Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2024-03-05

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Mar 5
● Final84 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
943 head
▲ 524 vs last sale 419▲ 789 vs year ago 154 · +512.3%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
215 head
▼ 28 vs last sale 243▲ 115 vs year ago 100 · +115.0%
Replacement Cattle receipts
501 head
▲ 396 vs last sale 105▼ 350 vs year ago 851 · −41.1%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested last week to develop a full market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on both steers heifers. Demand was mostly moderate to good for light to moderate offerings. Quality this week was mostly average with a limited offering of attractive cattle seen. Plain to average quality calves sold on much stronger demand compared to last week. Most cattle were long weaned from 45-100 days. Package sizes were mostly small to moderate this week and larger than last week. Several partial load lots were seen this week. CME positions pushed higher today but have traded unevenly since last week. The March contract closed today at 252.30, 0.70 lower than last Tuesdays close. The April closed at 257.175 today, 1.775 lower than last Tuesdays close. Market activity was mostly moderate to active this week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light to moderate offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was good to very good. Packers opted to send most of the cow offering to slaughter this week as supplies remain tight. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-5.00 higher on Premium white and Breaking cows. Boning and lean cows sold mostly 3.00-6.00 higher. Private feeding buyers pushed feeding cows higher as they pushed to buy them away from packers. Very few feeding cows were seen last week thus no comparisons can be made. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Weigh up conditions were mixed today. Another set of fed cows sold this week. Most of these offerings were fed for over 100 days. Young age cows were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Young cow quality was mostly average to attractive this week. Demand from both feeding and rebreed buyers helped push these offerings higher, with many selling near the same price levels as late fall. A moderate offering of bred cows was seen this sale. Demand for bred cows was mostly good with a large crowd on hand for todays bred portion of the sale.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $332.00/cwt on 225 head. That ranks 1 of 11 comparable sales and sits −119.57 against this barn's trailing median of $451.58.
Average price
$332.00
225 head · 560 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,858
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$121
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2
$39.50/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+0.00
vs MT average
+19.00 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2503337.001,6957thin
Medium and Large 1564333.971,882202
Medium 1544317.501,7276thin
Medium and Large 2529297.501,57410thin
One grade step is worth $39.50/cwt here — about $121 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale225 hd
332.00
—
MT average1 barns · 225 hd
332.00
+0.00
National average178 barns · 13,961 hd
313.00
+19.00
This barn, trailing median11 sales
451.58
−119.57
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

11 sales
526474422371median 451.5803/1003/3109/2910/2011/03
Steers 500–600 lb: high $512.23, low $384.50, median $451.58 across 11 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

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—Low1,617120.681,95110
CowsPremium White 65-75%Average1,606120.941,94244
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,439117.571,69188
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,453115.711,68135
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,180105.531,24535

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 Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,091$2,62245
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,226$2,43568
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,264$2,334152
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,259$2,14295
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,158$1,80016
Bred Heifers3rd Stage (7-9 mo)(<2 yrs)1,099$2,82135

Every lot

84 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 · Steers22 lots · lightest first
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2377355.00/cwt355.00–355.001,3383
Steers350–400Medium 1378351.00/cwt351.00–351.001,3277
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1425369.35/cwt365.00–370.001,570110
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2439351.00/cwt345.00–360.001,54114
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1450355.00/cwt355.00–355.001,5981
Steers450–500Medium 1484335.00/cwt335.00–335.001,62115
Steers450–500Medium and Large 2490300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,4701
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2493334.48/cwt332.50–342.501,64910
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2503337.00/cwt337.00–337.001,6957
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1521342.00/cwt342.00–342.001,78236
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2529297.50/cwt297.50–297.501,57410
Steers500–550Medium 1544317.50/cwt317.50–317.501,7276
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Full571319.00/cwt319.00–319.001,82116
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1573333.64/cwt322.50–341.751,912150
Steers600–650Medium and Large 2623275.00/cwt275.00–275.001,7133
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2627288.19/cwt284.50–294.001,80715
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1667290.84/cwt285.50–292.251,94085
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2718263.00/cwt263.00–263.001,8886
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1726267.13/cwt267.00–268.001,93915
Steers750–800Large 1Full772240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,8535
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1Fleshy845231.75/cwt231.75–231.751,95831
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1Fleshy885212.50/cwt212.50–212.501,8813
Feeder Cattle · Heifers19 lots · lightest first
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2360326.87/cwt325.00–327.501,17720
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1379340.00/cwt340.00–340.001,2894
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1414333.54/cwt326.00–338.001,38110
Heifers400–450Medium 1424322.50/cwt322.50–322.501,3674
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2436286.00/cwt286.00–286.001,2475
Heifers400–450Medium 2-3443110.00/cwt110.00–110.004876
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2446313.61/cwt308.00–324.001,39930
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2487303.00/cwt303.00–303.001,4769
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 2500264.00/cwt264.00–264.001,3201
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1511309.69/cwt305.50–322.501,58347
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2543279.00/cwt279.00–279.001,5152
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2553276.44/cwt274.50–277.001,5299
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 2562235.00/cwt235.00–235.001,3215
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1590275.93/cwt275.00–280.001,62821
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2600252.00/cwt252.00–252.001,5121
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1610274.00/cwt274.00–274.001,67112
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 2618230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,4216
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2673231.00/cwt231.00–231.001,5552
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1Replacement711265.50/cwt265.50–265.501,88857
Feeder Cattle · Bulls7 lots · lightest first
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1465337.50/cwt337.50–337.501,5691
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2480320.00/cwt320.00–320.001,5362
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1545320.00/cwt320.00–320.001,7448
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1-2650252.50/cwt252.50–252.501,6412
Bulls700–750Large 1740220.00/cwt220.00–220.001,6281
Bulls1150–1200Large 1-21,155180.00/cwt180.00–180.002,0791
Bulls1150–1200Large 21,195150.00/cwt150.00–150.001,7931
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,290121.00/cwt121.00–121.001,5611
Bulls——Light Weight1,290104.00/cwt104.00–104.001,3421
Bulls——Light Weight1,400113.59/cwt110.00–117.001,5902
Bulls——1,410111.00/cwt111.00–111.001,5651
Bulls——1,845127.16/cwt121.00–132.002,3464
Bulls——2,000135.00/cwt135.00–135.002,7001
Slaughter Cattle · Cows17 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight99574.00/cwt74.00–74.007361
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,04088.00/cwt88.00–88.009151
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,117105.66/cwt102.00–108.501,1805
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,177109.05/cwt106.00–111.001,2849
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,180113.09/cwt111.50–115.001,3348
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,235100.00/cwt92.00–105.001,23510
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,295117.00/cwt117.00–117.001,5151
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,377105.56/cwt101.00–108.001,4543
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,398117.38/cwt114.00–119.501,64129
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,403112.50/cwt108.00–119.001,57815
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,425122.25/cwt122.25–122.251,7421
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,443115.89/cwt113.00–117.001,67231
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,480101.08/cwt99.00–103.001,4962
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,485121.42/cwt120.00–122.501,80339
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,535106.00/cwt106.00–106.001,6271
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,580114.49/cwt114.00–115.001,8092
Cows—Premium White 65-75%1,606120.94/cwt120.25–121.501,94244
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows3 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium 1691213.15/cwt203.00–217.001,47311
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1932203.26/cwt184.00–217.501,89418
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,117148.99/cwt117.00–171.001,66426
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 11,0992,821.44/head2,800.00–2,850.002,82135
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows9 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium 11,0612,425.88/head2,300.00–2,500.002,42619
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,0632,350.00/head2,350.00–2,350.002,3502
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1172,800.00/head2,800.00–2,800.002,80024
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,1581,800.00/head1,800.00–1,800.001,80016
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1812,300.00/head2,300.00–2,300.002,30019
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2442,487.45/head2,375.00–2,500.002,48749
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,2582,220.10/head2,000.00–2,350.002,22075
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2642,334.11/head2,200.00–2,350.002,334152
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,2651,847.36/head1,825.00–1,850.001,84720

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.