Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2020-04-07

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Apr 7
● Final48 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
414 head
▼ 608 vs last sale 1,022▼ 287 vs year ago 701 · −40.9%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
100 head
▲ 1 vs last sale 99▼ 44 vs year ago 144 · −30.6%
Replacement Cattle receipts
102 head
▼ 142 vs last sale 244▼ 84 vs year ago 186 · −45.2%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: The best test for steers was for 750-799 lbs which sold mostly 2.00 lower. All other weights of steers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Feeder heifers were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Replacement quality heifers sold on moderate to good demand. Replacement heifers made up much of the heifer market. Quality this week outside of load lots was mostly plain to average. Load lots were of mostly attractive quality. Market activity this week was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light demand and light offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly 6.00-8.00 lower on boning and lean cows, breaking cows were mostly purchased to feed so no trend is available. Demand for feeding cows was light this week and significantly lighter than last week. Feeding cows sold mostly 10.00-13.00 lower than last week. Packer buyers which were the contending bidders on most sets of feeding cows last week showed very light demand for all cows on offer. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower. Quality this week outside of the one load lot of cows was mostly plain to average. Young age cows suitable to feed or re-breed sold mostly 2.00-5.00 lower. Quality was average to attractive. Demand for these offerings was mostly moderate as feeder demand continues to keep this market mostly stabilized. Feeders are switching to 2 year old heiferettes as these cattle are lower risk due to low purchase cost compared to yearlings.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $131.52/cwt on 220 head.
Average price
$131.52
220 head · 742 lb average
Value per head Derived
$976
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$282
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium 2
$29.86/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−3.23
vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2564144.8681828
Medium and Large 1776129.971,009187
Medium 2466115.005365thin
One grade step is worth $29.86/cwt here — about $282 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 0–100 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 0–100 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale220 hd
131.52
—
MT average3 barns · 1,497 hd
134.76
−3.23
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
Bulls—High1,68868.221,15229
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,52054.508281thin
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,53047.827329thin
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,17042.9250220

Every lot

48 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. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Steers17 lots · lightest first
Steers—Medium and Large 180125.00/cwt125.00–125.001001
Steers—Medium and Large 1150375.00/cwt375.00–375.005631
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2360165.50/cwt165.50–165.505963
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2433161.00/cwt161.00–161.006976
Steers—Medium 2466115.00/cwt115.00–115.005365
Steers—Medium and Large 1487167.00/cwt167.00–167.0081312
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2514154.50/cwt154.50–154.507945
Steers—Medium and Large 1571155.00/cwt155.00–155.008857
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2588145.39/cwt144.50–148.008554
Steers—Medium and Large 1604150.65/cwt144.50–156.0091011
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2644130.90/cwt130.50–131.008435
Steers—Medium and Large 1670142.34/cwt142.00–142.5095428
Steers—Medium and Large 1787130.26/cwt121.00–131.001,02568
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2797117.00/cwt117.00–117.009325
Steers—Medium and Large 1815113.50/cwt113.50–113.509258
Steers—Medium and Large 1930113.45/cwt111.50–113.501,05541
Steers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy97796.25/cwt89.50–103.0094012
Feeder Cattle · Heifers11 lots · lightest first
Heifers—Medium and Large 1360150.00/cwt150.00–150.005402
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2405141.00/cwt141.00–141.005714
Heifers—Medium and Large 2436137.00/cwt137.00–137.0059714
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2462135.00/cwt135.00–135.006245
Heifers—Medium and Large 1464143.00/cwt143.00–143.006645
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2629124.06/cwt122.00–125.5078012
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Replacement723128.00/cwt128.00–128.0092559
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy763105.00/cwt105.00–105.008019
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2766105.00/cwt105.00–105.008044
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Replacement779122.00/cwt122.00–122.009506
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-292994.00/cwt94.00–94.008734
Feeder Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 1100175.00/cwt175.00–175.001751
Bulls—Medium and Large 180092.00/cwt92.00–92.007363
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Light Weight1,17553.65/cwt50.00–60.006303
Bulls——1,61865.13/cwt62.00–69.001,05416
Bulls——1,92176.45/cwt68.00–79.501,4698
Bulls——2,08881.82/cwt80.50–83.001,7082
Slaughter Cattle · Cows8 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight95542.00/cwt42.00–42.004011
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,15843.09/cwt41.00–47.0049914
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,17534.54/cwt31.00–37.504062
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,29348.02/cwt47.50–48.506213
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,38350.48/cwt50.00–51.006982
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,52054.50/cwt54.50–54.508281
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,57145.65/cwt43.00–49.507176
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,58055.50/cwt55.50–55.508771
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows6 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-274589.00/cwt89.00–89.006631
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 192684.91/cwt70.00–99.0078632
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed97044.00/cwt44.00–44.004271
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,16461.71/cwt52.00–83.0071826
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,33448.73/cwt45.50–52.506507
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,50355.27/cwt50.00–56.0083156

This sale against other markets

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.