Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2026-04-14

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Apr 14
● Final55 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
345 head
203 vs last sale 142 345 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
190 head
70 vs last sale 120 190 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
167 head
79 vs last sale 88 167 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week (4-7-26): All feeder cattle were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noted. Demand for feeder cattle was moderate to good. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive, with higher feeder cattle receipts than last week's offering. Feeding cows sold on good demand for moderate offerings. Feeding cows were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to lower undertones were noted. Slaughter cows sold on good demand. Slaughter cows overall sold 1.00 to 4.00 higher. Feeding type bulls were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noted. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noted. Demand for All Natural bulls was good. Young age cows were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $468.13/cwt on 156 head, up $25.09 from the prior sale. That ranks 16 of 16 comparable sales and sits +27.70 against this barn's trailing median of $440.43.
Average price
$468.13
25.09 vs prior sale
156 head · 563 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,635
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$203
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$33.81/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+4.84
vs MT average
+40.74 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1563468.562,637154
Medium and Large 1-2560434.752,4352thin
One grade step is worth $33.81/cwt here — about $203 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 600–700 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 sale156 hd
468.13
MT average3 barns · 225 hd
463.29
+4.84
National average182 barns · 12,591 hd
427.39
+40.74
This barn, trailing median16 sales
440.43
+27.70
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
BullsHigh1,682214.583,61055
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,526178.132,71960
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,287172.482,21925
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,167134.131,56515

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
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,124$4,25114
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,465$3,82214
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,255$2,6512thin

Every lot, as filed

55 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
SteersMedium and Large 1-2750–800762370.59/cwt366.00–380.002,8243
SteersMedium and Large 1-2900–950930310.00/cwt310.00–310.002,8831
BullsMedium and Large 1-2450–500475465.00/cwt465.00–465.002,2091
SteersMedium and Large 1350–400355575.00/cwt575.00–575.002,0411
SteersMedium and Large 1600–650638443.28/cwt442.50–447.502,82818
BullsMedium and Large 1750–800770335.00/cwt335.00–335.002,5806
SteersMedium and Large 1650–700658430.00/cwt430.00–430.002,8293
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2550–600575437.50/cwt437.50–437.502,5161
HeifersMedium and Large 1450–500471500.59/cwt500.00–507.502,35821
SteersMedium and Large 1550–600592450.00/cwt450.00–450.002,6647
HeifersMedium and Large 1700–750702400.32/cwt387.50–404.002,8109
SteersMedium and Large 1500–550505475.00/cwt475.00–475.002,3991
HeifersMedium and Large 1500–550541483.22/cwt480.00–484.002,61488
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2700–750716357.50/cwt357.50–357.502,5609
HeifersMedium and Large 1400–450433524.96/cwt522.50–527.502,2732
BullsMedium and Large 1700–750724360.00/cwt360.00–360.002,60611
BullsMedium and Large 1500–550525457.50/cwt457.50–457.502,4021
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,202245.75/cwt237.50–258.002,95413
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,264212.79/cwt190.00–225.002,69015
HeifersMedium and Large 1750–800778366.05/cwt345.00–375.002,84852
HeifersMedium and Large 1550–600592449.02/cwt448.00–452.502,65866
CowsBoner 80-85%1,233163.38/cwt159.00–166.002,0146
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,501153.23/cwt147.00–155.002,3004
CowsLean 85-90%1,136123.19/cwt120.00–130.001,3997
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,608174.79/cwt173.00–177.002,8115
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,445162.78/cwt159.00–166.002,3522
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,533181.60/cwt179.00–186.002,78444
BullsReturn to Feed1,261250.71/cwt243.00–257.503,1618
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,324179.79/cwt175.00–184.502,3807
BullsNatural1,886226.18/cwt225.00–229.004,2668
Bulls1,812189.78/cwt185.00–195.003,4396
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,438177.01/cwt174.00–178.002,5455
BullsReturn to Feed1,150228.10/cwt220.00–237.502,6232
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,4833,550.00/head3,550.00–3,550.003,5505
CowsLean 85-90%1,202140.45/cwt135.00–145.001,6886
CowsBoner 80-85%1,292172.77/cwt169.00–176.002,23212
Bulls1,748207.95/cwt197.50–220.003,63523
CowsLean 85-90%1,168153.49/cwt152.00–155.001,7932
BullsReturn to Feed1,746201.15/cwt197.00–209.003,5128
SteersMedium and Large 1-2800–850825341.18/cwt337.50–345.002,8152
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,129278.71/cwt255.00–292.503,14718
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,2552,651.39/head2,600.00–2,700.002,6512
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1244,250.67/head4,000.00–4,325.004,25114
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1998318.20/cwt300.00–355.003,17674
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,4553,973.08/head3,750.00–4,000.003,9739
SteersMedium and Large 1-2700–750715350.00/cwt350.00–350.002,5032
SteersMedium and Large 1-2850–900855330.00/cwt330.00–330.002,8221
SteersMedium and Large 1-2650–700685400.00/cwt400.00–400.002,7401
HeifersMedium and Large 1600–650638416.08/cwt415.00–420.002,65514
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2400–450445510.00/cwt510.00–510.002,2701
SteersMedium and Large 1-2600–650634433.31/cwt432.00–437.502,7474
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2650–700686377.54/cwt376.00–389.002,5908
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2600–650615372.00/cwt372.00–372.002,2881
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2500–550545432.00/cwt432.00–432.002,3541
SteersMedium and Large 1450–500473530.00/cwt530.00–530.002,5073

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.