Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2021-05-04

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, May 4
● Final59 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
769 head
91 vs last sale 678 184 vs year ago 585 · +31.5%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
401 head
130 vs last sale 271 231 vs year ago 170 · +135.9%
Replacement Cattle receipts
282 head
106 vs last sale 388 45 vs year ago 237 · +19.0%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Steers were all too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Heifers 600-799 lbs sold mostly 7.00-10.00 lower. Steer quality was plain to average, while Heifer quality was average to very attractive. Drought conditions around the region continue to drive replacement quality heifers to sell. Notably, all replacement heifers sold today were purchased to feed. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly light to moderate on light to moderate offerings. CME feeder positions continue to fall as feed costs continue to rise. This, coupled with drought conditions has drastically lightened demand for feeder cattle. Market activity was mostly slow to moderate today. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for moderate offerings. Drought conditions are starting to drive cows to market and packers are seeing seasonally high numbers of cows being marketed. As a result cow prices have started to slide. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 lower. Feeding cows sold steady to 1.00 lower. Packer buyers continue to buy young high quality cows to put away on feed. However, as feed cost have risen order buyers showed lighter demand for cows to feed. Slaughter bulls sold weak. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 5.00-8.00 lower. High feed cost have lightened demand for these offerings.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $134.03/cwt on 543 head.
Average price
$134.03
543 head · 670 lb average
Value per head Derived
$898
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$261
per head · Medium 1-2 over Medium and Large 1
$13.77/cwt at this weight
vs the market
6.87
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1-2458146.3567117thin
Medium and Large 1-2573140.5680661
Medium 2455135.4561719thin
Medium and Large 2473135.006396thin
Medium and Large 1703132.58932440
One grade step is worth $13.77/cwt here — about −$261 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 sale543 hd
134.03
MT average3 barns · 2,087 hd
140.90
−6.87
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
BullsLow1,65484.801,40347
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,43965.27939134
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,61464.571,04210
CowsLean 85-90%High1,14161.75705174

Every lot, as filed

59 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 1-2639135.00/cwt135.00–135.008636
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-294084.00/cwt84.00–84.007904
SteersMedium and Large 1563160.50/cwt160.50–160.509048
SteersMedium and Large 1-2523151.00/cwt151.00–151.0079015
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2520146.10/cwt145.00–148.0076018
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2474145.00/cwt145.00–145.006874
BullsMedium and Large 1-2522134.95/cwt132.00–136.0070415
BullsMedium and Large 1-2657118.57/cwt115.00–124.0077910
HeifersMedium and Large 1Fancy757130.00/cwt130.00–130.0098464
HeifersMedium and Large 1671131.42/cwt131.00–131.508826
HeifersMedium and Large 1895108.00/cwt108.00–108.009675
HeifersMedium and Large 1807118.00/cwt118.00–118.009523
Stock CowsMedium and Large 199978.81/cwt63.50–89.0078767
HeifersMedium and Large 1617144.92/cwt141.00–146.7589424
BullsMedium and Large 11,7901,900.00/cwt1,900.00–1,900.0034,0101
HeifersMedium and Large 1718130.57/cwt126.00–133.00937161
HeifersMedium and Large 1584148.83/cwt146.50–156.0086943
HeifersMedium and Large 1764123.43/cwt120.00–124.00943102
BullsMedium and Large 1925106.00/cwt106.00–106.009811
HeifersMedium and Large 1519151.35/cwt151.00–152.0078632
BullsMedium and Large 1960100.00/cwt100.00–100.009604
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,487893.39/cwt850.00–935.0013,28510
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed77672.84/cwt61.00–79.005655
BullsReturn to Feed1,23179.58/cwt75.00–83.509809
Bulls1,76286.17/cwt83.50–89.001,51816
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,19070.13/cwt68.50–71.508353
Bulls1,58080.56/cwt73.50–83.501,27313
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,25370.50/cwt70.50–70.508832
Bulls1,99493.71/cwt90.00–98.001,8699
CowsBoner 80-85%1,44160.24/cwt54.50–62.5086811
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,57664.41/cwt62.00–66.501,0159
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight86862.54/cwt62.00–63.005432
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,15260.39/cwt56.00–65.0069645
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,95566.00/cwt66.00–66.001,2901
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,36563.54/cwt60.50–64.5086717
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight82046.84/cwt43.00–48.503843
CowsBoner 80-85%1,38369.50/cwt69.50–69.509614
CowsLean 85-90%1,20564.17/cwt61.50–66.5077319
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,47766.30/cwt64.00–68.5097970
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,15566.43/cwt64.00–68.5076759
CowsBoner 80-85%1,41064.79/cwt63.00–67.5091430
HeifersMedium 2485122.50/cwt122.50–122.505947
CowsLean 85-90%1,07041.00/cwt41.00–41.004391
HeifersMedium 2438143.00/cwt143.00–143.0062612
HeifersMedium 1-2449145.54/cwt145.00–146.0065313
HeifersMedium 1-2489149.00/cwt149.00–149.007294
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight89450.80/cwt50.00–52.004544
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2561,375.00/cwt1,375.00–1,375.0017,2705
CowsLean 85-90%1,13857.06/cwt51.00–63.5064938
Stock CowsMedium and Large 190393.59/cwt75.50–105.00845134
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed79084.00/cwt84.00–84.006641
BullsMedium and Large 11,1101,810.13/cwt1,600.00–2,100.0020,0926
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2591,200.00/cwt1,200.00–1,200.0015,1085
HeifersMedium and Large 2473135.00/cwt135.00–135.006396
SteersMedium 1-2429155.00/cwt155.00–155.006654
SteersMedium and Large 1673150.50/cwt150.50–150.501,0133
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2586139.46/cwt139.00–139.5081725
SteersMedium and Large 1-2481161.00/cwt161.00–161.007747
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2653133.50/cwt133.50–133.508728

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.