Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · Weekly summary · Mon, Jan 20
● As filed129 lines reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1778

The state in one line

Counts as USDA filed them
Montana reported 129 priced lines covering 3,410 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 2,627 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 454 head. replacement cattle receipts at 720 head.

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Mon Jan 20, 2025
USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)
Feeder CattleReceipts 2,627Last week 6,698Year ago 6,196
Slaughter CattleReceipts 454Last week 1,210Year ago 2,036
Replacement CattleReceipts 720Last week 1,237Year ago 1,267

Compared to last report(12-16-24): Steer calves under 500 lbs were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however steady to weak undertones were noticed. Steers 450-699 lbs sold mostly steady; steers over 700 lbs sold mostly 4.00-8.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Heifers under 450 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market however higher undertones were noticed. Heifers 450-649 lbs sold mostly steady to 15.00 higher. Heifers over 650 lbs sold 5.00-10.00 higher. Demand was mostly very good for moderate offerings. Higher fed cattle prices continues to spur demand for feeder cattle as feedlots attempt to fill empty bunk space. Many sets of cattle were purchased to develop into yearlings, either on California grass or southern wheat pastures. Canadian buyers have taken a back seat for the last few weeks but showed more interest this week following higher fed cattle prices. The cattle on feed report was released this past Friday showing 11.8 million head on feed down 1% from last January. Placements were 1.64 million head, 3% lower than the previous year, marketing's totaled 1.74 million head 1% above last year. CME positions moved higher this week fueled by speculation of a positive cattle on feed report and higher slaughter cattle prices. The January contract closed Friday at 278.70, 5.20 higher than last Fridays close. The March contract closed Friday at 276.575, 8.525 higher than last Fridays close. The April contract closed at 275.45 on Friday. Quality this week was mostly average to very attractive. Package sizes were mostly moderate this week but not as large as last weeks sales. Fewer bidders were at the sale ringside this week, however demand remained strong for all offerings. Market activity was active with all bidders quickly bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light offerings. Packers showed stronger demand for slaughter cows compared to last week as they showed need for cows for immediate harvest. All cows purchased by packers were purchased for immediate harvest this week. Slaughter cows sold 6.00 to 10.00 higher on breaking and boning cows, lean cows sold 2.00-4.00 higher. Feeding cow demand remains very good. Private buyers were very aggressive as they bid on cows to feed. Even slightly lame or slightly blemished cows sold to feeding buyers. Feeding cows sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher on both short term and high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00-6.00 higher driven by strong demand from packers for immediate harvest. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold 5.00-10.00 higher. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Very good demand was seen from feeder buyers this week as many try to blend these older offerings in with yearlings.

Feeder Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
15800–850815263.00263.00
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
11100–11501,110201.00201.00
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
9500–550535307.00–323.00308.73
2550–600580272.00272.00
4650–700664259.00–265.00262.53
6750–800787235.00–242.00238.48
31100–11501,122223.00223.00
21150–12001,168214.00214.00
61250–13001,257191.00191.00
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4400–450439340.00340.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
12350–400381350.00–380.00377.12
18400–450408342.50–355.00353.40
33450–500463312.00–340.00320.83
41500–550512299.00–320.00317.06
87550–600571294.50–311.00297.84
4650–700676265.00265.00
2750–800775251.00251.00
2850–900858239.00239.00
10900–950935220.00–228.50224.79
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
23350–400365380.00–400.00381.76
38400–450428350.00–397.00376.61
201450–500476339.00–377.00356.78
123500–550521312.00–338.50329.41
166550–600587309.00–322.00311.78
135600–650608281.00–300.00296.21
94650–700678268.00–284.00276.78
54700–750719259.00–273.00267.87
48750–800776257.50–259.50259.07
6850–900858245.00245.00
9900–950905237.00237.00
5950–1000999228.00228.00
21000–10501,003217.00217.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4350–400393330.00330.00
4500–550506280.00280.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
4550–600584325.00325.00
4650–700676295.00295.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3350–400368410.00410.00
44400–450428372.00–415.00392.94
2450–500488365.00365.00
24550–600591319.00–328.00322.44
2600–650640294.00294.00
7650–700654295.00–299.00298.42
13700–750729276.00–286.00280.24
3750–800752275.00275.00
6850–900876249.00249.00
5900–950914249.00249.00
Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
91100–11501,109225.00225.00
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6500–550512337.50–342.50341.65
7600–650646277.50277.50
12650–700663287.00287.00
14700–750722260.00–281.00268.10
24750–800782261.00–275.50271.29
3800–850835266.00266.00
3950–1000987236.00236.00
41250–13001,296193.50193.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
30350–400368425.00–440.00433.03
60400–450427405.00–437.50419.12
86450–500483373.00–396.00385.05
116500–550521345.00–379.00369.61
162550–600570331.00–352.00344.90
146600–650629314.00–330.00322.92
71650–700683292.00–313.00303.95
44700–750713293.00–304.50301.73
79750–800785274.00–287.50281.47
54800–850812268.00–280.50275.07
3850–900893255.00255.00
4900–950940247.00247.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
15650–700665287.00287.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
49850–900851278.50278.50
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4450–500466310.00310.00
8600–650634292.50292.50
6650–700657267.50267.50
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3400–450408370.00–395.00378.67
1550–600575305.00305.00
3600–650627300.00300.00
12650–700685274.50274.50
2800–850825246.00246.00
2950–1000978237.50237.50
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
11000–10501,020225.00225.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1750–800765250.00250.00
11000–10501,040170.00170.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported
AgeStageHeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Bred Cows — Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)51,5842,000.00–2,150.002,111.05
Bred Cows — Medium 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)49431,975.00–2,600.002,285.01
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)71,2561,600.00–1,850.001,671.10
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo)21,5552,100.002,100.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)11,0552,250.002,250.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)21,2931,725.001,725.00
Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)11,0302,350.002,350.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)271,3062,250.00–2,550.002,376.06
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)11,3252,475.002,475.00
Aged (>8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)11,4201,800.001,800.00
Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)271,0982,700.00–2,875.002,805.80
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)411,2052,500.00–2,825.002,761.33
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)31,3782,550.002,550.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo)51,3891,900.001,900.00
Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)1111,2432,050.00–2,425.002,172.13
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Non-Legible BANGS$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)31,1722,500.002,500.00
Bred Heifers — Medium 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)258902,750.002,750.00
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)1461,1372,975.00–3,100.003,023.78
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open5908172.00–201.00189.37
Young (2-4 yrs)Open51,106126.00–156.00133.06
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open3893187.00187.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)Open1421,022146.50–231.00190.88
Young (2-4 yrs)Open831,165130.00–210.00156.91

Slaughter Cattle

As reported
HeadWt rangeAvg wtPrice rangeAvg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
142,017146.00–153.00150.61
12,270161.00161.00
151,745119.00–143.00134.93
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
11,345110.00110.00
Bulls — Natural$ per cwt · actual wt
22,023151.00–152.00151.51
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
31,237117.50–130.00122.35
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
11,200130.00130.00
571,207115.00–136.00129.84
551,153102.00–124.00115.15
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
51,10275.00–87.0081.49
171,15496.00–109.00101.24
91,195110.00–125.00116.48
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
31,32399.00–102.50100.52
151,502112.00–134.00121.69
91,483130.50–142.00137.08
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
251,324139.00–145.00139.43
11,505136.00136.00
161,528124.00–139.00128.27
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
61,738143.50–146.50145.58
641,600124.00–141.50131.22
21,578104.00–121.00112.46
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
41,588131.00–133.50132.05
901,354123.50–138.50132.48
61,396108.00–123.00117.37
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
490970.00–85.0077.87
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.