Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2025-03-11

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Mar 11
● Final45 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
348 head
850 vs last sale 1,198 215 vs year ago 563 · 38.2%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
282 head
86 vs last sale 368 70 vs year ago 212 · +33.0%
Replacement Cattle receipts
78 head
807 vs last sale 885 2 vs year ago 80 · 2.5%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers were all too lightly tested either this week or last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on steers under 500 lbs and steady undertones were noticed on steers over 500 lbs. 650-699 lbs heifers offered the best test this week, these offerings sold mostly steady in a narrow comparison. All other weights of heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Feeder quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly good for light offerings. CME feeder cattle positions traded firm today on nearby contracts, with differed contracts trading with gains of 100.00 or more. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today with a large buyer pool on hand despite a small offering of feeder cattle. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for light offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly moderate to good. Small regional packers were in the market this week and helped push fed cows mostly higher. Premium white and breaking cows sold mostly 4.00-6.00 higher. Boning and lean cows sold mostly steady.Most fed cows had been on feed for over 100 days. Cows were mixed for grade but most fed cows were purchased to slaughter this week. Packers and private feeding buyers both showed good demand for all cows suitable to feed. Demand for feeding cows was stronger this week with a larger buyer pool noticed. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher with the largest gains seen on lean cows. Cow quality was mostly average to attractive this week. Slaughter bulls sold on very good demand this week. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed, on a higher quality offering. Weigh up conditions were mostly average this week. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher. Quality was mostly average to attractive today. Many sets of light weight offerings were purchased to feed, while heavier offerings which had recently lost calves sold to rebreed or use as recips.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $312.71/cwt on 18 head. That ranks 1 of 16 comparable sales and sits 127.72 against this barn's trailing median of $440.43.
Average price
$312.71
18 head · 538 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,682
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$90
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Large 1
$1.28/cwt at this weight
vs the market
13.75
vs MT average
2.25 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2550313.281,72210thin
Large 1523312.001,6328thin
One grade step is worth $1.28/cwt here — about $90 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 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 sale18 hd
312.71
MT average2 barns · 273 hd
326.47
−13.75
National average179 barns · 17,787 hd
314.96
−2.25
This barn, trailing median16 sales
440.43
−127.72
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
BullsAverage1,846159.652,94716
CowsPremium White 65-75%Average1,584143.272,26962
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,483142.022,10696
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,365134.381,83532
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,168133.841,56354

Every lot, as filed

45 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 1-2550–600574311.57/cwt310.00–314.001,7885
HeifersMedium and Large 1750–800780243.00/cwt243.00–243.001,8954
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,159165.67/cwt147.00–170.001,9206
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1977228.38/cwt209.00–241.002,23137
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,113180.51/cwt148.00–214.002,00924
SteersMedium and Large 1450–500468393.73/cwt392.50–395.001,8432
HeifersMedium and Large 1650–700687288.52/cwt287.00–289.501,982103
SteersMedium and Large 1350–400357503.30/cwt500.00–505.001,7973
SteersMedium and Large 1-2550–600560347.50/cwt347.50–347.501,9462
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2960162.50/cwt162.50–162.501,5601
SteersMedium and Large 1700–750704309.00/cwt309.00–309.002,17519
SteersMedium and Large 1400–450442430.25/cwt430.25–430.251,90296
SteersMedium and Large 1300–350305505.00/cwt505.00–505.001,5401
SteersMedium and Large 1500–550501377.50/cwt377.50–377.501,8914
HeifersMedium and Large 1600–650608322.50/cwt322.50–322.501,9617
SteersMedium and Large 1550–600596341.19/cwt341.00–344.002,03315
Bulls1,894169.12/cwt162.00–178.503,2037
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,665136.22/cwt130.00–138.002,2686
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,480142.00/cwt142.00–142.002,10240
CowsBoner 80-85%1,425146.50/cwt146.50–146.502,0881
CowsBoner 80-85%1,367135.07/cwt129.00–143.501,8466
Bulls1,695139.77/cwt131.00–150.002,3695
SteersMedium and Large 1-2650–700692292.50/cwt292.50–292.502,0243
HeifersMedium and Large 1250–300282437.50/cwt437.50–437.501,2343
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2400–450425337.50/cwt337.50–337.501,4342
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2600–650613285.00/cwt285.00–285.001,7472
HeifersMedium and Large 1Fleshy800–850821232.00/cwt232.00–232.001,9054
CowsBoner 80-85%1,456117.97/cwt110.00–124.001,7185
HeifersLarge 1500–550523312.00/cwt312.00–312.001,6328
HeifersLarge 1400–450418347.50/cwt347.50–347.501,4533
BullsLarge 11150–12001,160197.00/cwt197.00–197.002,2851
Stock CowsMedium 1775230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,7831
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2500–550525315.00/cwt315.00–315.001,6545
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,135125.72/cwt110.00–134.001,42713
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight91592.50/cwt92.50–92.508461
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,275150.00/cwt150.00–150.001,9131
BullsLight Weight1,370131.00/cwt131.00–131.001,7951
Bulls2,143180.21/cwt179.50–181.003,8623
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,313138.75/cwt135.00–145.001,82216
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,464142.73/cwt140.00–144.502,09050
CowsLean 85-90%1,15598.98/cwt95.00–103.001,1432
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,500127.80/cwt122.00–132.001,9173
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,195141.93/cwt140.00–142.501,69635
CowsLean 85-90%1,088111.62/cwt101.00–125.001,2143
CowsPremium White 65-75%1,584143.27/cwt139.50–149.002,26962

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.