Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2023-05-30

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, May 30
● Final42 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
87 head
91 vs last sale 178 66 vs year ago 153 · 43.1%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
365 head
31 vs last sale 334 272 vs year ago 637 · 42.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
155 head
84 vs last sale 239 610 vs year ago 765 · 79.7%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested this week and last to develop any market trend. Quality this sale was mostly plain to average. Demand was mostly good for light offerings. Cattle were offered in mostly small packages or as singles. Market activity was mostly moderate to active this week. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for moderate offerings. Slaughter cows were sold mostly 4.00-6.00 higher on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Packers showed very good demand for slaughter cows today as all cows were purchased for immediate harvest. A limited number of cows were purchased to feed this week as mostly order buyers purchased cow to feed. Feeding cows were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Tight cow supplies are being seen across the country as rain in the southern plains has slowed culling due to drought and dwindling spring culling in the north has further tightened supplies. Additionally, many ranchers, particularly in the northern plains, continue to buy much of the young cow supply to rebreed further tightening supplies. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Cow and bull quality was mostly attractive to very attractive this week. Weigh up conditions were average to above average. With many cows out on grass, most were emptied out and offered buyers very good yields. Young age cows sold mostly 10.00 lower as fewer takers were seen for this class of cows. Quality was not as attractive as last week and many sets on offer were mixed for age.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $231.79/cwt on 43 head.
Average price
$231.79
43 head · 567 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,315
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$225
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$11.14/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+0.59
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1586234.641,37432
Medium and Large 1-2514223.501,14911thin
One grade step is worth $11.14/cwt here — about $225 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 sale43 hd
231.79
MT average3 barns · 733 hd
231.19
+0.59
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
BullsAverage1,876128.032,40213
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,547107.171,6583thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,391105.661,469173
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,211102.391,240132

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
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)1,300$2,4753thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,551$2,2005
Cow-Calf PairsOpenAged (>8 yrs)1,575$2,1001thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,620$2,0755

Every lot, as filed

42 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
SteersMedium and Large 1-2750215.00/cwt215.00–215.001,6132
BullsMedium and Large 1965171.00/cwt171.00–171.001,6501
BullsLarge 11,265157.00/cwt157.00–157.001,9861
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2695200.00/cwt200.00–200.001,3901
SteersMedium and Large 1-2928187.00/cwt187.00–187.001,7352
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned675234.00/cwt234.00–234.001,5801
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned600250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,5003
SteersMedium and Large 1-2430251.00/cwt251.00–251.001,0792
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2412229.00/cwt229.00–229.009435
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2615222.50/cwt222.50–222.501,3683
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2528223.00/cwt223.00–223.001,1772
HeifersMedium and Large 1596235.00/cwt235.00–235.001,40119
SteersMedium and Large 1665233.00/cwt233.00–233.001,5492
SteersMedium and Large 1-2710227.00/cwt227.00–227.001,6123
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,5752,100.00/head2,100.00–2,100.002,1001
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,6202,075.00/head2,075.00–2,075.002,0755
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,5512,200.00/head2,200.00–2,200.002,2005
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,3002,475.00/head2,475.00–2,475.002,4753
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1957159.29/cwt132.00–178.001,52411
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2885146.89/cwt135.00–158.001,3002
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,148121.67/cwt101.00–167.001,39785
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,245108.11/cwt107.00–108.501,34628
BullsReturn to Feed1,558119.54/cwt118.00–121.001,8622
Bulls1,885128.32/cwt127.00–129.002,4198
Bulls2,065132.90/cwt131.00–136.002,7443
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,322103.00/cwt103.00–103.001,36224
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,451106.67/cwt106.50–108.501,54822
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,528107.50/cwt107.50–107.501,6432
CowsLean 85-90%1,238101.03/cwt97.00–105.501,25155
CowsLean 85-90%1,238107.46/cwt105.50–109.501,33024
CowsBoner 80-85%1,378103.98/cwt99.00–106.001,43360
CowsBoner 80-85%1,407107.79/cwt106.00–112.001,51767
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,585106.50/cwt106.50–106.501,6881
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,150101.02/cwt100.00–106.001,1626
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,225108.92/cwt105.50–110.001,33426
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight98596.00/cwt96.00–96.009461
CowsLean 85-90%1,16293.62/cwt89.00–97.001,08815
CowsLean 85-90%1,00584.00/cwt84.00–84.008442
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight94791.02/cwt90.00–92.008623
HeifersMedium and Large 1635227.23/cwt226.00–229.001,4436
HeifersMedium and Large 1515240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,2367
BullsMedium and Large 1910168.00/cwt168.00–168.001,5291

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.