185.00	185.00
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	704	187.50	187.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	926	203.00	203.00
42	—	481	255.00–287.50	278.86
13	—	530	255.00–267.50	262.57
7	—	398	315.00–320.00	317.86
8	—	676	225.00–232.00	229.64
11	—	414	290.00–307.50	305.79
26	—	638	200.00–240.00	233.24
5	—	321	321.00	321.00
7	—	588	230.00–253.00	243.08
6	—	703	211.00–221.00	215.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	669	229.00–232.00	231.14
5	—	530	262.50	262.50
2	—	368	320.00	320.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
27	—	711	232.00–238.00	237.55
89	—	619	235.00–263.50	254.49
13	—	871	209.00	209.00
26	—	761	215.00–223.50	220.77
13	—	667	232.00–244.50	238.18
150	—	572	248.00–282.00	265.42
242	—	478	292.50–325.00	309.04
75	—	514	266.00–305.00	291.59
39	—	379	330.00–380.00	370.66
7	—	1,017	190.00	190.00
82	—	439	316.00–340.00	325.68
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	813	198.00	198.00
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	605	208.00	208.00
Steers — Medium 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	394	295.00	295.00
13	—	435	290.00	290.00
Steers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	366	302.00–315.00	310.02
23	—	499	290.00	290.00
9	—	421	302.00	302.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	346	387.50	387.50
116	—	520	277.00–300.00	289.13
64	—	671	233.00–249.00	244.20
93	—	629	232.00–255.00	251.10
31	—	392	366.00	366.00
73	—	420	315.00–356.00	337.85
86	—	579	255.00–269.00	264.42
115	—	473	286.00–317.50	304.93
13	—	719	234.00–236.00	234.77
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	449	200.00	200.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	537	240.00–248.00	245.15
29	—	598	224.00	224.00
1	—	655	224.00	224.00
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
29	—	327	335.00	335.00
8	—	448	300.00–310.00	308.77
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	413	240.00	240.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
337	—	1,388	83.50–96.50	89.59
112	—	1,375	71.50–86.00	81.53
67	—	1,491	96.50–102.00	98.38
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
25	—	1,626	93.00–101.50	98.74
41	—	1,656	89.00–97.75	92.95
3	—	1,643	84.00–87.00	86.03
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
23	—	1,222	81.00–89.00	82.70
111	—	1,181	62.00–80.00	72.11
14	—	1,106	52.00–63.00	59.40
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	953	72.00–78.00	74.37
6	—	883	60.00–75.00	67.68
7	—	857	45.00–57.00	52.14
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	1,527	92.00–97.50	93.90
5	—	1,539	97.00–99.25	98.80
1	—	1,575	88.00	88.00
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	1,101	60.00–63.00	62.64
328	—	1,199	80.00–90.00	84.02
1	—	1,285	94.00	94.00
272	—	1,128	63.00–82.00	77.45
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	1,449	84.00–92.00	86.85
25	—	1,405	65.00–84.50	76.83
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,583	92.00–102.00	96.37
8	—	1,579	103.00–119.00	110.83
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
38	—	1,877	106.00–120.00	114.29
22	—	1,703	82.00–108.00	96.78
9	—	2,003	120.50–122.50	121.58
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,325	80.00–82.00	81.02
Bulls — Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,500	112.00	112.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	2	—	1,223	1,200.00	1,200.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	6	—	1,262	1,600.00	1,600.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	2	—	1,388	1,425.00	1,425.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	8	—	1,228	1,600.00–1,700.00	1,648.83
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	3	—	1,007	1,250.00	1,250.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	—	1,355	89.00	89.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	1	—	1,045	1,175.00	1,175.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	260	—	913	100.00–165.00	135.63
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	15	—	1,107	82.50–92.00	85.46
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	150	—	1,034	81.00–128.00	102.55
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	2	—	768	133.00	133.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	10	—	914	80.00–112.50	95.02
(<2 yrs)	Open	24	—	891	92.00–132.50	113.14
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	3	—	907	1,550.00	1,550.00
(<2 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	4	—	1,071	160.50	160.50

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