Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 165 priced lines covering 3,481 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 2,689 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 1,049 head. replacement cattle receipts at 312 head.

Mon Sep 30, 2024

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 2,689Last week 3,927Year ago 4,303

Slaughter CattleReceipts 1,049Last week 1,235Year ago 963

Replacement CattleReceipts 312Last week 314Year ago 375

Compared to last week: 400-499 lbs steer calves offered the best test this week selling sharply higher. All other steer calves were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Heifer calves were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. 900-999 lbs yearling steers offered the best test this week selling mostly steady to 5.00 higher. Yearling heifers under 800 lbs sold unevenly steady from 5.00 lower to 3.00 higher. 800-899 lbs yearling heifers sold 5.00 higher, yearling heifers 900 lbs and heavier sold steady to firm. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Demand was mostly moderate to good for yearlings and mostly good for calves. Very few load lots or partial load lots were seen this week. Most cattle were offered in small packages with lots of singles noticed. Most yearlings were coming off grass with a few backgrounded lots noticed. CME positions continue to push higher this past week. The October contract closed at 249.625, 2.55 higher than last Fridays close. The November contract closed Friday at 249.275, 3.575 higher than last Fridays close. 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 steady to 3.00 higher on all classes. Feeding cow demand was mostly good. Feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher, after last weeks sharply lower market. Demand from packer buyers was light this week, but demand from feeding cow buyers forced cow prices higher. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-3.00 lower. Demand for feeding bulls was light this week as packers were the main buyer of feeding bulls. Feeding bulls sold generally steady. Cow and bull quality this week was mostly average. Weigh conditions were mostly average this week. Cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady 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
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	300–350	328	407.50	407.50
3	350–400	365	335.00–340.00	336.71
11	400–450	414	337.50–387.50	377.94
1	450–500	480	322.50	322.50
17	500–550	510	304.00	304.00
1	550–600	550	282.50	282.50
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1050–1100	1,055	192.00	192.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	600–650	638	226.00	226.00
3	900–950	915	206.00–218.00	210.00
5	950–1000	976	214.00–218.00	216.43
1	1000–1050	1,000	182.50	182.50
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	350–400	363	330.00	330.00
3	400–450	422	310.00	310.00
4	450–500	454	290.00	290.00
1	500–550	515	270.00	270.00
Bulls — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	450–500	457	230.00	230.00
3	500–550	540	242.50	242.50
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	1100–1150	1,137	189.00–207.00	203.36
2	1150–1200	1,180	201.00	201.00
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1100–1150	1,130	195.00	195.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	750–800	790	213.00	213.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	205	420.00	420.00
2	250–300	268	435.00	435.00
21	300–350	345	395.00–397.50	396.56
5	350–400	352	385.00–405.00	400.91
50	400–450	409	332.50–387.50	362.24
115	450–500	477	300.00–330.00	315.59
82	500–550	518	290.00–320.50	302.69
51	550–600	579	270.00–291.00	279.33
56	600–650	617	276.00–288.50	281.08
45	650–700	667	254.00–280.25	274.73
10	700–750	703	246.00	246.00
3	750–800	757	241.00	241.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
8	950–1000	979	215.00	215.00
3	1000–1050	1,038	201.00	201.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	310	420.00	420.00
5	550–600	575	291.00	291.00
8	700–750	720	254.00–265.00	258.14
4	800–850	801	254.50	254.50
22	850–900	854	245.50–249.50	247.16
51	900–950	912	235.50–240.00	236.28
33	950–1000	957	229.00–232.00	231.91
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
6	500–550	533	280.00	280.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	250	405.00	405.00
16	350–400	372	312.50–372.50	346.17
21	400–450	438	315.00–360.00	324.18
5	450–500	487	301.00–306.00	305.07
19	500–550	530	270.00–286.00	280.03
7	550–600	581	262.00	262.00
5	650–700	650	255.00	255.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	700–750	725	260.00	260.00
9	750–800	787	254.00–258.00	257.11
23	800–850	828	241.00–255.00	250.86
20	850–900	865	230.00–239.00	237.00
5	900–950	901	225.00	225.00
5	950–1000	972	222.00–226.00	224.36
3	1000–1050	1,013	219.00	219.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
8	1000–1050	1,019	194.00	194.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	350–400	392	275.00	275.00
3	500–550	505	235.00	235.00
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	300–350	324	355.00–375.00	364.26
8	450–500	451	317.00	317.00
5	550–600	585	263.00–271.00	267.81
5	600–650	605	254.00	254.00
Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	1100–1150	1,138	204.50	204.50
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1100–1150	1,140	213.00	213.00
2	1150–1200	1,183	207.00	207.00
Steers — Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
11	550–600	584	255.00	255.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
12	800–850	828	221.00–243.00	233.77
Steers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	600–650	634	240.00	240.00
5	750–800	763	230.00	230.00
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	750–800	789	248.00	248.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	200–250	230	360.00–362.50	361.22
7	250–300	287	360.00–385.00	373.18
11	350–400	364	317.50–335.00	328.27
24	400–450	426	306.00–342.50	313.28
83	450–500	466	285.00–301.00	294.28
41	500–550	523	277.00–283.00	279.96
67	550–600	576	255.00–273.00	263.61
10	600–650	616	247.00–255.00	251.06
6	650–700	663	241.00	241.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
12	450–500	457	288.00–294.00	291.52
21	500–550	544	287.00	287.00
9	550–600	575	260.00–277.00	263.86
5	600–650	614	261.00	261.00
213	700–750	730	246.50–250.00	248.11
104	750–800	781	238.00–248.00	240.32
187	800–850	818	233.50–244.50	239.28
91	850–900	881	224.00–234.00	227.36
51	900–950	919	219.00–232.00	224.53
44	950–1000	975	212.00–219.50	217.01
23	1000–1050	1,009	206.00–215.50	209.86
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
12	800–850	811	225.00	225.00
4	850–900	869	222.00	222.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
4	450–500	488	280.00	280.00
6	550–600	581	225.00	225.00
6	750–800	784	237.50	237.50
7	800–850	835	232.50	232.50
5	850–900	858	227.00	227.00
3	900–950	913	213.00	213.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
14	700–750	726	230.00–246.00	238.43
7	750–800	761	225.00–238.50	236.56
12	800–850	819	217.50–235.00	226.74
2	850–900	879	223.00–227.00	224.96
5	900–950	911	207.00–217.50	213.09
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	250–300	293	320.00–355.00	341.06
12	300–350	340	315.00–317.50	316.49
16	350–400	374	310.00–325.00	318.45
37	400–450	417	279.00–305.00	293.07
21	450–500	483	257.50–285.00	275.78
16	500–550	520	248.00–274.00	263.07
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
3	700–750	733	222.00	222.00
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
23	850–900	875	224.00	224.00
26	1050–1100	1,065	204.00–210.00	208.34
1	1100–1150	1,110	197.50	197.50
3	1200–1250	1,208	194.00	194.00
Heifers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	300–350	309	335.00	335.00
2	350–400	365	270.00	270.00
11	400–450	402	302.50	302.50
Heifers — Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
3	1050–1100	1,073	196.50	196.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	303	270.00	270.00
4	350–400	380	245.00	245.00
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
12	400–450	415	288.00	288.00
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
25	550–600	570	250.00	250.00
Heifers — Small and Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	550–600	597	210.00	210.00
Heifers — Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
3	1250–1300	1,260	152.00	152.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,110	75.00–89.00	84.11
Dairy Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	958	98.00	98.00
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
34	—	1,202	127.00–134.00	129.39
77	—	1,166	102.00–117.00	112.27
299	—	1,194	116.00–127.00	121.97
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	1,181	106.00–120.00	115.40
14	—	1,081	72.00–93.00	88.52
15	—	1,211	91.00–111.00	101.78
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	1,375	108.00–117.00	113.60
207	—	1,406	118.00–132.00	126.23
17	—	1,337	132.50–139.00	136.07
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
64	—	1,407	113.00–126.50	121.09
17	—	1,377	104.00–114.00	108.60
4	—	1,413	124.00–139.00	129.15
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	940	102.00	102.00
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
28	—	1,680	122.00–129.50	124.51
5	—	1,427	114.00–117.00	115.13
6	—	1,567	132.50	132.50
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	950	106.00–107.50	106.74
5	—	971	91.00–99.50	96.54
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,685	111.00–117.00	114.01
8	—	1,574	125.00–129.50	127.46
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	1,500	127.00–143.00	136.80
13	—	1,573	142.00–155.00	145.89
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	2,045	160.00–170.00	163.45
51	—	1,706	122.00–145.00	136.81
48	—	1,821	142.00–158.00	147.32
15	—	1,829	151.00	151.00
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,313	125.00–129.00	126.92

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	17	—	1,027	125.00–152.50	137.47
(<2 yrs)	Open	9	—	930	140.00–180.00	160.65
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	100	—	981	143.00–196.00	183.13
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	97	—	1,103	125.50–182.50	150.93
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	770	143.00	143.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	4	—	1,144	1,475.00–1,800.00	1,587.76
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	4	—	1,038	1,875.00	1,875.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	31	—	1,234	1,950.00–2,200.00	1,987.10
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	4	—	988	2,000.00	2,000.00
(<2 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	12	—	715	246.00	246.00

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