Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2024-06-25

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Jun 25
● Final41 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
49 head
16 vs last sale 33 5 vs year ago 54 · 9.3%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
924 head
458 vs last sale 466 342 vs year ago 582 · +58.8%
Replacement Cattle receipts
235 head
100 vs last sale 135 105 vs year ago 130 · +80.8%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Feeder cattle were scarcely tested this week. Quality was mostly plain, and mostly offered in small packages or as singles. Market activity was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows comprised most of the offering again this week. Ranchers continue to cull cows as they wrap up branding. Several ranchers sold cows that had yet to calve but these offerings sold buy the pound and mostly to feeding or packers buyers. Most auctions are taking next week off for the 4th of July and packers were very active as they bid to own as much of the offering as possible. Slaughter cows sold steady to 1.00 higher on breaking and boning cows, lean cows sold mostly 2.00 higher as feeding buyers pushed packers on this class of cows. Demand for slaughter cows was good however, most offerings were purchased to feed again this week. Cow quality today was attractive to very attractive with many sets of very high quality cows off reputation ranches. Packers and private buyers both showed very good demand for cows to feed. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 1.00 higher on cows suitable to feed to premium white. Lean and light boning short term feeding cows were included in slaughter cows this week as most of these offerings were purchased for next weeks slaughter. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher, with the biggest gains seen in average dressing bulls as feeding buyers forced packers to pay higher money in order to secure offerings. Feeding bulls were too lightly tested last week to develop a full market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to above average today with most cows emptied out from being out grazing. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 5.00 higher. Additional buyers were in the market this week searching for cows suitable to rebreed this helped push some offerings near steady with prices from two weeks ago. Quality was average to attractive this week.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $292.41/cwt on 8 head. That ranks 1 of 16 comparable sales and sits 148.02 against this barn's trailing median of $440.43.
Average price
$292.41
8 head · 575 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,681
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$233
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 1
$0.10/cwt at this weight
vs the market
11.04
vs MT average
+23.13 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2505292.501,4771thin
Medium and Large 1585292.401,7117thin
One grade step is worth $0.10/cwt here — about −$233 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 sale8 hd
292.41
MT average2 barns · 65 hd
303.45
−11.04
National average153 barns · 8,958 hd
269.28
+23.13
This barn, trailing median16 sales
440.43
−148.02
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
BullsAverage1,844169.493,125105
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,595144.732,30867
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,406143.662,019603
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,184136.221,613100

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 PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,617$2,72311

Every lot, as filed

41 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
BullsMedium and Large 1850–900863231.00/cwt231.00–231.001,9943
BullsLarge 11100–11501,140172.00/cwt172.00–172.001,9612
HeifersMedium and Large 1750–800790242.50/cwt242.50–242.501,9167
HeifersMedium and Large 1650–700681273.00/cwt273.00–273.001,85911
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2500–550505292.50/cwt292.50–292.501,4771
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2600–650643282.00/cwt282.00–282.001,8132
HeifersMedium and Large 1550–600585292.40/cwt291.00–295.001,7117
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,6172,723.49/head2,700.00–2,850.002,72311
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,036189.83/cwt159.00–211.001,96777
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2955180.35/cwt177.00–182.501,7223
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,211155.81/cwt141.00–189.001,887107
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,185147.00/cwt147.00–147.001,7422
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,154146.50/cwt146.50–146.501,69115
BullsReturn to Feed1,551161.28/cwt153.00–166.002,50124
BullsReturn to Feed1,820172.00/cwt172.00–172.003,1302
BullsReturn to Feed1,508143.01/cwt141.00–146.002,1572
BullsLight Weight1,335132.50/cwt132.50–132.501,7691
Bulls1,585144.15/cwt132.00–149.002,2858
Bulls2,027180.61/cwt175.00–193.003,66120
CowsBoner 80-85%1,438146.02/cwt143.50–155.002,10096
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight990132.00/cwt132.00–132.001,3071
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed950117.50/cwt117.50–117.501,1161
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,384141.32/cwt136.00–143.001,956203
CowsBoner 80-85%1,395140.09/cwt137.00–143.001,95452
CowsBoner 80-85%1,330134.00/cwt134.00–134.001,7821
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,425132.53/cwt132.00–133.001,8892
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,594143.95/cwt142.00–146.002,29517
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,620149.63/cwt148.50–152.502,42419
CowsLean 85-90%1,184142.74/cwt139.00–145.001,69021
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,180134.79/cwt128.00–138.501,59117
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,579141.61/cwt140.75–145.502,23628
Bulls1,860167.94/cwt157.00–174.503,12429
CowsLean 85-90%1,085114.63/cwt106.00–125.001,24410
CowsLean 85-90%1,105102.00/cwt102.00–102.001,1271
CowsLean 85-90%1,179132.13/cwt129.00–137.001,55816
Bulls1,855170.99/cwt170.00–172.003,1722
Bulls2,207187.38/cwt178.00–191.004,13517
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,413145.52/cwt143.50–150.002,056249
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,235143.05/cwt139.00–147.001,76733
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,615152.99/cwt150.50–155.002,4712
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,520136.00/cwt136.00–136.002,0671

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.