Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2026-08-04

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Aug 4
● Final37 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
119 head
85 vs last sale 34 41 vs year ago 160 · 25.6%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
90 head
273 vs last sale 363 67 vs year ago 157 · 42.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
76 head
5 vs last sale 71 21 vs year ago 55 · +38.2%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale (6-30-26): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested last sale to develop any market trend. A few yearlings are beginning to come off grass. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Demand for feeders was mostly moderate, but suffered slightly as buyers struggled to build loads. CME Positions traded with strong premiums throughout the morning and remained strong though the conclusion of todays sale. Market activity was mostly moderate to active despite a small crowd of buyers on hand. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for light offerings. The last sale was over a month ago so no comparisons can be made. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. Weigh up conditions were mixed with both full and empty cows noticed. Slaughter cows sold on mostly good demand as packers showed need for cows for immediate harvest. Packers purchased most of the cow offering for harvest this week as a result. Slaughter bulls sold on moderate demand for light offerings. Feeding bulls sold on mostly moderate to good demand for very light offerings. Bull quality this week was plain to average as most were coming off grass and out of breeding pastures. Yielding conditions have deteriorated drastically since last sale over a month ago. Young age cows sold on good demand for light offerings. Many young cows were pushing moderate to moderate plus flesh as pasture conditions in eastern Montana have been mostly good. Quality this week was mostly attractive this week.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $365.00/cwt on 4 head, down $60.30 from the prior sale. That ranks 2 of 16 comparable sales and sits 75.43 against this barn's trailing median of $440.43.
Average price
$365.00
60.30 vs prior sale
4 head · 530 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,935
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
single grade reported
vs the market
+0.00
vs MT average
9.03 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1-2530365.001,9354thin
Only one grade was reported at this weight, so there is no spread to compute.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

16 sales
482434386338median 440.4312/1601/2702/2404/0705/12
Heifers 500–600 lb: high $468.13, low $352.48, median $440.43 across 16 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale4 hd
365.00
MT average1 barns · 4 hd
365.00
+0.00
National average160 barns · 6,700 hd
374.03
−9.03
This barn, trailing median16 sales
440.43
−75.43
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
BullsLow1,702199.693,39930
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,564169.092,64413
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,370166.312,27824
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,154127.441,4717thin

Every lot, as filed

37 lots · USDA AMS · Miles City Livestock Commission Auction - Miles City, MT
Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
CowsBoner 80-85%1,455151.00/cwt151.00–151.002,1972
CowsBoner 80-85%1,357174.92/cwt171.00–177.002,37410
Bulls1,810189.36/cwt180.00–198.003,42710
CowsBoner 80-85%1,356164.69/cwt156.00–169.002,2339
BullsReturn to Feed1,335213.72/cwt210.00–217.002,8532
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,560171.53/cwt163.00–172.502,67611
BullsLight Weight1,390197.50/cwt197.50–197.502,7451
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,583155.66/cwt152.00–159.002,4642
Bulls1,742217.21/cwt217.00–217.503,7843
BullsLight Weight1,428182.22/cwt177.00–185.002,6023
CowsLean 85-90%1,025105.00/cwt105.00–105.001,0762
Bulls1,764207.04/cwt204.00–215.003,6528
BullsLarge 1-21250–13001,265223.00/cwt223.00–223.002,8211
SteersLarge 21050–11001,083272.00/cwt272.00–272.002,9462
BullsLarge 11200–12501,220252.50/cwt252.50–252.503,0811
BullsLarge 11250–13001,290237.00/cwt237.00–237.003,0571
BullsLarge 1-21100–11501,145247.50/cwt247.50–247.502,8341
BullsNatural1,735206.50/cwt206.50–206.503,5831
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,236234.67/cwt200.00–237.502,90136
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1983286.34/cwt257.50–305.002,81517
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,410205.00/cwt205.00–205.002,89117
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,090247.50/cwt247.50–247.502,6981
HeifersMedium 1-2500–550530365.00/cwt365.00–365.001,9354
BullsLarge 1-21300–13501,330216.49/cwt215.00–218.002,8792
SteersMedium and Large 2800–850839321.00/cwt321.00–321.002,6937
HeifersMedium and Large 1850–900870328.00/cwt328.00–328.002,85425
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned600–650634350.00/cwt350.00–350.002,2194
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2800–850844316.00/cwt316.00–316.002,66710
HeifersMedium and Large 1900–950908316.00/cwt316.00–316.002,86946
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2965250.00/cwt250.00–250.002,4131
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2950–1000980282.00/cwt282.00–282.002,7642
CowsLean 85-90%1,210150.00/cwt150.00–150.001,8151
CowsLean 85-90%1,210123.80/cwt122.50–125.001,4982
Bulls2,135210.00/cwt210.00–210.004,4841
BullsReturn to Feed1,420201.00/cwt201.00–201.002,8541
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,397152.68/cwt150.00–154.002,1333
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,200142.25/cwt142.00–142.501,7072

How this sale compares

Montana weighted averages
One sale is one barn on one day. The state ladder is every Montana auction USDA reported that week, weighted by head — the fairer test of whether a lot sold well.