Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2024-10-22

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Oct 22
● Final95 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
4,379 head
▲ 672 vs last sale 3,707▲ 1,112 vs year ago 3,267 · +34.0%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
888 head
▲ 206 vs last sale 682▲ 267 vs year ago 621 · +43.0%
Replacement Cattle receipts
463 head
▲ 323 vs last sale 140▲ 175 vs year ago 288 · +60.8%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Steer calves under 500 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher, 500-549 lbs steers sold steady to weak, steer calves 550-599 lbs sold steady to firm. Calves over 600 lbs were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold generally steady. Heifer calves over 500 lbs sold steady to 3.00 higher. Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Yearling heifers sold steady to 2.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Demand for calves was mostly good, while demand for yearlings was mostly moderate to good. Demand for light weight calves suitable to run on wheat pasture in the south or out west remains very good. CME Feeder cattle positions added triple digit gains today. Quality this sale was mostly average to attractive on calves and plain to average on yearlings. Market activity was mostly active today with a large buyer pool noticed. Weigh up cows sold on good demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was light to moderate, but stronger than last sale as packer buyers continue to try and buy cows away from feeding buyers. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher on all classes. Feeding cow demand was very good with multiple private ranchers and order buyers buying cows to feed. Private buyers continue to buy slightly lame or slightly blemished cows to put away on feed. Feeding cows sold generally steady on high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white. Thin feeding cows sold steady to weak. Slaughter bulls sold on mostly moderate demand for light offerings. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady. Weigh up conditions were mostly average this week. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher. Demand for 3-4 year old cows was higher this week as buyers showed very good demand for cows to rebreed. Quality was mostly average to attractive today. Young cow offerings were heavy this week.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $302.69/cwt on 685 head. That ranks 1 of 11 comparable sales and sits −148.89 against this barn's trailing median of $451.58.
Average price
$302.69
685 head · 543 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,644
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$192
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2
$37.87/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+4.49
vs MT average
+3.65 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1541304.871,650591
Large 1554291.891,61765
Medium and Large 1-2561288.301,61821
Medium and Large 2546267.001,4588thin
One grade step is worth $37.87/cwt here — about $192 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 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 sale685 hd
302.69
—
MT average5 barns · 1,888 hd
298.20
+4.49
National average191 barns · 36,605 hd
299.04
+3.65
This barn, trailing median11 sales
451.58
−148.89
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—Average1,698145.662,47457
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,566130.712,0468thin
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,371128.091,75799
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,150115.841,333306

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 Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,173$2,22516
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,288$1,75716
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,333$1,74828
Bred Heifers2nd Stage (4-6 mo)(<2 yrs)798$2,44154
Bred Heifers1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)(<2 yrs)768$2,4008

Every lot

95 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 · Steers27 lots · lightest first
Steers200–250Medium and Large 1Unweaned242463.24/cwt460.00–470.001,1213
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1Unweaned267442.34/cwt420.00–450.001,18123
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned294415.00/cwt415.00–415.001,2204
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned329424.52/cwt411.00–431.501,397127
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned334395.00/cwt385.00–407.501,31941
Steers350–400Medium 1Unweaned362368.00/cwt368.00–368.001,3323
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned373363.42/cwt337.50–387.501,35656
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned377404.14/cwt386.00–435.001,524241
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned420367.63/cwt350.00–382.501,544278
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned429340.48/cwt337.00–343.001,46173
Steers400–450Large 1Unweaned430332.00/cwt332.00–332.001,42811
Steers400–450Medium 1Unweaned448303.00/cwt303.00–303.001,35711
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned478331.61/cwt315.50–348.751,585604
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned478308.32/cwt292.50–311.001,47445
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned526309.73/cwt303.00–325.751,629386
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned528302.00/cwt302.00–302.001,5959
Steers500–550Large 1Unweaned544294.88/cwt285.00–298.251,60451
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2546267.00/cwt267.00–267.001,4588
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned570295.73/cwt289.00–312.001,686205
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned586278.03/cwt274.00–281.001,62912
Steers550–600Large 1591281.00/cwt281.00–281.001,66114
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned624281.40/cwt274.00–285.501,756144
Steers600–650Large 1Unweaned645272.00/cwt272.00–272.001,75410
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned649251.00/cwt251.00–251.001,6294
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2717258.00/cwt258.00–258.001,85012
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2778246.50/cwt246.50–246.501,9182
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1-2814245.50/cwt245.50–245.501,9984
Feeder Cattle · Heifers32 lots · lightest first
Heifers200–250Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned220387.50/cwt387.50–387.508535
Heifers200–250Medium and Large 1Unweaned240415.00/cwt415.00–415.009961
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1Unweaned268388.35/cwt382.50–392.501,04111
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned272367.50/cwt367.50–367.501,0006
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned332362.29/cwt350.00–380.001,203120
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned339324.25/cwt320.00–340.001,09931
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned384342.54/cwt337.50–356.001,315149
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned385306.38/cwt305.00–312.501,18011
Heifers400–450Medium 2400235.00/cwt235.00–235.009403
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned419322.31/cwt313.00–334.001,350167
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned422302.85/cwt291.00–311.001,27822
Heifers400–450Large 1Unweaned425305.00/cwt305.00–305.001,2962
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned467289.92/cwt284.00–294.001,35418
Heifers450–500Large 1Unweaned472285.43/cwt267.50–289.501,34732
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned473301.01/cwt288.00–310.001,424288
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned522284.12/cwt271.00–299.001,483318
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned531267.23/cwt267.00–269.001,41925
Heifers500–550Large 1Unweaned542267.60/cwt249.00–273.501,45020
Heifers550–600Large 1Unweaned557252.00/cwt252.00–252.001,40421
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned560271.75/cwt271.00–272.001,52248
Heifers550–600Medium 1577270.00/cwt270.00–270.001,55814
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned604245.00/cwt245.00–245.001,4806
Heifers600–650Medium 1608265.00/cwt265.00–265.001,61127
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1675260.00/cwt260.00–260.001,75514
Heifers650–700Medium 1680253.32/cwt250.00–256.001,7239
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1Unweaned719244.00/cwt244.00–244.001,7545
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2795235.70/cwt235.00–236.501,87413
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1805237.72/cwt236.50–239.501,91436
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1-2860225.00/cwt225.00–225.001,9352
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1887230.31/cwt227.50–232.502,04330
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1920234.09/cwt230.50–234.502,15419
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1974225.00/cwt225.00–225.002,1927
Feeder Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls250–300Medium and Large 1Unweaned280415.00/cwt415.00–415.001,1621
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned412320.00/cwt320.00–320.001,3183
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,397140.87/cwt138.00–143.501,9683
Bulls——1,668142.77/cwt131.00–146.002,38137
Bulls——1,817152.79/cwt147.00–161.002,77617
Slaughter Cattle · Cows18 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight83396.77/cwt92.00–102.008063
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight95284.65/cwt84.00–86.008063
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,08485.56/cwt81.00–90.009279
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,123103.09/cwt92.00–109.001,15845
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,133124.57/cwt123.00–126.001,4112
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,142121.30/cwt114.00–128.001,385101
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,166112.33/cwt110.00–117.001,31016
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,172111.97/cwt101.00–117.001,31273
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,195130.04/cwt129.00–137.001,55454
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,351110.18/cwt105.00–112.001,4897
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,361135.52/cwt134.00–136.001,8449
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,365129.34/cwt123.00–132.001,76575
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,390121.00/cwt121.00–121.001,6821
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,470129.00/cwt129.00–129.001,8961
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,471123.22/cwt114.00–126.251,8136
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,530126.33/cwt125.00–128.001,9332
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,563134.40/cwt129.00–136.002,1015
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,650121.00/cwt121.00–121.001,9971
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows4 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1732,225.00/head2,225.00–2,225.002,22516
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,2201,535.00/head1,535.00–1,535.001,5354
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2881,757.43/head1,735.00–1,975.001,75716
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3521,783.37/head1,550.00–1,900.001,78324
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers2 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 17682,400.00/head2,400.00–2,400.002,4008
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 17982,441.12/head2,400.00–2,500.002,44154
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows7 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed815147.50/cwt147.50–147.501,2022
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1900210.44/cwt157.50–216.001,894160
Stock Cows—Large 1907173.34/cwt170.00–174.001,57213
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2922178.96/cwt150.00–189.001,65020
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1973185.69/cwt139.00–196.001,80788
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2975156.12/cwt142.00–187.501,5225
Stock Cows—Large 1988163.00/cwt163.00–163.001,6108

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.