State summaries / Montana / Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary / 2024-01-29

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · Weekly summary · Mon, Jan 29

● As filed155 lines reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1778

State summary

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 155 priced lines covering 5,635 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 4,561 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 1,587 head. replacement cattle receipts at 462 head.

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Mon Jan 29, 2024

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 4,561Last week 6,196Year ago 852

Slaughter CattleReceipts 1,587Last week 2,036Year ago 263

Replacement CattleReceipts 462Last week 1,267Year ago 110

Compared to last week: Steers under 500 lbs were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Steers 500-799 lbs sold generally steady, steers over 800 lbs were not well compared. Heifers under 500 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Heifers 500-549 lbs sold mostly steady. Heifers 550-799 lbs sold unevenly steady. Demand was mostly good to very good this week for moderate to heavy offerings. Quality was mixed from plain to attractive with lots of variation seen. Many different cattle breeds, frame scores and flesh conditions were seen this week. Package sizes varied greatly but several light loads and partial loads were seen. The best demand continues to be for cattle light and green enough to go to grass. Flesh conditions overall remain light especially on cattle turned out on pasture or hay meadows. CME positions continue to push higher. This week the cattle inventory report was released mid week and higher feeder positions were seen both before and after its release. The cattle inventory report showed all cattle and calves in the US down 2% at 87.157 million head. This is the lowest cattle heard since 1951. The March closed at 244.80 on Friday, 5.10 higher for the week. The April contract closed at 250.20, 4.60 higher for the week. Market activity was mostly active this week as both order-buyers, farmer feeders, and ranchers bid aggressively over high quality offerings. Sale attendance was high again this week with lots of buyers in the stands for all sales. Weigh up cows sold on good demand for light to moderate offerings. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Packers showed good demand for all cows this week as they balanced buying both feeding cows and slaughter cows. Feeding buyers on both Tuesday and Thursdays sales saw very aggressive buying, but were not as aggressive on Wednesday and prices softened slightly as a result. Slaughter cows sold steady to 3.00 higher on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold unevenly steady from 2.00 lower to 3.00 higher. Feeding cows suitable to feed to premium white sold steady to 2.00 higher. Slaughter and feeding bulls sold steady to weak in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were not well compared as more two year old heifers that lost calves were seen this week. Both feeding and rebreed buyers both showed good demand for these offerings as higher live cattle prices improved feeding demand. Coming 2 and coming 3 year old heifers remain eligible to grade choice and buyers some will to take the risk to feed these offerings. Quality was average to attractive this week.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	315	280.00–310.00	295.38
9	—	438	305.00	305.00
3	—	363	305.00	305.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	1,061	188.00	188.00
15	—	1,110	184.00	184.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	684	255.00–260.00	256.29
54	—	529	297.50–315.50	305.84
3	—	385	343.00	343.00
27	—	587	282.00–295.00	291.47
12	—	732	235.00–241.00	236.97
27	—	467	302.50–334.00	319.34
35	—	637	265.00–280.00	276.10
59	—	428	321.00–337.50	331.14
2	—	873	222.00	222.00
5	—	341	350.00	350.00
15	—	776	233.00	233.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,150	185.00	185.00
75	—	652	232.50–264.00	261.93
10	—	615	267.50	267.50
3	—	877	225.00	225.00
9	—	555	300.00	300.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
52	—	630	259.00–272.00	267.02
48	—	326	320.00–337.50	327.24
4	—	729	235.00	235.00
5	—	394	321.00	321.00
4	—	508	311.00	311.00
15	—	483	318.00–327.00	323.85

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
37	—	421	337.50–359.00	347.75
8	—	798	237.75	237.75
416	—	578	295.00–316.00	307.63
90	—	679	253.00–272.50	266.61
40	—	378	365.00–372.50	367.11
64	—	717	250.00–256.00	252.77
265	—	524	319.00–340.00	332.29
183	—	632	284.00–295.00	291.00
85	—	467	330.00–354.50	343.96

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
35	—	967	208.00	208.00
12	—	870	210.00	210.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
25	—	547	304.00	304.00
37	—	485	322.00–335.75	335.06
42	—	417	334.00	334.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
27	—	876	220.00	220.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	413	305.00	305.00
3	—	492	290.00	290.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	553	331.00	331.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
62	—	376	294.00–307.50	303.30
16	—	520	279.00–282.50	281.14
7	—	730	216.00	216.00
37	—	586	241.00–262.00	246.93
24	—	309	302.50–310.00	308.34
1	—	845	199.00	199.00
27	—	438	287.50–300.00	291.01
16	—	613	220.00–237.50	232.98
16	—	881	199.00–201.50	200.57
43	—	480	277.50–291.00	285.02
5	—	780	205.00	205.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	576	250.00	250.00
4	—	759	215.00	215.00
8	—	497	293.00	293.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
255	—	583	261.00–286.00	271.46
2	—	845	217.50	217.50
4	—	863	204.00–210.00	205.53
13	—	337	320.00–322.50	322.14
27	—	720	224.00–244.00	229.25
88	—	421	305.00–317.50	314.25
140	—	626	254.00–266.00	258.83
46	—	677	235.00–244.00	239.54
381	—	475	294.00–318.00	309.39
193	—	523	284.00–308.00	294.21

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
85	—	630	264.00	264.00
173	—	573	285.50–286.00	285.76
37	—	765	234.00	234.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
35	—	986	189.00–190.00	189.14
4	—	1,035	185.00	185.00
17	—	887	197.75	197.75

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	548	245.00	245.00
4	—	480	271.00	271.00
7	—	392	292.50	292.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
19	—	356	275.00–295.00	278.37

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
32	—	382	317.50	317.50
32	—	462	288.00–291.00	288.76
5	—	525	290.00	290.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	486	266.00	266.00
6	—	393	277.50–295.00	280.21
6	—	591	236.00	236.00
5	—	340	302.50	302.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	860	215.00	215.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	729	240.00	240.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	692	228.00	228.00
10	—	549	274.50	274.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	840	217.00	217.00
2	—	750	230.00	230.00
1	—	1,085	160.00	160.00
2	—	1,033	180.00	180.00
7	—	625	255.00–273.00	265.26
7	—	489	312.00–320.00	313.07
5	—	667	248.00–255.00	250.81

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	673	205.00	205.00
2	—	945	175.00	175.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,132	143.00	143.00
10	—	643	267.00	267.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
163	—	1,151	75.00–93.00	84.79
69	—	1,192	88.00–99.00	93.91
4	—	1,286	102.50–104.00	102.88
16	—	1,082	65.00–78.00	74.35

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	1,548	98.00–104.50	103.60
8	—	1,618	106.50–109.00	107.83
23	—	1,652	93.00–101.00	96.99

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,413	102.00–113.00	106.71
27	—	1,373	80.00–94.50	87.10
53	—	1,400	90.00–104.50	97.55

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
31	—	1,424	102.00–106.50	104.08
163	—	1,394	92.00–105.00	99.53
11	—	1,351	89.00–94.00	92.64

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
25	—	1,575	94.50–99.00	95.31
103	—	1,401	99.00–103.00	99.48
5	—	1,590	106.50–108.00	107.10

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
23	—	1,232	97.00–105.00	101.82
74	—	1,168	81.00–92.50	90.43
295	—	1,192	89.50–100.00	96.10

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Premium White 65-75%$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	1,657	103.50–104.00	103.93
74	—	1,710	105.25–106.25	105.49

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	985	92.00	92.00
11	—	974	67.50–85.00	78.24
4	—	914	52.50–75.00	62.39

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,644	112.00	112.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,329	93.00–103.00	97.04

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,600	92.00	92.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
43	—	1,873	111.00–119.00	112.81
52	—	1,750	90.00–111.00	103.13
1	—	2,340	117.00	117.00
14	—	1,986	119.00–128.00	121.77

Replacement Cattle

As reported

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)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	24	—	1,289	109.00	109.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	14	—	1,398	1,550.00–1,560.00	1,554.97
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	8	—	1,342	1,610.00–1,700.00	1,628.88

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	5	—	1,316	1,500.00–1,575.00	1,559.04
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	3	—	1,197	1,700.00–1,750.00	1,733.78
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	2	—	1,258	1,750.00	1,750.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	9	—	1,332	1,335.00–1,385.00	1,373.91

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	2	—	1,240	1,500.00	1,500.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	2	—	1,450	1,710.00	1,710.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	—	1,310	1,650.00	1,650.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	5	—	1,170	1,800.00–2,050.00	1,956.15
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	—	1,145	2,000.00	2,000.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	8	—	1,472	1,550.00–1,635.00	1,623.52
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	17	—	1,397	2,350.00–2,450.00	2,416.84

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	2	—	1,093	1,100.00	1,100.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	785	97.00	97.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	20	—	1,223	151.00	151.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,355	114.00	114.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	94	—	1,011	122.00–191.50	167.45
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	22	—	1,168	96.00–122.00	108.99
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	157	—	1,010	102.00–163.00	131.49

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	14	—	894	120.00–185.00	155.67
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	5	—	1,030	91.00–125.00	105.73

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.