Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2025-07-08

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Jul 8
● Final49 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
80 head
25 vs last sale 55 29 vs year ago 51 · +56.9%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
302 head
363 vs last sale 665 169 vs year ago 471 · 35.9%
Replacement Cattle receipts
222 head
3 vs last sale 225 10 vs year ago 212 · +4.7%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale(6-24-25): Feeder steers and heifers were both too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand was mostly good for very light offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. 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 the majority of the offering again this week. Demand was mostly good to very good for light to moderate offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly good and similar to the week prior to the holiday. Very few cows were purchased for immediate harvest this week as feeding buyers kept cow prices mostly above where packers were willing to buy slaughter cows. Very few lame cows were seen this week and most of these offerings were purchased by feeding cow buyers. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Very good demand was seen for feeding cows this week with a large buyer pool on hand for todays sale. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive, however offerings were overall not as attractive as last sale. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to above average, however weigh up conditions were not as attractive as last sale as temperatures warmed into the 90's and cows and bulls filled on water. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to firm. Slaughter bulls sold on mostly good to very good demand this week. Demand for slaughter bulls was stronger compared to the week before the 4th of July holiday. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 8.00-12.00 higher. Bull quality was attractive this week. A portion of the bull offering was purchased to feed again this week. Most of these bulls were run down from being turned out with cows and needed to be fed to increase yield before harvest. Feeding bulls sold mostly 5.00-8.00 higher. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on very good demand for light to moderate offerings. Several sets of one iron, home-raised 3 year old cows were seen this week. Quality was mostly attractive. Comparisons for young cows are difficult as differences in quality led to large price swings. Higher undertones were noticed on a significantly higher quality offering.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $390.45/cwt on 11 head. That ranks 1 of 13 comparable sales and sits 95.78 against this barn's trailing median of $486.23.
Average price
$390.45
11 head · 566 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,211
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$47
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$30.00/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+0.00
vs MT average
+11.32 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1523415.002,1702thin
Medium and Large 1-2576385.002,2189thin
One grade step is worth $30.00/cwt here — about −$47 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

13 sales
526493459426median 486.2312/1601/2002/1003/1706/23
Steers 500–600 lb: high $512.23, low $440.01, median $486.23 across 13 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 sale11 hd
390.45
MT average1 barns · 11 hd
390.45
+0.00
National average153 barns · 8,707 hd
379.13
+11.32
This barn, trailing median13 sales
486.23
−95.78
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
BullsHigh1,787190.403,402117
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,397160.492,242135
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,608159.292,56219
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,150146.491,68415

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 PairsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)1,278$3,9505

Every lot, as filed

49 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 1904251.00/cwt251.00–251.002,2697
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,172173.81/cwt162.00–178.502,0379
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,2783,950.00/head3,950.00–3,950.003,9505
Stock CowsMedium 1-21,025157.50/cwt157.50–157.501,6141
BullsLarge 1-21050–11001,098232.00/cwt232.00–232.002,5472
SteersMedium and Large 1-2600–650612335.84/cwt335.00–337.502,0553
SteersMedium and Large 1-2800–850803294.00/cwt294.00–294.002,3612
SteersMedium and Large 1-2550–600576385.00/cwt385.00–385.002,2189
SteersMedium and Large 1-2650–700673324.95/cwt322.50–327.502,1872
SteersMedium and Large 1500–550523415.00/cwt415.00–415.002,1702
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,130182.96/cwt172.00–207.502,0678
BullsMedium and Large 1-2800–850802271.00/cwt271.00–271.002,1733
HeifersMedium and Large 1550–600580340.00/cwt340.00–340.001,97213
HeifersMedium and Large 1600–650611332.50/cwt332.50–332.502,0327
SteersMedium and Large 1700–750725335.00/cwt335.00–335.002,4299
HeifersMedium and Large 1400–450430425.00/cwt425.00–425.001,8281
SteersMedium and Large 1-2450–500478418.82/cwt412.50–435.002,0028
BullsMedium and Large 1-21000–10501,010247.50/cwt247.50–247.502,5004
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,550160.00/cwt160.00–160.002,4801
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,535155.00/cwt155.00–155.002,3791
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,720155.49/cwt154.00–158.502,6745
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,573161.17/cwt160.00–163.002,53512
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,190157.14/cwt154.00–161.001,8703
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,409160.66/cwt154.00–163.002,26462
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,147214.52/cwt166.00–248.002,461167
Bulls2,011209.46/cwt200.00–215.004,21222
BullsLight Weight1,268160.68/cwt149.00–167.502,0374
Stock CowsLarge 11,150186.00/cwt186.00–186.002,1391
BullsLarge 1900–950905266.00/cwt266.00–266.002,4071
BullsLarge 1950–1000960255.00/cwt255.00–255.002,4481
BullsLarge 1-21100–11501,105232.50/cwt232.50–232.502,5691
BullsHeavy Weight2,625202.00/cwt202.00–202.005,3031
BullsNatural2,025208.00/cwt208.00–208.004,2121
Bulls1,635170.96/cwt162.00–176.002,79511
BullsReturn to Feed1,457174.20/cwt161.00–179.002,53827
BullsReturn to Feed1,835195.63/cwt195.00–197.003,5903
Bulls1,873192.56/cwt180.00–199.003,60717
CowsBoner 80-85%1,459158.69/cwt157.00–160.002,3157
CowsBoner 80-85%1,605156.45/cwt156.00–157.002,5112
BullsNatural2,183218.20/cwt208.00–221.004,7638
BullsNatural1,866200.77/cwt195.00–208.003,7464
BullsNatural2,085173.00/cwt173.00–173.003,6071
BullsReturn to Feed1,774186.79/cwt178.00–193.003,31415
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,380164.72/cwt163.00–168.002,27347
CowsLean 85-90%1,115106.00/cwt106.00–106.001,1821
BullsNatural2,262216.00/cwt216.00–216.004,8863
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,360149.85/cwt130.00–154.002,03816
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,142147.26/cwt135.00–152.001,68211
CowsBoner 80-85%1,200142.00/cwt142.00–142.001,7041

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.