Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · Weekly summary · Mon, Dec 18
● As filed142 lines reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1778

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them
Montana reported 142 priced lines covering 5,677 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 1,510 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 903 head. replacement cattle receipts at 4,872 head.

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Mon Dec 18, 2023
USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)
Feeder CattleReceipts 1,510Last week 3,740Year ago 4,907
Slaughter CattleReceipts 903Last week 1,844Year ago 2,359
Replacement CattleReceipts 4,872Last week 621Year 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 to 10.00 higher; 450-599 sold steady to firm, steers over 600 lbs were not well compared. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold mostly steady to firm, heifers 450-499 lbs sold mostly 5.00 higher, heifers over 500 lbs were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Demand was mostly good this week for light offerings. Quality was mixed from plain to very attractive. Package sizes were mostly small this week, but despite small package sizes buyers showed good demand for a limited offering of calves. No load lots were seen this week. Most calves were weaned this week, however buyers showed good demand for high quality unweaned calves as well. CME positions continue to show mostly positive movement as week over week improvement was seen last week and buyers showed increased demand for calves as a result. The much-anticipated cattle on feed report will be released Friday and early estimates show a large range of estimates for placements, however most analysts expect placements to be down year over year. Market activity was mostly active this week as buyers bid aggressively over limited offerings. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Quality this week was mostly average. Packers switched from buying feeding cows to slaughter cows as they prepare for the annual holiday lull. The best demand was seen for fleshy cows again this week. Breaking cows sold mostly steady to firm; boning cows sold mostly 1.00-2.00 higher; lean cows sold unevenly steady from 2.00 lower to 3.00 higher. Feeding cows were purchased only by private feeders this week, however very few feeding cow buyers were in the market this week. Feeding cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white and lower undertones were noticed on thin turn out or feeding cows. Most of the thin cows purchased this week were plain in quality and not as attractive as last week. Slaughter and feeding bulls sold unevenly steady. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on light to moderate demand this week. Young age cows sold mostly steady to 10.00 higher. Quality was average to attractive.

Feeder Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
8839190.00–198.00196.03
130470270.00–290.50283.96
44331300.00300.00
17422280.00–300.00293.38
58379295.00–315.00307.32
4908190.00190.00
3757198.00198.00
5868194.00194.00
24619211.00–219.00215.18
1515256.00256.00
2558235.00235.00
51,012185.50185.50
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
20748195.00195.00
7789199.00199.00
5482250.00250.00
4438262.50262.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
29512260.00260.00
12380285.00–295.00291.11
18456291.00291.00
2275300.00300.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
7762190.00190.00
20803196.00196.00
4326287.00287.00
24487240.00–260.00249.68
8372275.00–285.00276.26
17431251.00–265.00258.08
10560200.00–223.00208.77
21,043157.00157.00
1520232.50232.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
9237270.00270.00
7762190.00190.00
20343220.00220.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
7739205.00205.00
40544274.00274.00
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6526230.00230.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2385272.00272.00
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
7265240.00240.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
20660235.00235.00
4325395.00395.00
6291397.50397.50
14560270.00–282.00270.84
70531284.00–305.00295.90
118432324.00–356.00351.08
49628255.00255.00
46370353.00–370.00360.51
21475300.00–315.00304.92
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
51590272.50272.50
11447339.50339.50
6342384.00384.00
4531287.00287.00
Steers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
7523127.50–150.00134.14
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
9442311.00–322.50312.16
17670200.00–210.00205.23
3607200.00200.00
2523277.50277.50
60335325.00–330.00326.27
6398317.50317.50
7581238.00–252.00247.94
16482293.00293.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
20394283.00283.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
20643217.50–230.00228.18
6701210.00210.00
2578239.00239.00
12948151.00151.00
3403312.50312.50
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3593187.50187.50
2493265.00265.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported
AgeStageHeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)101,5321,975.001,975.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)191,4981,625.00–1,675.001,665.38
Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)201,3392,225.00–2,350.002,304.80
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo)581,3781,500.00–1,985.001,872.58
Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)9311,2211,600.00–2,925.002,555.66
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)71,4511,250.00–1,700.001,576.37
Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)131,0692,000.00–2,250.002,100.91
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)41,3701,700.001,700.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)2631,4141,350.00–2,100.001,768.25
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)1901,3781,850.00–2,425.002,228.32
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)21,3901,350.001,350.00
Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)161,2771,400.00–1,975.001,815.74
Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo)2291,1482,000.00–2,525.002,326.58
Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo)41,5441,550.001,550.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)4271,3561,300.00–1,800.001,524.42
Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)151,4561,350.00–1,585.001,547.91
Aged (>8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)141,3521,050.00–1,225.001,182.04
Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo)1831,3421,400.00–1,510.001,479.78
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo)321,3191,250.00–1,385.001,358.84
Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)261,3151,100.00–1,375.001,222.52
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)41,3531,850.001,850.00
Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo)321,1861,600.00–2,100.001,962.50
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)121,2731,250.00–1,300.001,282.58
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)41,3231,300.001,300.00
Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)41,1461,500.001,500.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo)21,1731,700.001,700.00
Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)731,1521,625.00–2,285.002,092.73
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Non-Legible BANGS$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)231,2142,125.002,125.00
Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo)81,3201,475.001,475.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)51,072885.00885.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo)91,0391,700.001,700.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)791,3482,200.00–2,275.002,248.31
Bred Cows — Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)161,1361,175.001,175.00
Bred Heifers — Medium 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)138921,585.001,585.00
(<2 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)1048411,850.00–2,135.001,985.52
(<2 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)138971,860.001,860.00
(<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo)89582,000.002,000.00
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Non-Legible BANGS$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)81,0192,100.002,100.00
Bred Heifers — Medium 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)207781,425.00–1,525.001,462.84
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)4289722,075.00–2,575.002,227.76
(<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)821,0682,075.00–2,500.002,422.96
(<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo)621,0712,200.00–2,350.002,301.54
(<2 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)41,0551,800.001,800.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open1735130.00130.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open141856109.00–199.00145.02
Young (2-4 yrs)Open1061,05484.00–127.50103.31
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open6900105.00–135.00115.57
Young (2-4 yrs)Open991380.00–101.0092.48
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)Open91,12065.0065.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
198082.0082.00
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
141,27983.00–101.0089.07
151,540104.50–110.00109.17
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
121,69088.00–98.5095.39
291,875103.00–117.00110.45
41,828112.00–126.00119.41
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
141,17689.50–95.0093.24
1021,20476.00–92.0084.66
1521,12765.00–82.5075.48
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
31,640100.50100.50
41,61781.50–89.0084.95
41,80591.00–94.5092.95
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
61,15542.50–58.0050.22
101,11689.5089.50
601,13460.00–79.0068.94
621,19576.00–87.0083.96
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
81,60290.50–94.5092.16
21,63583.00–88.0085.41
31,56299.00–100.5099.49
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
301,36471.00–84.0078.46
1071,35784.00–90.6088.56
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
196076.0076.00
696661.00–73.5066.67
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
521,41284.00–96.0090.61
81,42075.00–85.5082.31
161,46897.00–103.25101.61
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.