Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2020-09-29

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Sep 29
● Final55 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,156 head
51 vs last sale 1,105 821 vs year ago 335 · +245.1%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
178 head
168 vs last sale 346 95 vs year ago 83 · +114.5%
Replacement Cattle receipts
122 head
77 vs last sale 45 97 vs year ago 25 · +388.0%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers sold mostly 1.00-4.00 higher. Unweaned calves were too lightly tested last sale thus no comparisons can be made. Demand for yearlings was mostly moderate to good while demand for calves was mostly moderate. Quality this week was average to very attractive on yearlings and average to attractive on calves. Most feeders were coming out of dry country and were in light flesh. Buyer attendance was mostly good this sale with many buyers in the stands. CME positions sold with triple digit gains today which help provide additional support to the market. Market activity was mostly active this week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Feeding buyers were less active this sale and cows sold lower as a result. Both slaughter cows and feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 1.00-2.00 lower. feeding bull demand improved this sale with more participants seen this week. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average this week. Notably, cow and bull quality was not as attractive this week as last. An outstanding quality set of replacement yearling ewes were seen this sale. These ewes sold on mostly good to very good demand.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $139.48/cwt on 723 head.
Average price
$139.48
723 head · 737 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,027
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$354
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Large 1
$16.58/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+1.71
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2656141.0892512thin
Medium and Large 1737139.971,031631
Medium 1655139.0391160
Large 11,027124.501,27920
One grade step is worth $16.58/cwt here — about −$354 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 sale723 hd
139.48
MT average3 barns · 1,489 hd
137.78
+1.71
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
BullsLow1,70076.341,29866
CowsPremium White 65-75%Average1,49576.001,13620
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,57866.261,0462thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Very Low1,45358.2884735
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,19652.1762455

Every lot, as filed

55 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 1689141.53/cwt140.50–142.0097545
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned428151.00/cwt151.00–151.0064621
SteersMedium and Large 1980133.83/cwt130.50–140.001,31222
HeifersMedium and Large 1759138.62/cwt137.00–139.751,05223
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned457154.00/cwt154.00–154.0070452
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned315157.00/cwt157.00–157.004953
CowsBoner 80-85%1,53046.50/cwt46.50–46.507111
CowsLean 85-90%1,14844.14/cwt40.00–47.005076
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,29354.99/cwt54.50–58.007119
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight96748.67/cwt48.50–49.004713
Bulls1,76570.34/cwt63.50–75.001,24212
CowsLean 85-90%1,17851.14/cwt48.50–54.0060226
BullsReturn to Feed1,69273.97/cwt72.50–75.501,2529
CowsBoner 80-85%1,39752.68/cwt51.00–55.0073611
Bulls1,87477.66/cwt75.00–79.001,45515
CowsPremium White 65-75%Return to Feed1,49576.00/cwt76.00–76.001,13620
CowsBoner 80-85%1,48961.22/cwt58.00–64.5091222
Bulls1,85581.63/cwt80.50–82.501,5142
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,20067.00/cwt67.00–67.008041
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,57866.26/cwt66.00–66.501,0462
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned409184.00/cwt184.00–184.0075313
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned452180.00/cwt180.00–180.0081426
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned529161.00/cwt161.00–161.008526
HeifersMedium and Large 1968128.90/cwt127.00–130.751,24857
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,25057.65/cwt56.50–57.7572111
BullsReturn to Feed1,57178.59/cwt74.00–81.501,23528
HeifersMedium and Large 1Full905125.00/cwt125.00–125.001,1315
Stock CowsMedium and Large 195488.29/cwt70.00–102.0084263
HeifersMedium and Large 1868133.01/cwt130.50–134.501,15534
HeifersMedium and Large 1822137.47/cwt134.75–139.251,130120
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned486168.00/cwt168.00–168.0081619
HeifersMedium and Large 1723140.35/cwt138.00–142.501,01559
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,20365.23/cwt59.50–69.007859
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned377158.49/cwt156.75–165.0059864
SteersMedium and Large 1782147.43/cwt147.00–147.501,15326
SteersMedium and Large 1716152.00/cwt152.00–152.001,08813
SteersMedium and Large 1838144.00/cwt144.00–144.001,20715
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2710135.00/cwt135.00–135.009592
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned330193.50/cwt193.50–193.506398
HeifersMedium and Large 1Natural777140.23/cwt139.00–140.501,09050
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned518139.00/cwt139.00–139.007207
SteersMedium and Large 1925138.50/cwt138.50–138.501,2812
SteersMedium and Large 1887143.77/cwt142.50–144.001,27591
HeifersLarge 11,027124.50/cwt120.50–126.251,27920
SteersLarge 1Full1,082117.00/cwt117.00–117.001,2663
HeifersMedium 1606140.48/cwt140.00–141.5085125
HeifersMedium 1690138.00/cwt138.00–138.0095235
HeifersMedium and Large 1922129.74/cwt129.00–130.501,19690
HeifersMedium and Large 1Full886127.50/cwt127.50–127.501,1304
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned588147.00/cwt147.00–147.008643
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2786136.00/cwt136.00–136.001,0697
SteersLarge 11,006127.00/cwt127.00–127.001,2784
SteersLarge 11,089127.25/cwt127.25–127.251,38621
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed95679.75/cwt79.75–79.7576212
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,06155.00/cwt55.00–55.005847

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.