Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2021-10-05

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Oct 5
● Final84 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
2,290 head
928 vs last sale 3,218 974 vs year ago 1,316 · +74.0%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
1,895 head
691 vs last sale 1,204 1,566 vs year ago 329 · +476.0%
Replacement Cattle receipts
801 head
142 vs last sale 659 481 vs year ago 320 · +150.3%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were scarcely traded this week thus no trend is available. Steer calves under 450 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher, steer calves over 450 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower. Yearling heifers were not well compared; higher undertones noticed. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold mostly 5.00-8.00 higher, heifers over 500 lbs were not well compared, prices were uneven. Demand for for calves was light to moderate this week and slightly better than last week. Heavy supplies of calves continue to be seen and many feeders in the corn-belt are still busy with harvest. This continues to hamper demand for un-weaned calves. Additionally, many feeders in the state have opted to sell their feed instead of backgrounding calves this year. This has put additional pressure on the market as offerings that would normally be backgrounded in state are having to sell to locations with more feed. Calves with 2 rounds of vaccinations, both fall and spring, sold with the best demand this week. Calf quality this week was average to attractive. Calves were offered in small to moderate size packages this week with no load lots on offer. Market activity this week was mostly slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for very heavy offerings. More cows were seen today than calves as ranchers continue to cull many older cows and opens. Heavy supplies allowed packers to buy cows lower. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 lower on boning and lean cows, breaking cows were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. A large portion of the cow offering was very thin this week as most cows just had calves weaned off them and drought conditions have taken a toll on body condition. The majority of lean cows would yield less than 44% this sale. Cows were noticeably thinner this week compared to last. Feeding cows sold steady to 3.00 lower. High quality cows suitable to feed to premium white sold fully steady. Buyers also purchased sound, thinner cows to feed for the upcoming holiday season. This was the first week this fall that buyers purchased feeding cows for this purpose. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 3.00-4.00 higher. Quality this week was average to attractive and similar to last week.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $162.72/cwt on 1,140 head.
Average price
$162.72
1,140 head · 509 lb average
Value per head Derived
$829
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$13
per head · Medium 1 over Medium and Large 2
$41.62/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+5.58
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1378166.6262913thin
Medium and Large 1509163.178301,071
Large 1398157.006256thin
Medium and Large 1-2577154.6489247
Medium and Large 2493125.006163thin
One grade step is worth $41.62/cwt here — about $13 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 sale1,140 hd
162.72
MT average5 barns · 3,065 hd
157.14
+5.58
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
BullsAverage1,66082.341,36730
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,52270.741,0774thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,39064.0589098
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,12251.61579677

Every lot, as filed

84 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 1Unweaned380173.68/cwt169.00–182.50660242
HeifersMedium 1Unweaned346170.00/cwt170.00–170.005889
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned556141.00/cwt141.00–141.007848
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned525143.42/cwt139.50–146.5075361
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned378200.71/cwt195.00–207.00759214
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned423199.86/cwt184.00–207.00845125
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned320211.78/cwt202.50–219.0067864
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned490162.59/cwt158.00–174.0079710
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned606155.37/cwt150.00–157.7594224
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned652151.66/cwt151.00–153.009893
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned337197.99/cwt195.00–200.0066722
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned546152.21/cwt148.00–154.0083120
SteersLarge 1Unweaned350195.00/cwt195.00–195.0068310
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned569153.20/cwt150.00–157.0087226
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned292205.00/cwt205.00–205.005995
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned364191.63/cwt191.00–194.0069834
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned475180.53/cwt176.00–185.00858268
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned532163.98/cwt157.00–175.0087260
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned269223.14/cwt212.50–227.5060038
HeifersMedium and Large 1853142.45/cwt140.00–142.501,215145
HeifersMedium and Large 1803146.12/cwt146.00–146.251,1736
HeifersMedium and Large 1Full889136.00/cwt136.00–136.001,2095
HeifersMedium and Large 1Fancy413177.50/cwt177.50–177.507337
BullsMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned420160.00/cwt160.00–160.0067210
BullsMedium and Large 11,145108.00/cwt108.00–108.001,2371
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed96154.33/cwt45.00–63.0052216
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,23366.00/cwt66.00–66.0081413
BullsReturn to Feed1,27579.30/cwt78.00–81.001,0112
BullsReturn to Feed1,25090.00/cwt90.00–90.001,1251
BullsLight Weight1,30069.00/cwt69.00–69.008971
Bulls1,70382.82/cwt79.00–86.501,41024
Bulls2,09592.50/cwt92.50–92.501,9381
Bulls1,74072.50/cwt72.50–72.501,2621
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,52270.74/cwt70.50–71.001,0774
CowsLean 85-90%1,15155.53/cwt53.50–58.0063947
CowsLean 85-90%1,06639.55/cwt37.00–44.0042243
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned286187.63/cwt185.00–190.0053711
SteersMedium 1Unweaned431177.00/cwt177.00–177.007637
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned309189.59/cwt181.00–196.0058695
HeifersMedium 1Unweaned449159.00/cwt159.00–159.007144
HeifersMedium and Large 2Unweaned493125.00/cwt125.00–125.006163
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned263179.00/cwt179.00–179.004714
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned421168.62/cwt163.50–174.00710280
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned312177.37/cwt174.00–179.0055316
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2878132.67/cwt132.50–133.001,1659
HeifersMedium and Large 1723155.00/cwt155.00–155.001,12110
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned500135.00/cwt135.00–135.006753
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned470156.54/cwt152.00–163.00736121
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned236182.00/cwt182.00–182.0043010
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned610134.50/cwt134.00–135.008202
HeifersMedium and Large 1971135.09/cwt135.00–135.501,31234
HeifersLarge 1Unweaned398157.00/cwt157.00–157.006256
HeifersMedium and Large 1938138.12/cwt135.00–139.501,29618
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2773141.93/cwt137.50–147.001,09713
HeifersMedium and Large 1776152.50/cwt152.50–152.501,18316
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2808135.00/cwt135.00–135.001,0912
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS1,141725.00/cwt725.00–725.008,2728
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,22760.20/cwt55.50–63.5073979
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,222740.00/cwt740.00–740.009,04341
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1761,120.00/cwt1,120.00–1,120.0013,17127
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1931,019.34/cwt950.00–1,025.0012,16113
Bred CowsMedium and Large 19941,158.00/cwt1,100.00–1,225.0011,51117
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,14656.00/cwt56.00–56.006426
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,01070.00/cwt70.00–70.007071
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed87072.00/cwt72.00–72.006262
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed95147.50/cwt47.50–47.504524
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1885100.59/cwt65.00–110.00890173
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-277284.31/cwt81.00–85.006516
Stock CowsMedium and Large 198879.08/cwt57.00–89.00781184
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,08160.00/cwt60.00–60.0064926
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,203849.81/cwt825.00–860.0010,22336
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,254775.00/cwt775.00–775.009,7197
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 17611,095.00/cwt1,095.00–1,095.008,33359
CowsLean 85-90%1,08649.61/cwt45.00–53.00539209
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight96247.25/cwt44.00–52.0045542
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight97340.90/cwt37.00–43.5039810
CowsBoner 80-85%1,35358.52/cwt58.00–59.007922
CowsBoner 80-85%1,39651.61/cwt48.00–54.0072010
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,35371.13/cwt69.50–71.5096215
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,39864.83/cwt59.00–69.5090669
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,38052.01/cwt51.00–53.007182
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,22369.07/cwt66.00–77.0084515
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,13750.89/cwt48.00–53.00579180
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,22058.57/cwt54.00–67.00715131

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.