Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2020-05-19

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, May 19
● Final48 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
747 head
291 vs last sale 456 696 vs year ago 51 · +1,364.7%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
190 head
22 vs last sale 168 80 vs year ago 110 · +72.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
626 head
287 vs last sale 339 408 vs year ago 218 · +187.2%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed on both steers and heifers. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. The majority of feeders were offered as load lots, with a few small packages on offer as well. Demand for load lots was mostly good, while packages sold on mostly light to moderate demand. Market activity this week was mostly active with many bidders actively bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Quality this week was mostly average to very attractive. Many ranchers are starting to brand and are bringing open or cows that lost calves to town. Packers opted to send most of the cows on offer this week to feed. Weigh up conditions were mixed this week as cows started the day offering buyers above average weigh up conditions, however cows pushed excess fill as the day warmed and the sale ran into the afternoon. Feeding cows sold generally steady while slaughter cows sold steady to weak on all classes. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to weak. Young age cows suitable to feed or re-breed sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher. Demand for re-breeding cows was very good this week. Quality was average to very attractive.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $147.09/cwt on 439 head.
Average price
$147.09
439 head · 692 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,017
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$105
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium 2
$11.67/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+4.42
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2527155.1781856
Medium and Large 1726146.021,060366
Medium 2497143.5071317thin
One grade step is worth $11.67/cwt here — about $105 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 sale439 hd
147.09
MT average3 barns · 1,478 hd
142.68
+4.42
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
BullsLow1,66582.661,37655
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,60061.639864thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,40359.6883717
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,13054.96621106

Every lot, as filed

48 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
Bulls1,38175.43/cwt71.00–79.001,0429
Bulls1,99592.85/cwt91.00–96.501,85210
Bulls1,74885.18/cwt80.00–90.001,48929
CowsBoner 80-85%1,39757.09/cwt56.50–57.507985
CowsBoner 80-85%1,40860.22/cwt57.50–61.5084810
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,75563.50/cwt63.50–63.501,1141
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,21067.97/cwt60.00–93.00822119
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,29560.51/cwt56.50–62.5078440
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,45962.26/cwt57.50–63.5090890
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,02094.22/cwt71.00–111.0096177
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-293785.70/cwt83.00–86.008039
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,4481,575.00/cwt1,575.00–1,575.0022,8063
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,4081,188.31/cwt1,050.00–1,410.0016,73122
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,3681,710.00/cwt1,710.00–1,710.0023,3939
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,5441,500.00/cwt1,500.00–1,500.0023,1604
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,2101,804.14/cwt1,685.00–1,875.0021,83036
Heifer PairsMedium and Large 11,1521,860.00/cwt1,860.00–1,860.0021,42721
SteersMedium and Large 1-2544161.50/cwt161.50–161.508798
SteersMedium and Large 1-2659138.50/cwt138.50–138.509138
SteersMedium 2497143.50/cwt143.50–143.5071317
SteersMedium and Large 1-2594145.94/cwt145.50–147.0086710
SteersMedium and Large 1-2465161.00/cwt161.00–161.0074930
SteersMedium and Large 1709138.00/cwt138.00–138.009787
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2451134.00/cwt134.00–134.0060419
SteersMedium and Large 1524176.00/cwt176.00–176.0092220
SteersMedium and Large 1643147.63/cwt147.00–150.2594925
SteersMedium and Large 1864132.50/cwt132.50–132.501,14566
SteersMedium and Large 1575164.75/cwt164.75–164.7594777
SteersMedium and Large 1777139.40/cwt132.25–139.751,083171
HeifersMedium 2462117.50/cwt117.50–117.5054317
HeifersMedium and Large 1771117.89/cwt117.50–119.5090915
HeifersMedium and Large 1702124.00/cwt124.00–124.0087016
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2521137.00/cwt137.00–137.007144
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2445146.00/cwt146.00–146.006505
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2638124.00/cwt124.00–124.0079111
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,54861.00/cwt60.00–62.509443
CowsLean 85-90%1,26842.93/cwt41.00–45.005442
CowsLean 85-90%1,22462.36/cwt62.00–63.0076310
CowsBoner 80-85%1,39063.48/cwt63.00–64.008822
CowsLean 85-90%1,17358.79/cwt57.00–61.5069025
CowsLean 85-90%1,12153.26/cwt46.00–56.5059759
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,2171,025.00/cwt1,025.00–1,025.0012,4745
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,2701,187.51/cwt1,125.00–1,350.0015,08121
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3391,346.62/cwt1,225.00–1,435.0018,03159
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,3471,050.00/cwt1,050.00–1,050.0014,1445
BullsLight Weight1,26581.00/cwt81.00–81.001,0251
BullsLight Weight1,20764.63/cwt61.00–66.007806
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight95450.40/cwt49.00–54.5048110

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.