Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2026-10-13

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Oct 13
● Final88 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
2,430 head
▲ 150 vs last sale 2,280▼ 92 vs year ago 2,522 · −3.6%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
674 head
▲ 472 vs last sale 202▲ 122 vs year ago 552 · +22.1%
Replacement Cattle receipts
201 head
▲ 166 vs last sale 35▼ 136 vs year ago 337 · −40.4%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale (10-06-26): Feeder steer and heifer calves under 450 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to lower undertones were noticed. Steer and heifer calves over 450 lbs sold unevenly steady from 5.00 higher to 8.00 lower. Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Yearling heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive on calves and mostly average on yearlings. Calves were overall not as attractive this week compared to last week. Many calves showed signs of stress after last weekends snow and rain which fell across the state. Some calves were muddy as well due to wet country conditions. Calves with 2 rounds of vaccinations continue to sell with the best demand. Premiums were even more prevalent this week as buyers were cautious bidding on calves with only spring shots. Premiums ranged from 10.00-15.00 or more in some instances. Light weight calves continue to sell on good demand, however with late summer rains pastures have greened and many calves continue to gain into the fall. Many cattle are weighing heavier than they historically have. Very few high quality light weight calves were seen this week as most were too heavy for wheat and western buyers this sale. A smaller buyer pool was noticed for todays sale. Market activity was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for heavy offerings. Feeding cows sold steady to 5.00 higher this week with more feeding buyers in the market this week. Slaughter cows sold steady to 3.00 lower on boning and lean cows in a narrow comparison. Breaking cows were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Additional slaughter bull buyers were in the market this week which helped improve demand. Weigh up conditions were mostly average today. Young age cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Quality was mostly average this week. Young age offerings were light. Several sets of exposed cows continue to sell either ranch tested or not tested at all. These sold on good demand and are listed as stock cows in the report below.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $431.46/cwt on 566 head, down $12.96 from the prior sale. That ranks 2 of 10 comparable sales and sits −24.30 against this barn's trailing median of $455.76.
Average price
$431.46
▼ 12.96 vs prior sale
566 head · 556 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,399
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$355
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2
$80.33/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+2.76
vs MT average
−0.83 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1558432.832,417506
Medium and Large 1-2536422.232,26258
Medium and Large 2585352.502,0622thin
One grade step is worth $80.33/cwt here — about $355 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale566 hd
431.46
—
MT average5 barns · 1,627 hd
428.70
+2.76
National average190 barns · 30,929 hd
432.29
−0.83
This barn, trailing median10 sales
455.76
−24.30
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

10 sales
526474422371median 455.7603/1003/3109/2910/1310/27
Steers 500–600 lb: high $512.23, low $384.50, median $455.76 across 10 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

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
Bulls—Low1,754172.033,01810
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,370139.181,907149
CowsLean 85-90%High1,148136.051,562442
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,644134.192,2068thin

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age
Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,168$1,8008

Every lot, as filed

88 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. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Steers25 lots · lightest first
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned317599.63/cwt575.00–605.001,90118
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned317537.50/cwt537.50–537.501,7046
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned363510.83/cwt510.00–515.001,8546
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned378542.97/cwt540.00–545.002,05246
Steers350–400Medium and Large 2Unweaned394470.00/cwt470.00–470.001,8524
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned436504.76/cwt492.50–525.002,201122
Steers400–450Medium and Large 2Unweaned444412.50/cwt412.50–412.501,8327
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned479496.76/cwt480.00–510.502,379237
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned486452.94/cwt450.00–455.002,20135
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned532442.35/cwt434.00–480.002,353216
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned533427.71/cwt414.00–448.002,28044
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2544405.00/cwt405.00–405.002,20314
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned578425.74/cwt402.00–445.502,461290
Steers550–600Medium and Large 2Unweaned585352.50/cwt352.50–352.502,0622
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned611410.03/cwt401.00–412.502,50596
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2611340.00/cwt340.00–340.002,0775
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned614388.00/cwt388.00–388.002,3823
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned650395.00/cwt395.00–395.002,56833
Steers650–700Medium 1-2664347.50/cwt347.50–347.502,3075
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned691345.00/cwt345.00–345.002,3845
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1Unweaned710365.00/cwt365.00–365.002,5923
Steers700–750Large 1Unweaned743352.50/cwt352.50–352.502,6195
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1801354.25/cwt354.25–354.252,83819
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1905330.23/cwt330.00–333.002,98927
Steers950–1000Medium and Large 1-2991307.50/cwt307.50–307.503,0475
Feeder Cattle · Heifers25 lots · lightest first
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned332445.70/cwt442.50–450.001,48011
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned371476.85/cwt470.00–490.001,76916
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned378451.30/cwt450.00–452.501,70613
Heifers400–450Medium 1-2Unweaned423350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,4813
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned425496.25/cwt450.00–515.002,109107
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned432424.98/cwt415.00–447.501,83643
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned472430.32/cwt419.00–440.002,031166
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned481393.29/cwt367.50–410.001,89239
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2512382.00/cwt382.00–382.001,95617
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned517407.55/cwt392.50–412.502,107110
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned526383.01/cwt377.50–393.002,01530
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Replacement545427.50/cwt427.50–427.502,330105
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned561338.35/cwt338.00–345.001,89821
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned569390.48/cwt380.00–392.502,22262
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Replacement589382.50/cwt382.50–382.502,25331
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned617371.40/cwt365.00–380.002,29214
Heifers650–700Medium 1-2651342.00/cwt342.00–342.002,2266
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned664340.00/cwt340.00–340.002,2587
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2703330.00/cwt330.00–330.002,3205
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1755343.00/cwt343.00–343.002,59010
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1832319.05/cwt318.00–321.002,65448
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1880301.00/cwt301.00–301.002,64949
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1912296.27/cwt292.00–301.002,70220
Heifers1050–1100Large 11,091257.50/cwt257.50–257.502,8099
Heifers1100–1150Large 11,121261.00/cwt261.00–261.002,9264
Feeder Cattle · Bulls1 lot · lightest first
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned392472.50/cwt472.50–472.501,8523
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,582171.70/cwt171.00–172.002,7163
Bulls——Return to Feed1,747164.48/cwt161.00–170.002,8733
Bulls——1,842177.60/cwt177.00–179.003,2713
Bulls——Return to Feed2,030179.00/cwt179.00–179.003,6341
Slaughter Cattle · Cows19 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight845104.97/cwt104.00–107.508874
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight933100.07/cwt95.00–105.009342
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed952151.00/cwt151.00–151.001,4388
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight95386.67/cwt85.00–90.008263
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,11595.00/cwt95.00–95.001,0591
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,126129.94/cwt115.00–137.501,463167
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,126107.09/cwt97.50–113.001,20622
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,157120.16/cwt117.00–127.501,3903
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,182144.54/cwt139.50–147.501,708232
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,331110.85/cwt105.00–115.001,4756
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,338143.63/cwt138.00–146.001,92284
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,366147.00/cwt147.00–147.002,00810
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,416134.53/cwt121.00–140.001,90540
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,468127.53/cwt125.00–128.001,8726
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,538130.63/cwt128.00–136.002,0093
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,608125.49/cwt125.00–126.002,0182
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,625145.00/cwt145.00–145.002,3562
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,640127.50/cwt127.50–127.502,0911
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,682135.00/cwt135.00–135.002,2713
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows11 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium 1886272.50/cwt272.50–272.502,4145
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 2938176.36/cwt165.00–185.001,6547
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2944250.00/cwt250.00–250.002,3607
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,017275.15/cwt260.00–282.502,79816
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,042211.29/cwt177.00–252.502,20232
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,061249.34/cwt222.50–282.502,64533
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,157164.33/cwt143.50–217.501,90120
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,201131.00/cwt131.00–131.001,5738
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,371162.18/cwt150.00–172.002,22333
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,414161.00/cwt161.00–161.002,2774
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,467148.04/cwt145.00–149.002,1728
Replacement Cattle · Open Heifers2 lots · lightest first
Open Heifers—Medium and Large 1959282.71/cwt259.00–310.002,7118
Open Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,355175.00/cwt175.00–175.002,3711
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows1 lot · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,1681,800.00/head1,800.00–1,800.001,8008

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.