Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2020-03-31

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Mar 31
● Final42 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,022 head
285 vs last sale 737 1,022 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
99 head
14 vs last sale 85 99 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
244 head
144 vs last sale 100 244 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: Steer calves under 650 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 lower, steers over 650 lbs were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Feeder heifers 500-699 lbs sold steady to 8.00 lower. Demand for grass cattle was lower this sale as CME positions have trended lower in recent days. Buyers remain hesitant when bidding on cattle as outside influences are weighing on the market. Demand for replacement heifers was moderate to good. Competitive bidding from grass buyers and replacement buyers kept high quality sets of heifers near steady in price. Market activity this week was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand and offerings. Packers showed light demand for slaughter cows this sale. Slaughter cows sold mostly 5.00-9.00 lower on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested to trend as most of these cows returned to feed. The majority of the cow offering returned to the country to feed either by packers or by feeding buyers this week. Feeding buyers purchased a large portion of the cow offering this week. Feeding buyers showed the best demand for cows which had been on feed or were pushing some flesh. Feeding cows were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 5.00-7.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or re-breed sold mostly 5.00 higher as feeding demand continues to improve.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $147.22/cwt on 490 head.
Average price
$147.22
490 head · 581 lb average
Value per head Derived
$856
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$131
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 1
$0.60/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+0.55
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2496147.7873332
Medium and Large 1587147.19864458
One grade step is worth $0.60/cwt here — about −$131 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 sale490 hd
147.22
MT average2 barns · 586 hd
146.67
+0.55
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
BullsLow1,69779.251,34533
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,45160.568795thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,53055.008421thin
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,12451.0557456

Every lot, as filed

42 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
HeifersMedium and Large 1Fleshy731115.00/cwt115.00–115.008417
Bulls1,62268.64/cwt61.00–73.501,1135
Bulls2,09187.68/cwt86.50–88.001,8334
Bulls1,70780.54/cwt78.00–84.001,37521
CowsLean 85-90%1,08642.15/cwt41.00–44.004586
CowsLean 85-90%1,16555.70/cwt54.00–58.5064919
CowsLean 85-90%1,13449.93/cwt45.00–53.5056627
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,36861.66/cwt57.00–65.0084448
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,58865.31/cwt59.50–66.751,037101
Stock CowsMedium and Large 199687.33/cwt72.00–105.5087026
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,29464.90/cwt62.00–70.0084015
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,10072.00/cwt72.00–72.007921
SteersMedium and Large 1-2533161.72/cwt161.00–163.0086214
SteersLarge 1690141.00/cwt141.00–141.009732
SteersMedium and Large 1484173.00/cwt173.00–173.0083710
SteersMedium and Large 1-2493161.50/cwt155.00–165.5079623
SteersMedium and Large 1825123.37/cwt123.00–124.501,01816
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,0431,650.00/cwt1,650.00–1,650.0017,21010
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2523147.70/cwt147.50–149.0077215
SteersMedium and Large 1591163.00/cwt163.00–163.0096329
SteersMedium and Large 1654153.91/cwt152.50–155.251,00785
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight92049.92/cwt46.00–52.004594
BullsLight Weight1,25077.53/cwt76.00–79.009692
BullsLight Weight1,18075.00/cwt75.00–75.008851
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,14958.61/cwt58.50–59.0067310
HeifersMedium and Large 1Replacement604146.00/cwt146.00–146.0088273
HeifersMedium and Large 1Replacement553156.50/cwt156.50–156.5086538
HeifersMedium and Large 1662133.99/cwt127.00–135.5088770
HeifersMedium and Large 1506159.87/cwt155.00–163.0080948
HeifersMedium and Large 1578149.62/cwt142.00–151.5086546
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,53055.00/cwt55.00–55.008421
CowsBoner 80-85%1,45762.33/cwt60.50–63.009084
CowsBoner 80-85%1,42553.50/cwt53.50–53.507621
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2499154.00/cwt154.00–154.007684
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2648127.50/cwt127.50–127.508263
HeifersMedium and Large 1414167.00/cwt167.00–167.0069136
HeifersMedium and Large 1719124.00/cwt124.00–124.0089216
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2409151.50/cwt151.50–151.5062010
HeifersMedium and Large 1606145.72/cwt133.00–146.50883124
SteersMedium and Large 1-2412173.21/cwt170.00–176.5071412
SteersMedium and Large 1764132.37/cwt127.50–133.751,011125
SteersMedium and Large 1646154.45/cwt152.50–156.50998103

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.