Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2026-02-24

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Feb 24
● Final40 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
579 head
309 vs last sale 270 281 vs year ago 860 · 32.7%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
28 head
41 vs last sale 69 165 vs year ago 193 · 85.5%
Replacement Cattle receipts
17 head
222 vs last sale 239 83 vs year ago 100 · 83.0%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week (2-17-26): Feeder steers were to lightly tested to develop any market trend. Feeder heifers 500-649 lbs sold steady to 10.00 higher in a narrow comparison all other weights of heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Larger packages sold this week compared to last week. A few packages of replacement quality heifers sold this week and demand was very good from both feeding buyers and replacement buyers with these buyers spitting the offerings. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. CME positions ended the day with slight positive movement for all contracts through the end of 2026. Market activity was mostly active this week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly very good demand for very light offerings. Very few cows were on offer for todays sale. Packers were forced to send cows which would normally be purchased to feed for slaughter as cow supplies are very tight. Feeding cows were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however sharply higher undertones were noticed. Cow quality this week was average to attractive. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. very few feeding type bulls sold this week, however steady undertones were noticed. Young age cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly average.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $463.11/cwt on 119 head, up $27.58 from the prior sale. That ranks 15 of 16 comparable sales and sits +22.67 against this barn's trailing median of $440.43.
Average price
$463.11
27.58 vs prior sale
119 head · 530 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,455
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
single grade reported
vs the market
+5.96
vs MT average
+32.70 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1530463.112,455119
Only one grade was reported at this weight, so there is no spread to compute.

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 sale119 hd
463.11
MT average3 barns · 309 hd
457.15
+5.96
National average177 barns · 14,680 hd
430.41
+32.70
This barn, trailing median16 sales
440.43
+22.67
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
BullsAverage1,727178.923,09110
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,328169.412,25010
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,568165.002,5872thin
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,122160.711,8035thin

Every lot, as filed

40 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
CowsBoner 80-85%1,345150.00/cwt150.00–150.002,0181
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,568165.00/cwt165.00–165.002,5872
CowsLean 85-90%1,110167.02/cwt165.00–169.001,8542
CowsLean 85-90%1,155129.00/cwt129.00–129.001,4901
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight990182.50/cwt182.50–182.501,8071
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,245158.00/cwt158.00–158.001,9671
HeifersMedium and Large 1600–650631404.43/cwt402.00–410.002,55280
HeifersMedium and Large 1700–750710359.62/cwt356.00–367.002,5533
HeifersMedium and Large 1550–600571437.22/cwt431.00–460.002,49729
SteersMedium and Large 1650–700665416.49/cwt415.00–417.002,7704
HeifersMedium and Large 1Replacement650–700675407.00/cwt407.00–407.002,74774
HeifersMedium and Large 1650–700688382.70/cwt365.00–392.002,633119
HeifersMedium and Large 1450–500471508.88/cwt488.00–520.002,39748
BullsMedium and Large 1-2350–400357507.50/cwt507.50–507.501,8123
BullsMedium and Large 1700–750705375.00/cwt375.00–375.002,6441
HeifersMedium and Large 1500–550517471.45/cwt456.00–480.002,43790
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2400–450415532.50/cwt532.50–532.502,2104
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2750–800769339.00/cwt339.00–339.002,60718
SteersMedium and Large 1-2700–750745377.50/cwt377.50–377.502,8123
SteersMedium and Large 1-2500–550539495.00/cwt495.00–495.002,6684
SteersMedium and Large 1550–600563492.50/cwt492.50–492.502,7735
HeifersMedium and Large 1Replacement600–650622421.07/cwt419.00–422.002,61923
SteersMedium and Large 1-2400–450406570.00/cwt570.00–570.002,3147
SteersMedium and Large 1-2350–400377595.00/cwt595.00–595.002,2433
SteersMedium and Large 2450–500494507.50/cwt507.50–507.502,5075
SteersMedium and Large 2700–750745362.50/cwt362.50–362.502,7012
BullsMedium and Large 1-2450–500484484.94/cwt477.50–490.002,3475
SteersMedium and Large 1-2650–700675410.00/cwt410.00–410.002,7682
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,141227.55/cwt210.00–290.002,5966
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2885275.00/cwt275.00–275.002,4341
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2955240.00/cwt240.00–240.002,2921
BullsMedium and Large 1800–850806322.50/cwt322.50–322.502,5994
BullsMedium and Large 1600–650636403.54/cwt402.50–410.002,5677
SteersMedium and Large 1-2600–650648422.50/cwt422.50–422.502,73811
Bulls1,816185.47/cwt184.00–187.003,3684
Bulls2,000182.00/cwt182.00–182.003,6401
BullsReturn to Feed1,602173.07/cwt171.00–177.002,7735
CowsBoner 80-85%1,309167.52/cwt161.00–173.002,1934
CowsBoner 80-85%1,340174.80/cwt174.00–175.002,3425
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1713330.00/cwt330.00–330.002,3532

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.