Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · Weekly summary · Mon, May 6
● As filed97 lines reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1778

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them
Montana reported 97 priced lines covering 1,357 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 525 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 591 head. replacement cattle receipts at 671 head. Counted as USDA files them — 122 of those are cow-calf pairs, each counted once.

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Mon May 6, 2024
USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)
Feeder CattleReceipts 525Last week 2,676Year ago 763
Slaughter CattleReceipts 591Last week 634Year ago 1,363
Replacement CattleReceipts 671Last week 2,066Year ago 2,168

Compared to last week: Too few sales were seen this week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on all feeders on offer. Cattle this week were mostly offered in small packages or as singles. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. Cattle suitable to develop on grass continue to sell with the best demand. Demand was mostly good for light offerings. CME positions inched lower again this week. The May feeder cattle contract closed Friday at 238.80, down 4.50 from last Friday. August closed at 250.90 down 3.85 from last Friday. Market activity this week was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for light offerings. Packers showed mostly very good demand for slaughter cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold steady to 3.00 higher on breaking cows; boning and lean cows sold mostly steady to firm. Cows were purchased by packers to slaughter in at least 5 different states this week as tight supplies have packers searching for cows for immediate use. Packers were mostly out of the market for feeding cows this week as they purchased cows they would normally feed for immediate harvest. Feeding cow demand remains mostly good as several private buyers continue to buy cows to feed. Feeding cows all sold steady to firm. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Weigh up conditions were mixed this week as rain and changes in the weather had cows full at some sales but mostly empty at others. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold to 5.00 higher. Demand remains good to very good for high quality offerings which buyers are looking to rebreed. Young two year old heifers which have not calved yet sold with a 8.00-12.00 discount to ones which lost calves.

Feeder Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
21200–12501,230170.00170.00
21250–13001,285160.00–162.50161.24
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3600–650613250.00250.00
3700–750713226.00226.00
3750–800798213.00213.00
2850–900865195.00195.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3700–750712248.00248.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3400–450402315.00315.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
8500–550516317.50–332.00321.07
21550–600561289.00–320.00313.45
10600–650631261.00–265.00262.31
10650–700673251.00–256.00252.00
2700–750725245.00245.00
3750–800775244.00244.00
10800–850813250.00250.00
3850–900883224.00224.00
5900–950912210.00210.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
19650–700671289.50289.50
6750–800756253.00253.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
2900–950930213.00213.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
10350–400378297.50–322.50307.12
2450–500493306.50306.50
2500–550543291.50291.50
56550–600559256.00–281.50279.39
29600–650632244.00–269.00263.76
7650–700670243.50243.50
3700–750715243.00243.00
4750–800758233.00233.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2650–700650270.00270.00
63700–750719246.00–253.50253.18
2750–800758244.00244.00
17800–850834220.00–230.00226.68
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
14600–650617264.00264.00
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5300–350345252.50252.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
10350–400357280.00280.00
5400–450403302.00302.00
11500–550522254.00–271.50265.00
3550–600552242.50242.50
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
13400–450439265.00–270.00269.43
3550–600578220.00220.00
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
8400–450443225.00–247.50242.12
3450–500450225.00225.00
2600–650610180.00180.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported
AgeStageHeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open21,122150.00–164.50157.87
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)Open811,139133.00–186.00155.87
(<2 yrs)Open144954160.00–219.00190.13
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open51,089121.00–162.00133.76
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open30947128.00–195.50167.46
Young (2-4 yrs)Open111,005129.00–160.00137.49
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open5749187.50–206.00193.08
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open18889230.00230.00
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open1725196.00196.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open41,4662,950.002,950.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open91,3842,800.002,800.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)Open101,3232,425.002,425.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open181,3452,700.002,700.00
Aged (>8 yrs)Open61,3752,200.002,200.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)Open381,5232,650.00–2,750.002,674.40
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)Open21,2582,500.002,500.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open21,3582,200.002,200.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)11,3951,875.001,875.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)11,2752,100.002,100.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)91,3702,350.00–2,500.002,386.74
Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)321,2672,325.00–2,650.002,590.70
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)111,4892,200.00–2,425.002,358.62
Bred Cows — Medium 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)29501,500.001,500.00
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)41,2392,125.00–2,300.002,227.21
Bred Heifers — Medium 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)108181,700.00–2,000.001,834.96
Heifer Pairs — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open339713,050.003,050.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
131,643128.00–134.00130.58
41,545135.50–139.00136.36
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
231,165102.50–117.50109.20
321,201120.00–130.00125.91
81,229130.50–134.00131.86
31,01283.00–96.0087.99
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
81,434117.00–126.50122.69
581,414126.00–137.50132.80
41,464138.00–140.00139.35
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
91,431115.00–126.00121.04
841,428125.00–139.50132.74
141,442138.00–145.00140.68
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
689895.00–109.00101.98
294389.00–90.0089.51
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
451,194121.00–131.00126.37
241,235131.50–136.00134.52
221,184117.00–123.00119.84
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
281,641143.00–146.00144.06
181,692124.50–134.00130.61
181,564134.00–140.00135.52
Bulls — Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
12,710125.00125.00
12,525162.00162.00
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
111,641124.00–138.00130.75
82,011156.00–169.00159.41
251,857141.00–156.00146.37
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
31,248100.00–110.00106.19
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
11,345120.00120.00
Dairy Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
11,895124.00124.00
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.