Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2025-06-17

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Jun 17
● Final43 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
70 head
125 vs last sale 195 37 vs year ago 33 · +112.1%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
518 head
238 vs last sale 756 52 vs year ago 466 · +11.2%
Replacement Cattle receipts
105 head
285 vs last sale 390 30 vs year ago 135 · 22.2%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were both too lightly tested either this week or last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Feeder quality this week was mostly plain to average and overall not as attractive as last week. Demand for feeders was mostly good to very good despite a light offering. Most feeder cattle on offer were offered in small groups or as singles. CME positions traded sharply lower today as outside influences pressured the market lower. Despite lower CME positions buyers continue to show very good demand for limited feeder cattle offerings. Demand for cutting bulls remains very good as several buyers were looking for bulls to cut and make steers. Market activity was mostly active today. Weigh up cows comprised a majority of the offering this week. Demand was mostly good for light to moderate offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was lighter this week as fewer packer buyers were actively purchasing cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested this week to develop any market trend, however lower undertones were noticed as packers only purchased extremely blemished cows, not suitable to feed, for immediate harvest. Feeding cows sold on very good demand. Packers tried to buy cows lower, however demand from private feeding cow buyers kept cow prices fully steady. Quality this week was mostly attractive to very attractive, however offerings were overall not as attractive as last week. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to above average with many very empty cows coming off grass. Slaughter bulls sold on moderate to good demand this week. Packer buyers tried to buy slaughter bulls lower however several new feeding bull buyers were in the market this week which keep most bull prices fully steady. Bull quality was average to attractive this week. A larger portion of the bull offering was purchased to feed this week, mostly by private feeders. Feeding bulls sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on very good demand for light to moderate offerings. Most offerings sold fully steady. Quality was mostly average to attractive this week. Very little difference in price was seen between high quality 2 and 3 year old cows which had lost calves as demand for rebreed and recip cows remains very good. Demand for young cows to feed remains very good. Buyers continue to buy big, fleshy, young cows to blend onto market ready loads.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $375.68/cwt on 16 head. That ranks 2 of 16 comparable sales and sits 64.75 against this barn's trailing median of $440.43.
Average price
$375.68
16 head · 529 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,985
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$107
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$62.49/cwt at this weight
vs the market
11.92
vs MT average
+41.57 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1520383.491,99414thin
Medium and Large 1-2588321.001,8872thin
One grade step is worth $62.49/cwt here — about $107 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 500–600 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 sale16 hd
375.68
MT average3 barns · 185 hd
387.60
−11.92
National average153 barns · 9,567 hd
334.11
+41.57
This barn, trailing median16 sales
440.43
−64.75
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
BullsLow1,809185.323,35359
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,398161.972,264274
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,626156.062,53835
CowsLean 85-90%High1,184154.491,82956

Every lot, as filed

43 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 Feed1,199163.61/cwt161.00–167.501,96218
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,650155.14/cwt154.00–157.002,5603
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,334137.78/cwt134.00–142.001,8385
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,204158.16/cwt150.00–160.001,90425
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight880105.00/cwt105.00–105.009241
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,192140.06/cwt128.00–147.001,6708
SteersMedium and Large 2400–450411417.50/cwt417.50–417.501,7162
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2350–400361405.00/cwt405.00–405.001,4624
BullsMedium and Large 1950–1000960267.50/cwt267.50–267.502,5681
BullsMedium and Large 2600–650615312.50/cwt312.50–312.501,9225
HeifersMedium and Large 1500–550520383.49/cwt377.50–387.501,99414
HeifersMedium and Large 1600–650626336.00/cwt336.00–336.002,1034
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned450–500463394.50/cwt394.50–394.501,8275
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,207174.09/cwt167.50–178.002,1013
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,059231.41/cwt197.50–282.502,45124
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,142204.34/cwt171.00–231.002,33446
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2966231.14/cwt175.00–261.002,23314
BullsMedium and Large 1850–900876289.00/cwt289.00–289.002,5324
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2550–600588321.00/cwt321.00–321.001,8872
BullsLarge 11250–13001,285220.00/cwt220.00–220.002,8271
BullsLarge 2450–500450335.00/cwt335.00–335.001,5083
BullsLarge 1-21050–11001,090225.00/cwt225.00–225.002,4531
BullsLarge 1-21100–11501,115225.00/cwt225.00–225.002,5091
BullsMedium 2500–550528285.00/cwt285.00–285.001,5052
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2961188.13/cwt167.50–203.001,8088
Bulls1,308148.65/cwt142.50–157.501,9443
BullsNatural2,040206.07/cwt197.00–214.004,2045
BullsReturn to Feed1,150172.50/cwt172.50–172.501,9841
BullsLarge 11200–12501,215219.16/cwt217.50–220.002,6636
BullsLarge 11050–11001,090235.00/cwt235.00–235.002,5621
BullsLarge 11150–12001,165232.50/cwt232.50–232.502,7091
BullsReturn to Feed1,634182.43/cwt175.00–191.002,98117
Bulls2,009193.52/cwt188.00–201.003,88817
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,376164.75/cwt162.00–175.002,267173
Bulls2,100166.00/cwt166.00–166.003,4861
CowsBoner 80-85%1,581157.24/cwt157.00–159.002,4868
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,428158.62/cwt152.00–162.002,26586
BullsLight Weight1,210140.00/cwt140.00–140.001,6941
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,624156.15/cwt152.00–157.502,53632
CowsLean 85-90%1,052131.77/cwt123.00–138.001,3864
Bulls1,873184.27/cwt181.00–188.003,45111
Bulls1,873187.00/cwt187.00–187.003,5033
CowsBoner 80-85%1,408144.56/cwt142.00–147.002,0352

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.