Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2023-03-28

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Mar 28
● Final56 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
382 head
▼ 836 vs last sale 1,218▲ 25 vs year ago 357 · +7.0%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
219 head
▲ 129 vs last sale 90▼ 205 vs year ago 424 · −48.3%
Replacement Cattle receipts
71 head
▼ 75 vs last sale 146▼ 494 vs year ago 565 · −87.4%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady to higher undertones were noticed. Quality this sale was mixed from plain to very attractive. Demand was mostly good for light offerings. The single load lot that sold this week was met with very good demand, as weigh conditions and flesh conditions were very attractive. Market activity was mostly active this week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good for light offerings. Slaughter cows sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Major packers and local packers continue to be very aggressive as they fight over limited offerings. One consignment of fed cows sold this week. These offerings were met with good demand. Little to no premium for premium white cows has been seen this spring so consigners opted to sell cows instead of continuing to feed them. Many of these fed cows were purchased by eastern packers to feed; western packers purchased these offerings for immediate harvest. Feeding cows were not well compared this week. Slaughter bulls sold steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Cow and bull quality was average to attractive this sale. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average this sale. Weigh conditions were not as attractive as last week. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady. Demand for young cows that lost calves continues to be good to very good.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $216.99/cwt on 225 head.
Average price
$216.99
225 head · 667 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,447
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$238
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 1
$24.44/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−0.01
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2581230.001,33692
Medium 1-2381230.008763thin
Medium and Large 2568218.231,23916thin
Medium 1549217.001,1914thin
Medium and Large 1766205.561,574110
One grade step is worth $24.44/cwt here — about −$238 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 sale225 hd
216.99
—
MT average2 barns · 499 hd
217.00
−0.01
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
Bulls—Average1,748119.102,08258
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,51593.981,42477
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,43788.681,27515
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,19484.001,00324

Every lot, as filed

56 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%Light Weight—97577.34/cwt75.00–79.507543
CowsBreaker 75-80%Heavy Weight—2,00081.00/cwt81.00–81.001,6201
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed—1,45394.56/cwt93.50–96.001,37425
CowsBoner 80-85%—1,46390.50/cwt89.00–92.001,3248
CowsLean 85-90%—1,24478.57/cwt75.50–83.009779
Bulls——1,751116.68/cwt113.00–120.002,04325
CowsLean 85-90%—1,21189.74/cwt84.50–95.001,08712
CowsBreaker 75-80%—1,61088.61/cwt86.00–92.501,4275
CowsBreaker 75-80%—1,52694.46/cwt93.00–95.001,44145
CowsBreaker 75-80%—1,62598.00/cwt98.00–98.001,5931
CowsBoner 80-85%—1,47483.94/cwt83.00–86.001,2374
Bulls——1,710102.01/cwt96.50–106.001,7442
Bulls——1,886124.89/cwt121.00–133.002,35518
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed—1,32090.17/cwt86.50–92.001,1903
Bulls—Return to Feed—1,474118.64/cwt116.00–121.001,7499
Bulls—Natural—1,840123.00/cwt123.00–123.002,2631
Bulls—Natural—1,715116.08/cwt114.00–118.001,9913
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1—946146.66/cwt117.00–159.001,38739
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1—1,215103.81/cwt85.00–132.001,26113
HeifersMedium and Large 1—520228.84/cwt221.00–231.001,19018
BullsMedium and Large 1-2—627192.50/cwt192.50–192.501,2073
BullsLarge 1—1,074146.76/cwt145.00–155.001,5768
BullsMedium and Large 2—583197.00/cwt197.00–197.001,1493
BullsMedium and Large 1-2—528227.51/cwt227.00–230.001,2016
BullsMedium and Large 2—473205.00/cwt205.00–205.009702
HeifersMedium and Large 1—560217.00/cwt217.00–217.001,2156
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—578229.38/cwt220.00–236.001,32612
SteersMedium and Large 1—676219.82/cwt214.00–232.001,48616
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—583213.00/cwt213.00–213.001,24232
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—693170.00/cwt170.00–170.001,1783
HeifersMedium and Large 1—482238.00/cwt238.00–238.001,1476
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—515214.00/cwt214.00–214.001,1023
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—716194.00/cwt194.00–194.001,3894
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—604225.13/cwt224.50–230.001,36036
HeifersMedium and Large 2—392210.00/cwt210.00–210.008233
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—492216.08/cwt212.50–217.001,06314
HeifersMedium 1—393232.00/cwt232.00–232.009129
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—485261.04/cwt250.00–272.001,26614
SteersMedium and Large 1—535250.47/cwt249.00–252.001,3406
SteersMedium and Large 1—910182.00/cwt182.00–182.001,6566
SteersMedium and Large 1—601237.93/cwt227.00–244.501,4308
HeifersMedium 1—423239.00/cwt239.00–239.001,0113
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—376235.00/cwt235.00–235.008845
SteersMedium and Large 1—810197.25/cwt197.25–197.251,59874
SteersMedium 1—549217.00/cwt217.00–217.001,1914
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—674204.12/cwt202.00–208.001,3768
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—539235.53/cwt231.50–246.001,27018
SteersMedium and Large 2—547225.00/cwt225.00–225.001,2317
SteersMedium and Large 2—584212.97/cwt212.00–215.001,2449
SteersMedium 1-2—381230.00/cwt230.00–230.008763
BullsMedium and Large 1-2—561213.00/cwt213.00–213.001,1955
BullsLarge 1—1,108123.00/cwt122.00–124.001,3632
BullsMedium and Large 1—500252.50/cwt252.50–252.501,2632
BullsLarge 1—1,160120.00/cwt120.00–120.001,3921
BullsLarge 1—1,010157.00/cwt157.00–157.001,5864
BullsLarge 1Fancy—1,160140.00/cwt140.00–140.001,6243

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.