Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2024-04-16

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Apr 16
● Final55 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
485 head
435 vs last sale 50 323 vs year ago 162 · +199.4%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
386 head
331 vs last sale 55 242 vs year ago 144 · +168.1%
Replacement Cattle receipts
163 head
71 vs last sale 92 16 vs year ago 147 · +10.9%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Demand was mostly moderate to good for light offerings. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Package sizes were larger this week with a couple of partial load lots seen. CME positions pushed higher again today but have been very volatile over the last few weeks. All feeder cattle contracts closed with triple digit gains today. Market activity was mostly moderate to active this week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly very good demand for light to moderate offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly good, however most offerings were purchased to feed this week. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested last week to develop a full market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Demand for feeding cows was very good today as several private feeders and packer buyers both pushed to own offerings. Lean cow offerings saw the largest advancement from last week, however offerings last week were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend. A very attractive offering of fed cows were seen this week. Several sets of fed cows were on feed over 120 days. Demand for these offerings was good to very good. Weigh up conditions were mixed today with both empty and full offerings noticed. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Most of these offerings were wet bagged cows which lost calves this week. Most of these offerings were purchased to rebreed this week. Young cow quality was mostly average to attractive this week.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $286.92/cwt on 107 head. That ranks 1 of 16 comparable sales and sits 153.51 against this barn's trailing median of $440.43.
Average price
$286.92
107 head · 540 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,550
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$197
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2
$17.41/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+3.66
vs MT average
+22.40 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1541287.411,555104
Medium and Large 2503270.001,3583thin
One grade step is worth $17.41/cwt here — about $197 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 600–700 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

16 sales
482434386338median 440.4312/1601/2702/2404/0705/12
Heifers 500–600 lb: high $468.13, low $352.48, median $440.43 across 16 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale107 hd
286.92
MT average3 barns · 179 hd
283.26
+3.66
National average180 barns · 13,997 hd
264.52
+22.40
This barn, trailing median16 sales
440.43
−153.51
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
BullsLow1,726141.332,44056
CowsPremium White 65-75%Average1,541138.782,13873
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,478138.482,04786
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,409136.601,92545
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,161125.581,45864

Every lot, as filed

55 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
Stock CowsLarge 11,258144.00/cwt144.00–144.001,8122
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,076158.56/cwt133.00–203.001,70632
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2824185.39/cwt181.00–191.001,5287
SteersMedium and Large 1700–750716258.62/cwt255.00–264.001,8525
HeifersMedium and Large 1450–500450310.00/cwt310.00–310.001,3953
HeifersMedium and Large 1600–650618264.32/cwt256.00–269.001,63382
HeifersMedium and Large 1400–450441316.34/cwt315.00–325.001,39523
HeifersMedium and Large 1700–750704231.92/cwt231.00–232.001,63313
HeifersMedium and Large 1500–550502309.00/cwt309.00–309.001,55149
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2650–700696237.00/cwt237.00–237.001,6505
HeifersMedium and Large 1750–800759230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,7464
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2450–500475299.23/cwt295.00–302.001,4216
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2400–450422303.53/cwt302.50–305.001,2815
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2300–350335322.50/cwt322.50–322.501,0802
HeifersMedium and Large 1650–700666254.50/cwt254.50–254.501,6959
SteersMedium and Large 1450–500483331.00/cwt331.00–331.001,5994
SteersMedium and Large 1650–700658290.62/cwt286.00–294.001,91233
SteersMedium and Large 1550–600571326.18/cwt325.00–329.001,86223
SteersMedium and Large 1600–650612307.94/cwt290.00–314.001,88522
HeifersMedium and Large 1350–400376330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,2414
HeifersMedium and Large 1550–600576268.18/cwt265.00–274.001,54555
HeifersMedium and Large 2500–550503270.00/cwt270.00–270.001,3583
BullsMedium and Large 1-2100–150105450.00/head450.00–450.004505
BullsMedium and Large 1100–150105462.50/head450.00–475.004634
BullsMedium and Large 1-2650–700688226.00/cwt226.00–226.001,5552
BullsMedium and Large 1800–850837212.00/cwt212.00–212.001,7748
BullsMedium and Large 1750–800794214.00/cwt214.00–214.001,6995
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,460140.32/cwt139.00–140.502,04920
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,375128.48/cwt128.00–129.001,7672
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,114114.63/cwt104.00–123.001,2779
CowsLean 85-90%1,090136.00/cwt136.00–136.001,4821
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,347135.61/cwt128.00–138.501,82716
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,573135.78/cwt134.00–138.002,1366
CowsLean 85-90%1,224132.54/cwt132.00–133.001,6222
CowsLean 85-90%1,13395.52/cwt95.00–96.001,0822
CowsBoner 80-85%1,515116.26/cwt110.00–123.001,7612
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,505137.48/cwt132.00–140.002,06949
CowsBoner 80-85%1,203141.00/cwt141.00–141.001,6962
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,404141.91/cwt141.00–142.001,99221
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight907108.99/cwt100.00–115.009893
CowsPremium White 65-75%Heavy Weight2,200130.59/cwt128.00–133.002,8732
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,598128.54/cwt124.00–132.002,0544
CowsBoner 80-85%1,492133.06/cwt131.00–136.001,9853
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,342143.91/cwt143.50–144.001,9316
CowsPremium White 65-75%1,522139.01/cwt136.00–141.002,11671
CowsLean 85-90%1,095109.75/cwt102.00–115.001,2026
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,182129.00/cwt123.00–135.001,52521
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,218135.94/cwt133.00–138.001,65620
Bulls1,567129.42/cwt119.00–137.002,02815
Bulls1,843144.09/cwt137.00–150.002,65620
Bulls1,835154.34/cwt151.00–167.002,83217
BullsLight Weight1,278114.90/cwt109.00–118.001,4683
BullsReturn to Feed1,285123.00/cwt123.00–123.001,5811
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1929192.85/cwt171.00–214.001,792112
Stock CowsMedium 1773178.87/cwt172.50–181.001,3834

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.