Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · Weekly summary · Mon, Jun 24
● As filed95 lines reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1778

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them
Montana reported 95 priced lines covering 2,683 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 467 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 2,005 head. replacement cattle receipts at 681 head. Counted as USDA files them — 68 of those are cow-calf pairs, each counted once.

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Mon Jun 24, 2024
USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)
Feeder CattleReceipts 467Last week 732Year ago 291
Slaughter CattleReceipts 2,005Last week 1,187Year ago 1,088
Replacement CattleReceipts 681Last week 1,072Year ago 247

Compared to last week: Too few sales were seen either this week or last to develop any market trend. Feeder cattle were mostly offered in small packages or as singles. Demand was good to very good for very light offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. CME positions traded near steady for the week, with higher prices seen mid week and lower prices seen to end the week. Higher cash slaughter cattle prices were seen last week on very light volume. Additionally, lower feed prices were seen as the market was caught off guard by a larger number of corn acres planted, which caused a sell off all week. The August feeder cattle contract closed at 259.025, 0.65 higher than last Fridays close, the September closed at 259.65, 0.25 lower than the previous week. Market activity this week was mostly active, with a good crowd on hand and several internet bidders actively bidding. Weigh up cows and bulls comprised the majority of the cattle offering again this week. Ranchers continue to cull cows as many are wrapping up branding and are turning out cows. Some cows who have yet to calve are being sold as ranchers don't want to deal with the hassle of late calves. Most of these offerings sold at slaughter price with some going to slaughter and other returning to feed. Packers showed very good demand for slaughter cows for immediate harvest as this was the last week to buy offerings before the 4th of July holiday. No sales are scheduled in the entire state for July 1st-5th as auctions take off for the holiday. Additional packer buyers were in the market again this week and were very aggressive as they searched for slaughter cows for harvest for both this week and next week. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher on all offerings. Packers showed very good demand for feeding cows, however with additional packer buyers in the market buying high quality feeding cows was difficult as buyers were reluctant to push offerings higher. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to firm. Packers also purchased average quality thin and light boning cows to hold for the upcoming 4th of July holiday; these offerings were included in slaughter cattle prices this week as most are going to slaughter prior to the end of next week. Quality this week was mostly average to attritive with many high quality reputation cows seen. Weigh conditions were average to above average, however most offerings are starting to flesh up and some are starting to show more fill as well. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00 to 5.00 higher. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady. Demand was good to very good for high quality offerings which buyers are looking to rebreed. Quality was average to attractive. The calendar is starting to get late in the season to buy cows to rebreed so many buyers are slowing down on purchasing offerings for that purpose. Cows purchased this week would mostly be April and later calving cows.

Feeder Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2650–700680271.00271.00
1700–750720251.00251.00
3750–800787241.00241.00
5850–900877225.00–231.00228.54
41100–11501,133197.00197.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
250–10068425.00425.00
7550–600579268.00268.00
2600–650620275.00275.00
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
21100–11501,140172.00172.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
12600–650621315.00315.00
15700–750712281.00–284.00282.20
2750–800790259.00259.00
5800–850808262.00262.00
3850–900868248.00–262.00252.60
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
12650–700658290.00290.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6500–550540326.00326.00
2550–600575310.00310.00
3700–750725267.50–269.00268.51
2750–800780235.00–244.00239.56
7850–900892239.00–242.50239.49
Steers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
7600–650623199.00199.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3450–500478312.50312.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7550–600585291.00–295.00292.40
14600–650619285.00285.00
21650–700686257.00–273.00266.80
6700–750715253.00–264.00260.96
15750–800774242.50–247.00244.60
8800–850810241.00241.00
24850–900866223.00–232.00227.35
24900–950931214.00–219.00217.52
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
8550–600596289.00289.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1100–150125325.00325.00
7400–450418322.50322.50
12450–500498312.00312.00
1500–550505292.50292.50
3550–600582288.00288.00
7600–650640258.00–282.00265.16
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
5500–550521282.50282.50
4550–600586265.00265.00
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
16850–900889224.00224.00
3950–1000982203.00203.00
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
15500–550527295.00–307.00297.30
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3400–450428250.00250.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6550–600555307.50307.50

Replacement Cattle

As reported
AgeStageHeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)131,6612,850.002,850.00
Aged (>8 yrs)Open81,4352,675.00–2,800.002,753.27
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)111,6053,250.003,250.00
Young (2-4 yrs)Open11,5603,300.003,300.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open191,5852,650.00–2,850.002,702.42
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)Open51,3422,575.002,575.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open11,2602,250.002,250.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)Open31,1801,850.001,850.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)Open51,1242,850.002,850.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)Open1781,179141.00–191.00157.24
(<2 yrs)Open2581,054149.00–211.00187.26
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open151,154146.50146.50
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open16991143.00–195.00169.16
Young (2-4 yrs)Open71,079138.00–157.50146.47
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open11,060167.50167.50
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo)71,2571,900.00–2,010.001,975.05
Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo)61,2952,150.00–2,200.002,191.28
Heifer Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open21,5553,000.003,000.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
51,591136.00136.00
541,634140.75–148.00142.74
491,577148.00–158.50151.70
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2471,386136.00–145.00141.51
3791,411143.50–154.50146.89
101,378123.00–136.00131.91
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
221,121106.00–130.00119.59
631,179129.00–140.00135.62
491,207139.00–149.00143.49
31,057102.00–111.00105.17
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
2071,373135.00–147.00141.04
2891,388143.50–158.00149.22
101,382131.00–136.00134.20
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2975132.00–134.00132.98
18816112.00–127.00118.63
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
421,216139.00–147.00142.97
121,101117.50–130.00125.44
431,160128.00–139.00135.16
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
31,608134.00–136.00135.31
191,589142.00–146.00144.06
261,546149.00–155.00151.22
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
872,024174.00–193.00182.35
101,585132.00–149.00144.28
21,855170.00–172.00170.99
172,207178.00–191.00187.38
691,856153.00–174.50166.54
Bulls — Natural$ per cwt · actual wt
22,010178.00–184.00180.90
11,995143.00143.00
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
81,441135.00–155.00141.88
81,607172.00–182.00176.55
511,528151.00–173.00162.52
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
11,335132.50132.50
Dairy Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
21,683131.00–134.00132.41
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.