Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2023-02-28

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Feb 28
● Final47 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
701 head
492 vs last sale 209 128 vs year ago 573 · +22.3%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
154 head
15 vs last sale 169 145 vs year ago 299 · 48.5%
Replacement Cattle receipts
38 head
738 vs last sale 776 60 vs year ago 98 · 61.2%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed all feeder offerings. Demand was mostly good to very good today for light to moderate offerings. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Demand for grass weight cattle was very good. Several sets of very light fleshed calves were seen this week. Both CME feeder cattle and live cattle positions have climbed higher over the last few weeks which has provided support for feeder cattle. Market activity was mostly active this week with a very large crowd on hand. Weigh up cows sold on good demand for light offerings. A few sets of fed cows were seen again this week. Most of these offerings were not fleshy enough to grade premium white but producers are starting to market cows anyway as packers are not offering enough premium for producers to continue to feed them. Breaking cows sold mostly 2.00 higher. Boning cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. Lean cows sold fully steady. Packers purchased a few cows to feed this week for the first time in weeks. Feeding cows were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Cow quality was average to attractive this sale. Bull quality was mostly plain. Weigh up conditions were average to above average this sale and better than last week. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, higher undertones were noticed. Packer buyers searching for slaughter offerings continue to push the bottom end of young offerings higher as they search for cows for immediate harvest.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $219.87/cwt on 449 head.
Average price
$219.87
449 head · 659 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,450
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$140
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 1
$9.86/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+4.16
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2571229.571,3127thin
Medium and Large 1661219.711,452442
One grade step is worth $9.86/cwt here — about −$140 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 sale449 hd
219.87
MT average3 barns · 1,224 hd
215.71
+4.16
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
BullsLow1,56999.271,55718
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,43392.431,32468
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,34790.051,21334
CowsPremium White 65-75%Low1,88585.501,6121thin
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,13781.8593126

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age
Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,320$1,2253thin

Every lot, as filed

47 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 1524220.72/cwt220.00–221.001,1577
HeifersMedium and Large 1566221.11/cwt220.25–224.501,25136
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2518208.59/cwt201.00–214.501,08021
HeifersMedium and Large 2426192.50/cwt192.50–192.508204
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2485217.25/cwt217.25–217.251,05427
HeifersMedium and Large 1Replacement638193.25/cwt193.25–193.251,23338
SteersMedium and Large 1629219.67/cwt217.00–220.501,3828
SteersMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed526261.00/cwt261.00–261.001,37358
SteersMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed658228.50/cwt228.50–228.501,50442
SteersMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed562248.00/cwt248.00–248.001,39434
SteersMedium and Large 1762193.07/cwt184.00–193.501,471136
SteersMedium and Large 1535240.80/cwt235.00–245.001,2887
SteersMedium and Large 1654214.00/cwt214.00–214.001,4008
SteersMedium and Large 1901177.00/cwt177.00–177.001,59514
SteersMedium and Large 1712199.89/cwt198.00–200.501,42362
SteersMedium and Large 1-2589227.00/cwt227.00–227.001,3374
SteersMedium and Large 1-2548233.00/cwt233.00–233.001,2773
HeifersMedium and Large 1488225.53/cwt225.00–226.001,10115
HeifersMedium and Large 1Replacement676179.00/cwt179.00–179.001,2104
HeifersMedium and Large 1Replacement711172.50/cwt172.50–172.501,2264
HeifersMedium and Large 1503224.00/cwt224.00–224.001,1276
SteersMedium and Large 1478268.62/cwt261.00–273.001,28420
SteersMedium and Large 1583231.88/cwt230.50–234.501,35253
HeifersLarge 1476214.59/cwt214.00–216.001,02120
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3201,225.00/head1,225.00–1,225.001,2253
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1760159.00/cwt159.00–159.001,2082
Stock CowsMedium 1717136.51/cwt122.50–151.009793
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,015109.21/cwt79.00–124.001,10820
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,12395.41/cwt93.00–98.001,0712
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2799119.41/cwt116.00–128.009547
BullsReturn to Feed1,158100.00/cwt100.00–100.001,1582
BullsLight Weight1,26883.70/cwt77.00–91.001,0613
Bulls1,63399.75/cwt91.00–109.001,62911
Bulls2,255123.50/cwt123.50–123.502,7851
Bulls1,900115.00/cwt115.00–115.002,1851
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight77057.50/cwt57.50–57.504431
CowsLean 85-90%1,22387.11/cwt86.00–89.001,0658
CowsLean 85-90%1,12880.92/cwt71.50–85.5091316
CowsPremium White 65-75%1,88585.50/cwt85.50–85.501,6121
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight96579.00/cwt79.00–79.007621
CowsBoner 80-85%1,46594.50/cwt94.50–94.501,3842
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,31392.00/cwt92.00–92.001,2086
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,45092.25/cwt92.25–92.251,33833
CowsBoner 80-85%1,34590.21/cwt88.00–93.501,21320
CowsBoner 80-85%1,35086.11/cwt83.00–88.501,1626
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,50396.34/cwt95.00–97.501,4484
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,40592.11/cwt90.50–94.501,29431

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.