Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2025-04-08

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Apr 8
● Final52 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
229 head
380 vs last sale 609 179 vs year ago 50 · +358.0%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
172 head
28 vs last sale 144 117 vs year ago 55 · +212.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
104 head
19 vs last sale 123 12 vs year ago 92 · +13.0%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were both too lightly tested this week or last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on all feeder offerings. Feeder quality this week was mostly plain to average on steers and average to attractive on heifers. Demand was mostly moderate to good for light offerings. CME positions moved sharply lower on outside market pressure over the last few days. Despite lower CME positions buyers continue to show good demand for limited offerings. Demand for cattle suitable to run on grass remains good with several ranchers looking for offerings to run on grass this summer. Market activity was mostly active today. Weigh up cows sold on good demand for light to moderate offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly good. Small regional packers were in the market again this week buying cows for immediate harvest. Several sets of fed cows were seen this week but these offerings were far from fleshy. Some of the higher quality offerings were purchased to return to feed, however most offerings were purchased for slaughter. Breaking and boning cows sold fully steady in a narrow comparison. Lean slaughter cows were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Feeding cows sold on moderate to good demand this week, however a smaller buyer pool was seen and cows softened slightly as quality this week was not as attractive as last week. Feeding cows sold steady to weak in a narrow comparison. Thin fleshed feeding cows sold steady to 5.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Again, feeding cow quality was not as attractive this week as last. Slaughter bulls sold on moderate to good demand this week. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher a narrow comparison. Bull quality was average this week, with many lightweight feeding type bulls on offer. However, most bull offerings were purchased to slaughter again this week as packers showed stronger demand for slaughter bulls. Weigh up conditions were mostly average this week. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on good to very good demand. Most offerings sold steady on like quality offerings. Quality was mostly average today, but not as attractive as last weeks offering. Very good demand was seen for wet bagged offerings which had recently lost calves. Demand for baron heifers was significantly lighter than heifers and cows which lost calves.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $338.79/cwt on 24 head. That ranks 1 of 16 comparable sales and sits 101.64 against this barn's trailing median of $440.43.
Average price
$338.79
24 head · 548 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,855
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$70
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$28.68/cwt at this weight
vs the market
6.87
vs MT average
+22.24 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1545341.181,86022
Medium and Large 1-2573312.501,7912thin
One grade step is worth $28.68/cwt here — about $70 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 sale24 hd
338.79
MT average3 barns · 412 hd
345.66
−6.87
National average178 barns · 10,561 hd
316.55
+22.24
This barn, trailing median16 sales
440.43
−101.64
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
BullsHigh1,718162.482,79134
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,468151.562,22443
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,410145.912,05862
CowsLean 85-90%High1,159134.431,55724

Every lot, as filed

52 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 1600–650612321.84/cwt321.00–322.001,97025
BullsMedium and Large 1650–700660298.00/cwt298.00–298.001,9671
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2350–400390396.91/cwt395.00–397.501,5484
SteersMedium and Large 1-2400–450435422.50/cwt422.50–422.501,8383
BullsMedium and Large 1-2950–1000975224.00/cwt224.00–224.002,1841
HeifersMedium and Large 1500–550533345.00/cwt345.00–345.001,83912
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,026223.60/cwt189.00–258.002,29466
SteersMedium and Large 1600–650625330.00/cwt330.00–330.002,0632
HeifersMedium and Large 1350–400392402.50/cwt402.50–402.501,5787
HeifersMedium and Large 1850–900888252.50/cwt252.50–252.502,2422
SteersMedium and Large 1-2500–550546371.14/cwt371.00–372.002,02628
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2650–700687281.51/cwt281.00–282.001,9348
HeifersMedium and Large 1250–300275465.00/cwt465.00–465.001,2791
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,221179.18/cwt152.00–217.002,18820
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Fleshy1,280180.00/cwt180.00–180.002,3041
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2550–600573312.50/cwt312.50–312.501,7912
HeifersMedium and Large 1750–800778272.50/cwt272.50–272.502,12010
SteersMedium and Large 1700–750704305.00/cwt305.00–305.002,1475
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2450–500482377.00/cwt377.00–377.001,81719
SteersMedium and Large 1-2300–350348490.00/cwt490.00–490.001,7052
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,620155.00/cwt155.00–155.002,5111
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,525138.70/cwt137.50–141.002,1153
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,350131.58/cwt114.00–136.001,7766
Bulls2,062181.59/cwt181.00–183.003,7443
Bulls1,803168.64/cwt160.00–175.003,04112
Bulls1,632153.77/cwt141.00–159.002,51013
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,456152.50/cwt152.50–152.502,22038
CowsLean 85-90%1,155146.00/cwt146.00–146.001,6861
BullsReturn to Feed1,593167.35/cwt165.00–169.002,6662
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,146127.51/cwt119.00–133.001,4617
CowsBoner 80-85%1,409146.60/cwt139.00–149.002,06632
CowsBoner 80-85%1,463151.00/cwt151.00–151.002,2095
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,386146.07/cwt139.00–150.002,02510
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight963112.72/cwt103.00–122.001,0852
CowsBoner 80-85%1,420134.58/cwt133.00–136.001,9112
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,585151.00/cwt151.00–151.002,3931
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight945128.08/cwt126.00–130.001,2102
CowsLean 85-90%1,270131.00/cwt131.00–131.001,6641
SteersLarge 1750–800752276.00/cwt276.00–276.002,0766
Stock CowsLarge 1925227.00/cwt227.00–227.002,1001
BullsLight Weight1,380146.00/cwt146.00–146.002,0151
BullsReturn to Feed1,603158.69/cwt155.00–161.002,5443
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,231143.19/cwt136.00–146.001,76311
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,462154.38/cwt151.00–156.002,2577
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,000212.02/cwt178.00–239.002,1204
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,230148.00/cwt148.00–148.001,8201
SteersMedium and Large 1-2550–600568352.53/cwt350.00–355.002,0022
SteersMedium and Large 1-2450–500462396.16/cwt390.00–402.501,8306
Stock CowsMedium 1775232.50/cwt232.50–232.501,8021
SteersMedium 1500–550508371.00/cwt371.00–371.001,88512
HeifersMedium and Large 1550–600560336.60/cwt335.00–337.001,88510
HeifersMedium and Large 1700–750703286.00/cwt286.00–286.002,01140

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.