Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2024-08-06

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Aug 6
● Final39 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
189 head
167 vs last sale 22 65 vs year ago 254 · 25.6%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
170 head
208 vs last sale 378 20 vs year ago 150 · +13.3%
Replacement Cattle receipts
29 head
89 vs last sale 118 4 vs year ago 33 · 12.1%
View

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 mostly off grass this week and most were in very light flesh. Quality was mixed from plain to attractive. Heifer quality was much more attractive than steer quality today. Market activity was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand again this week. Demand improved as more buyers started loads. Cow quality was slightly better this sale compared to last sale. Demand from packers remains good and they purchased most of the offering to feed this week. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher, with the largest increase seen on lean cows. Slaughter cows sold steady on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00-6.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Feeding bulls sold mostly steady to weak. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to above average today as most cows were coming off grass. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality was mostly average today.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $299.00/cwt on 28 head. That ranks 1 of 13 comparable sales and sits 187.23 against this barn's trailing median of $486.23.
Average price
$299.00
28 head · 591 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,767
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
single grade reported
vs the market
+6.12
vs MT average
+23.92 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2591299.001,76728
Only one grade was reported at this weight, so there is no spread to compute.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

13 sales
526493459426median 486.2312/1601/2002/1003/1706/23
Steers 500–600 lb: high $512.23, low $440.01, median $486.23 across 13 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 sale28 hd
299.00
MT average2 barns · 41 hd
292.88
+6.12
National average145 barns · 4,636 hd
275.08
+23.92
This barn, trailing median13 sales
486.23
−187.23
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
BullsAverage1,740163.752,84939
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,647144.412,37926
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,434144.122,06684
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,141137.131,56413

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 Pairs1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,769$3,0005
Cow-Calf Pairs1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,410$2,9005
Cow-Calf Pairs1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,873$2,8003thin
Cow-Calf Pairs1st Stage (1-3 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,517$2,3003thin

Every lot, as filed

39 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 11050–11001,058206.00/cwt206.00–206.002,1792
BullsMedium and Large 11000–10501,013206.99/cwt204.00–210.002,0972
BullsMedium and Large 1-2900–950935209.00/cwt209.00–209.001,9541
HeifersMedium and Large 1750–800783245.00/cwt245.00–245.001,9185
SteersLarge 1600–650624289.50/cwt289.50–289.501,8067
SteersMedium and Large 1-2750–800776250.50/cwt250.50–250.501,9449
SteersMedium and Large 2450–500450307.00/cwt307.00–307.001,38211
HeifersMedium and Large 1800–850811243.00/cwt243.00–243.001,97118
SteersMedium and Large 1-2600–650638287.00/cwt287.00–287.001,8313
SteersMedium and Large 1-2650–700664279.00/cwt279.00–279.001,85331
Beef/Dairy SteersLarge 3600–650612206.00/cwt206.00–206.001,2616
SteersMedium and Large 1-2550–600591299.00/cwt299.00–299.001,76728
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-21,8732,800.00/head2,800.00–2,800.002,8003
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-21,7693,000.00/head3,000.00–3,000.003,0005
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,172149.00/cwt149.00–149.001,7466
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,065160.00/cwt160.00–160.001,7041
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,225163.00/cwt163.00–163.001,9971
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,5172,300.00/head2,300.00–2,300.002,3003
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,4102,900.00/head2,900.00–2,900.002,9005
BullsReturn to Feed1,639162.50/cwt158.00–174.002,66313
BullsReturn to Feed1,630154.00/cwt154.00–154.002,5101
BullsNatural1,940163.00/cwt163.00–163.003,1621
Bulls1,631163.28/cwt160.00–169.002,6639
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,377136.44/cwt136.00–136.501,8798
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,184135.57/cwt133.00–139.001,6057
CowsBoner 80-85%1,394143.00/cwt143.00–143.001,9934
CowsBreaker 75-80%Heavy Weight2,060144.50/cwt144.50–144.502,9771
CowsLean 85-90%1,033120.51/cwt115.00–126.001,2452
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,621145.31/cwt144.75–148.502,35520
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,413143.03/cwt141.00–145.502,02115
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,688142.00/cwt142.00–142.002,3973
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,445145.88/cwt144.50–148.502,10854
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,670137.00/cwt137.00–137.002,2881
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,119148.16/cwt147.00–149.001,6584
CowsBoner 80-85%1,473147.00/cwt147.00–147.002,1652
CowsBoner 80-85%1,660126.00/cwt126.00–126.002,0921
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,615141.00/cwt141.00–141.002,2771
Bulls2,028173.96/cwt171.50–176.003,5289
Bulls1,674153.61/cwt150.00–157.502,5716

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.