Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2022-07-26

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Jul 26
● Final28 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
103 head
83 vs last sale 20 294 vs year ago 397 · 74.1%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
161 head
346 vs last sale 507 166 vs year ago 327 · 50.8%
Replacement Cattle receipts
52 head
31 vs last sale 83 19 vs year ago 71 · 26.8%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Demand for feeder cattle was very good for light offerings. Quality was mostly average. Market activity this week was mostly active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light offerings. Slaughter cattle demand was mostly moderate. Demand from western packers remains strong, however demand from eastern packers was lighter due to heavier supplies from drought areas. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 lower, on boning cows. Breaking and lean cows were too lightly tested to trend, however steady to lower undertones were noticed. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold 5.00-8.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady to weak undertones were noticed. Demand was moderate.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $185.71/cwt on 38 head.
Average price
$185.71
38 head · 826 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,535
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$34
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1
$28.06/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+9.11
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1844186.561,57533
Medium 1634185.501,1764thin
Large 11,015158.501,6091thin
One grade step is worth $28.06/cwt here — about −$34 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 sale38 hd
185.71
MT average2 barns · 165 hd
176.61
+9.11
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
BullsAverage1,71997.081,66946
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,61586.001,3891thin
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,41383.071,17496
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,09172.107875thin

Every lot, as filed

28 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 1Unweaned533170.00/cwt170.00–170.009063
SteersLarge 11,015158.50/cwt158.50–158.501,6091
SteersMedium 1634185.50/cwt185.50–185.501,1764
SteersMedium and Large 1967183.50/cwt183.50–183.501,77420
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned467198.00/cwt198.00–198.009256
SteersMedium and Large 1816185.50/cwt185.50–185.501,5147
BullsLarge 11,016112.00/cwt112.00–112.001,1384
HeifersMedium and Large 1773168.99/cwt167.00–170.001,30615
HeifersMedium 1589180.50/cwt180.50–180.501,06312
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,25885.76/cwt84.00–100.501,07942
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,039105.03/cwt100.00–108.001,0916
BullsReturn to Feed1,24595.00/cwt95.00–95.001,1833
BullsLight Weight1,23385.19/cwt79.00–94.501,0503
BullsNatural1,28586.50/cwt86.50–86.501,1121
BullsNatural1,84299.75/cwt92.00–102.501,8376
BullsNatural1,863105.51/cwt105.00–106.001,9662
Bulls1,925103.48/cwt101.50–105.001,99211
CowsLean 85-90%1,23069.00/cwt69.00–69.008491
Bulls1,94398.97/cwt93.50–101.501,92310
Bulls1,53189.45/cwt85.00–91.501,3699
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight84060.00/cwt60.00–60.005041
CowsBoner 80-85%1,54086.75/cwt86.50–87.001,3362
BullsLight Weight1,21096.00/cwt96.00–96.001,1621
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,35182.19/cwt79.50–83.501,11036
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight99577.50/cwt77.50–77.507711
CowsBoner 80-85%1,44783.49/cwt78.00–85.501,20858
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,61586.00/cwt86.00–86.001,3891
CowsLean 85-90%1,19577.00/cwt77.00–77.009202

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.