Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2023-08-29

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Aug 29
● Final50 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
625 head
371 vs last sale 254 258 vs year ago 367 · +70.3%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
200 head
50 vs last sale 150 86 vs year ago 114 · +75.4%
Replacement Cattle receipts
2 head
31 vs last sale 33 6 vs year ago 8 · 75.0%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last reported sale (8/08/23): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested either last sale to today to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on steers and steady to firm undertones were noticed on heifers. Demand was mostly very good for light offerings. Quality this sale was mostly average. Cattle continue to offer buyers mostly light flesh as pasture and range conditions are in mostly poor condition due to late summer heat and grasshoppers. Market activity was mostly active this week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light offerings. Cow and bull body condition scores continue to deteriorate as poor pasture and range conditions are weighing on all animals that are turned out. Breaking cows were not well compared. Boning and lean cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 lower in a narrow comparison on a lower yielding offering than was seen three weeks ago. Feeding cows were not well compared as packer buyers purchased cows only to slaughter this week which kept comparisons narrow. However, steady to weak undertones were noticed on a lower quality offering. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady. Weigh up conditions were average to below average as most cows were pushing fill. Young age cows were too lightly tested to trend. fewer takers were seen for this class of cows this week.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $242.92/cwt on 344 head.
Average price
$242.92
344 head · 738 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,793
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$766
per head · Medium 1 over Large 1
$34.78/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+2.85
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1566247.781,40319thin
Medium and Large 1774243.121,881264
Medium and Large 1-2624242.181,51157
Medium and Large 2693221.001,5322thin
Large 11,018213.002,1682thin
One grade step is worth $34.78/cwt here — about −$766 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 sale344 hd
242.92
MT average2 barns · 449 hd
240.07
+2.85
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
BullsLow1,629110.251,79552
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,536113.731,74714
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,415105.081,48753
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,15888.781,02855

Every lot, as filed

50 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
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2716241.08/cwt240.00–241.501,72617
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2750234.00/cwt234.00–234.001,7552
SteersMedium 1665270.00/cwt270.00–270.001,79687
SteersMedium 1499286.50/cwt286.50–286.501,4308
HeifersMedium and Large 2693221.00/cwt221.00–221.001,5322
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2845230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,9441
SteersMedium and Large 1-2735262.50/cwt262.50–262.501,92915
SteersMedium and Large 1928234.00/cwt234.00–234.002,1727
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned323330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,0668
SteersMedium and Large 1962231.50/cwt231.50–231.502,2275
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned377296.00/cwt296.00–296.001,1168
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Spayed669234.00/cwt234.00–234.001,56512
SteersMedium and Large 1853245.00/cwt245.00–245.002,0908
SteersMedium and Large 1-2673267.50/cwt267.50–267.501,8006
SteersMedium and Large 1-2764252.76/cwt250.00–255.501,9314
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned461301.00/cwt301.00–301.001,3889
SteersMedium and Large 1-2815243.20/cwt241.00–245.001,98210
SteersMedium and Large 1-2525283.00/cwt283.00–283.001,48623
SteersMedium and Large 1761257.80/cwt257.00–259.001,96210
HeifersMedium and Large 1825238.24/cwt233.50–239.751,965105
HeifersMedium 1593246.00/cwt246.00–246.001,4595
HeifersLarge 11,018213.00/cwt213.00–213.002,1682
HeifersMedium and Large 1934226.98/cwt224.50–228.002,12028
HeifersMedium and Large 1884232.97/cwt231.00–235.002,05918
BullsLarge 11,295157.50/cwt157.50–157.502,0401
HeifersMedium and Large 1767239.78/cwt237.00–245.001,83933
HeifersMedium and Large 1983224.00/cwt224.00–224.002,2025
HeifersMedium and Large 1Spayed631257.00/cwt257.00–257.001,62267
HeifersMedium 1Spayed572246.62/cwt246.00–247.001,41111
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2521248.00/cwt248.00–248.001,29225
HeifersMedium 1500255.00/cwt255.00–255.001,2753
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1990143.90/cwt123.00–167.501,4252
BullsReturn to Feed1,697108.79/cwt107.00–111.001,8468
BullsReturn to Feed1,407118.21/cwt112.00–122.001,66313
BullsLight Weight1,180104.00/cwt104.00–104.001,2271
Bulls1,832115.73/cwt113.00–120.002,1208
Bulls2,033127.63/cwt125.00–130.002,5952
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,398112.75/cwt112.75–112.751,57612
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,375107.51/cwt105.50–108.001,4785
CowsBoner 80-85%1,444107.59/cwt103.00–108.501,55417
CowsBoner 80-85%1,392100.49/cwt96.00–102.001,3994
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,546114.25/cwt112.00–114.501,76613
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,405107.00/cwt107.00–107.001,5031
CowsLean 85-90%1,278102.00/cwt102.00–102.001,3047
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,41596.50/cwt96.50–96.501,36515
CowsLean 85-90%1,20587.92/cwt82.00–95.001,05916
CowsLean 85-90%1,07574.39/cwt69.00–75.0080011
Bulls1,646102.03/cwt88.00–111.001,67920
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,102103.03/cwt101.00–107.001,1353
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,12990.81/cwt88.00–97.001,02518

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.