Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 221 priced lines covering 12,351 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 11,452 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 2,616 head. replacement cattle receipts at 1,028 head.

Mon Oct 21, 2024

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 11,452Last week 11,056Year ago 5,499

Slaughter CattleReceipts 2,616Last week 2,575Year ago 2,112

Replacement CattleReceipts 1,028Last week 1,238Year ago 4,353

Compared to last week: Steer calves under 550 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher, steer calves over 550 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower. Heifer calves under 550 lbs sold steady to firm, heifer calves over 550 lbs sold steady to 5.00 lower. Yearling steers were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Yearling heifers all sold steady to 3.00 higher. Calf quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Overall, quality was not as attractive this week as it was last week. Yearling quality was mostly average to attractive, and similar compared to last week. Demand was mostly moderate to good for yearlings and calves. Very few load lots or partial load lots were seen this week. Most cattle were offered in small to moderate size packages. Packages sizes under 5 head sold with significantly lighter demand compared to larger consignments. The best demand for calves continues to be for high quality light weight calves under 500 lbs which buyers can develop into yearlings. Most lightweight calves continue to go south to wheat pastures or west to California to grass. CME positions saw slight positive movement this past week. The October contract closed at 249.625, 1.30 higher than last Fridays close. The November contract closed Friday at 248.575, 0.975 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 moderate offerings. Packers showed mostly light demand for slaughter cows this week allowing all classes of slaughter cows to trade lower. Slaughter cows sold 2.00-3.00 lower on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold steady to 3.00 lower. Private feeding cow buyers continue to buy all types of cows to put on feed, even lame or slightly blemished cows continue to be sent to feed. Feeding cow demand was mostly good to very good, with many takers seen for this class of cows. Feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-4.00 lower. Packer buyers were not as aggressive as they bid on feeding cows this past week. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 4.00-5.00 lower. Cow and bull quality this week was mostly plain to average this week and not as attractive as last week. Weigh conditions were mostly average this week. Cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady to weak on a lower quality offering.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	240	415.00	415.00
15	250–300	272	355.00–392.50	382.60
179	300–350	328	346.00–380.00	362.44
237	350–400	383	328.50–360.00	340.80
292	400–450	424	310.00–335.00	320.44
618	450–500	472	287.00–316.00	300.24
558	500–550	523	265.00–299.00	285.59
365	550–600	570	250.00–273.50	264.77
162	600–650	627	245.00–259.50	254.94
40	650–700	659	242.00–255.00	250.09
22	700–750	712	230.00–244.00	235.64
3	750–800	755	225.00	225.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	350–400	398	305.00	305.00
13	400–450	411	265.00–275.00	270.43
12	450–500	489	241.00–255.00	245.58
3	500–550	538	227.50	227.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	200–250	218	340.00–387.50	380.04
6	250–300	272	367.50	367.50
49	300–350	333	320.00–345.00	331.63
68	350–400	364	305.00–327.50	318.57
88	400–450	419	266.00–311.00	290.19
56	450–500	473	267.00–294.00	280.46
64	500–550	525	250.00–274.00	264.31
30	550–600	572	240.00–263.00	246.28
3	600–650	630	240.00	240.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	700–750	725	232.00	232.00
26	750–800	785	226.00–236.50	232.62
2	800–850	823	225.00	225.00
5	850–900	860	217.50–225.00	222.08
2	900–950	933	211.00–220.00	215.49
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
5	550–600	555	250.00	250.00
4	600–650	615	235.00	235.00
2	800–850	805	230.00	230.00
3	850–900	870	224.00	224.00
2	950–1000	990	202.00	202.00
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
14	550–600	577	270.00	270.00
27	600–650	608	265.00	265.00
9	650–700	680	250.00–256.00	253.32
6	700–750	701	230.00	230.00
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	400–450	400	235.00	235.00
Heifers — Medium 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8	350–400	375	282.50	282.50
13	500–550	520	220.00–235.00	228.31
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	300–350	337	345.00	345.00
36	400–450	433	270.00–304.00	292.09
22	450–500	460	280.00	280.00
13	550–600	556	255.00	255.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
12	450–500	475	306.00	306.00
26	500–550	515	287.00–288.00	287.16
23	550–600	570	258.50–265.00	260.19
2	600–650	603	259.00	259.00
33	650–700	674	260.00	260.00
28	700–750	725	237.00–243.50	241.00
105	800–850	814	235.50–240.00	238.41
71	850–900	880	227.50–232.50	230.68
78	900–950	928	222.50–234.50	227.80
92	950–1000	985	213.00–225.00	219.43
33	1000–1050	1,009	208.00–222.00	217.72
Heifers — Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
3	1150–1200	1,173	182.00	182.00
Heifers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	250–300	288	385.00	385.00
24	350–400	385	310.00–320.00	314.65
8	400–450	429	290.00–305.00	293.72
47	450–500	478	260.00–289.50	283.38
23	500–550	542	249.00–273.50	265.33
24	550–600	561	242.00–253.00	251.66
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	850–900	876	226.00	226.00
11	1050–1100	1,072	208.50–212.00	209.76
Heifers — Medium 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
6	900–950	949	203.00	203.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
3	700–750	733	224.00	224.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
10	450–500	461	350.00	350.00
7	550–600	588	292.00	292.00
2	600–650	645	274.00	274.00
6	650–700	678	270.50	270.50
20	800–850	814	247.00–256.00	253.71
5	850–900	883	241.00–244.00	243.42
16	900–950	916	240.50	240.50
2	950–1000	985	230.00	230.00
3	1000–1050	1,025	228.00–228.50	228.17
18	1050–1100	1,087	223.00–223.50	223.19
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	400–450	432	307.50	307.50
8	500–550	541	270.00	270.00
28	550–600	581	241.00–267.50	260.33
4	700–750	723	241.50	241.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	250–300	294	415.00	415.00
70	300–350	337	325.00–407.50	384.35
163	350–400	379	315.00–387.50	358.87
95	400–450	428	325.00–347.50	338.25
124	450–500	485	292.50–315.00	307.48
167	500–550	529	277.00–305.00	292.41
35	550–600	579	272.00–281.00	277.80
8	600–650	639	251.00–255.00	252.97
19	650–700	667	241.00–258.00	251.29
15	700–750	740	244.00–248.00	245.35
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
3	750–800	768	233.00	233.00
11	900–950	933	225.00	225.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
8	550–600	584	270.00	270.00
10	700–750	714	244.00	244.00
10	750–800	799	253.50	253.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	500–550	542	287.00	287.00
12	700–750	717	258.00	258.00
23	750–800	778	246.50–260.00	256.45
4	800–850	814	245.50	245.50
6	900–950	903	228.50	228.50
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	650–700	670	262.00	262.00
Steers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	250–300	279	435.00	435.00
3	350–400	362	368.00	368.00
45	400–450	435	303.00–340.00	319.48
8	500–550	524	272.50	272.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8	200–250	231	445.00–470.00	452.17
42	250–300	269	420.00–450.00	442.66
162	300–350	329	411.00–432.50	424.57
330	350–400	375	377.50–435.00	401.77
642	400–450	425	322.50–382.50	364.89
800	450–500	475	315.00–357.50	333.33
1,012	500–550	522	296.00–336.00	311.25
830	550–600	578	280.00–312.00	288.99
590	600–650	624	268.00–290.00	279.27
146	650–700	674	261.00–276.00	268.91
65	700–750	723	252.00–268.00	259.37
8	750–800	759	249.00–255.00	251.37
19	800–850	838	229.00	229.00
3	850–900	868	235.00	235.00
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	350–400	385	367.50	367.50
23	400–450	418	332.00–345.00	336.92
65	500–550	539	281.00–303.00	294.31
11	550–600	590	273.00	273.00
10	600–650	645	272.00	272.00
11	650–700	686	256.00	256.00
4	750–800	769	232.00–238.00	235.04
8	800–850	818	226.00–236.00	232.19
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
14	550–600	591	281.00	281.00
Steers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	600–650	608	240.00	240.00
Steers — Medium 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	400–450	424	200.00	200.00
8	500–550	538	217.50	217.50
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	500–550	546	267.00	267.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	700–750	705	237.50	237.50
6	850–900	870	207.50–224.00	210.22
3	900–950	935	215.00–217.00	216.33
2	950–1000	995	219.00	219.00
9	1000–1050	1,046	198.50	198.50
5	1050–1100	1,081	205.00	205.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	350–400	390	315.00	315.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	280	415.00	415.00
1	300–350	310	410.00	410.00
15	350–400	370	370.00–397.50	385.40
20	400–450	427	320.00–337.00	333.63
8	450–500	475	292.50–301.00	296.61
1	500–550	520	290.00	290.00
38	550–600	554	260.00–285.00	271.47
3	600–650	642	247.00	247.00
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	1100–1150	1,140	187.50–192.50	189.17
1	1150–1200	1,195	177.50	177.50
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7	1100–1150	1,146	194.00–202.50	196.50
2	1150–1200	1,168	192.00–194.00	192.99
1	1200–1250	1,240	180.00	180.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	400–450	423	302.50–320.00	310.78
4	650–700	666	215.00	215.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
10	500–550	524	290.00–300.00	293.96
2	550–600	568	265.00	265.00
18	600–650	625	256.00–260.00	256.65
1	950–1000	950	221.00	221.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,115	105.00	105.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	66	—	911	129.00–189.00	166.27
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	31	—	994	115.00–187.50	142.05
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,080	132.50	132.50
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	775	130.00	130.00
(<2 yrs)	Open	5	—	813	147.50–152.50	150.50
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	14	—	933	140.00–174.00	170.10
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	8	—	988	163.00	163.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	199	—	1,038	128.00–196.00	166.99
(<2 yrs)	Open	346	—	944	146.00–218.00	197.65
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,400	161.00	161.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	4	—	1,212	1,625.00–1,660.00	1,642.62
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	8	—	1,070	1,500.00–1,875.00	1,835.37
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	11	—	1,240	2,000.00–2,275.00	2,199.96
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	29	—	1,230	1,900.00–2,350.00	2,035.61
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	8	—	1,653	114.00	114.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	5	—	1,368	2,025.00	2,025.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	5	—	1,098	1,700.00–1,850.00	1,767.84
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	16	—	1,288	1,735.00–1,975.00	1,757.43
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	16	—	1,173	2,225.00	2,225.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	1,365	1,775.00	1,775.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	4	—	1,220	1,535.00	1,535.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	8	—	1,229	112.00–115.00	113.28
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	24	—	1,352	1,550.00–1,900.00	1,783.37
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	4	—	1,680	111.00	111.00
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	55	—	802	2,000.00–2,500.00	2,430.82
(<2 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	12	—	877	2,100.00–2,400.00	2,275.22

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
76	—	1,706	122.50–146.00	139.44
50	—	1,843	144.00–161.00	151.00
6	—	2,050	160.00–165.00	162.91
1	—	2,460	144.50	144.50
5	—	1,891	144.00	144.00
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
25	—	1,481	131.00–147.00	142.93
Bulls — Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,650	133.00	133.00
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,192	130.00–131.00	130.75
3	—	1,382	143.50	143.50
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	907	107.00–107.50	107.16
7	—	866	72.50–86.00	81.10
13	—	917	87.00–102.00	94.92
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
410	—	1,389	115.00–134.00	126.19
77	—	1,385	129.00–138.00	133.77
105	—	1,434	96.00–121.00	112.13
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
80	—	1,393	91.00–112.00	104.53
19	—	1,430	111.00–126.25	119.06
4	—	1,510	84.00–93.00	88.67
7	—	1,515	124.00–129.00	126.24
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,133	123.00–126.00	124.57
138	—	1,156	88.00–109.00	98.70
48	—	1,156	75.00–90.00	84.50
33	—	1,184	107.00–117.00	111.42
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
136	—	1,167	93.00–117.00	109.41
237	—	1,169	106.00–128.00	119.24
103	—	1,205	125.00–137.00	129.98
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
22	—	1,625	114.00–128.00	120.92
1	—	1,680	102.00	102.00
39	—	1,438	125.50–136.00	130.42
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,674	95.50–105.00	97.42
23	—	1,750	112.00–125.00	119.09
4	—	1,715	137.50	137.50
28	—	1,662	125.00–135.00	129.15
Dairy Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,560	92.00	92.00

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