Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 244 priced lines covering 13,578 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 10,684 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 4,376 head. replacement cattle receipts at 1,900 head.

Mon Nov 11, 2024

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 10,684Last week 9,304Year ago 11,490

Slaughter CattleReceipts 4,376Last week 3,201Year ago 4,278

Replacement CattleReceipts 1,900Last week 1,728Year ago 1,170

Compared to last week: Steer calves under 350 were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Steer calves 350-549 lbs sold mostly 10.00-15.00 higher, 550-649 lbs steers sold 5.00-10.00 higher, steers over 650 sold generally steady. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold steady to weak on a lower quality offering; heifers 450 lbs and heavier sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher. Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Load lots of yearlings continue to sell on good to very good demand while small lots sold with large discounts to load lots and part loads. Packages sizes under 5 head sold with significantly lighter demand compared to larger consignments. Calf quality this week was mixed from plain to very attractive. Demand was mostly moderate to very good. Load lots of calves sold on very good demand. Several Canadian buyers were very active this week buying mostly 500 to 650 lbs steers. This weight sold with the best demand this week, even outpacing light weight calves suitable to develop into yearlings. Many of these offerings are shipping north to be fed in Canada. Most lightweight calves continue to go south to wheat pastures or west to California to grass. CME positions saw sharply higher movement late this past week. The November contract closed Friday at 251.10, 5.675 higher than last Fridays close; The January contract closed Friday at 247.225, 5.80 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 heavy offerings. Packers showed mostly light demand for slaughter cows this week. Slaughter cows sold steady to 3.00 lower on all offerings. 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. These type offerings sold steady to 3.00 lower. 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. High quality feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-4.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to weak. 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 steady to weak. Quality overall, was not as attractive this week as they were last week.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	350–400	399	345.00	345.00
3	400–450	400	345.00	345.00
12	450–500	489	295.00–302.50	299.35
2	500–550	525	257.50	257.50
5	550–600	558	265.00	265.00
2	700–750	720	220.00	220.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7	800–850	821	220.00–229.00	227.74
5	850–900	885	228.00	228.00
38	950–1000	987	221.00	221.00
3	1000–1050	1,018	212.00–222.50	216.49
1	1050–1100	1,060	213.00	213.00
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1000–1050	1,025	217.50	217.50
16	1100–1150	1,106	182.00–205.00	193.10
1	1150–1200	1,155	195.00	195.00
2	1200–1250	1,208	175.00–182.00	178.49
3	1250–1300	1,255	152.50–180.00	170.76
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	400–450	427	360.00	360.00
18	450–500	474	302.50–335.00	313.78
13	500–550	535	275.00–292.50	281.67
9	550–600	577	259.00–272.50	266.32
29	650–700	672	230.00–240.00	235.87
3	700–750	707	233.00	233.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	400–450	449	315.00	315.00
7	450–500	466	309.00	309.00
6	500–550	519	267.50	267.50
3	550–600	597	240.00	240.00
21	700–750	721	235.00–239.00	236.26
8	750–800	778	236.00–237.00	236.26
41	850–900	864	215.00–226.00	221.71
2	900–950	918	218.00–223.00	220.51
7	950–1000	968	213.00	213.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8	200–250	249	330.00	330.00
30	250–300	288	365.00–367.50	367.05
54	300–350	325	344.00–390.00	363.83
146	350–400	383	295.00–337.50	327.67
48	400–450	424	300.00–315.00	308.64
38	450–500	487	270.00–300.00	283.66
27	500–550	530	259.00–292.00	265.60
33	550–600	580	236.00–256.00	246.47
7	600–650	617	242.00–243.00	242.71
12	650–700	659	230.00–234.00	231.90
11	700–750	720	229.00–241.00	237.80
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	250–300	267	330.00	330.00
6	300–350	319	310.00	310.00
9	350–400	393	290.00–303.00	298.67
4	400–450	433	245.00	245.00
11	450–500	461	270.00	270.00
7	500–550	521	230.00–243.00	233.84
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	200–250	235	460.00	460.00
34	250–300	292	398.00–412.50	406.65
108	300–350	328	356.00–407.00	378.86
116	350–400	381	330.00–385.00	344.95
283	400–450	427	316.00–345.00	326.08
459	450–500	474	282.50–328.00	309.79
593	500–550	525	263.00–310.00	292.93
336	550–600	569	247.00–288.00	266.71
140	600–650	616	241.00–261.50	252.81
49	650–700	666	235.00–241.00	237.30
7	700–750	727	235.00–239.00	236.86
1	750–800	765	235.00	235.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	300–350	304	380.00	380.00
15	350–400	379	335.00–362.50	346.24
34	400–450	426	327.00–337.00	328.81
60	450–500	467	308.00–328.00	316.11
93	500–550	516	274.00–322.00	296.32
23	550–600	572	245.00–280.00	261.83
8	600–650	611	249.00–256.00	251.60
7	650–700	680	235.00–239.00	237.32
7	700–750	740	242.50	242.50
28	800–850	817	235.00–238.00	235.68
7	850–900	887	235.00–239.00	235.91
42	900–950	933	221.00–227.50	226.10
12	950–1000	967	215.00–225.00	217.78
58	1000–1050	1,024	207.00–214.00	210.42
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
23	350–400	378	292.50–338.00	319.36
33	400–450	423	282.50–312.50	295.06
6	450–500	475	292.00	292.00
7	500–550	515	265.00	265.00
10	550–600	567	241.00–247.00	244.02
25	600–650	611	237.00–243.00	239.66
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	350–400	388	290.00	290.00
14	400–450	429	305.00–310.00	307.44
3	450–500	462	270.00	270.00
8	500–550	533	258.00	258.00
8	550–600	552	252.00	252.00
8	650–700	693	250.50	250.50
7	700–750	748	221.00	221.00
5	800–850	843	215.00	215.00
5	850–900	866	214.00	214.00
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
10	400–450	441	265.00	265.00
Heifers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	550–600	558	231.00–249.25	244.33
1	600–650	605	225.00	225.00
2	700–750	718	235.00	235.00
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	900–950	910	211.00	211.00
8	1050–1100	1,080	201.00–209.00	205.11
6	1100–1150	1,100	202.00	202.00
2	1200–1250	1,220	197.50	197.50
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	600–650	625	233.00	233.00
Heifers — Small and Medium 3 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	350–400	371	180.00	180.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
7	550–600	580	249.00	249.00
7	850–900	894	216.00	216.00
14	950–1000	984	202.00–204.00	202.99
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
22	400–450	406	350.00	350.00
49	450–500	471	330.00	330.00
15	500–550	516	315.50	315.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	400–450	440	255.00	255.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
28	600–650	625	255.00–268.50	262.65
44	650–700	651	250.00–252.50	252.33
Heifers — Medium 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	300–350	342	230.00	230.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
6	550–600	574	243.00	243.00
11	1000–1050	1,011	206.00	206.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	200–250	247	430.00	430.00
13	250–300	271	420.00–470.00	447.87
60	300–350	331	403.00–445.00	420.19
54	350–400	381	355.00–405.00	376.66
97	400–450	434	320.00–352.50	339.83
28	450–500	478	295.00–327.50	312.47
137	500–550	523	285.00–327.50	312.78
70	550–600	579	265.00–285.00	279.51
86	600–650	622	248.00–282.00	272.28
15	650–700	677	250.00–269.00	258.51
4	700–750	732	240.00–241.00	240.49
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	275	475.00	475.00
18	300–350	332	440.00	440.00
11	350–400	367	380.00–408.00	390.68
48	400–450	421	350.00–391.00	373.70
122	450–500	479	331.00–370.00	345.06
90	500–550	526	316.00–342.00	327.68
50	550–600	568	299.50–310.00	305.60
70	600–650	619	283.00–293.50	291.08
32	650–700	670	260.00–272.00	265.57
60	700–750	719	257.00–268.50	264.53
7	800–850	804	251.00	251.00
65	900–950	926	240.00–245.00	244.85
19	950–1000	981	234.75–236.00	235.01
6	1050–1100	1,097	218.00	218.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	340	385.00	385.00
6	350–400	365	395.00	395.00
22	400–450	431	340.00–355.00	350.20
26	450–500	468	318.00–330.00	323.93
5	550–600	556	297.00	297.00
14	600–650	628	252.00–275.00	268.30
5	650–700	661	257.00	257.00
2	850–900	893	237.00	237.00
4	900–950	924	234.00	234.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
36	250–300	279	455.00–497.00	481.30
62	300–350	321	420.00–475.00	441.14
169	350–400	377	382.50–445.00	407.26
344	400–450	414	340.00–402.00	375.28
824	450–500	473	312.00–385.00	351.44
598	500–550	522	294.00–359.00	325.49
1,116	550–600	567	286.00–316.00	307.66
485	600–650	618	267.00–305.00	289.19
124	650–700	664	260.00–279.50	273.44
92	700–750	717	244.00–273.00	261.68
2	750–800	753	245.00	245.00
6	800–850	813	234.00	234.00
2	850–900	870	242.00	242.00
Steers — Medium 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	400–450	414	295.00	295.00
4	450–500	465	227.50	227.50
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	400–450	434	330.00–365.00	351.45
9	450–500	477	334.00	334.00
12	550–600	569	291.00	291.00
4	600–650	641	263.00	263.00
Steers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	450–500	453	305.00	305.00
8	500–550	519	280.00	280.00
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	335	425.00	425.00
4	500–550	535	315.00	315.00
14	550–600	569	280.00–285.00	283.87
3	700–750	718	243.00	243.00
Steers — Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
22	500–550	541	266.00	266.00
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7	550–600	598	292.00	292.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
5	400–450	402	330.00	330.00
9	600–650	641	252.00	252.00
Steers — Small and Medium 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	350–400	373	235.00	235.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
4	600–650	644	266.00	266.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	500–550	500	232.50	232.50
7	600–650	642	230.00	230.00
Steers — Medium 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	350–400	381	330.00	330.00
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
11	650–700	675	243.00	243.00
Beef/Dairy Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
13	650–700	697	219.00	219.00
17	850–900	878	206.00	206.00
Beef/Dairy Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
28	750–800	791	238.50	238.50
13	900–950	914	220.00	220.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	2	—	1,133	1,500.00	1,500.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	—	1,408	1,975.00	1,975.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	21	—	1,104	1,950.00–2,400.00	2,351.26
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	31	—	1,217	109.00–121.50	117.30
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	3	—	1,207	1,600.00	1,600.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	9	—	1,277	110.00	110.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	8	—	1,038	1,550.00–1,750.00	1,670.78
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	29	—	1,210	2,050.00–2,500.00	2,316.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	3	—	1,370	118.00	118.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	3	—	1,638	116.00	116.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	—	1,465	1,825.00	1,825.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	24	—	1,288	118.50	118.50
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Non-Legible BANGS$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	990	2,200.00	2,200.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	1	—	1,185	1,925.00	1,925.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	19	—	1,333	115.50	115.50
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	40	—	1,234	1,650.00–1,800.00	1,751.86
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	10	—	1,186	110.00	110.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	—	1,085	1,500.00	1,500.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	—	1,060	1,200.00	1,200.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	10	—	768	192.50–194.00	193.69
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	21	—	1,124	119.00–135.00	124.60
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	426	—	1,033	121.00–196.00	157.24
(<2 yrs)	Open	620	—	940	140.00–224.50	192.70
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	2	—	693	187.50	187.50
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	9	—	988	140.00–205.00	190.60
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	44	—	980	112.00–170.00	131.80
(<2 yrs)	Open	59	—	961	120.00–186.00	153.18
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	17	—	912	125.00	125.00
Bred Heifers — Medium 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	10	—	884	1,850.00	1,850.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,210	100.00–120.00	107.22
Bulls — Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,690	156.00	156.00
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,773	154.00–156.00	155.45
3	—	2,122	148.00–152.00	149.38
28	—	1,814	120.00–143.00	136.69
35	—	1,977	144.00–154.00	147.76
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
34	—	1,622	144.00–147.00	145.42
61	—	1,605	116.00–143.50	137.50
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	905	80.00–88.00	84.14
14	—	895	60.00–78.00	72.91
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
573	—	1,161	92.00–117.00	104.35
732	—	1,194	107.00–123.00	114.61
43	—	1,019	81.00–94.00	90.75
32	—	1,186	120.00–130.00	124.26
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,015	121.50	121.50
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
66	—	1,397	120.50–125.50	122.57
237	—	1,381	93.00–113.50	106.41
884	—	1,361	105.00–124.00	116.61
3	—	1,440	92.00–94.00	93.05
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,814	131.00–131.50	131.40
10	—	1,766	117.00–121.00	118.67
6	—	1,699	107.00–116.00	113.20
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
70	—	1,112	62.00–88.00	77.45
22	—	1,179	85.00–111.00	103.82
55	—	1,198	87.00–102.00	94.33
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
45	—	1,432	102.00–115.00	106.07
11	—	1,386	92.00–101.00	96.42
3	—	1,409	85.00	85.00
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
77	—	1,594	116.50–124.50	118.61
3	—	1,530	121.00–130.00	124.10
43	—	1,521	99.00–115.00	113.01

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

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Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

The state in one line