Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2025-05-20

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, May 20
● Final41 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
56 head
118 vs last sale 174 53 vs year ago 109 · 48.6%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
126 head
174 vs last sale 300 355 vs year ago 481 · 73.8%
Replacement Cattle receipts
78 head
370 vs last sale 448 156 vs year ago 234 · 66.7%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were both too lightly tested this week to develop any market trend. Feeder quality this week was mostly plain to average. Demand for feeders was mostly good, despite a low quality and light offering. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for light offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly moderate. Packers showed slightly stronger demand for slaughter cows this week as they pushed to gather supplies before the Memorial day holiday. Feeding demand was good to very good again this week which kept prices mostly over slaughter ticket prices. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Feeding cows sold on good to very good demand as private feeders and packer buyers both showed good demand for high quality cows to feed. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Quality this week was average to attractive. Weigh up conditions were average to above average this week as many cows were empty coming off grass. Slaughter bulls sold on moderate to good demand this week. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady to weak in a narrow comparison. Bull quality was average to attractive this week. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on good demand for light offerings. Most offerings sold with steady undertones in a narrow comparison. Quality was mostly average to attractive today. A large portion of the young cows were baron and had never had a calf. Offerings with bags continue to sell with the best demand. Very little difference in price was seen between 2 and 3 year old cows which had lost calves as demand for rebreed and recip cows remains very good.

Weight class

Steers · summary 700–800 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
700–800 lb steers averaged $293.13/cwt on 7 head. That ranks 1 of 12 comparable sales and sits 87.48 against this barn's trailing median of $380.61.
Average price
$293.13
7 head · 714 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,093
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
single grade reported
vs the market
18.75
vs MT average
16.13 vs national

What quality paid 700–800 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 2714293.132,0937thin
Only one grade was reported at this weight, so there is no spread to compute.

This barn's trailing prices 700–800 lb

12 sales
425386347307median 380.6112/1601/2002/1003/3105/12
Steers 700–800 lb: high $411.34, low $321.47, median $380.61 across 12 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

How it compared 700–800 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale7 hd
293.13
MT average3 barns · 287 hd
311.88
−18.75
National average135 barns · 6,621 hd
309.26
−16.13
This barn, trailing median12 sales
380.61
−87.48
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
BullsLow1,689172.702,91642
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,398159.742,23335
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,547156.212,41614
CowsLean 85-90%High1,149148.481,70624
Dairy CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,645155.002,5501thin
Dairy CowsLean 85-90%Low1,130127.001,4351thin

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 PairsOpenAged (>8 yrs)1,244$2,37510

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
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,185164.34/cwt164.00–165.001,9473
Dairy CowsBreaker 75-80%1,645155.00/cwt155.00–155.002,5501
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,160154.57/cwt151.00–162.001,79313
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,397141.13/cwt131.00–146.501,9723
CowsLean 85-90%1,150107.00/cwt107.00–107.001,2311
Dairy CowsLean 85-90%1,130127.00/cwt127.00–127.001,4351
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,130187.88/cwt166.50–237.502,12316
BullsMedium and Large 1900–950900257.50/cwt257.50–257.502,3184
BullsMedium and Large 1-2950–1000950222.50/cwt222.50–222.502,1141
SteersMedium and Large 1Fleshy800–850832282.50/cwt282.50–282.502,3508
SteersMedium and Large 2700–750714293.13/cwt287.50–298.002,0937
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Fleshy1,395161.00/cwt161.00–161.002,2464
HeifersMedium and Large 1550–600586335.00/cwt335.00–335.001,9635
BullsMedium and Large 1950–1000980257.50/cwt257.50–257.502,5241
BullsMedium and Large 11000–10501,000232.50/cwt232.50–232.502,3251
SteersMedium and Large 1-2900–950903264.00/cwt264.00–264.002,3843
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,015233.08/cwt202.50–262.502,36619
HeifersMedium 1600–650626317.50/cwt317.50–317.501,9884
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,266168.00/cwt168.00–168.002,1276
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,150226.13/cwt202.50–255.002,6002
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Fleshy1,095182.50/cwt182.50–182.501,9981
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,135164.95/cwt154.00–180.001,8725
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,2442,375.00/head2,375.00–2,375.002,37510
Bulls1,629158.40/cwt155.00–164.002,5804
Bred HeifersLarge 11,300200.00/cwt200.00–200.002,6001
Stock CowsLarge 11,085162.00/cwt162.00–162.001,7581
BullsLarge 11250–13001,275187.50/cwt187.50–187.502,3911
BullsLarge 11200–12501,218197.50/cwt197.50–197.502,4062
BullsLarge 1-21100–11501,105195.00/cwt195.00–195.002,1552
CowsBoner 80-85%1,501155.50/cwt152.50–161.002,3345
BullsLight Weight1,145135.00/cwt135.00–135.001,5461
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,443157.91/cwt157.00–160.002,2794
Bulls2,068185.64/cwt184.00–187.003,8393
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,540159.00/cwt159.00–159.002,4491
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,547156.00/cwt156.00–156.002,41313
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,368163.41/cwt161.00–167.002,23523
Bulls1,795177.99/cwt169.00–182.003,19516
BullsReturn to Feed1,635173.91/cwt170.00–179.002,84313
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight858123.34/cwt120.00–126.001,0582
BullsReturn to Feed1,418163.80/cwt151.00–168.002,3235
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,216141.49/cwt121.00–147.001,7215

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.