Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 221 priced lines covering 11,535 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 9,304 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 3,201 head. replacement cattle receipts at 1,728 head.

Mon Nov 4, 2024

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 9,304Last week 11,119Year ago 12,570

Slaughter CattleReceipts 3,201Last week 2,859Year ago 3,653

Replacement CattleReceipts 1,728Last week 1,108Year ago 1,430

Compared to last week: Steer calves under 550 lbs sold mostly steady to 8.00 lower, steer calves over 550 lbs sold mostly steady to firm. Heifer calves all sold steady to 5.00 higher. Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Calf quality this week was mixed from plain to very attractive. Quality was more attractive this week compared to last week. Demand was mostly moderate to good. Load lots of calves were finally seen this week with several on offer at all feeder specials this week. Load lots sold on good to very good demand. Many calves continue to be offered in small 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. Farmer-feeders were in the market again this week looking for calves to background. CME positions saw lower movement this past week. The November contract closed Friday at 245.425, 1.45 lower than last Fridays close; The January contract closed Friday at 241.425, 1.775 lower 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 heavy offerings. Packers showed mostly light demand for slaughter cows this week. Slaughter cows sold 2.00-3.00 lower on breaking cows, mostly 2.00 lower on boning cows and fully steady on lean cows. 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. Packers purchased slightly blemished cows to put on short term feed for the upcoming holidays. Feeding cow demand was similar this week compared to last week, however heavier offerings allowed for prices to soften slightly. Demand was mostly good to very good, with many takers seen for all types of cows. Feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 lower on all cows. Offerings were much heavier this week compared to last week. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to firm. Cow and bull quality this week was mixed from plain to very attractive. Weigh conditions were mixed this week. Cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 5.00 higher on a higher quality offering and heavier supplies.

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	2,080	148.00–157.00	153.45
44	—	1,758	121.00–147.00	135.64
3	—	1,972	160.00–165.00	161.87
38	—	1,836	144.00–159.00	148.64
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,357	144.00–150.00	145.94
29	—	1,564	124.00–144.00	139.90
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
26	—	1,409	101.00–117.00	110.63
7	—	1,475	72.00–95.00	86.91
21	—	1,349	90.00–107.00	101.43
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,567	89.00–91.00	90.45
680	—	1,381	110.00–129.00	121.93
138	—	1,375	94.00–119.00	109.53
43	—	1,392	126.00–131.00	127.32
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
18	—	1,170	99.00–111.00	103.99
58	—	1,186	81.00–105.00	92.38
27	—	1,108	62.00–82.00	76.89
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	949	86.00–94.00	90.54
4	—	948	94.50–98.00	95.84
7	—	922	70.00–77.50	74.72
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
38	—	1,186	122.50–129.00	125.48
434	—	1,193	110.00–125.00	115.91
329	—	1,161	90.00–115.00	107.02
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	1,707	126.50–137.50	129.20
15	—	1,673	115.00–126.00	122.23
10	—	1,687	106.00–119.00	114.58
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	1,556	125.50–131.50	128.52
18	—	1,598	107.00–123.50	114.63
48	—	1,464	115.00–128.00	119.37

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	400–450	422	306.00	306.00
5	450–500	499	282.00	282.00
9	500–550	514	265.00	265.00
10	550–600	587	246.00–247.00	246.80
13	650–700	675	223.00	223.00
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
11	1050–1100	1,061	214.75–216.00	214.98
19	1100–1150	1,112	202.50–205.00	204.21
2	1150–1200	1,188	200.00	200.00
2	1250–1300	1,293	185.00	185.00
Heifers — Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
23	400–450	405	283.00	283.00
10	500–550	523	247.50	247.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	400–450	441	300.00	300.00
3	550–600	560	240.00	240.00
3	750–800	770	240.00	240.00
1	800–850	810	210.00	210.00
4	850–900	884	211.00–233.00	226.92
8	900–950	914	213.00–223.00	221.71
14	1000–1050	1,043	207.00	207.00
1	1050–1100	1,090	205.00	205.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	250–300	292	330.00	330.00
11	300–350	300	350.00	350.00
24	350–400	381	301.00–320.00	315.19
47	400–450	411	285.00–306.00	298.35
17	450–500	469	271.00–297.50	291.51
10	500–550	527	258.00–265.00	262.35
22	550–600	587	231.00–250.00	242.12
6	700–750	708	236.00	236.00
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
10	350–400	397	312.50	312.50
6	450–500	456	270.00–296.00	291.72
3	550–600	598	234.00	234.00
17	650–700	651	245.00	245.00
14	700–750	714	235.00–237.00	236.41
4	800–850	843	223.00	223.00
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	600–650	622	239.00	239.00
Heifers — Medium 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
6	400–450	417	282.50	282.50
8	550–600	561	242.00	242.00
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
16	350–400	378	230.00–235.00	231.59
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	300–350	312	350.00	350.00
12	400–450	410	287.00–310.00	302.02
21	450–500	489	252.50–284.00	275.27
7	500–550	549	256.00	256.00
3	550–600	580	232.00	232.00
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1050–1100	1,080	203.50	203.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
11	450–500	496	269.00	269.00
14	500–550	541	260.00–263.00	261.93
22	550–600	575	243.00	243.00
3	600–650	648	243.00	243.00
7	650–700	681	235.00	235.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
32	250–300	284	375.00–400.00	390.92
97	300–350	336	355.00–392.50	378.39
212	350–400	364	327.50–368.00	351.60
310	400–450	414	305.00–352.00	331.49
579	450–500	470	283.00–324.25	307.60
335	500–550	527	248.00–298.00	283.79
289	550–600	574	250.00–285.50	269.25
78	600–650	624	238.00–255.00	247.78
65	650–700	659	235.00–248.00	245.38
9	700–750	726	235.00–241.00	236.33
2	750–800	785	236.00	236.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
44	400–450	416	322.00–354.00	350.88
29	450–500	485	300.00–305.00	300.87
20	500–550	548	267.00	267.00
12	550–600	563	254.00–259.00	255.71
4	600–650	603	235.00	235.00
113	750–800	756	240.00–248.75	248.43
4	800–850	846	242.00	242.00
37	850–900	859	230.00–238.50	236.15
45	900–950	916	231.00–237.00	232.67
14	950–1000	963	221.00–225.00	224.70
26	1000–1050	1,017	208.00–228.00	218.96
2	1050–1100	1,080	206.00	206.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
100	500–550	529	316.25	316.25
50	600–650	605	260.00–271.00	267.66
Heifers — Small and Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	450–500	469	240.00	240.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	300–350	339	355.00	355.00
7	350–400	395	295.00	295.00
6	450–500	481	241.00	241.00
6	500–550	515	245.00	245.00
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	1100–1150	1,112	192.50	192.50
Bulls — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	400–450	440	310.00	310.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	323	385.00–402.50	393.41
19	350–400	385	365.00–380.00	366.47
10	450–500	479	297.50–310.00	300.05
41	500–550	531	255.00–290.00	275.53
9	550–600	560	248.00–260.00	255.31
2	600–650	620	250.00	250.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	700–750	703	239.00	239.00
1	750–800	780	232.00	232.00
2	1000–1050	1,008	210.00–217.00	213.47
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	400–450	409	325.00	325.00
2	500–550	523	277.00	277.00
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	400–450	431	327.50	327.50
2	500–550	548	270.00	270.00
4	550–600	586	265.00	265.00
1	650–700	680	236.00	236.00
5	700–750	721	230.00	230.00
6	750–800	764	235.00	235.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	250–300	286	415.00–425.00	419.21
20	300–350	341	385.00–398.00	396.83
64	350–400	380	355.00–385.00	366.71
92	400–450	428	315.00–350.00	332.48
94	450–500	489	290.00–317.00	297.13
41	500–550	530	284.00–300.00	293.81
34	550–600	572	255.00–282.00	268.73
18	600–650	648	268.00	268.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
26	350–400	387	330.00–382.50	362.82
23	400–450	429	327.00–327.50	327.26
13	450–500	490	279.00	279.00
13	500–550	523	262.50	262.50
2	550–600	550	242.50	242.50
3	650–700	652	230.00	230.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	350–400	369	377.50–395.00	382.10
5	450–500	470	310.00	310.00
3	500–550	547	272.50	272.50
3	750–800	783	239.00	239.00
Steers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	250–300	299	445.00	445.00
4	350–400	399	337.50	337.50
18	400–450	428	315.00–327.00	321.43
2	450–500	488	302.50	302.50
11	500–550	514	262.50–304.00	288.75
8	550–600	581	277.50	277.50
Steers — Medium 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
13	400–450	419	250.00–295.00	257.16
11	450–500	465	232.50	232.50
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
13	350–400	363	322.50	322.50
13	400–450	448	296.00	296.00
19	650–700	666	239.00–260.00	250.24
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
50	250–300	276	440.00–491.00	462.29
108	300–350	328	400.00–455.00	423.36
212	350–400	383	370.00–413.00	399.03
277	400–450	424	340.00–400.00	362.13
858	450–500	477	315.00–364.00	339.53
865	500–550	527	298.00–329.00	313.78
711	550–600	576	266.00–308.75	296.76
435	600–650	626	261.00–295.00	280.63
268	650–700	671	250.00–281.00	265.58
33	700–750	713	246.00–267.00	254.63
36	750–800	762	240.50–266.00	255.72
2	800–850	803	241.00	241.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
92	450–500	472	314.00–352.00	329.40
15	500–550	539	299.00–301.00	299.65
50	550–600	571	285.00–300.00	294.00
33	600–650	625	270.00–271.00	270.48
31	650–700	664	264.00–270.00	266.32
30	700–750	720	253.00–262.00	260.40
1	750–800	775	260.00	260.00
12	800–850	803	258.00	258.00
30	900–950	943	233.00	233.00
17	950–1000	969	227.00–230.00	228.36
4	1000–1050	1,015	220.00	220.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
19	400–450	424	325.00–342.50	331.24
9	450–500	494	304.00	304.00
14	500–550	542	285.00–297.00	289.29
3	550–600	582	281.00	281.00
30	600–650	629	253.00–258.00	254.85
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
3	850–900	877	223.00	223.00
5	900–950	913	224.00	224.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	17	—	946	1,900.00	1,900.00
Bred Heifers — Medium 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	24	—	961	1,875.00–2,350.00	2,249.04
(<2 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	6	—	958	2,225.00	2,225.00
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	4	—	1,119	2,300.00	2,300.00
Bred Heifers — Medium 1 · Non-Legible BANGS$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	13	—	860	2,200.00	2,200.00
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	13	—	1,126	130.50–171.00	143.50
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	22	—	1,041	131.00–152.00	138.40
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	14	—	1,006	120.00–142.50	132.06
(<2 yrs)	Open	64	—	992	123.00–194.00	150.82
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	8	—	1,242	135.00–186.00	142.19
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	660	—	928	130.00–220.00	197.55
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	7	—	1,176	130.00–135.00	132.30
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	167	—	1,074	121.00–191.00	154.59
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	20	—	776	182.50–200.00	190.89
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	2	—	843	132.50–172.50	150.54
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	9	—	1,146	1,250.00	1,250.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	—	1,097	1,350.00	1,350.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	13	—	1,239	1,575.00–2,250.00	1,965.64
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	26	—	1,345	1,775.00–1,825.00	1,796.23
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	20	—	1,384	1,850.00–2,200.00	2,026.85
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	—	1,510	1,700.00	1,700.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	8	—	1,032	1,675.00–1,700.00	1,690.62
Bred Cows — Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	—	1,553	2,200.00	2,200.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	128	—	1,325	1,610.00–1,850.00	1,719.35
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	30	—	1,211	1,500.00–1,575.00	1,527.32
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	8	—	1,540	2,000.00–2,100.00	2,088.71
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	1	—	1,355	1,700.00	1,700.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	7	—	1,173	1,700.00–1,800.00	1,756.64
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	68	—	1,162	2,300.00–2,600.00	2,410.62
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	—	1,378	112.00	112.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	22	—	1,475	1,700.00–1,925.00	1,916.09
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	11	—	1,095	1,825.00–2,300.00	2,179.59
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	—	1,435	2,300.00	2,300.00
Bred Cows — Small and Medium 2 · Non-Legible BANGS$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	8	—	882	96.00	96.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	19	—	1,045	1,850.00	1,850.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	—	1,225	117.00	117.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	34	—	1,236	1,500.00–1,625.00	1,556.81

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