State summaries / Montana / Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary / 2024-02-05

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · Weekly summary · Mon, Feb 5

● As filed154 lines reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1778

State summary

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 154 priced lines covering 7,573 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 5,194 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 549 head. replacement cattle receipts at 2,932 head.

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Mon Feb 5, 2024

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 5,194Last week 4,561Year ago 4,857

Slaughter CattleReceipts 549Last week 1,587Year ago 761

Replacement CattleReceipts 2,932Last week 462Year ago 3,373

Compared to last week: Steers under 500 lbs sold mostly 5.00-15.00 higher in a narrow comparison; 500-750 lbs sold 15.00-20.00 higher; steers over 750 lbs were not well compared, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Heifers under 550 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher; heifers over 550 lbs sold 10.00-15.00 higher. Demand was mostly good to very good this week for moderate to heavy offerings. Quality was mixed from plain to very attractive. Package sizes varied greatly, but many partial load lots and load lots 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, but slowed slightly this week after an aggressive push higher over the last few weeks. The March closed at 247.05 on Friday, 2.25 higher for the week. The April contract closed at 251.775, 1.575 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 this week. Weigh up cows sold on very good demand for light offerings. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Packers showed very good demand for all cows this week as they balanced buying both feeding cows and slaughter cows. Slaughter cows sold 3.00-5.00 higher on all offerings. Feeding cows suitable to feed to premium white sold 2.00-5.00 higher. Slaughter and feeding bulls sold 2.00-4.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold 5.00-10.00 higher, with very good demand seen for young cows that are still eligible to grade choice. Both feeding and rebreed buyers both showed good demand for these offerings as higher live cattle prices improved feeding demand. Quality was average to attractive this week.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
21	—	795	218.50–221.00	219.56
264	—	485	303.00–322.00	312.21
44	—	683	245.00–255.00	249.32
37	—	374	327.00–335.00	330.56
94	—	428	310.00–325.00	318.11
162	—	568	278.00–295.00	286.99
86	—	616	266.00–280.00	274.37
267	—	521	291.50–318.00	306.83
91	—	724	233.00–242.00	237.46

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	674	240.00	240.00
20	—	485	286.00	286.00
2	—	435	280.00	280.00
26	—	520	271.00–282.00	276.70
21	—	577	262.00	262.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
28	—	680	229.00–234.00	232.01
51	—	519	276.00–289.00	284.28
11	—	769	218.50	218.50
22	—	626	260.00–266.00	261.93
25	—	437	295.00	295.00
20	—	329	320.00–330.00	321.68
80	—	558	253.00–278.00	272.83
30	—	492	290.00–305.00	296.47
8	—	370	300.00–312.00	309.14

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	473	242.50–276.00	263.52
7	—	517	270.00	270.00
12	—	605	211.00–236.00	219.37
2	—	690	241.00	241.00
15	—	584	230.00–242.50	239.36

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	559	272.00	272.00
10	—	530	261.00	261.00
17	—	452	292.50	292.50
8	—	431	306.00	306.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	417	270.00–280.00	274.13

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
59	—	562	299.00–305.50	303.93

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	425	267.00	267.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
20	—	430	305.00–327.50	318.14
6	—	674	223.00	223.00
5	—	648	272.00	272.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
63	—	487	325.00–348.00	332.05
53	—	584	288.00–311.00	294.28
25	—	528	310.00–324.00	319.83
11	—	716	244.00–253.00	247.46
43	—	438	342.00–367.50	356.73
2	—	883	225.00	225.00
3	—	920	210.00	210.00
45	—	627	253.00–297.00	283.93
10	—	356	363.00–370.00	364.37
6	—	323	350.00–355.00	351.59
25	—	674	267.00–275.00	268.28
44	—	810	232.00–237.50	235.87
6	—	771	236.00	236.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	500	250.00	250.00
5	—	385	290.00	290.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
74	—	859	241.00–242.50	241.28
299	—	527	323.00–356.00	343.27
31	—	415	366.00–376.00	369.23
46	—	969	216.00–224.00	219.11
24	—	1,038	209.50	209.50
48	—	377	370.00–371.00	370.90
168	—	779	244.25–255.00	247.13
291	—	623	282.50–318.00	299.02
272	—	474	347.50–369.00	357.70
143	—	815	241.25–241.50	241.28
94	—	721	255.00–269.00	260.23
17	—	937	227.00–228.00	227.83
395	—	580	299.00–337.00	320.17
298	—	679	267.00–300.00	277.20

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	629	260.00	260.00
13	—	482	309.00	309.00
6	—	585	293.00	293.00
10	—	533	317.50	317.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
27	—	503	328.00	328.00
38	—	447	342.00–358.00	356.73
43	—	498	331.00–334.00	333.72
22	—	324	360.00	360.00
17	—	387	371.00	371.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	796	236.00	236.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
91	—	645	277.50–281.00	278.08

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
56	—	619	320.00–324.50	322.80

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	440	345.00	345.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	441	336.00	336.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,070	170.00	170.00
1	—	715	205.00	205.00
11	—	380	332.50	332.50
7	—	941	190.00–206.00	194.48
5	—	670	220.00	220.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	900	210.00	210.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	599	280.00	280.00
9	—	456	340.00	340.00
8	—	530	308.00	308.00
5	—	731	225.00–230.00	229.03
4	—	620	286.00	286.00
7	—	659	277.00	277.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
77	—	1,368	94.00–106.00	102.49
25	—	1,435	105.00–114.00	108.76
8	—	1,418	92.00–95.00	93.68

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	965	90.00	90.00
9	—	999	93.00	93.00
2	—	948	62.50	62.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
20	—	1,680	101.50–108.00	104.99
9	—	1,598	93.50–98.00	94.69
28	—	1,624	106.00–112.50	108.34

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,065	106.50	106.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
26	—	1,478	85.00–92.00	89.02
51	—	1,423	93.50–104.50	97.64
1	—	1,390	106.00	106.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
30	—	1,064	86.00–93.50	89.90
50	—	1,185	93.00–103.00	98.40
15	—	1,163	103.50–111.00	105.82

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	1,561	107.50–115.00	109.19
17	—	1,432	102.50–105.50	104.95

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
35	—	1,159	79.00–92.50	86.22
3	—	1,205	103.00–104.00	103.68
41	—	1,161	93.50–100.00	97.81

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
28	—	1,697	88.50–111.00	102.48
1	—	1,845	120.00	120.00
3	—	2,245	115.00–124.00	118.20
15	—	1,861	112.00–121.00	115.39

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,333	90.00–95.50	93.42

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,226	110.00–115.00	111.31

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	5	—	1,123	1,600.00	1,600.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	5	—	1,526	1,950.00	1,950.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	6	—	1,224	1,700.00	1,700.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	8	—	1,360	1,775.00–1,950.00	1,898.84
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	6	—	1,337	1,900.00	1,900.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	13	—	1,120	1,975.00–2,500.00	2,279.23
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	6	—	1,145	2,025.00	2,025.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	36	—	1,278	1,860.00–1,900.00	1,864.95

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)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	5	—	1,274	1,250.00–1,325.00	1,297.85

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)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	63	—	1,296	2,350.00–2,560.00	2,517.93
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	36	—	1,455	2,000.00–2,450.00	2,390.44
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	89	—	1,108	2,450.00–2,600.00	2,468.77
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	5	—	1,128	2,250.00	2,250.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	222	—	1,282	2,535.00–3,035.00	2,779.08
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	7	—	1,339	1,950.00	1,950.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	301	—	1,434	2,100.00–2,675.00	2,385.38
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	145	—	1,422	2,200.00–2,650.00	2,529.96
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	10	—	1,238	2,300.00–2,450.00	2,401.48

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	244	—	1,437	1,800.00–2,300.00	2,076.07
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	168	—	1,315	1,900.00–2,350.00	2,214.54

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)	5	—	1,152	1,600.00	1,600.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	108	—	1,332	1,625.00–1,875.00	1,809.67

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	5	—	857	197.00	197.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	134	—	941	147.00–228.00	192.19
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,095	98.50	98.50
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	79	—	1,015	103.00–180.00	132.75

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	1	—	1,415	170.00	170.00

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	29	—	905	148.00–206.00	161.98
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	2	—	888	102.00–110.00	105.81

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	7	—	776	152.50–207.00	191.58
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	2	—	648	182.50	182.50

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	42	—	1,117	2,350.00–2,650.00	2,509.20
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	642	—	1,055	2,400.00–3,100.00	2,773.20

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	34	—	1,004	2,175.00–2,200.00	2,195.88

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.