State summaries / Montana / Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary / 2024-03-04

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Montana · Weekly summary · Mon, Mar 4

● As filed186 lines reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1778

State summary

Counts as USDA filed them

Montana reported 186 priced lines covering 5,972 head across feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, replacement cattle. USDA puts feeder cattle receipts at 3,970 head. slaughter cattle receipts at 945 head. replacement cattle receipts at 1,929 head. Counted as USDA files them — 1 of those are cow-calf pairs, each counted once.

Montana Weekly Livestock Auction Summary

Mon Mar 4, 2024

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 3,970Last week 653Year ago 1,662

Slaughter CattleReceipts 945Last week 871Year ago 950

Replacement CattleReceipts 1,929Last week 436Year ago 1,091

Compared to last week: Too few feeder cattle sold the previous week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed on both steers and heifers. Demand this week was mostly good to very good for moderate to heavy offerings. Quality was mixed from plain to very attractive. The bulk of the feeder cattle offering were offered in moderate size groups with several partial load lots on offer. Quality this week helped improve demand as buyers showed very good demand for high quality offerings. Demand for feeders to develop into yearlings was very good. Most steer offerings 500-750 lbs and heifer offerings 475-650 lbs were purchased for that purpose this week. Light calves under 450 lbs sold on very good demand as buyers can slow grow these offerings and sell them at a later date. Differed CME positions are higher as the year progresses making light calves a value to buyers. CME positions lost some grown late week ending the week lower than last. The March closed at 249.20 on Friday, 3.775 lower for the week. The April contract closed at 254.10, 3.90 lower for the week. Market activity was mostly active this week. Buyers bid aggressively on offerings this week. Buyers were eager to own offerings and generally started offerings at the initial bid ask. Weigh up cows sold on very good demand for light to moderate offerings. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive and similar to last week. Packers showed very good demand for all cows this week as they balanced buying both feeding cows and slaughter cows again. Early week all cows were purchased to slaughter as supplies remain short. Slaughter cows sold 5.00-7.00 higher on Premium white and breaking cows, boning cows and lean cows sold 3.00-5.00 higher. Feeding cows suitable to feed to premium white sold mostly 4.00-8.00 higher, many high yielding heavy muscled cows were seen again this week. Slaughter and feeding bulls sold steady to 2.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold 5.00-10.00 higher on a high quality offering. Demand remains good for high quality offerings. Feeding buyers purchased young cows to feed on lighter demand this week. Demand for bred cows remains very good. A moderate to heavy offering of bred cows were seen this week. A large buyer pool for bred cows was seen as ranchers continue to rebuild their herds.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	450–500	482	325.00–337.50	332.11
21	500–550	535	320.00–330.00	325.18
3	550–600	577	314.00–317.00	314.98
3	600–650	635	305.00	305.00
8	650–700	678	280.00–293.00	281.57
6	700–750	728	246.00–259.00	256.87
1	750–800	780	239.00	239.00
5	800–850	815	212.50–222.00	214.46
1	850–900	850	219.00	219.00
3	950–1000	979	209.00–216.00	211.34
6	1000–1050	1,027	207.00–209.00	207.99
1	1050–1100	1,090	212.00	212.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	450–500	480	320.00	320.00
2	650–700	650	252.50	252.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	700–750	740	220.00	220.00
1	1200–1250	1,205	155.00	155.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1150–1200	1,155	180.00	180.00
2	1250–1300	1,268	130.00	130.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1150–1200	1,195	150.00	150.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	350–400	379	340.00	340.00
22	400–450	431	320.00–338.00	325.91
99	450–500	469	317.50–329.50	325.40
223	500–550	519	300.00–328.00	312.95
192	550–600	567	275.00–315.50	300.84
74	600–650	617	267.00–289.00	280.83
70	650–700	678	252.00–267.50	261.48
48	700–750	729	241.25–254.00	244.99
91	750–800	790	237.00–242.00	238.11
7	800–850	830	228.00–240.50	236.78
48	850–900	872	218.00–223.00	222.79
11	900–950	925	215.00–217.00	216.11

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
37	550–600	592	296.00	296.00
150	600–650	628	285.00–294.00	290.84
69	700–750	709	259.00–265.50	264.38

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
79	500–550	503	340.00	340.00
70	550–600	579	313.00	313.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
36	350–400	369	320.00–337.50	326.26
50	400–450	436	308.00–324.00	312.78
27	450–500	476	300.00–317.00	307.10
31	500–550	527	279.00–301.00	296.79
23	550–600	572	274.50–286.00	282.38
8	600–650	611	252.00–269.00	266.15
4	650–700	683	231.00–250.00	240.64
25	700–750	738	231.00–241.50	239.40

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	400–450	436	286.00	286.00
1	500–550	500	264.00	264.00
5	550–600	562	235.00	235.00
6	600–650	618	230.00	230.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
21	350–400	394	315.00	315.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	650–700	687	250.00	250.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
24	350–400	374	320.00–327.00	325.16
15	400–450	427	316.00–322.50	317.72
11	450–500	465	310.00	310.00
5	550–600	580	317.50	317.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	500–550	540	270.00	270.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
6	400–450	443	110.00	110.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
35	350–400	386	384.00–388.00	387.25
142	400–450	425	365.00–380.00	370.40
111	450–500	488	349.50–370.00	361.60
107	500–550	527	338.00–358.00	348.98
251	550–600	577	322.50–341.75	332.60
261	600–650	625	306.00–329.00	316.90
265	650–700	676	280.00–307.00	293.48
44	700–750	722	267.00–273.00	269.27
23	750–800	782	256.00	256.00
1	800–850	810	250.00	250.00
41	850–900	876	234.00–242.00	236.41

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
30	700–750	749	261.00	261.00
31	800–850	845	231.75	231.75
3	850–900	885	212.50	212.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
12	400–450	432	342.50	342.50
6	450–500	453	374.00	374.00
3	500–550	520	320.00	320.00
25	550–600	589	331.00	331.00
2	600–650	600	307.50	307.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	300–350	316	360.00	360.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
12	600–650	603	311.00	311.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	350–400	379	355.00–378.00	365.86
22	400–450	440	345.00–367.50	352.88
40	450–500	486	325.00–347.00	339.96
46	500–550	511	325.00–337.00	331.53
13	550–600	586	312.00–315.00	312.69
34	600–650	634	284.50–303.00	295.46
3	650–700	667	275.00	275.00
11	700–750	722	263.00–264.00	263.19
13	750–800	762	253.00–258.00	255.05
12	800–850	826	237.00–242.00	238.47
4	950–1000	985	208.00	208.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	450–500	466	300.00	300.00
10	500–550	529	297.50	297.50
3	600–650	623	275.00	275.00
2	700–750	735	237.00	237.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
69	500–550	508	369.00	369.00
17	600–650	602	325.00	325.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
16	550–600	571	319.00	319.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	400–450	412	360.00	360.00
3	450–500	473	320.00	320.00
5	550–600	558	312.00–317.00	314.00
3	650–700	658	269.00	269.00
1	700–750	700	252.00	252.00
9	750–800	758	251.00–259.50	257.57
3	800–850	838	231.00	231.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
5	750–800	772	240.00	240.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	300–350	349	357.50	357.50
7	350–400	378	351.00	351.00
15	450–500	484	335.00	335.00
6	500–550	544	317.50	317.50

Replacement Cattle

As reported

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 Stage (4-6 mo)	3	—	1,245	1,800.00	1,800.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	25	—	1,335	1,900.00–2,100.00	2,027.71

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	25	—	1,233	2,050.00–2,300.00	2,267.14
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	7	—	1,290	2,250.00	2,250.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	28	—	1,180	2,225.00–2,425.00	2,337.99
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	2	—	1,325	2,100.00	2,100.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	26	—	1,320	1,900.00–2,000.00	1,947.50
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	9	—	1,322	1,950.00	1,950.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	26	—	1,380	2,250.00–2,425.00	2,334.84
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	25	—	1,249	2,350.00–2,400.00	2,376.39
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	28	—	1,248	2,350.00–2,485.00	2,463.70

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	11	—	1,094	2,350.00	2,350.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	7	—	1,236	1,850.00	1,850.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	5	—	1,203	1,850.00	1,850.00

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)	8	—	1,371	2,500.00	2,500.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	113	—	1,195	2,500.00–2,800.00	2,624.60
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	—	1,187	2,400.00–2,500.00	2,467.98
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	81	—	1,319	2,375.00–2,625.00	2,531.05
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	28	—	1,346	2,200.00–2,475.00	2,437.80
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	7	—	1,374	2,500.00	2,500.00
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	38	—	1,323	2,400.00–2,650.00	2,556.94
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	1,350	2,450.00	2,450.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	270	—	1,351	2,200.00–2,550.00	2,368.05

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Non-Legible BANGS$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	2	—	1,393	2,450.00	2,450.00

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)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	21	—	1,388	1,850.00–2,100.00	2,032.62
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	179	—	1,379	2,000.00–2,350.00	2,236.70
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	17	—	1,179	1,800.00–1,900.00	1,807.58

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)	45	—	1,287	1,825.00–2,100.00	1,989.64

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	22	—	1,055	2,300.00–2,500.00	2,422.47
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	6	—	1,104	2,300.00	2,300.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	31	—	1,197	113.00–139.00	121.65
(<2 yrs)	Open	5	—	1,044	130.00–182.50	149.12

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	2	—	795	155.00	155.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	910	140.00	140.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	92	—	1,081	117.00–181.00	154.12
(<2 yrs)	Open	86	—	919	153.00–231.00	196.26

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	10	—	882	189.00	189.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,098	145.00	145.00
(<2 yrs)	Open	29	—	710	203.00–245.00	216.92

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	5	—	1,068	2,300.00–2,600.00	2,368.53

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	2	—	993	2,000.00	2,000.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	340	—	1,112	2,675.00–2,985.00	2,839.15
(<2 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	3	—	1,132	2,400.00	2,400.00

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)	39	—	892	2,250.00–2,600.00	2,394.49
(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	10	—	837	1,750.00	1,750.00
(<2 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	7	—	955	2,125.00	2,125.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,510	2,750.00	2,750.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Premium White 65-75%$ per cwt · actual wt
52	—	1,620	120.25–125.00	121.59
14	—	1,640	114.00–120.00	117.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
18	—	935	89.00–100.00	95.24
2	—	978	74.00–79.00	76.46
4	—	965	101.00–110.00	104.76

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	1,534	114.00–122.00	120.17
85	—	1,495	122.25–127.50	124.71

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,047	86.00–88.00	87.36
44	—	1,189	92.00–110.00	100.42
8	—	1,172	117.00–128.00	121.49
32	—	1,201	106.00–118.00	112.60

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	1,183	118.50–123.00	120.31
43	—	1,173	107.00–119.00	113.22
28	—	1,097	99.50–110.00	107.45

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
117	—	1,354	110.00–122.00	116.96
61	—	1,366	119.00–127.00	123.14
7	—	1,381	101.00–108.00	105.64

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
35	—	1,473	113.00–122.00	116.36
9	—	1,601	101.00–110.50	108.41
37	—	1,471	119.00–128.50	123.52

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
48	—	1,477	118.00–124.00	121.49
4	—	1,441	99.00–107.00	103.25
21	—	1,411	108.00–119.00	112.99

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,985	109.00	109.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,324	100.00	100.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,290	121.00	121.00
4	—	1,271	115.00	115.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	1,556	104.00–125.00	114.63
21	—	1,787	120.00–137.00	126.96
10	—	2,115	135.00–144.00	139.94

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,143	93.50–104.00	98.25
2	—	1,400	110.00–117.00	113.59

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.