Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2023-04-18

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Apr 18
● Final46 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
162 head
367 vs last sale 529 17 vs year ago 145 · +11.7%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
144 head
30 vs last sale 114 21 vs year ago 165 · 12.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
147 head
37 vs last sale 184 74 vs year ago 221 · 33.5%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested this week and last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Quality this sale was mixed from plain to attractive. Demand was mostly good to very good for light offerings. Flesh conditions were mostly light this week. Higher CME feeder cattle contract prices continue to provided support to all feeder cattle prices. Market activity was mostly active this week, despite light offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand 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. A large portion of the cow offering was purchased to feed this week as packers purchased most cows to send to the feedlot. Feeding cows sold generally steady. Slaughter bulls sold on good to very good demand this sale. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady. Feeding bull buyers continue to actively bid on lower quality or light weight bulls to feed. Cow and bull quality was mostly average; weigh up conditions were mixed. Young age cows comprised a large portion of the sale again this week as ranchers continue to sell off cows which lost calves. Many ranchers are selling these offerings as they are bring more today than they did last fall as yearlings. Young age cows sold mostly steady to firm.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $216.16/cwt on 87 head.
Average price
$216.16
87 head · 585 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,266
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$289
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1-2
$31.51/cwt at this weight
vs the market
4.22
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1639223.511,42948
Medium and Large 1-2549216.861,19014thin
Medium and Large 2485203.5098721
Large 1-2594192.001,1404thin
One grade step is worth $31.51/cwt here — about $289 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 sale87 hd
216.16
MT average3 barns · 1,495 hd
220.38
−4.22
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
BullsAverage1,803120.632,17523
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,687102.351,7273thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,35593.781,27142
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,17690.751,06745

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
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,17194.06/cwt90.00–97.001,1019
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight91683.44/cwt75.00–87.507644
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,19698.79/cwt97.00–103.001,1828
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,12588.00/cwt88.00–88.009901
CowsBoner 80-85%1,34994.90/cwt89.00–100.001,2809
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,715100.00/cwt100.00–100.001,7151
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,35295.59/cwt90.00–99.001,29223
CowsBoner 80-85%1,35884.52/cwt81.00–89.001,1486
CowsBoner 80-85%1,375101.47/cwt101.00–102.001,3952
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,673103.52/cwt103.00–104.001,7322
CowsLean 85-90%1,20988.87/cwt85.50–95.001,07421
CowsLean 85-90%1,31079.42/cwt74.00–85.001,0402
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,38888.00/cwt88.00–88.001,2212
Bulls1,769116.77/cwt114.00–121.002,06614
Bulls1,914127.96/cwt123.00–134.002,4498
BullsReturn to Feed1,385116.00/cwt116.00–116.001,6071
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,088101.27/cwt93.50–110.001,1023
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,044122.26/cwt98.00–152.001,27624
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2949133.87/cwt125.00–140.001,2705
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1924164.27/cwt129.00–182.501,51873
Stock CowsMedium 1740162.00/cwt162.00–162.001,1991
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,03099.95/cwt96.00–102.501,0296
Stock CowsLarge 1940145.65/cwt130.00–152.001,3694
HeifersMedium and Large 2485203.50/cwt200.00–212.5098721
HeifersLarge 1-2594192.00/cwt192.00–192.001,1404
HeifersMedium and Large 1714206.00/cwt206.00–206.001,4718
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2589211.00/cwt211.00–211.001,2434
HeifersMedium and Large 1629234.19/cwt232.00–237.001,4739
BullsMedium and Large 1-2439270.00/cwt270.00–270.001,1854
HeifersMedium and Large 1674212.50/cwt212.50–212.501,43216
HeifersMedium and Large 1569238.18/cwt222.50–246.001,35515
SteersMedium and Large 1-2378295.00/cwt295.00–295.001,11512
SteersMedium and Large 1850191.00/cwt191.00–191.001,6243
SteersMedium and Large 1655238.00/cwt238.00–238.001,5592
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2665202.00/cwt202.00–202.001,3432
SteersMedium and Large 1773202.00/cwt202.00–202.001,5615
SteersMedium and Large 1613249.00/cwt249.00–249.001,5262
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2503222.00/cwt222.00–222.001,1174
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2496225.00/cwt225.00–225.001,1164
SteersMedium and Large 1-2615232.50/cwt232.50–232.501,4301
BullsMedium and Large 1-2485250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,2133
BullsLarge 11,215135.00/cwt135.00–135.001,6401
BullsLarge 11,355135.00/cwt135.00–135.001,8291
BullsMedium and Large 1-2519261.00/cwt261.00–261.001,35511
BullsMedium and Large 1813174.00/cwt174.00–174.001,4154
BullsMedium and Large 2542212.50/cwt212.50–212.501,1523

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.