Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2024-01-30

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Jan 30
● Final89 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
2,335 head
▲ 571 vs last sale 1,764▲ 493 vs year ago 1,842 · +26.8%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
374 head
▼ 148 vs last sale 522▲ 52 vs year ago 322 · +16.1%
Replacement Cattle receipts
119 head
▼ 601 vs last sale 720▲ 14 vs year ago 105 · +13.3%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: Feeder steers under 450 lbs sold were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed, steers 450-549 lbs sold mostly 10.00-20.00 higher, 550-649 lbs steers sold mostly 5.00 higher, steers over 650 lbs were not well compared. Heifer calves under 450 lbs were too lightly tested either this week or last to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed, heifers 450-599 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher, heifers over 600 lbs were not well compared. Quality this week was mostly average to very attractive. Most cattle were weaned 45-100 days, with a limited offering of calves straight off the cows. Package sizes were mostly moderate again this week with lots of partial loads seen. A few load lots were seen this week and they were met with very good demand. CME positions continue to tick higher. The March closed today at 241.325, 7.675 higher than last Tuesdays close. The April closed at 247.00 today. Market activity was mostly active this week with a large buyer pool noticed of both farmer feeders, ranchers and order-buyers. Demand for replacement quality cattle was good again this week with several buyers looking for heifers to breed. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for light to moderate offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was especially good as packer buyers showed need for cows for immediate harvest. Packers balanced buying cows to feed with meeting slaughter needs. Slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher on Premium white and breaking cows. Boning and lean cows sold mostly 3.00-6.00 higher. Several buyers continue to buy feeding cows as many are betting the market continues to improve. Feeding cows sold on very good demand this sale as private buyers and packer buyers competed over high quality, sound offerings that are suitable to feed. All feeding offerings sold 3.00-8.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 4.00-5.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Weigh up conditions were mixed today. Young age cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand this week. Feeding buyers continue to buy coming 2 year olds to feed as they hope to still feed these cows or heifers to choice. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. This class of cows sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $287.92/cwt on 1,063 head.
Average price
$287.92
1,063 head · 534 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,537
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$528
per head · Medium 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$46.38/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+7.63
vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1340302.501,0295thin
Medium and Large 1521295.561,541842
Medium 1-2352275.0096816thin
Medium and Large 2480271.001,3014thin
Medium and Large 1-2608256.121,557196
One grade step is worth $46.38/cwt here — about −$528 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 sale1,063 hd
287.92
—
MT average3 barns · 2,805 hd
280.29
+7.63
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—Average1,686108.281,82525
CowsPremium White 65-75%Average1,702105.361,79481
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,552102.211,58715
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,38598.381,36263
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,16589.711,045169

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)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,258$1,7502thin
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,197$1,7343thin
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,400$1,5001thin
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,332$1,3749

Every lot

89 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 · Steers26 lots · lightest first
Steers—Medium 1-2307280.00/cwt280.00–280.008608
Steers—Medium 1322327.79/cwt320.00–337.501,05539
Steers—Medium and Large 1375367.66/cwt367.50–372.501,37932
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2385343.00/cwt343.00–343.001,3213
Steers—Medium 1394321.00/cwt321.00–321.001,2655
Steers—Medium and Large 2413305.00/cwt305.00–305.001,2602
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned417334.00/cwt334.00–334.001,39342
Steers—Medium and Large 1423349.69/cwt344.00–359.001,47929
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2423330.87/cwt321.00–335.001,40044
Steers—Medium 1-2438305.00/cwt305.00–305.001,3369
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2471318.32/cwt302.50–334.001,49920
Steers—Medium and Large 1472348.72/cwt340.00–354.501,64655
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned485335.06/cwt322.00–335.751,62537
Steers—Medium 1487327.00/cwt327.00–327.001,5929
Steers—Medium and Large 1524337.32/cwt333.00–340.001,768140
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2529302.19/cwt297.50–305.001,59936
Steers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned547304.00/cwt304.00–304.001,66325
Steers—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed553331.00/cwt331.00–331.001,8309
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2573293.50/cwt293.50–293.501,6826
Steers—Medium and Large 1584306.70/cwt295.00–312.501,791256
Steers—Medium and Large 1634293.00/cwt293.00–293.001,858114
Steers—Medium and Large 1678257.66/cwt253.00–263.001,74713
Steers—Medium 1729235.00/cwt235.00–235.001,7134
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2738235.00/cwt235.00–235.001,7348
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy870210.00/cwt210.00–210.001,82712
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy967208.00/cwt208.00–208.002,01135
Feeder Cattle · Heifers26 lots · lightest first
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2309308.34/cwt302.50–310.0095324
Heifers—Medium 1340302.50/cwt302.50–302.501,0295
Heifers—Medium 1-2352275.00/cwt275.00–275.0096816
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2376303.30/cwt294.00–307.501,14062
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned382317.50/cwt317.50–317.501,21332
Heifers—Medium and Large 1417315.59/cwt311.00–317.501,31668
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2438288.00/cwt288.00–288.001,2618
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned462288.76/cwt288.00–291.001,33432
Heifers—Medium and Large 1475312.43/cwt300.00–318.001,484297
Heifers—Medium and Large 2480271.00/cwt271.00–271.001,3014
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2482285.57/cwt281.00–291.001,37616
Heifers—Medium and Large 1506307.65/cwt307.50–308.001,55727
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Unweaned525290.00/cwt290.00–290.001,5235
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy549274.50/cwt274.50–274.501,50710
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Replacement573285.76/cwt285.50–286.001,637173
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2579245.83/cwt241.00–251.001,4238
Heifers—Medium and Large 1587279.61/cwt271.00–284.501,64187
Heifers—Medium and Large 1Replacement630264.00/cwt264.00–264.001,66385
Heifers—Medium and Large 1645256.00/cwt256.00–256.001,65121
Heifers—Medium and Large 1701226.00/cwt226.00–226.001,5845
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2780205.00/cwt205.00–205.001,5995
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2845199.00/cwt199.00–199.001,6821
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2881200.57/cwt199.00–201.501,76716
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy887197.75/cwt197.75–197.751,75417
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy986189.14/cwt189.00–190.001,86535
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy1,035185.00/cwt185.00–185.001,9154
Feeder Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 1494312.00/cwt312.00–312.001,5416
Bulls—Medium and Large 1624273.00/cwt273.00–273.001,7044
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-2673205.00/cwt205.00–205.001,3802
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,56599.37/cwt90.00–111.001,55513
Bulls——1,803113.88/cwt111.00–119.002,0538
Bulls——1,845126.01/cwt125.00–128.002,3254
Slaughter Cattle · Cows21 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight89872.65/cwt70.00–75.006522
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight95679.24/cwt74.00–85.007585
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,11876.57/cwt76.00–77.008565
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,15091.55/cwt85.00–92.501,05355
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,15396.08/cwt93.00–99.001,10815
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,18085.33/cwt81.00–92.001,00761
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,223102.76/cwt102.00–103.501,2572
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,23497.69/cwt91.00–100.001,20523
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,290102.50/cwt102.50–102.501,3221
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,348105.86/cwt104.50–107.001,4273
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,37899.71/cwt96.00–104.001,37422
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,38089.00/cwt89.00–89.001,2281
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,39298.21/cwt93.00–104.001,36733
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,39489.18/cwt83.00–94.501,2434
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,515107.00/cwt107.00–107.001,6211
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,52099.00/cwt99.00–99.001,5051
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,534104.41/cwt104.00–104.501,6026
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,57799.77/cwt97.50–101.001,5736
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,585102.00/cwt102.00–102.001,6171
Cows—Premium White 65-75%1,621104.00/cwt104.00–104.001,6867
Cows—Premium White 65-75%1,710105.49/cwt105.25–106.251,80474
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows4 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1971,733.78/head1,700.00–1,750.001,7343
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2581,750.00/head1,750.00–1,750.001,7502
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,3321,373.91/head1,335.00–1,385.001,3749
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,4001,500.00/head1,500.00–1,500.001,5001
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows6 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2988150.00/cwt150.00–150.001,4823
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,003151.14/cwt122.00–177.001,51626
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,02591.00/cwt91.00–91.009331
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,063122.00/cwt122.00–122.001,29710
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,063119.14/cwt111.00–128.001,26625
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,223151.00/cwt151.00–151.001,84720

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.