Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2022-02-08

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Feb 8
● Final50 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
642 head
999 vs last sale 1,641 126 vs year ago 516 · +24.4%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
288 head
63 vs last sale 225 285 vs year ago 3 · +9,500.0%
Replacement Cattle receipts
245 head
54 vs last sale 191 245 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: The best test for feeder steers was 650-699 lbs which sold mostly 5.00 higher. All other steer calves were too lightly tested either this week or last to develop an accurate market trend, steady to higher undertones were noticed. The best test for heifer calves was for 500-549 lbs which sold 3.00 higher. All other heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady to higher undertones were noticed. Quality this week was average to attractive. A few light loads were seen today and these cattle were met with the best demand. Small groups and singles sold way back from the main cut this week. Colored cattle also sold at a large discount to black cattle. Demand overall was moderate to good. A large buyer pool was on hand again this week. Market activity was mostly active as a result. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for light to moderate offerings. Packer buyers showed very good demand for all cows on offer. A strong offering of bred and exposed cows were seen this week. Ranchers pushed most exposed cows just out of packers reach this week. A few loads of fed cows were seen this week off two different ranches. These cows were mostly purchased to return to feed as they needed 30 or so more days of grain to grade premium white. Slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00-6.00 higher on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were scarcely tested last week so no trend is available. A southern snow and ice storm late last week has southern packers scrambling to find cows for harvest. Northern packers are being squeezed from both higher prices southern packers are willing to give and tighter supplies due to transportation issues from cattle which they would normally buy from Canadian producers. Feeding cows were too lightly tested last week to trend, however higher undertones were noticed on a higher quality offering. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to trend last week, however steady undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly average.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $176.04/cwt on 305 head.
Average price
$176.04
305 head · 521 lb average
Value per head Derived
$917
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$219
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium 1-2
$25.02/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+6.81
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2470177.5283488
Medium and Large 1546176.21962210
Medium 1-2403152.506157thin
One grade step is worth $25.02/cwt here — about $219 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 sale305 hd
176.04
MT average2 barns · 1,140 hd
169.23
+6.81
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
BullsLow1,65099.101,63532
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,62777.491,26184
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,42175.491,073100
CowsPremium White 65-75%Low2,16073.501,5881thin
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,19268.2781458

Every lot, as filed

50 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
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,24567.50/cwt67.50–67.5084011
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,4471,022.53/cwt1,010.00–1,025.0014,7966
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,03780.71/cwt67.50–86.0083724
Stock CowsMedium and Large 196589.88/cwt74.50–99.5086716
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,19268.77/cwt67.25–69.5082078
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,0831,175.00/cwt1,175.00–1,175.0012,7254
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1011,357.48/cwt1,350.00–1,375.0014,94627
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1351,310.00/cwt1,310.00–1,310.0014,8697
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,370941.00/cwt935.00–950.0012,89223
SteersMedium and Large 1533195.61/cwt190.00–202.001,04329
SteersMedium and Large 1664180.82/cwt170.50–183.501,20180
HeifersMedium and Large 1539177.92/cwt176.00–181.00959118
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2471177.36/cwt169.00–181.0083585
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2432182.00/cwt182.00–182.007863
HeifersMedium and Large 1602167.51/cwt165.00–168.001,00853
SteersMedium and Large 1622185.50/cwt185.50–185.501,15412
SteersMedium and Large 1579189.33/cwt189.00–191.001,0966
SteersMedium and Large 1721164.00/cwt164.00–164.001,1829
SteersMedium and Large 1456232.75/cwt232.75–232.751,06198
HeifersMedium and Large 1676148.00/cwt148.00–148.001,0004
SteersMedium and Large 1-2610174.00/cwt174.00–174.001,0612
SteersMedium and Large 1-2405210.00/cwt210.00–210.008512
HeifersMedium and Large 1462188.50/cwt188.50–188.5087132
HeifersMedium 1-2403152.50/cwt152.50–152.506157
HeifersMedium and Large 1563169.00/cwt169.00–169.009513
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1411,125.00/cwt1,125.00–1,125.0012,83625
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,2091,035.00/cwt1,035.00–1,035.0012,51314
BullsReturn to Feed1,16793.65/cwt93.50–94.001,0933
BullsLight Weight1,22088.93/cwt87.00–91.001,0852
BullsNatural1,695102.83/cwt99.00–103.751,74319
BullsNatural1,45596.00/cwt96.00–96.001,3971
Bulls1,86099.00/cwt99.00–99.001,8413
Bulls1,53091.00/cwt91.00–91.001,3921
CowsLean 85-90%1,20564.74/cwt61.50–67.007809
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight88862.48/cwt57.00–64.005557
CowsBoner 80-85%1,36776.86/cwt72.50–77.501,05130
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,50071.50/cwt71.50–71.501,0731
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,67475.84/cwt75.00–77.501,27016
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,03573.50/cwt73.50–73.507611
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,07063.50/cwt63.00–64.006792
CowsLean 85-90%1,25568.52/cwt67.50–73.5086029
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,62877.74/cwt77.25–77.751,26636
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,60578.25/cwt78.25–78.251,25631
CowsLean 85-90%1,22075.50/cwt75.50–75.509213
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,42073.18/cwt73.00–75.501,03928
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,46076.04/cwt76.00–77.501,11042
CowsPremium White 65-75%2,16073.50/cwt73.50–73.501,5881
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,26775.08/cwt75.00–75.509517
Bulls1,93594.00/cwt94.00–94.001,8191
Bulls2,07090.33/cwt89.00–92.001,8702

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.