Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2020-02-04

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Feb 4
● Final43 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
590 head
2,278 vs last sale 2,868 590 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
173 head
18 vs last sale 155 173 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
332 head
194 vs last sale 526 332 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: Steer calves weighing less than 500 lbs were too lightly tested either this week or last to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Steers 500-649 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher in a narrow comparison, steers over 650 lbs were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. 500-549 lbs feeder heifers offered the best test this week. These offerings sold steady to 2.00 higher. All other weights of heifers were too lightly tested to develop an full market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly average. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly moderate for light offerings. Demand overall was better this week than last. Market activity this week was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand and offerings. Cow quality this week was mostly plain to average and lower overall than last week. This limited feeding demand this week as quality was not as attractive as in past weeks. Additionally, cows were pushing excess fill this sale offering buyers mostly below average weigh up conditions. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Slaughter cows sold 1.00-3.00 lower on boning and lean cows; breaking cows were too lightly tested to develop any accurate market trend. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Young age cows sold mostly steady to 10.00 higher. Demand for one iron home raised heiferettes was good to very good. Quality this week was significantly higher than last week.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $149.84/cwt on 314 head.
Average price
$149.84
314 head · 553 lb average
Value per head Derived
$829
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$44
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$5.46/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+3.11
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1554150.36833284
Medium and Large 1-2545144.9078930
One grade step is worth $5.46/cwt here — about $44 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 0–100 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 0–100 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale314 hd
149.84
MT average3 barns · 1,810 hd
146.72
+3.11
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
BullsHigh1,44771.431,0337thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,78364.501,1504thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,51653.128054thin
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,12848.22544126

Every lot, as filed

43 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
SteersMedium 1383195.00/cwt195.00–195.007473
SteersMedium 1435189.50/cwt189.50–189.508243
SteersMedium and Large 1423199.50/cwt199.50–199.508442
HeifersMedium and Large 1437166.95/cwt163.50–169.5073019
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2632135.00/cwt135.00–135.008539
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2487151.21/cwt147.00–154.5073614
HeifersMedium and Large 1608143.42/cwt137.25–145.0087260
HeifersMedium and Large 1512157.07/cwt152.50–159.50804134
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2547145.00/cwt145.00–145.007937
CowsLean 85-90%1,16050.59/cwt49.00–54.5058751
CowsLean 85-90%1,12346.93/cwt42.50–50.5052767
SteersMedium and Large 1Fleshy689142.50/cwt142.50–142.509826
Bulls2,07587.50/cwt87.50–87.501,8161
Bulls1,34268.75/cwt60.00–76.509236
CowsBoner 80-85%1,43048.00/cwt48.00–48.006861
CowsBoner 80-85%1,54554.83/cwt54.50–55.008473
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,78364.50/cwt64.50–64.501,1504
CowsLean 85-90%1,15537.00/cwt37.00–37.004271
HeifersMedium and Large 1Fleshy543142.00/cwt142.00–142.007715
HeifersMedium and Large 1Fleshy790117.50/cwt117.50–117.5092814
SteersMedium and Large 1Fleshy496169.00/cwt169.00–169.008384
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,37858.57/cwt53.00–63.5080739
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,13259.17/cwt58.00–64.0067032
Stock CowsMedium and Large 194484.44/cwt59.25–103.50797106
SteersMedium and Large 1300217.50/cwt217.50–217.506533
SteersMedium and Large 1380213.29/cwt205.50–220.0081112
SteersMedium and Large 1636159.39/cwt158.00–162.501,01423
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,0001,160.00/cwt1,160.00–1,160.0011,60019
SteersMedium and Large 1723142.48/cwt141.50–145.001,03023
SteersMedium and Large 1463186.42/cwt180.00–189.5086327
SteersMedium and Large 1516178.87/cwt169.00–181.0092355
SteersMedium and Large 1578165.44/cwt164.00–168.5095678
SteersMedium and Large 1-2683140.00/cwt140.00–140.009562
HeifersMedium and Large 1363171.09/cwt170.00–171.506214
HeifersMedium and Large 1579143.98/cwt143.00–145.5083410
HeifersMedium and Large 1457162.47/cwt160.00–163.5074214
HeifersMedium and Large 1725127.36/cwt125.00–128.0092314
HeifersMedium and Large 1Replacement641134.00/cwt134.00–134.0085910
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed8951,135.00/cwt1,135.00–1,135.0010,15823
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,21351.81/cwt47.50–55.0062829
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,10851.91/cwt50.50–56.5057538
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed96858.00/cwt58.00–58.005617
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight94444.99/cwt41.00–47.004257

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.