Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 187 priced lines covering 4,606 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 3,927 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 1,235 head. replacement cattle receipts at 314 head.

Mon Sep 23, 2024

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 3,927Last week 2,055Year ago 3,297

Slaughter CattleReceipts 1,235Last week 521Year ago 795

Replacement CattleReceipts 314Last week 123Year ago 322

Compared to last week: Feeder steer calves were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on steer calves under 450 lbs and steady undertones were noticed on steer calves over 450 lbs. Heifer calves were all too lightly tested this week to develop a full market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on heifers under 500 lbs and steady undertones were noticed on heifer calves 500 lbs and heavier. Yearling steers sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher on steers under 850 lbs, yearling steers over 850 lbs sold steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Yearling heifers under 750 lbs sold 3.00-6.00 higher, yearling heifers 750-799 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher, yearling heifers 800-899 lbs sold 5.00-8.00 higher. Heifers over 900 lbs sold steady to firm. Quality this week was mixed from plain to very attractive. Demand was mostly moderate to good. Several load lots and partial load lots were seen this week as this was the largest supply of yearlings seen so far coming off grass. CME positions continue to inch higher this past week. The September feeder contract settled Friday at 245.53, 0.705 higher than last Fridays close. The October closed at 247.075, 3.175 higher than last Fridays close. The November contract closed Friday at 245.70. Market activity this week was mostly active, with good participation seen from bidders both ringside as well as over the internet. Weigh up cows and bulls sold on mostly light to moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Packers showed light demand for slaughter cows this week. Feeding buyers were very active again this week purchasing cows to put on feed. Slaughter cows sold 10.00-12.00 lower on all classes. Feeding cow demand was mostly moderate. Feeding cows sold mostly 5.00-10.00 lower. Demand from packer buyers was lighter this week which allowed feeding cows to sell lower. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-3.00 lower. Demand for feeding bulls was light this week as packers were the main buyers of feeding bulls. Feeding bulls sold generally steady. Cow and bull quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Weigh conditions were mixed, but mostly below average as most sets of cattle were pushing moderate to heavy amounts of fill, especially midweek with warm sunny conditions. Cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 10.00-15.00 higher with very strong demand seen from rebreed buyers. Demand for light offerings was very good.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	200–250	210	445.00	445.00
3	250–300	292	365.00	365.00
4	300–350	329	315.00	315.00
11	350–400	388	320.00–340.00	323.35
24	400–450	400	315.00–333.00	319.51
10	450–500	466	267.50–297.50	286.83
33	500–550	517	253.00–274.00	260.65
24	550–600	569	236.00–244.00	239.94
29	600–650	625	231.00–242.00	235.31
5	650–700	662	239.00	239.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
17	650–700	676	249.00	249.00
6	700–750	734	230.00–237.50	234.83
2	750–800	753	236.00	236.00
20	800–850	836	204.00–227.00	211.76
3	850–900	862	221.50	221.50
8	900–950	924	190.00–214.00	210.60
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
19	600–650	618	274.00–275.50	274.63
17	650–700	672	250.00	250.00
256	700–750	728	243.00–257.00	249.78
132	750–800	770	230.00–246.00	241.02
143	800–850	818	228.00–238.50	234.32
205	850–900	871	221.50–234.50	228.30
254	900–950	913	216.00–226.00	222.73
128	950–1000	965	209.00–221.75	216.28
42	1000–1050	1,031	200.50–216.00	203.42
15	1050–1100	1,053	199.00–200.00	199.27
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
5	500–550	534	234.00	234.00
11	700–750	730	232.50	232.50
49	800–850	833	216.00–222.25	222.00
16	850–900	878	217.00–222.00	218.27
23	900–950	939	206.50–213.50	208.73
29	950–1000	984	207.50–208.00	207.53
1	1000–1050	1,025	194.00	194.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
20	700–750	717	262.50	262.50
42	750–800	762	253.00	253.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
22	850–900	858	220.50	220.50
10	950–1000	986	204.00	204.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	150–200	194	445.00	445.00
10	250–300	298	325.00–335.00	334.01
5	300–350	323	312.50	312.50
18	350–400	393	282.50–305.00	293.22
4	400–450	427	295.00	295.00
13	450–500	452	250.00	250.00
9	500–550	534	265.00	265.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
3	900–950	937	194.00	194.00
Heifers — Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
4	1050–1100	1,088	199.50	199.50
4	1100–1150	1,123	190.50	190.50
6	1150–1200	1,177	184.50	184.50
Heifers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	250–300	283	320.00	320.00
6	550–600	560	235.00–247.00	243.01
Heifers — Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
3	900–950	902	202.00	202.00
2	1150–1200	1,180	187.00	187.00
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	750–800	780	237.00	237.00
6	950–1000	981	208.00	208.00
5	1050–1100	1,080	201.00–204.00	202.80
7	1100–1150	1,122	195.50	195.50
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	450–500	496	256.00	256.00
11	550–600	596	244.50	244.50
37	600–650	620	244.00–245.00	244.83
10	650–700	654	240.00–243.00	241.20
4	700–750	703	212.50	212.50
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	550–600	598	256.00	256.00
8	600–650	633	257.00	257.00
25	700–750	715	229.00	229.00
7	800–850	844	200.00	200.00
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	500–550	502	226.00	226.00
4	550–600	593	226.00	226.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	500–550	535	246.50	246.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
6	900–950	922	204.50	204.50
8	1000–1050	1,016	182.00–186.00	183.03
Heifers — Medium 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
35	800–850	809	202.00–205.00	204.64
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	700–750	746	257.00	257.00
8	750–800	785	240.00–252.50	249.25
11	800–850	826	234.00–244.00	240.72
2	850–900	868	233.00	233.00
9	900–950	944	223.00	223.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
9	600–650	645	280.50	280.50
131	700–750	719	268.00–276.50	273.97
77	750–800	760	258.00–269.00	265.42
94	800–850	818	247.50–261.50	257.39
90	850–900	880	236.00–248.00	241.07
32	900–950	927	225.75–235.00	226.96
61	950–1000	974	220.00–232.50	223.48
5	1000–1050	1,020	218.50	218.50
29	1050–1100	1,092	212.75–217.50	213.07
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
1	150–200	195	470.00	470.00
5	200–250	208	460.00	460.00
12	250–300	276	450.00–465.00	458.08
48	300–350	333	350.00–410.00	376.75
3	350–400	373	330.00	330.00
28	400–450	412	300.00–341.00	316.32
17	450–500	481	290.00–294.00	291.29
59	500–550	529	277.00–290.00	281.59
29	550–600	576	260.00–292.00	267.62
49	600–650	618	251.00–265.00	261.53
50	650–700	668	245.00–265.00	253.12
10	700–750	711	248.00	248.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
9	650–700	687	253.00	253.00
11	900–950	943	219.00	219.00
10	1050–1100	1,058	208.00	208.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	200–250	208	375.00	375.00
18	250–300	280	385.00–435.00	404.69
3	300–350	327	350.00	350.00
5	350–400	369	301.00	301.00
20	400–450	442	274.00–290.00	282.78
20	450–500	470	265.00–284.00	271.93
4	500–550	535	266.00–277.50	268.77
10	550–600	555	271.00	271.00
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	1000–1050	1,038	209.00	209.00
18	1100–1150	1,103	214.00	214.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
17	800–850	821	267.00	267.00
Steers — Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
4	650–700	694	222.00	222.00
10	1150–1200	1,181	202.50	202.50
Steers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	450–500	493	245.00	245.00
4	550–600	571	235.00	235.00
5	650–700	684	232.50	232.50
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
10	500–550	548	280.50	280.50
6	550–600	593	283.00	283.00
102	600–650	630	276.00–281.00	280.60
57	650–700	674	268.00–275.00	272.63
4	750–800	783	242.00	242.00
Steers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	550–600	563	239.00	239.00
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
20	650–700	660	227.50–259.00	250.95
Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	1100–1150	1,123	200.00	200.00
Steers — Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
2	1250–1300	1,260	186.00	186.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	500–550	532	240.00	240.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	350–400	386	342.50	342.50
1	400–450	415	260.00	260.00
2	550–600	570	245.00	245.00
3	650–700	652	230.00	230.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	200–250	216	380.00	380.00
7	850–900	893	211.00	211.00
10	950–1000	991	200.00–209.00	208.11
1	1000–1050	1,010	201.00	201.00
1	1050–1100	1,050	182.00	182.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	800–850	834	210.00	210.00
2	900–950	900	200.00	200.00
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	1150–1200	1,158	173.50	173.50
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
18	450–500	495	231.00	231.00
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	1050–1100	1,090	215.00	215.00
4	1100–1150	1,134	181.00–184.50	183.02
2	1150–1200	1,160	180.00–186.00	182.97

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	5	—	1,283	111.00	111.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	6	—	1,304	113.00	113.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	3	—	1,499	1,800.00–2,100.00	2,009.25
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	21	—	1,104	1,900.00–2,225.00	2,046.44
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Registered$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	12	—	1,412	2,850.00–2,900.00	2,882.02
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	52	—	1,063	133.50–182.00	153.01
(<2 yrs)	Open	135	—	950	153.00–200.00	189.30
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	4	—	815	165.00–180.00	171.14
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,038	122.00–122.50	122.23
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,267	136.00–140.00	137.28
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	4	—	1,168	2,550.00–2,650.00	2,602.46

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,955	150.00	150.00
1	—	2,335	157.00	157.00
7	—	1,991	159.00–163.00	161.22
44	—	1,846	144.50–158.00	150.93
66	—	1,673	123.00–146.00	136.21
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,259	112.50–131.00	125.16
1	—	1,180	136.00	136.00
Bulls — Natural$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,640	144.00	144.00
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
25	—	1,534	126.00–146.00	136.53
7	—	1,666	149.50–153.00	152.49
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
22	—	1,202	128.00	128.00
12	—	1,139	60.00–87.50	80.88
76	—	1,206	107.00–117.00	110.79
49	—	1,164	90.00–108.00	98.68
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	951	72.50–82.50	79.24
2	—	945	105.00–107.50	106.32
7	—	959	80.00–102.00	93.15
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	1,518	125.00–136.00	130.42
3	—	1,607	116.00–122.50	119.53
49	—	1,563	118.00–131.00	121.92
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,724	123.50–134.50	127.03
8	—	1,583	114.00–120.00	117.32
7	—	1,626	122.00–126.50	124.69
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
39	—	1,158	92.00–111.00	106.70
44	—	1,228	126.00–133.00	128.85
72	—	1,186	113.00–126.00	120.48
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
24	—	1,363	103.00–115.00	112.03
34	—	1,423	129.00–135.50	132.15
351	—	1,360	115.00–131.00	125.25
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
30	—	1,433	113.00–127.50	117.27
4	—	1,445	84.00–95.00	90.32
37	—	1,426	93.00–113.00	108.35
19	—	1,440	127.00–133.00	131.18
Dairy Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,645	115.00	115.00

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