Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2022-02-22

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Feb 22
● Final21 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
19 head
573 vs last sale 592 2,183 vs year ago 2,202 · 99.1%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
125 head
73 vs last sale 198 163 vs year ago 288 · 56.6%
Replacement Cattle receipts
107 head
63 vs last sale 170 313 vs year ago 420 · 74.5%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested this week to develop any market trend. Quality this week was average on a very limited offering. Demand was moderate to good for very light offerings. Market activity this week was mostly moderate to active. Lots of cancellations were seen this week sub-zero temperatures and snow covered roads hindered ranchers from sending offerings to town. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light to moderate offerings. The majority of the cow offering was comprised of fed cows. Most of these offerings had been on feed for over 100 days and fed grain. Demand for fed cows was very good, however buyers continue to send these cows back to the country to add extra weight and ensure most of them grade premium white. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Packers showed good demand for all cows for harvest this week. Packers opted to send several sets of bred cows to slaughter or feed. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed. Bull quality was mostly average week. All cows and bulls were pushing excess fill as extremely cold temperatures were seen. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on good demand. Most of todays offering were all off one ranch.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $189.60/cwt on 10 head.
Average price
$189.60
10 head · 361 lb average
Value per head Derived
$685
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$175
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$3.00/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+21.02
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1430192.008262thin
Medium and Large 1-2344189.006508thin
One grade step is worth $3.00/cwt here — about $175 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 sale10 hd
189.60
MT average3 barns · 361 hd
168.58
+21.02
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
BullsAverage1,64390.741,49020
CowsPremium White 65-75%Average1,57982.281,29935
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,47378.251,1522thin
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,19069.5782823

Every lot, as filed

21 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
BullsMedium and Large 1618159.00/cwt159.00–159.009832
HeifersMedium and Large 1430192.00/cwt192.00–192.008262
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned344189.00/cwt189.00–189.006508
SteersMedium and Large 1528205.00/cwt205.00–205.001,0824
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1825114.89/cwt112.00–121.009486
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-275090.00/cwt90.00–90.006751
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1866106.67/cwt71.50–113.2592499
BullsNatural1,82999.62/cwt89.00–104.001,8228
BullsNatural1,47179.89/cwt75.00–85.001,1754
BullsReturn to Feed1,21593.00/cwt93.00–93.001,1301
Bulls1,43380.51/cwt71.00–85.001,1543
Bulls1,70590.92/cwt87.00–95.001,5504
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight95066.00/cwt66.00–66.006271
CowsLean 85-90%1,23371.21/cwt66.50–73.5087818
CowsLean 85-90%1,05863.08/cwt61.00–65.006674
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,388985.00/cwt985.00–985.0013,6726
CowsBoner 80-85%1,55076.50/cwt76.50–76.501,1861
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,39580.00/cwt80.00–80.001,1161
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,268875.00/cwt875.00–875.0011,0955
CowsPremium White 65-75%Return to Feed1,57982.28/cwt82.00–83.251,29935
CowsLean 85-90%1,308930.00/cwt930.00–930.0012,16422

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.