Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · Weekly summary · Mon, Feb 19
● As filed161 lines reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1778

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them
Montana reported 161 priced lines covering 7,687 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 7,125 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 1,005 head. replacement cattle receipts at 1,026 head. Counted as USDA files them — 9 of those are cow-calf pairs, each counted once.

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Mon Feb 19, 2024
USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)
Feeder CattleReceipts 7,125Last week 2,506Year ago 1,879
Slaughter CattleReceipts 1,005Last week 870Year ago 396
Replacement CattleReceipts 1,026Last week 347Year ago 825

Compared to last week: Steers steers under 450 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed; steers 450-599 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher; steers 600-699 lbs steers sold mostly 4.00-8.00 higher; 700-799 lbs sold mostly 10.00-15.00 higher; steers over 800 lbs were not well compared, however higher undertones were noticed. Heifers under 550 lbs sold mostly steady to firm; 550-699 lbs sold mostly 10.00-15.00 higher. Heifers over 700 lbs were not well compared however higher undertones were noticed. Demand this week was mostly good to very good for moderate to heavy offerings. Quality was mostly average to very attractive. Several long strings of reputation feeders off reputation ranches sold this week, many in multiple load lots. This allowed buyers to buy long strings of uniform cattle that will grow and feed together. Demand was very good for these offerings, especially from corporate packers. Flesh conditions were mostly light this week with very few fleshy offerings seen. The best demand continues to be for cattle suitable to develop into yearlings. Steers weighing 475-725 lbs and heifers weighing 450-660 lbs were purchased for that purpose. CME positions climbed all week in anticipation of the cattle on feed report which was released at 1 pm local time on Friday. The March closed at 254.575 on Friday, 3.55 higher for the week. The April contract closed at 259.975, 6.425 higher for the week. Market activity was mostly active as the stands were packed at all the sales this week. Order-buyers, farmer feeders, and ranchers all bid aggressively over this weeks very attractive offering. Weigh up cows sold on very good demand for light to moderate offerings. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive and similar to last week. Packers showed very good demand for all cows this week as they balanced buying both feeding cows and slaughter cows. Slaughter cows sold 3.00-4.00 higher on breaking cows. Boning cows sold with the best demand as packers and feeding buyers both purchased the majority of the feeding cow offering from this class. Slaughter boning cows sold 6.00-9.00 higher as a result. Lean cows sold 6.00-8.00 higher. Feeding cows suitable to feed to premium white sold 5.00-9.00 higher. Slaughter and feeding bulls sold 3.00-6.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold steady to 5.00 higher on higher quality offering. Demand remains good for high quality offerings. Both feeding and rebreed buyers both showed good demand for these offering as higher live cattle prices continue to improved feeding demand. Demand for bred cows remains very good. Ranchers were very active in buying this weeks light offering of bred cows. Most offerings stayed in the state as ranchers continue to rebuild their herds.

Replacement Cattle

As reported
AgeStageHeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)91,362118.00118.00
Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)1561,3981,925.00–2,185.002,131.39
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)321,4162,050.00–2,085.002,069.06
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Non-Legible BANGS$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)131,4301,900.001,900.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)71,249103.00103.00
Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)361,1661,750.00–2,000.001,905.12
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)201,4292,025.00–2,175.002,096.66
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)21,3552,225.002,225.00
Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)71,0192,375.002,375.00
Bred Cows — Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)91,3941,725.001,725.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open91,4282,250.002,250.00
Bred Heifers — Medium 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)269112,150.00–2,650.002,496.68
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)1901,0742,650.00–2,900.002,839.88
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)51,0292,475.002,475.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)Open14952109.00–155.00125.85
(<2 yrs)Open30880114.00–186.00167.95
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open31,052146.00–175.00155.05
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open1860181.00181.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open135973151.00–217.50182.34
Young (2-4 yrs)Open1641,002110.00–175.10151.63

Slaughter Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
693398.00–101.00100.56
494386.00–88.0086.73
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2121,390107.00–113.00110.40
181,39895.00–109.50103.65
501,304113.25–115.00113.76
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
71,654115.50–118.00117.52
581,494109.00–114.00110.97
31,817104.00–108.50106.51
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
131,11475.00–88.0083.48
171,172102.50–112.00107.20
631,17984.00–104.0096.10
Cows — Premium White 65-75%$ per cwt · actual wt
891,544110.00–113.25111.83
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
12,040121.50121.50
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
731,411106.00–113.00110.39
191,39492.00–108.00101.86
61,365109.00–115.00112.79
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
801,162104.00–112.00107.71
271,235111.00–116.00112.66
841,12390.00–104.0099.53
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
421,508110.00–114.50112.83
131,529115.00–117.50116.10
11,645106.00106.00
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
41,32491.50–112.00101.30
Bulls — Natural$ per cwt · actual wt
21,630113.00–118.00115.58
31,759119.00–127.00124.38
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
31,375100.00–108.00103.32
21,283124.00124.00
Bulls — Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
12,500144.00144.00
12,695121.00121.00
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
221,631104.00–116.00110.84
371,848117.00–128.50122.02
182,024129.00–139.00132.48

Feeder Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Heifers — Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
91,112144.00144.00
211,001155.00155.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
13492291.00291.00
8308285.00–315.00293.03
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
21674221.00–248.00240.05
72532270.00–298.00288.11
12762223.00–227.00226.15
63624255.00–265.00259.86
83375310.00–335.00326.17
32478303.50–307.00305.04
5712233.00–235.00234.20
39584260.00–281.00273.82
18430317.00–322.50320.04
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
31664247.00247.00
30389321.00–329.00327.48
6429320.00320.00
47577256.00–277.25269.39
30485287.50–305.00296.52
28522286.00–296.00292.68
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
239526292.00–314.00304.94
24832225.00–229.00227.51
89766231.00–236.00234.08
34728239.50–248.00245.68
349623265.50–284.50276.70
6386332.50332.50
151466304.00–325.00315.90
267678250.00–266.00258.93
376574280.50–305.00293.90
47434324.00–340.00326.49
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6614240.00240.00
6330300.00300.00
18420282.50–295.00285.94
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
7744232.00232.00
19837209.00–231.50222.20
6589259.00259.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
61637276.00276.00
19721252.00252.00
261661260.00–266.50265.81
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3583271.00271.00
25845228.00228.00
25607262.50262.50
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
391,005168.00168.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
19556311.00311.00
12704260.00260.00
30763245.00–247.00245.74
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
17932200.00–205.00203.26
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
22473310.00–312.50311.20
6501306.00306.00
51,037181.00181.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
51425330.00–360.00342.61
22764217.50–245.00223.44
91569293.50–317.00307.72
51,022190.50–194.00191.88
87680252.50–277.00269.82
12337355.00–362.50356.25
106534312.00–332.50317.73
10377350.00–370.00360.25
73479322.00–348.00330.71
15979197.50–208.00205.78
32739245.00–256.00252.49
80626276.00–297.50287.17
4819237.00237.00
3252400.00400.00
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6854221.00221.00
17526316.00–325.00317.56
11422320.00–331.00324.02
11630282.00282.00
6478321.00321.00
22685267.00267.00
51581286.00–308.00300.97
8382332.50332.50
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
25910220.00220.00
4750240.00240.00
5556298.00298.00
16531296.00–302.00298.53
58604285.00–298.00293.34
13680252.00–272.00261.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
73482332.00–371.00355.75
149662266.00–296.00283.91
172519326.00–354.00343.43
15362375.00–387.50383.05
25869247.50247.50
336576313.00–335.00320.40
53420345.00–375.00356.09
114764246.00–261.00253.12
283720253.00–286.50276.91
300625295.00–328.50314.94
353807255.50255.50
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5381331.00331.00
Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
21545260.00260.00
7588253.00253.00
4609265.00265.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
125651298.25–303.00299.58
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
38820227.00–240.00235.78
33723246.00–250.50246.82
4768231.00231.00
36922209.50–224.00222.14
5970215.00215.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
29677275.00275.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2428330.00330.00
2475320.00320.00
5515305.00305.00
3655225.00225.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
21446332.50–355.00333.50
6669240.00–260.00256.69
7559309.00309.00
3457320.00320.00
71,086200.00200.00
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
41,158181.00181.00
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.