Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2024-02-06

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Feb 6
● Final48 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,546 head
▼ 789 vs last sale 2,335▲ 106 vs year ago 1,440 · +7.4%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
198 head
▼ 176 vs last sale 374▲ 41 vs year ago 157 · +26.1%
Replacement Cattle receipts
118 head
▼ 1 vs last sale 119▲ 89 vs year ago 29 · +306.9%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: Feeder steers under 550 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher, steers 550-749 lbs sold mostly steady to 10.00 higher, steers over 750 lbs were not well compared. Heifer calves under 550 lbs sold steady to firm, 550-599 lbs heifers sold mostly 10.00 higher, heifers over 600 lbs were to lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly average to very attractive. Most cattle were weaned 45-100 days. Package sizes were larger this week as most packages were partial load lots, with a small selection of load lots seen. Demand for small packages or singles was lighter this week as buyers were able to put together loads easier with larger packages. CME positions were higher again today and have pushed higher since last week. The March closed today at 246.675, 5.35 higher than last Tuesdays close. The April closed at 251.70 today, 4.70 higher than last Tuesdays close. Market activity was mostly active this week with a large buyer pool noticed of both farmer feeders, ranchers and order-buyers. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for light offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was especially good as packer buyers showed need for cows for immediate harvest as well as to feed. Packers continue to try to balance buying cows to feed and cows for slaughter. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher on breaking cows and boning cows, lean cows sold mostly 1.00-2.00 higher. Several buyers continue to buy feeding cows as many are betting the market continues to improve. Both packer and private feeding cow buyers both pushed high quality feeding cows higher as supplies were mostly light. Feeding offerings sold mostly 1.00-2.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Weigh up conditions were mixed today. Young age cows sold on mostly good demand this week. Feeding buyers continue to buy coming 2 year old's to feed, especially ones who haven't calved. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. This class of cows sold mostly 10.00-20.00 higher.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $315.28/cwt on 1,032 head.
Average price
$315.28
1,032 head · 575 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,814
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$238
per head · Medium 1 over Medium and Large 1
$38.83/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+13.86
vs MT average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1459349.111,60298
Medium and Large 1-2464347.771,61432
Medium 1-2441336.001,4826thin
Medium and Large 1593310.281,840896
One grade step is worth $38.83/cwt here — about −$238 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 sale1,032 hd
315.28
—
MT average3 barns · 1,962 hd
301.41
+13.86
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—Average1,718106.171,82420
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,557105.931,64948
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,42598.991,41174
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,19195.481,13742

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 1-2350370.00/cwt370.00–370.001,2952
Steers—Medium 1387371.00/cwt371.00–371.001,43617
Steers—Medium and Large 1412368.22/cwt366.00–376.001,51714
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2434361.11/cwt355.00–367.501,56714
Steers—Medium 1-2441336.00/cwt336.00–336.001,4826
Steers—Medium 1447356.73/cwt342.00–358.001,59538
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2466346.65/cwt337.50–348.001,6158
Steers—Medium and Large 1468355.10/cwt350.00–359.001,66281
Steers—Medium 1498333.72/cwt331.00–334.001,66243
Steers—Medium and Large 1530342.09/cwt323.00–356.001,813178
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2543320.00/cwt320.00–320.001,7388
Steers—Medium and Large 1584318.29/cwt299.00–320.501,859263
Steers—Medium and Large 1631289.47/cwt282.50–306.001,827133
Steers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy644277.50/cwt277.50–277.501,78776
Steers—Medium and Large 1693269.88/cwt268.50–282.501,870102
Steers—Medium and Large 1727257.92/cwt255.00–259.001,87529
Steers—Medium and Large 1755244.50/cwt244.50–244.501,84620
Feeder Cattle · Heifers10 lots · lightest first
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2348326.00/cwt326.00–326.001,1342
Heifers—Medium and Large 1374329.21/cwt327.00–335.001,2319
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2376312.00/cwt312.00–312.001,1736
Heifers—Medium and Large 1432317.41/cwt310.00–320.501,37174
Heifers—Medium and Large 2485273.00/cwt273.00–273.001,3245
Heifers—Medium and Large 1486314.79/cwt307.00–318.501,530126
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2511288.00/cwt288.00–288.001,4728
Heifers—Medium and Large 1521305.94/cwt298.00–315.001,594103
Heifers—Medium and Large 1569291.09/cwt285.00–295.001,65661
Heifers—Medium and Large 1617272.00/cwt272.00–272.001,67810
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,659102.22/cwt88.50–111.001,69614
Bulls——1,746113.66/cwt112.00–115.001,9855
Bulls——2,395124.00/cwt124.00–124.002,9701
Slaughter Cattle · Cows14 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,12097.97/cwt94.50–99.001,0975
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,170104.50/cwt104.00–105.001,2232
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,17185.22/cwt80.00–92.509987
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,17693.13/cwt92.00–93.501,0955
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,21597.20/cwt94.00–100.001,18121
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,238104.00/cwt104.00–104.001,2882
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,379101.66/cwt95.50–106.001,40226
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,40493.94/cwt93.00–95.001,3197
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,432104.95/cwt102.50–105.501,50317
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,44297.20/cwt93.50–100.001,40226
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,483105.00/cwt105.00–105.001,5579
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,49392.00/cwt92.00–92.001,3746
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,605107.41/cwt106.00–107.501,72422
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,676104.17/cwt101.50–105.501,7469
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows4 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium 1765152.50/cwt152.50–152.501,1671
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1965194.11/cwt161.00–228.001,87351
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,035140.26/cwt104.00–180.001,45235
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,09598.50/cwt98.50–98.501,0793

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.