Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2025-05-27

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, May 27
● Final48 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
62 head
6 vs last sale 56 77 vs year ago 139 · 55.4%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
428 head
302 vs last sale 126 39 vs year ago 467 · 8.4%
Replacement Cattle receipts
361 head
283 vs last sale 78 192 vs year ago 169 · +113.6%
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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 moderate offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly moderate as packers tried to purchase a portion of the cow offering for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Feeding demand was good to very good again this week which kept prices mostly over slaughter ticket prices. 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 very attractive, and slightly better than last week. 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 3.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Bull quality was average to attractive this week. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on very good demand for light to moderate offerings. Most offerings sold 10.00-12.00 higher. Quality was mostly average to very attractive today. A larger portion of the young cow offering was comprised of wet bagged cows this week, for which buyers showed very good 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

Bulls · summary 800–900 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
800–900 lb bulls averaged $257.50/cwt on 1 head.
Average price
$257.50
1 head · 850 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,189
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
single grade reported
vs the market
7.85
vs MT average

What quality paid 800–900 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1850257.502,1891thin
Only one grade was reported at this weight, so there is no spread to compute.

How it compared 800–900 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale1 hd
257.50
MT average2 barns · 13 hd
265.35
−7.85
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
BullsLow1,833178.133,26537
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,413158.412,238223
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,636148.332,42711
CowsLean 85-90%High1,184143.911,703111

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 PairsOpenMiddle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,310$3,2754thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenAged (>8 yrs)1,545$3,12621
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,460$3,0003thin

Every lot, as filed

48 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
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2898232.62/cwt216.00–257.502,08917
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2750–800780272.75/cwt272.50–273.002,1272
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2500–550533345.00/cwt345.00–345.001,8392
BullsLarge 11150–12001,183212.00/cwt212.00–212.002,5086
HeifersMedium and Large 1650–700656315.00/cwt315.00–315.002,0666
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,4603,000.00/head3,000.00–3,000.003,0003
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,070170.60/cwt150.00–190.001,8259
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,168196.60/cwt160.00–267.502,296104
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1968262.98/cwt200.00–295.502,546166
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned550–600555350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,9433
SteersMedium and Large 1750–800788309.46/cwt305.00–314.002,4392
SteersMedium and Large 1-2550–600556351.00/cwt351.00–351.001,9528
SteersMedium and Large 1700–750700332.50/cwt332.50–332.502,3281
BullsMedium and Large 1900–950922246.00/cwt246.00–246.002,2685
BullsMedium and Large 1950–1000983241.00/cwt241.00–241.002,3693
BullsMedium and Large 11200–12501,205195.00/cwt195.00–195.002,3501
BullsMedium and Large 1850–900850257.50/cwt257.50–257.502,1891
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,3103,275.00/head3,275.00–3,275.003,2754
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,5453,125.78/head2,800.00–3,150.003,12621
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,412157.48/cwt151.00–161.002,224105
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,464140.72/cwt119.00–149.002,06015
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,386163.49/cwt161.00–166.002,26688
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,195161.77/cwt159.50–164.001,93313
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,212151.59/cwt145.00–157.501,83741
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,098137.24/cwt127.00–144.001,50728
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,580141.00/cwt141.00–141.002,2281
CowsLean 85-90%1,170114.12/cwt110.00–118.001,3352
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,645137.00/cwt137.00–137.002,2541
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,578155.00/cwt155.00–155.002,4462
Bulls1,658160.82/cwt146.00–167.002,6664
Bulls2,050174.00/cwt174.00–174.003,5671
BullsReturn to Feed1,586173.01/cwt170.00–177.002,7448
CowsLean 85-90%1,219159.73/cwt159.00–161.001,9473
Bulls2,160199.00/cwt199.00–199.004,2981
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight1,230127.50/cwt127.50–127.501,56819
BullsHeavy Weight2,780177.00/cwt177.00–177.004,9211
CowsLean 85-90%1,207136.72/cwt134.00–142.001,6505
Bulls1,928177.53/cwt175.00–182.003,4238
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,610148.67/cwt148.00–149.002,3943
Bulls1,923191.38/cwt185.00–200.003,68011
CowsBoner 80-85%1,480135.00/cwt135.00–135.001,9981
CowsBoner 80-85%1,528154.05/cwt150.00–155.002,35414
BullsReturn to Feed1,642162.73/cwt159.00–165.002,6723
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Fleshy1,275185.00/cwt185.00–185.002,3591
Stock CowsMedium 1725275.00/cwt275.00–275.001,9942
BullsLarge 11300–13501,320191.00/cwt191.00–191.002,5213
BullsLarge 11200–12501,240190.00/cwt190.00–190.002,3561
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,696149.41/cwt145.00–152.002,5344

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.