Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · Weekly summary · Mon, May 20
● As filed131 lines reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1778

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them
Montana reported 131 priced lines covering 2,574 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 530 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 1,255 head. replacement cattle receipts at 1,808 head. Counted as USDA files them — 537 of those are cow-calf pairs, each counted once.

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Mon May 20, 2024
USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)
Feeder CattleReceipts 530Last week 2,299Year ago 1,639
Slaughter CattleReceipts 1,255Last week 1,513Year ago 1,212
Replacement CattleReceipts 1,808Last week 1,047Year ago 704

Compared to last week: Too few sales were seen last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on all feeders on offer. Cattle were mostly offered in small package sizes this week. Demand was moderate to good for very light offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain to average, with a limited offering of attractive cattle seen. Cattle suitable to develop on grass continue to sell with the best demand. CME positions traded sideways for the week as traders reacted to higher cash buying ahead of the Memorial day holiday and the cattle on feed report which was released on Friday. The May feeder cattle contract settled Friday at 250.14, up 3.415 from last Friday. August closed at 260.225 up 0.375 from last Friday. Market activity this week was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Packers showed mostly very good demand for slaughter cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher on breaking and boning cows, lean cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher. Demand from private feeders forced packers to bid up lean cows in order to secure offerings. Feeding cow demand was very good this week as many buyers were in the seats, as well as on the internet, at all the sale actively buying cows. Feeding cows all sold steady to 3.00 higher. Quality this week was mostly average to very attractive with many high quality reputation cows seen. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to above average. Most cows have been out on grass and were very empty at sale time. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00 to 5.00 higher. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady. Demand was 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
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
7450–500459334.00334.00
3500–550513291.00–325.00302.92
8550–600565292.00–310.00298.55
1650–700665260.00260.00
5750–800779251.00251.00
Steers — Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
8450–500498182.50182.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3450–500480355.00355.00
8500–550537341.00–348.00344.58
30550–600586332.00332.00
6650–700662280.00–300.00286.68
10750–800767257.00257.00
3950–1000998225.00225.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2550–600588287.50287.50
3800–850817222.50222.50
Steers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3750–800752181.00181.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4350–400350311.00311.00
4450–500478292.50292.50
6500–550521287.50–296.00294.57
7550–600589262.50–281.00273.02
10600–650626259.00–269.00259.97
42650–700689242.00–260.50248.43
6700–750738238.00238.00
3750–800767239.00239.00
1850–900865217.50217.50
19900–950907216.00216.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
150–10080475.00475.00
6600–650618279.00279.00
19700–750738247.50247.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
29800–850815241.00241.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
2900–950948200.00200.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
6400–450431297.50297.50
3550–600553248.00248.00
6600–650640227.50227.50
13750–800786221.00221.00
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2650–700673250.50250.50
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2550–600558242.00242.00
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
8500–550516300.00300.00
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3450–500480185.00185.00
7550–600551150.00150.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2350–400350340.00340.00
6550–600566270.00–277.50272.53
4650–700664247.50247.50
4800–850813232.50232.50
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
450–10085375.00375.00
3100–150127500.00–600.00533.33
3400–450442342.50342.50
2600–650623264.00264.00
2700–750735255.00255.00
1750–800760240.00240.00
4800–850810231.00–235.00232.02
2950–1000980215.00–218.00216.50
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1600–650625280.00280.00
11000–10501,040222.50222.50
31050–11001,077213.00–221.00215.71
31100–11501,102186.00–204.00197.98
51150–12001,165177.00–207.50195.37
101200–12501,244182.00–187.50182.53
11250–13001,280172.50172.50

Replacement Cattle

As reported
AgeStageHeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)41,429128.50128.50
Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)161,2712,200.00–2,450.002,366.67
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)81,4061,775.00–1,900.001,854.60
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)21,3602,250.002,250.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)101,3461,800.001,800.00
Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)31,3801,700.001,700.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open16920155.00–200.00184.07
Young (2-4 yrs)Open151,085132.00–181.00147.23
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open11,285165.00165.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open311,128138.00–158.00150.33
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open31,197145.00145.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open31,6032,775.002,775.00
Young (2-4 yrs)Open1661,106137.00–224.00167.23
(<2 yrs)Open222986146.00–246.00201.15
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)Open29904171.00–180.00175.66
(<2 yrs)Open4781205.00–207.50206.25
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open61,107142.00–182.50167.90
Stock Cows — Medium 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open2793160.00160.00
Stock Cows — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open1910155.00155.00
Young (2-4 yrs)Open6959130.00130.00
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)21,1382,150.00–2,325.002,252.69
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open621,6272,750.00–2,975.002,913.32
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open341,4732,700.00–3,100.002,886.88
Young (2-4 yrs)Open1271,3233,000.00–3,500.003,135.94
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open51,8793,250.003,250.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)Open251,6532,725.00–2,825.002,768.81
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open11,4152,600.002,600.00
Young (2-4 yrs)Open311,0062,950.002,950.00
Young (2-4 yrs)Open121,2362,950.00–2,975.002,954.58
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open251,4342,600.002,600.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)Open21,3982,150.002,150.00
Aged (>8 yrs)Open91,3492,200.002,200.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open21,4752,425.002,425.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)Open181,4752,525.002,525.00
Aged (>8 yrs)Open481,3612,350.00–2,475.002,399.63
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)Open58912,050.002,050.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)Open161,0872,875.00–3,025.002,922.97
Young (2-4 yrs)Open101,0682,675.002,675.00
Heifer Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open931,2243,100.00–3,800.003,310.23
Heifer Pairs — Medium 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open129972,900.002,900.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
211,370120.00–129.00126.37
1351,433140.00–149.00142.87
1991,359129.00–142.00137.07
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
51,542141.00–143.00142.59
11,530132.00132.00
31,592143.50–147.00145.57
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
511,420140.00–146.50142.51
881,394127.00–142.00135.65
171,473116.00–132.00125.35
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
490594.00–97.0095.01
4940107.50–121.00113.65
1980134.00134.00
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
181,207110.00–123.00118.83
1311,217124.00–135.00129.86
1141,177134.50–142.50138.71
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
161,643142.50–147.00144.73
211,548137.00–141.00139.15
81,788131.00–136.00134.06
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
481,199121.00–135.00128.89
281,206133.00–139.00136.58
641,13399.00–125.00116.05
31,13085.0085.00
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
111,335142.00–152.00147.43
101,458127.50–143.00139.94
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
592,027157.00–179.75165.39
21,738144.00–157.00150.49
161,587127.00–143.00137.60
331,768143.00–160.00154.27
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
11,255145.00145.00
21,325135.00–141.00138.01
Bulls — Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
12,505151.00151.00
12,565158.00158.00
Dairy Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1920110.00110.00
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.