Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2023-04-04

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Apr 4
● Final46 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
245 head
137 vs last sale 382 484 vs year ago 729 · 66.4%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
99 head
120 vs last sale 219 99 vs year ago 198 · 50.0%
Replacement Cattle receipts
155 head
84 vs last sale 71 211 vs year ago 366 · 57.7%
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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 attractive. Demand was mostly good for light offerings. Flesh conditions were mixed this week, from light to moderate. Most backgrounded offerings were in moderate flesh, however quality was mostly attractive. Market activity was mostly active this week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light offerings. Slaughter cows sold generally 1.00-2.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Major packers and local packers continue to be very aggressive as they fight over limited offerings. No cows were purchased to feed this week as slaughter demand was very good. Slaughter bulls sold on good to very good demand this sale. Slaughter bulls sold 1.00-3.00 higher on all offerings. Feeding bull buyers pushed lower quality or light weight bulls higher this week. As a result, low dressing bulls saw the biggest upswing in price. Cow and bull quality was average to attractive this week. Weigh up conditions were average to below average this week as most cows and bulls pushed excess fill. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed saw the biggest price increase this week as several buyers were looking for cows to breed. Young age cows sold mostly 10.00-15.00 higher and some attractive offerings sold very close to yearling heifer price.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $216.20/cwt on 93 head.
Average price
$216.20
93 head · 586 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,268
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$235
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2
$30.00/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+7.72
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2523225.001,17716thin
Medium and Large 1603214.891,29575
Medium and Large 2483195.009422thin
One grade step is worth $30.00/cwt here — about $235 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 sale93 hd
216.20
MT average3 barns · 2,038 hd
208.48
+7.72
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
BullsAverage1,649115.551,90656
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,56996.111,5087thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,44790.361,30814
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,14986.5599518

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 Heifers3rd Stage (7-9 mo)(<2 yrs)990$1,84514

Every lot, as filed

46 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
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,61393.00/cwt92.50–93.501,5002
CowsBoner 80-85%1,44083.57/cwt79.00–85.001,2035
CowsBoner 80-85%1,45194.13/cwt90.50–98.501,3669
BullsLight Weight1,180108.00/cwt108.00–108.001,2741
BullsLight Weight1,190101.00/cwt101.00–101.001,2021
Bulls1,583103.21/cwt94.00–112.001,6345
CowsLean 85-90%1,16885.37/cwt83.50–87.009978
CowsLean 85-90%1,21292.92/cwt91.50–95.501,1268
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight76052.50/cwt52.50–52.503991
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight88579.00/cwt79.00–79.006991
BullsNatural1,633108.33/cwt98.00–114.001,76911
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,55197.36/cwt95.00–100.001,5105
Bulls1,929125.48/cwt123.00–129.002,4217
Bulls1,747118.32/cwt114.00–123.002,06710
BullsNatural1,853128.05/cwt125.00–130.002,3734
BullsMedium and Large 1584227.00/cwt227.00–227.001,3269
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned70375.00/head375.00–375.003751
BullsMedium and Large 1610213.59/cwt210.00–216.501,3039
BullsMedium and Large 1696187.00/cwt187.00–187.001,30212
BullsMedium and Large 1-21,105132.00/cwt132.00–132.001,4591
BullsMedium and Large 1768165.00/cwt165.00–165.001,26710
SteersMedium and Large 1761192.70/cwt191.00–197.001,4667
SteersMedium and Large 1856187.22/cwt182.00–187.501,60340
HeifersMedium and Large 2483195.00/cwt195.00–195.009422
HeifersMedium and Large 1370252.50/cwt252.50–252.509342
SteersMedium and Large 1-2477252.00/cwt252.00–252.001,20213
SteersMedium and Large 1-2535235.00/cwt235.00–235.001,2575
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned70350.00/head350.00–350.003501
HeifersMedium and Large 1501230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,1528
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned105413.10/head400.00–425.004134
HeifersMedium and Large 1635210.06/cwt207.00–218.501,33430
HeifersMedium and Large 1746186.00/cwt186.00–186.001,38812
HeifersMedium and Large 1591226.00/cwt226.00–226.001,33615
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned449231.00/cwt231.00–231.001,0378
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2523225.00/cwt225.00–225.001,17716
BullsMedium and Large 1825184.70/cwt183.50–185.001,52416
Bred HeifersMedium 19851,800.00/head1,800.00–1,800.001,80011
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,0082,010.00/head2,010.00–2,010.002,0103
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1966158.53/cwt137.00–171.001,53198
Stock CowsMedium 1750164.00/cwt164.00–164.001,2301
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,227106.04/cwt92.50–137.501,30116
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2889148.04/cwt136.00–153.001,3167
Stock CowsLarge 1960132.00/cwt132.00–132.001,2671
BullsReturn to Feed1,313103.44/cwt96.00–110.001,3582
BullsReturn to Feed1,323117.68/cwt115.00–122.001,5577
BullsNatural1,730118.72/cwt115.50–124.002,0548

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.