Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2024-10-29

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Oct 29
● Final89 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
3,498 head
▼ 881 vs last sale 4,379▲ 1,235 vs year ago 2,263 · +54.6%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
790 head
▼ 98 vs last sale 888▲ 313 vs year ago 477 · +65.6%
Replacement Cattle receipts
303 head
▼ 160 vs last sale 463▲ 55 vs year ago 248 · +22.2%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Steer calves under 450 lbs sold generally steady, steer calves over 450 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher, with instances of higher sales seen on high quality offerings. Heifers 450-549 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher. Heifers calves over 550 lbs were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady undertones were noticed. Demand for calves was mostly good to very good. Demand for yearlings mostly moderate to good. Demand for light weight calves suitable to run on wheat pasture in the south or out west remains very good. Quality this sale was mostly average to very attractive on calves and plain to average on yearlings. Several load lots were seen this week and very good demand was seen for one iron home raised calves. Packages of calves continue to sell with a discount to full load or partial load offerings. Market activity was mostly active today with a large buyer pool noticed. Buyers were actively bidding both ring side as well as over the internet this week. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand for heavy offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was light to moderate while feeding cows sold on moderate to good demand. Slaughter cows sold 2.00-5.00 lower on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Feeding cow demand was moderate to good with multiple private ranchers and order buyers buying cows to feed. Private buyers continue to buy slightly lame or slightly blemished cows to but away on feed. Feeding cows sold 3.00-5.00 lower. Cow quality this week was significantly lower than last week as many very thin cows were seen. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00-4.00 lower. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average this week. Many cow were both full and thin this week. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady to weak on a lower quality offering. Many young age cows were very thin this sale. Quality was mostly average today and not as attractive as last week.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $312.98/cwt on 844 head. That ranks 1 of 11 comparable sales and sits −138.60 against this barn's trailing median of $451.58.
Average price
$312.98
844 head · 541 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,694
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$113
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1
$39.07/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+10.67
vs MT average
+12.29 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1540314.511,699762
Medium and Large 1-2525311.091,63250
Medium 1591280.501,65825
Large 1576275.441,5877thin
One grade step is worth $39.07/cwt here — about $113 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 200–300 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 sale844 hd
312.98
—
MT average5 barns · 2,389 hd
302.31
+10.67
National average185 barns · 40,108 hd
300.69
+12.29
This barn, trailing median11 sales
451.58
−138.60
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—Average1,703142.092,41936
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,611124.502,0064thin
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,357122.441,662186
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,177107.451,265303

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)Young (2-4 yrs)1,018$1,9003thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,150$1,7254thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,267$1,70011
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,215$1,67531

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 · Steers29 lots · lightest first
Steers250–300Medium 1Unweaned260342.50/cwt342.50–342.508912
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned287438.00/cwt438.00–438.001,2575
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1Unweaned289443.20/cwt440.00–450.001,2816
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned337416.98/cwt412.00–427.501,40554
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned341387.45/cwt355.00–405.001,32176
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned373402.05/cwt385.00–450.001,50056
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned395351.88/cwt346.00–360.001,39019
Steers400–450Medium 1Unweaned414351.00/cwt351.00–351.001,4538
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned420366.55/cwt357.00–375.001,540130
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned433338.84/cwt315.00–356.001,46775
Steers450–500Large 1Unweaned465322.50/cwt322.50–322.501,5002
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1466344.00/cwt344.00–344.001,60326
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned473346.48/cwt321.00–377.001,639418
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned488312.55/cwt310.00–315.001,52523
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned519321.95/cwt303.00–335.751,671375
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned521312.63/cwt289.00–317.001,62947
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1529323.75/cwt323.75–323.751,71363
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned567304.10/cwt291.00–317.001,724324
Steers550–600Large 1Unweaned576275.44/cwt275.00–276.001,5877
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned583287.00/cwt287.00–287.001,6733
Steers550–600Medium 1591280.50/cwt280.50–280.501,65825
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned613288.05/cwt279.00–294.001,766108
Steers600–650Large 1Unweaned640271.44/cwt242.50–272.501,73728
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned658267.00/cwt267.00–267.001,7573
Steers650–700Medium 1659270.11/cwt264.00–271.001,78071
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned665251.00/cwt251.00–251.001,6691
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2Full752241.00/cwt241.00–241.001,8127
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1-2808240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,9392
Steers1000–1050Medium and Large 11,014216.00/cwt216.00–216.002,1904
Feeder Cattle · Heifers25 lots · lightest first
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1Unweaned255390.00/cwt390.00–390.009953
Heifers250–300Medium 1Unweaned270340.00/cwt340.00–340.009185
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned332385.76/cwt357.50–390.001,28145
Heifers300–350Medium 1Unweaned336344.00/cwt344.00–344.001,15618
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned345332.50/cwt332.50–332.501,1478
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned369322.11/cwt315.00–327.501,18943
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned373344.50/cwt335.00–360.001,28568
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned427319.82/cwt314.00–330.001,366137
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned429309.61/cwt307.00–312.501,32823
Heifers400–450Medium 1Unweaned431308.00/cwt308.00–308.001,32733
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned467305.58/cwt300.00–312.001,427216
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned474290.87/cwt288.00–293.001,37918
Heifers450–500Large 1Unweaned491290.09/cwt289.00–291.001,42411
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned513295.06/cwt282.00–305.001,514145
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned555251.00/cwt251.00–251.001,3932
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned575262.54/cwt258.00–266.001,51075
Heifers550–600Large 1Unweaned576261.00/cwt261.00–261.001,5034
Heifers600–650Medium 1617253.00/cwt253.00–253.001,5616
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1710251.68/cwt249.50–252.501,78759
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1767248.00/cwt248.00–248.001,90216
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2819234.00/cwt234.00–234.001,9164
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1896228.00/cwt226.00–236.002,0435
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1918227.66/cwt226.00–230.002,0903
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1961225.72/cwt220.00–226.002,16944
Heifers1050–1100Large 11,088206.68/cwt205.00–210.002,2499
Feeder Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned413330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,3633
Bulls400–450Large 1Unweaned440332.50/cwt332.50–332.501,4632
Bulls500–550Large 1Unweaned545265.00/cwt265.00–265.001,4441
Bulls900–950Medium and Large 1-2920211.00/cwt211.00–211.001,94111
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Light Weight1,265122.50/cwt122.50–122.501,5501
Bulls——Return to Feed1,597136.27/cwt123.00–142.002,17614
Bulls——Return to Feed1,681144.85/cwt142.00–147.002,4354
Bulls——1,783149.04/cwt144.00–152.002,65713
Bulls——1,915156.00/cwt156.00–156.002,9871
Bulls——1,952137.30/cwt136.00–140.002,6803
Slaughter Cattle · Cows17 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight97280.00/cwt80.00–80.007783
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight97590.28/cwt87.50–96.008803
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,100112.00/cwt112.00–112.001,2321
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,11684.51/cwt82.00–86.0094316
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,17295.98/cwt90.00–104.001,12513
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,184107.40/cwt97.00–118.001,272206
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,193118.02/cwt113.00–123.001,40860
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,245127.50/cwt127.50–127.501,5871
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,312130.39/cwt128.00–134.501,71135
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,359122.45/cwt117.00–127.001,664123
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,37087.50/cwt87.50–87.501,1991
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,388112.21/cwt105.00–114.001,55718
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,436121.88/cwt116.00–125.001,7505
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,447101.08/cwt92.00–106.001,4633
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,455129.00/cwt129.00–129.001,8771
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,605124.00/cwt124.00–124.001,9901
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,613124.67/cwt124.00–125.002,0113
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows4 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1874202.42/cwt175.00–211.001,769100
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2886176.00/cwt176.00–176.001,5594
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1939181.71/cwt140.00–202.501,70637
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,114131.00/cwt131.00–131.001,4597
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows4 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,0181,900.00/head1,900.00–1,900.001,9003
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,1501,725.00/head1,725.00–1,725.001,7254
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,2151,675.00/head1,675.00–1,675.001,67531
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2671,700.00/head1,700.00–1,700.001,70011

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.