Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2023-03-07

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Mar 7
● Final39 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
154 head
547 vs last sale 701 31 vs year ago 123 · +25.2%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
100 head
54 vs last sale 154 209 vs year ago 309 · 67.6%
Replacement Cattle receipts
851 head
813 vs last sale 38 500 vs year ago 351 · +142.5%
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. Quality this sale was mostly plain to average. Demand was mostly good to very good today for very light offerings. CME feeder cattle positions continue to inch higher which continues to provide market support. Market activity was mostly active this week. Weigh up cows sold on good demand for light offerings. Breaking cows sold mostly steady to weak. Boning and lean cows sold fully steady. Packers purchased a few cows to feed again this week. Feeding cows sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Cow quality was average to attractive this sale. Bull quality was mostly plain. Weigh up conditions were mostly average this sale. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady 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. A heavy offering of bred cows were seen this week. Quality was mixed from plain to very attractive. One large dispersion of bred cows offered buyers over 500 cows all off one ranch. Demand was good to very good for all bred cows on offer.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $230.35/cwt on 44 head.
Average price
$230.35
44 head · 591 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,360
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$42
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$39.69/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+17.19
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1546252.001,37520
Medium and Large 1-2628212.311,33324
One grade step is worth $39.69/cwt here — about $42 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 sale44 hd
230.35
MT average2 barns · 1,903 hd
213.16
+17.19
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
BullsAverage1,669107.451,79419
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,45891.031,32721
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,47688.401,30526
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,15384.7797815

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)Young (2-4 yrs)1,194$2,194177
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,378$1,909166
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,313$1,890148
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,375$1,72482
Bred Heifers3rd Stage (7-9 mo)(<2 yrs)1,072$1,918173

Every lot, as filed

39 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
CowsLean 85-90%1,21388.08/cwt87.00–92.001,0686
CowsBoner 80-85%1,34297.37/cwt96.00–98.001,3073
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,49094.50/cwt94.50–94.501,4081
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,47887.75/cwt87.75–87.751,29716
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight99087.00/cwt87.00–87.008611
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,47289.45/cwt88.75–94.501,31710
CowsLean 85-90%1,23482.59/cwt81.00–86.501,0195
CowsBoner 80-85%1,48190.70/cwt87.50–94.001,34315
CowsBoner 80-85%1,44382.31/cwt81.50–83.001,1882
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight95381.06/cwt78.00–83.007733
Bulls1,728111.12/cwt109.00–112.501,9208
Bulls1,690103.76/cwt94.00–109.001,75410
BullsReturn to Feed995115.00/cwt115.00–115.001,1441
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3401,945.96/head1,900.00–2,000.001,946125
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3811,917.30/head1,875.00–1,975.001,917163
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,0911,792.99/head1,650.00–1,875.001,79328
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1860142.21/cwt116.50–160.001,22322
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,226102.03/cwt85.50–116.001,25131
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,0671,982.53/head1,925.00–2,325.001,98395
Bred HeifersMedium 19291,825.00/head1,825.00–1,825.001,82523
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 1Fleshy1,1411,844.16/head1,825.00–1,885.001,84455
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,1661,585.96/head1,425.00–1,775.001,58623
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2132,269.63/head2,200.00–2,325.002,270149
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,2231,450.00/head1,450.00–1,450.001,4503
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3751,723.56/head1,685.00–1,785.001,72482
SteersMedium and Large 1-2658211.00/cwt211.00–211.001,3886
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2397229.00/cwt229.00–229.009093
HeifersMedium and Large 1531223.00/cwt223.00–223.001,1844
HeifersMedium and Large 1551217.00/cwt217.00–217.001,1965
SteersMedium and Large 1-2709197.12/cwt196.50–198.501,3989
SteersMedium and Large 1-2579221.31/cwt214.00–233.001,2816
SteersMedium and Large 1-2422242.50/cwt242.50–242.501,0233
SteersMedium and Large 1517261.00/cwt261.00–261.001,34914
SteersMedium and Large 1613231.00/cwt231.00–231.001,4166
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2598207.00/cwt207.00–207.001,2386
HeifersMedium and Large 1473229.30/cwt229.00–230.001,08513
BullsMedium and Large 1-2545230.50/cwt227.50–232.001,2563
BullsMedium and Large 1559237.00/cwt237.00–237.001,3254
BullsMedium and Large 1523243.00/cwt243.00–243.001,2713

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.