Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2025-08-05

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Aug 5
● Final43 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
160 head
80 vs last sale 80 29 vs year ago 189 · 15.3%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
157 head
145 vs last sale 302 13 vs year ago 170 · 7.6%
Replacement Cattle receipts
55 head
167 vs last sale 222 26 vs year ago 29 · +89.7%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale(7-08-25): Feeder steers and heifers were both too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were notice on all offerings. Demand was mostly very good for light offerings. Quality this week was average with a few attractive packages noticed. 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 with very good buyer participation seen on all classes. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good for light offerings. Demand for cows to slaughter and feed was both good. Packers showed need for cows for immediate harvest this week as they purchased several high quality, high yielding cows to send to immediate slaughter. The last sale was 4 weeks ago thus no comparison is available for slaughter or feeding cows, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. A large portion of the cow offering was lame or blemished in some way, however all offerings sold on good demand as cow supplies remain tight. Quality this week was mostly average, and lower overall compared to last months sale. Weigh up conditions were mixed with lots of variation noticed. Several packages of exposed cows were seen this week. These offerings are in the report below as open replacement cows, as these cows were not tested. Slaughter bulls sold on mostly good to very good demand this week. Bull yield has decreased over the last month as most bulls have been turned out with cows. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady compared to the last sale however yielding conditions have decreased drastically making bulls much higher on a dressed basis. Several thin fleshed bulls continue to be purchased to feed. Feeding bulls sold 2.00-6.00 higher than last sale. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on very good demand for light offerings. Quality was mostly average to attractive. Too few young cows were seen to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 700–800 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
700–800 lb heifers averaged $340.00/cwt on 6 head. That ranks 2 of 12 comparable sales and sits 10.49 against this barn's trailing median of $350.49.
Average price
$340.00
6 head · 723 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,459
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$187
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 1
$0.00/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+19.07
vs MT average
+12.43 vs national

What quality paid 700–800 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2705340.002,3974thin
Medium and Large 1760340.002,5842thin
One grade step is worth $0.00/cwt here — about −$187 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 800–900 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 700–800 lb

12 sales
383363344324median 350.4901/2003/1704/1405/1208/18
Heifers 700–800 lb: high $369.36, low $337.77, median $350.49 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 sale6 hd
340.00
MT average2 barns · 15 hd
320.93
+19.07
National average127 barns · 5,434 hd
327.57
+12.43
This barn, trailing median12 sales
350.49
−10.49
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
BullsAverage1,703185.573,15957
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,508167.342,52466
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,115139.061,55112

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
HeifersMedium and Large 1800–850808330.00/cwt330.00–330.002,66614
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight945117.50/cwt117.50–117.501,1101
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,208154.52/cwt154.00–155.001,8672
CowsBoner 80-85%1,410165.00/cwt165.00–165.002,3271
CowsBoner 80-85%1,649169.80/cwt168.00–171.002,80016
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,026139.24/cwt127.50–147.001,4294
CowsLean 85-90%1,173135.60/cwt134.00–137.501,5912
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2850–900895322.50/cwt322.50–322.502,8862
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned400–450400475.00/cwt475.00–475.001,9001
SteersMedium and Large 1850–900897330.00/cwt330.00–330.002,9603
SteersMedium and Large 1800–850844347.50/cwt347.50–347.502,9335
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Fleshy950–1000975304.00/cwt304.00–304.002,9642
SteersMedium and Large 1950–1000979327.00/cwt327.00–327.003,20115
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,425176.37/cwt176.00–176.502,51312
HeifersMedium and Large 1Replacement800–850815340.00/cwt340.00–340.002,77121
HeifersMedium and Large 1Replacement850–900866330.08/cwt325.00–330.502,85839
SteersMedium and Large 1650–700650385.00/cwt385.00–385.002,5037
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2700–750705340.00/cwt340.00–340.002,3974
HeifersMedium and Large 1750–800760340.00/cwt340.00–340.002,5842
HeifersLarge 1850–900893310.00/cwt310.00–310.002,7682
BullsLarge 11150–12001,160274.22/cwt262.50–280.003,1813
BullsLarge 1-21150–12001,151265.00/cwt265.00–265.003,0508
BullsLarge 1-21100–11501,130268.06/cwt267.00–277.503,02910
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,050260.45/cwt256.00–267.502,7353
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,260224.96/cwt181.00–250.002,83428
Bulls1,796191.68/cwt185.00–199.003,44320
BullsReturn to Feed2,040208.00/cwt208.00–208.004,2431
BullsReturn to Feed1,656187.99/cwt185.00–192.003,1138
BullsReturn to Feed1,404180.20/cwt172.00–183.002,5307
BullsLarge 11100–11501,140292.50/cwt292.50–292.503,3351
BullsLarge 11200–12501,233254.99/cwt250.00–260.003,1442
Bulls2,005186.00/cwt186.00–186.003,7291
BullsLight Weight1,135157.50/cwt157.50–157.501,7881
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,307152.03/cwt149.00–153.001,9875
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,180166.00/cwt166.00–166.001,9591
Bulls1,896205.28/cwt202.00–208.003,8924
Bulls1,601172.45/cwt161.00–182.002,76113
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,399162.17/cwt156.00–166.002,2699
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,504169.79/cwt167.00–173.002,55435
CowsLean 85-90%1,110100.00/cwt100.00–100.001,1101
CowsLean 85-90%1,280148.00/cwt148.00–148.001,8941
Bulls2,105172.00/cwt172.00–172.003,6211
Bulls2,370192.00/cwt192.00–192.004,5501

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.