State summaries / Montana / Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary / 2021-05-03

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · Weekly summary · Mon, May 3

● As filed111 lines reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1778

State summary

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 111 priced lines covering 3,115 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 1,944 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 1,214 head. replacement cattle receipts at 738 head. Counted as USDA files them — 11 of those are cow-calf pairs, each counted once.

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Mon May 3, 2021

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 1,944Last week 4,246Year ago 1,410

Slaughter CattleReceipts 1,214Last week 1,154Year ago 633

Replacement CattleReceipts 738Last week 1,481Year ago 811

Compared to last week: Feeder steers were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Heifers under 550 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however sharply lower undertones were noticed. Heifers over 550 lbs sold mostly 3.00-9.00 lower. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Ranches in Eastern Montana are culling replacement heifers due to drought conditions and low water levels in reservoirs due to light snowfall this winter. Heifer quality this week was much more attractive than steer quality. Most of these offerings sold as feeder cattle and not as replacements. CME feeder cattle positions were lower again this week as high feed cost continue to put stress on the market. May feeder cattle settled Friday at 131.725, while the August settled at 144.275 which is 1.875 and 2.475 lower respectfully. Market activity was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Seasonally heavy supplies of cows are being marketed as drought conditions drive cows to market. Packers continue to show need for cows as they sent a large portion of them to immediate harvest this week. The cutter cow cutout continues to inch higher as we are entering the height of ground beef season. The weekly cutter cow cutout was 201.16 up 4.13 from last week. However, heavy supplies allowed packers to buy slaughter cows mostly lower this week. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 lower on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows sold steady to firm. Feeding cows sold mostly 1.00-2.00 lower. Packers continue to purchase large amounts of feeding cows as well. With high feed cost many private ranchers are mostly out of the market, but order buyers continue to search for and bid on cows that they think are bred. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady this week. Weigh up conditions were mixed this week. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. This class sold generally steady. Demand for rebreed type cattle was mostly good as quality was attractive. Feeding type cattle saw prices stabilize this week after several weeks of lower prices.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
169	—	718	125.00–133.00	130.40
29	—	670	131.00–139.50	136.90
10	—	810	111.00–118.00	113.09
102	—	764	120.00–124.00	123.43
5	—	895	108.00	108.00
107	—	570	146.50–156.00	149.20
62	—	522	144.00–152.00	149.01
14	—	473	146.00	146.00
85	—	627	133.00–146.75	141.40

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	810	109.00	109.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
18	—	435	135.00–150.00	146.94
48	—	580	130.00–142.00	138.61
1	—	710	122.00	122.00
4	—	398	150.00	150.00
18	—	520	145.00–148.00	146.10
26	—	483	131.00–145.00	137.09
31	—	629	130.00–137.50	135.52
63	—	662	132.75–133.50	132.84

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
64	—	757	130.00	130.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	489	149.00	149.00
18	—	376	147.50	147.50
10	—	324	146.00	146.00
33	—	434	145.00–147.00	146.41

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	485	122.50	122.50
15	—	648	101.00	101.00
12	—	438	143.00	143.00
17	—	571	100.00	100.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	473	135.00	135.00
19	—	713	112.00	112.00
18	—	556	120.00–132.00	122.11

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	518	134.00	134.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
18	—	765	132.00–138.00	134.99
6	—	425	187.00	187.00
39	—	629	150.00–164.00	153.20
12	—	460	182.00	182.00
5	—	822	120.50	120.50
3	—	543	165.00	165.00
23	—	727	134.50–136.00	135.01
14	—	563	160.00–160.50	160.29
9	—	683	139.00–150.50	146.35

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	700	150.00	150.00
15	—	513	190.00	190.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	600	148.00	148.00
23	—	484	161.00–175.00	166.38
2	—	568	160.00	160.00
18	—	521	151.00–167.50	153.21
3	—	810	117.00	117.00
2	—	335	180.00	180.00
14	—	650	135.00	135.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
55	—	652	121.00–125.00	123.90
8	—	580	140.00	140.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	918	114.00	114.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	429	155.00	155.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	912	106.00–109.00	108.13
2	—	70	225.00–275.00	250.00
5	—	959	100.00–105.50	101.10

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
22	—	520	128.00–136.00	132.76
12	—	662	115.00–124.00	118.64
10	—	584	128.00–137.00	130.57
10	—	480	132.50–135.00	133.80
4	—	708	117.00	117.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	426	138.00	138.00
5	—	492	130.00	130.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,125	92.00–98.00	95.17

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	808	106.00	106.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	7	—	1,326	1,085.00–1,150.00	1,100.98

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	4	—	1,186	800.00	800.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	790	84.00	84.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	6	—	787	61.00–79.00	71.44

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	309	—	958	75.50–107.00	91.36
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	207	—	1,087	61.00–96.00	77.42

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	4	—	1,000	65.00	65.00
(<2 yrs)	Open	23	—	1,022	81.00–85.00	81.15

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	5	—	929	84.00–86.00	84.38
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,220	62.00	62.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	14	—	1,055	850.00	850.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	13	—	1,168	900.00–1,200.00	1,024.38
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	5	—	1,283	92.00–101.00	93.59
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	13	—	1,287	1,000.00–1,375.00	1,155.27

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	10	—	1,487	850.00–935.00	893.39

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	N/A	1	—	1,790	1,900.00	1,900.00
(<2 yrs)	N/A	6	—	1,110	1,600.00–2,100.00	1,810.13

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	12	—	1,043	1,025.00–1,050.00	1,030.28

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,075	41.00–50.00	45.52
140	—	1,169	47.00–63.50	55.99
101	—	1,205	57.00–66.50	61.09
6	—	1,145	67.50–69.75	69.02

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,548	73.50	73.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	1,214	68.50–72.00	70.26
90	—	1,179	62.00–68.50	65.93
124	—	1,174	52.00–65.00	57.49

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
149	—	1,427	62.50–68.50	66.15
39	—	1,416	57.00–64.50	61.94
28	—	1,404	67.00–73.50	71.23

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	875	61.00–63.00	62.02
11	—	919	50.00–58.00	53.31
3	—	820	43.00–48.50	46.84

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
30	—	1,606	65.00–69.50	67.13
9	—	1,735	72.50–73.50	72.61
30	—	1,613	61.00–66.50	63.51

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,493	53.00	53.00
55	—	1,393	62.00–67.50	63.97
4	—	1,383	69.50	69.50
88	—	1,420	53.00–62.50	58.56

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,540	79.00	79.00
52	—	1,794	83.00–92.50	87.25
37	—	1,593	72.00–83.50	78.90
32	—	2,019	90.00–102.00	95.14

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,125	65.00	65.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,255	84.00–88.00	85.79
19	—	1,247	72.00–83.50	77.98

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.