Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2025-01-07

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Jan 7
● Final49 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
568 head
675 vs last sale 1,243 1,141 vs year ago 1,709 · 66.8%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
154 head
266 vs last sale 420 509 vs year ago 663 · 76.8%
Replacement Cattle receipts
25 head
330 vs last sale 355 259 vs year ago 284 · 91.2%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested either last sale or today to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on both steers and heifers under 600 lbs and higher undertones were noticed on both steers and heifers over 600 lbs. Quality this week was mixed from plain to very attractive. Demand was good to very good on all offerings. Most offerings were weaned from 60-90 days, however, demand was similar for both weaned and un-weaned cattle as buyers focused on quality. Market activity was mostly active today. Bidders were active both ringside as well as over the internet this sale. Weigh up cows sold on good demand for light offerings. Demand for slaughter cows improved slightly this sale as packers purchased slightly better yielding cows to send to immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00 to 5.00 higher on boning and lean cows, breaking cows were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Feeding cow demand continues to be good. Both private feeders and packers both showed good demand for cows to feed. Private buyers continue to buy slightly lame or slightly blemished cows to but away on feed. Feeding cows sold mostly 2.00 to 5.00 higher on high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white. Thin feeding cows sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher. Cow quality this week was average to attractive. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested either this sale or last to develop any market trend. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average this week for cows and bulls. Bull quality this week was mostly plain with many low dressing bulls on offer. Young age offerings were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Young age cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for light offerings. Quality was mostly average.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $312.27/cwt on 71 head. That ranks 1 of 16 comparable sales and sits 128.16 against this barn's trailing median of $440.43.
Average price
$312.27
71 head · 550 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,719
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
single grade reported
vs the market
+0.00
vs MT average
+7.03 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1550312.271,71971
Only one grade was reported at this weight, so there is no spread to compute.

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 sale71 hd
312.27
MT average1 barns · 71 hd
312.27
+0.00
National average163 barns · 22,771 hd
305.24
+7.03
This barn, trailing median16 sales
440.43
−128.16
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
BullsAverage1,809137.232,48320
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,465127.611,86974
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,109107.001,18753

Every lot, as filed

49 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
Bulls1,980144.10/cwt141.00–146.002,8537
BullsReturn to Feed1,633139.00/cwt139.00–139.002,2702
BullsLight Weight1,410105.00/cwt105.00–105.001,4811
CowsBoner 80-85%1,653111.88/cwt111.00–112.501,8494
CowsBoner 80-85%1,435107.00/cwt107.00–107.001,5351
SteersMedium and Large 1500–550530358.00/cwt358.00–358.001,89727
HeifersMedium and Large 1450–500489336.98/cwt332.00–346.001,64831
HeifersMedium and Large 2350–400379350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,32713
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,111175.53/cwt154.00–183.001,9508
HeifersMedium and Large 1400–450435366.62/cwt356.50–369.501,59583
SteersMedium and Large 1700–750719293.80/cwt291.75–297.502,11272
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,050174.26/cwt159.00–197.501,8309
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned450–500465354.00/cwt354.00–354.001,64611
HeifersMedium and Large 1700–750700262.50/cwt262.50–262.501,8382
SteersMedium and Large 1850–900898250.00/cwt250.00–250.002,2452
HeifersMedium and Large 1550–600561307.53/cwt303.00–310.501,72516
SteersMedium and Large 1650–700655311.00/cwt311.00–311.002,0371
SteersMedium and Large 1450–500477371.00/cwt371.00–371.001,77012
HeifersMedium and Large 1500–550546314.21/cwt312.00–315.001,71652
SteersMedium and Large 1550–600590327.15/cwt326.50–335.501,93052
HeifersMedium and Large 1350–400387378.23/cwt377.00–382.501,46414
HeifersMedium and Large 1650–700650274.00/cwt274.00–274.001,78116
BullsMedium and Large 1450–500482360.00/cwt360.00–360.001,7357
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned550–600572304.00/cwt304.00–304.001,7393
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2400–450446344.81/cwt344.50–345.001,53813
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2350–400375371.43/cwt370.00–372.501,3937
SteersMedium and Large 1-2400–450419375.12/cwt370.00–403.001,57223
SteersMedium and Large 1-2350–400379425.00/cwt425.00–425.001,6114
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned500–550514361.00/cwt361.00–361.001,8565
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned650–700657308.00/cwt308.00–308.002,02410
BullsReturn to Feed1,538136.87/cwt135.00–138.502,1052
SteersMedium 1400–450441364.00/cwt364.00–364.001,6056
HeifersMedium 1350–400368365.00/cwt365.00–365.001,3432
SteersMedium 1250–300284465.00/cwt465.00–465.001,32113
HeifersMedium 1400–450448357.00/cwt357.00–357.001,5995
HeifersMedium and Large 2400–450440325.00/cwt325.00–325.001,4303
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2450–500453330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,4952
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,510134.08/cwt134.00–134.502,02542
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,395111.59/cwt109.50–114.001,5576
CowsLean 85-90%1,28095.86/cwt93.00–99.001,2272
Bulls2,200150.25/cwt150.00–150.503,3062
CowsLean 85-90%1,270112.00/cwt110.00–115.001,4225
Bulls1,696129.77/cwt119.00–139.002,2016
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,115111.59/cwt100.00–117.001,24413
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,174117.35/cwt117.00–118.001,37811
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight83096.48/cwt92.00–100.008012
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight988110.00/cwt110.00–110.001,08712
CowsLean 85-90%1,11983.08/cwt82.00–83.509308
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,359123.22/cwt116.00–130.501,67521

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.