Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 187 priced lines covering 7,851 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 6,196 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 2,036 head. replacement cattle receipts at 1,267 head.

Mon Jan 22, 2024

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 6,196Last week 1,614Year ago 5,803

Slaughter CattleReceipts 2,036Last week 450Year ago 1,048

Replacement CattleReceipts 1,267Last week 153Year ago 505

Compared to last week: Steers under 450 lbs were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Steers 450-499 lbs sold 20.00-30.00 higher, 500-649 lbs sold steady to 10.00 higher, steers over 650 lbs sold generally steady, with more backgrounded steers seen at this weight this week. Heifers under 450 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Heifers 450-550 lbs sold mostly 3.00-10.00 higher. Heifers over 550 lbs sold steady to firm. Demand was mostly good to very good this week for moderate offerings. Quality was mostly average to very attractive. Package sizes were mostly moderate this week, with a few load lots seen. The best demand continues to be for cattle light and green enough to go to grass. Flesh conditions overall remain very light especially on cattle turned out on pasture or hay meadows. CME positions shot higher late week following the expiration of the January contract. The January contract settled at 232.06. The March closed at 239.70 on Friday, 7.75 higher for the week. The April contract closed at 245.60. Market activity was mostly active this week as both order-buyers, farmer feeders, and ranchers bid aggressively over high quality offerings. Sale attendance was as high as it has been all fall and winter with the stands packed for every sale this week. Weigh up cows sold on very good demand for light to moderate offerings. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Packers showed very good demand for slaughter cows again this week as they pushed to purchase as many cows as possible for immediate harvest. Feeding buyers showed very good demand for cows as well as they continue to bid aggressively right along with packers. Slaughter cows sold generally steady to weak on all offerings. Feeding cows suitable to feed to premium white sold fully steady. No thin feeding cows were purchased this week. Slaughter and feeding bulls sold 3.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on moderate demand this week. Young age cows sold mostly steady. Quality was average.

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
255	—	1,376	93.50–103.00	98.54
39	—	1,412	85.00–94.50	89.79
39	—	1,432	103.50–108.50	104.95
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	915	91.00–95.00	92.95
3	—	900	55.00–62.50	59.99
16	—	949	75.00–87.00	79.66
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
112	—	1,380	92.00–104.00	95.92
10	—	1,454	103.00–105.00	103.73
54	—	1,400	83.00–93.50	89.49
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
35	—	1,185	100.00–107.50	103.51
81	—	1,122	72.00–91.00	83.34
161	—	1,221	87.00–100.00	94.44
1	—	1,260	67.00	67.00
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,085	97.00	97.00
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	940	97.00	97.00
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
186	—	1,155	72.00–93.00	86.17
5	—	1,184	101.00–103.00	102.03
8	—	1,100	62.00–78.00	70.21
227	—	1,174	87.00–98.00	92.15
Cows — Premium White 65-75%$ per cwt · actual wt
102	—	1,661	101.00–105.00	102.43
12	—	1,712	100.00–101.50	101.37
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	1,614	88.00–96.50	92.71
53	—	1,577	96.00–104.00	100.32
18	—	1,510	104.50–107.50	106.19
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
29	—	1,525	104.50–106.50	106.04
43	—	1,531	100.00–104.25	102.97
23	—	1,542	94.00–100.00	97.14
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	1,923	121.00–129.00	125.15
1	—	1,510	99.00	99.00
14	—	1,804	112.00–118.00	116.44
26	—	1,745	86.00–111.00	98.50
35	—	1,783	105.00–120.00	113.45
6	—	1,980	111.00–120.00	114.05
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,210	114.00	114.00
1	—	1,140	92.00	92.00
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,336	105.00	105.00
9	—	1,371	92.00–106.00	99.43

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
47	—	489	295.00–322.50	313.27
21	—	684	232.50–260.00	249.19
68	—	537	297.00–314.00	304.23
46	—	432	325.00–350.00	339.66
67	—	623	255.00–273.00	265.48
2	—	918	217.00	217.00
34	—	574	275.00–292.00	282.71
12	—	396	322.50–350.00	342.57
24	—	758	225.00–234.00	233.34
13	—	840	230.00	230.00
3	—	727	237.00–241.00	238.32
9	—	966	212.00	212.00
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	322	300.00	300.00
9	—	647	242.00	242.00
13	—	494	285.00	285.00
8	—	394	300.00	300.00
24	—	503	282.50	282.50
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
21	—	589	289.00–290.50	290.30
21	—	741	242.50–244.00	242.79
10	—	650	235.00	235.00
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	580	263.00	263.00
14	—	414	347.50	347.50
10	—	384	334.00	334.00
24	—	490	321.00–327.50	322.32
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	853	226.00–227.50	226.25
190	—	477	330.00–366.00	343.42
109	—	519	303.00–339.00	324.69
4	—	325	385.00	385.00
166	—	724	244.00–259.00	254.51
128	—	414	360.00–371.00	365.22
34	—	815	216.00–237.00	225.60
328	—	623	277.00–299.50	288.54
5	—	380	360.00–370.00	366.11
21	—	763	239.00–240.00	239.76
130	—	668	255.00–274.00	268.82
341	—	567	291.00–316.00	309.08
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
35	—	557	296.00	296.00
5	—	731	246.50	246.50
24	—	477	305.00	305.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	456	372.50	372.50
5	—	584	339.00	339.00
19	—	501	348.00	348.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	992	203.00	203.00
43	—	488	271.00–300.00	287.27
3	—	638	229.00	229.00
4	—	876	204.00	204.00
6	—	521	282.50	282.50
8	—	428	295.00	295.00
13	—	773	229.00	229.00
12	—	707	217.00	217.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
42	—	643	273.00	273.00
29	—	832	222.00–227.00	226.17
15	—	796	231.00	231.00
17	—	981	211.00	211.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	833	224.00	224.00
Steers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	403	210.00	210.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
142	—	435	304.00–320.00	312.01
432	—	524	288.00–312.00	299.40
98	—	620	250.00–267.00	259.87
11	—	784	221.50–223.00	221.90
212	—	674	232.00–250.50	243.58
18	—	876	200.00	200.00
36	—	830	202.50–217.00	210.78
188	—	563	266.00–291.50	277.56
266	—	473	300.00–316.00	309.21
2	—	985	199.00	199.00
11	—	393	315.00–325.00	321.40
28	—	716	226.00–231.00	228.31
2	—	900	209.00	209.00
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	545	258.00	258.00
5	—	579	245.00–256.00	251.46
39	—	619	218.00–249.50	234.62
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	344	285.00	285.00
4	—	524	278.00	278.00
15	—	368	301.00–311.00	305.76
56	—	482	274.00–295.00	290.71
38	—	433	277.50–289.00	284.43
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	515	232.50–242.50	234.96
3	—	305	265.00	265.00
71	—	375	260.00–272.00	266.78
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	920	190.00–191.00	190.51
19	—	645	230.00–243.00	240.26
15	—	679	218.00–226.00	224.13
138	—	515	260.00–293.00	275.49
3	—	800	198.50	198.50
13	—	1,015	183.00–186.00	184.32
6	—	757	209.00	209.00
16	—	989	182.00–189.50	185.49
125	—	431	275.00–302.50	287.71
114	—	477	284.00–301.00	292.20
2	—	873	194.00–197.00	195.47
58	—	576	240.00–264.00	256.58
6	—	729	207.50–221.00	216.57
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	616	223.00	223.00
4	—	659	219.00	219.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
21	—	646	242.00	242.00
10	—	742	207.00	207.00
5	—	568	252.00	252.00
22	—	786	219.00	219.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
156	—	605	271.00–273.50	271.90
48	—	544	289.00	289.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
109	—	506	313.50–315.00	314.68
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	439	260.00	260.00
49	—	488	257.50–276.00	258.59
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	480	297.00	297.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	699	210.00	210.00
14	—	339	265.00	265.00
18	—	474	265.00–274.00	269.40
5	—	542	278.00	278.00
4	—	594	240.00	240.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	528	283.50	283.50
19	—	647	247.00	247.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	843	216.00	216.00
8	—	729	205.00–229.00	222.30
2	—	560	280.00	280.00
2	—	938	195.00	195.00
8	—	690	217.00–265.00	222.70
12	—	626	245.00–275.00	272.45
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	697	224.00	224.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	2	—	1,380	1,650.00	1,650.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	3	—	1,342	1,275.00	1,275.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	162	—	1,414	1,500.00–1,675.00	1,616.63
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	—	1,417	1,350.00–1,475.00	1,388.53
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	41	—	1,205	1,300.00–1,325.00	1,302.50
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	13	—	1,330	1,400.00	1,400.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	8	—	1,394	1,450.00	1,450.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	5	—	1,381	1,575.00–1,750.00	1,681.58
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	20	—	1,236	1,550.00–2,000.00	1,834.41
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	2	—	1,370	1,425.00	1,425.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	10	—	1,444	1,900.00	1,900.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	7	—	1,182	2,000.00–2,150.00	2,082.17
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	9	—	1,099	2,100.00	2,100.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	57	—	1,426	1,575.00–1,835.00	1,739.16
Bred Cows — Small 3 · Non-Legible BANGS$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	3	—	650	435.00	435.00
Bred Cows — Small 3$ per head · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	—	583	425.00	425.00
Bred Cows — Medium 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	7	—	971	1,375.00	1,375.00
Bred Cows — Medium 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	4	—	979	1,300.00	1,300.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	187	—	1,012	110.00–188.00	147.12
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	88	—	1,096	96.00–129.00	109.08
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	10	—	956	95.00–105.00	100.18
(<2 yrs)	Open	10	—	906	121.00–133.00	130.18
Stock Cows — Small 3$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	158	—	601	38.00–49.00	45.06
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	7	—	864	130.00	130.00
Bred Heifers — Medium 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	6	—	986	2,000.00	2,000.00
(<2 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	17	—	916	2,275.00	2,275.00
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	3	—	1,282	1,750.00	1,750.00
Bred Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	10	—	757	1,750.00	1,750.00
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	188	—	1,055	2,350.00–2,550.00	2,444.75
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	99	—	1,080	2,425.00–2,650.00	2,548.32
(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	4	—	889	1,750.00	1,750.00

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