Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · Weekly summary · Mon, Jan 6
● As filed132 lines reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1778

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them
Montana reported 132 priced lines covering 4,957 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 4,879 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 860 head. replacement cattle receipts at 268 head.

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Mon Jan 6, 2025
USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)
Feeder CattleReceipts 4,879Last week 3,178Year ago 5,563
Slaughter CattleReceipts 860Last week 1,337Year ago 1,496
Replacement CattleReceipts 268Last week 5,168Year ago 1,170

Compared to last report(12-16-24): Steer calves under 450 lbs were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. 450-849 lbs steers sold mostly 12.00-20.00 higher. Heifers under 450 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Heifers 450 lbs and heavier sold 15.00-25.00 higher. Demand was good to very good for this first week back following the holiday break. CME positions have moved higher since the holidays fueled by higher slaughter cattle prices. The January contract closed Friday at 272.35. The March contract closed Friday at 269.40. Quality this week was mostly average to very attractive. Package sizes were mostly moderate this week as several sales had feeder cattle specials. Buyers bid aggressively as they pushed to fill loads. A large crowd of bidders were at the sale ringside as well as over the internet. Market activity was active as a result. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Packers showed slightly stronger demand for slaughter cows compared to sales prior to the holidays. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher. Feeding cow demand remains very good. Private buyers and packer buyers both showed very good demand for any cows suitable to feed. Even slightly lame or slightly blemished cows sold to feeding buyers. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher on both short term and high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 4.00-7.00 lower as packers saw less competition from private feeders. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly plain to average and lower in quality than the last sale.

Feeder Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
13250–300284465.00465.00
6400–450441364.00364.00
23700–750724265.00–276.00269.23
9850–900882249.00249.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
10350–400380417.50–429.00423.90
52400–450429362.50–403.00378.50
24450–500482357.50–376.00372.67
31500–550535330.00–353.00348.78
18550–600571310.00–325.00321.76
47600–650640290.00–318.00316.82
16650–700665261.00–290.00270.92
5700–750722279.00–284.00281.94
15750–800760272.00–278.00276.66
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5500–550514361.00361.00
10650–700657308.00308.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
113300–350336475.00–515.00482.20
12350–400369435.00–470.00460.66
236400–450422410.00–445.00421.28
203450–500470371.00–405.00389.90
182500–550530357.50–378.00362.39
196550–600567326.50–365.00348.44
237600–650618310.00–345.00331.25
218650–700671306.00–321.00318.61
122700–750723284.50–313.00294.58
58750–800780278.00–283.00282.25
35800–850819260.00–273.00268.07
38850–900880250.00–269.50266.70
6950–1000980241.00241.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
4850–900858248.00248.00
5950–1000964240.00240.00
211000–10501,017226.00–234.50232.79
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3500–550515325.00325.00
3550–600568287.50287.50
4650–700686268.00268.00
71150–12001,165215.00215.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
6350–400398385.00385.00
2400–450425387.50387.50
4450–500478310.00310.00
6600–650647278.00278.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
12750–800759269.00269.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
6850–900872231.00231.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
11450–500465354.00354.00
3550–600572304.00304.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
82450–500457382.00382.00
6500–550528349.00349.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
89300–350344400.00–412.00410.35
90350–400380373.00–405.00385.57
230400–450435347.50–379.00368.99
146450–500466332.00–378.00356.03
398500–550528312.00–347.00338.95
109550–600568293.00–332.00311.94
123600–650626289.00–306.00292.98
230650–700673267.00–291.00278.74
80700–750716262.50–275.00266.74
29750–800762256.00–266.00260.69
9800–850814253.00–255.00253.66
15850–900857240.00–251.00241.49
17950–1000989230.50–233.00230.73
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2300–350318345.00345.00
21350–400375365.00–374.00370.40
28400–450441344.50–357.00348.51
11450–500460315.00–330.00320.53
42500–550503310.00–322.00314.85
50550–600560275.00–290.00285.88
9600–650615281.00–284.00282.64
5650–700667252.00252.00
7700–750717249.00–250.00249.71
35750–800788244.00–250.50249.13
4800–850829236.00236.00
2900–950920233.00233.00
11000–10501,040210.00210.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
13350–400379350.00350.00
9400–450436325.00325.00
4450–500470300.00300.00
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
26300–350319347.50–355.00348.37
33350–400373337.50–380.00355.46
52400–450428320.00–357.00337.81
17650–700668232.50–255.00240.47
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
11100–11501,100213.00213.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
7650–700695261.00261.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
20600–650603319.00319.00
11800–850821261.00261.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
6600–650637254.00254.00
8850–900886232.00232.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
31100–11501,110206.00206.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3350–400387410.00410.00
14450–500483342.50–360.00351.23
3650–700677282.00282.00
10700–750708268.00–281.00274.43
3800–850802248.00248.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported
AgeStageHeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)61,3501,500.00–1,875.001,690.49
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)41,2662,500.002,500.00
Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)251,0442,250.00–2,300.002,294.33
Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo)11,3702,400.002,400.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Non-Legible BANGS$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo)39772,000.002,000.00
Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)61,4232,400.002,400.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo)21,4002,250.002,250.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open6962129.00–192.50152.12
Young (2-4 yrs)Open41,087130.00–136.00133.02
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open701,099141.00–211.00167.81
Young (2-4 yrs)Open911,086132.00–185.50166.85
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open21,373173.00173.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
162,062138.00–146.00143.30
181,816119.00–139.00129.79
22,200150.00–150.50150.25
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
11,410105.00105.00
Bulls — Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
22,538136.00–139.00137.52
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
61,451139.00–151.00146.36
81,470122.00–138.50134.59
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
31,613131.50–133.50132.90
11,980107.00107.00
121,657118.00–130.00124.47
11,890115.00115.00
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
401,408136.00–138.00137.78
11,545131.00131.00
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
682292.00–100.0094.17
12988110.00110.00
192587.5087.50
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
21,12588.0088.00
361,175115.00–129.00120.86
611,16596.50–117.00105.41
231,220127.00–133.50129.12
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
251,19289.00–105.0095.41
191,15170.00–89.0080.28
61,259105.00–115.00110.88
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
11,55591.0091.00
101,41696.00–107.00102.48
81,635108.00–117.00113.21
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
521,43994.00–117.00112.77
891,463131.00–144.00133.87
1221,357116.00–132.00126.58
Dairy Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
31,40095.0095.00
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.