Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2024-11-26

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Nov 26
● Final89 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,814 head
▲ 2 vs last sale 1,812▼ 48 vs year ago 1,862 · −2.6%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
521 head
▼ 143 vs last sale 664▼ 207 vs year ago 728 · −28.4%
Replacement Cattle receipts
394 head
▼ 309 vs last sale 703▲ 249 vs year ago 145 · +171.7%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Steer calves under 400 lbs were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. 400-599 lbs steers sold 5.00-15.00 higher; steer calves over 600 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher. Heifer calves under 400 lbs were not well compared; 400-499 lbs heifers sold 5.00-15.00 higher; heifers over 500 lbs sold generally steady on like quality offerings in a narrow comparison. Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Calf quality was mostly average to very attractive, on steers and mixed on heifers, from plain to attractive. Heifer quality was not as attractive as last weeks sale. Demand was mostly good to very good for steers and moderate to good for heifers. All buyers were more aggressive as they bid on offerings and tried to fill loads. Demand for weaned calves was mostly good this week and most weaned offerings outsold unweaned offerings. Market activity was mostly active today. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was light while feeding cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand. Slaughter cows sold generally steady to firm in a very narrow comparison on all classes. Feeding cow demand remains moderate to good. Private buyers continue to buy slightly lame or slightly blemished cows to put away on feed. Packer buyers were also active and buying slightly lame or blemished cows to put away to feed for the upcoming holidays. Feeding cows sold steady to firm on high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white. Thin feeding cows sold mostly steady. Cow quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 3.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average this week, with a small portion of the cow and bull offering pushing moderate amounts of fill. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 5.00-8.00 lower on a lighter offering. Young age cows sold on moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Quality was mostly average today and overall not as attractive as last week.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $293.82/cwt on 229 head. That ranks 1 of 14 comparable sales and sits −120.11 against this barn's trailing median of $413.93.
Average price
$293.82
229 head · 531 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,560
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$138
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1
$11.11/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+7.94
vs MT average
+12.92 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1531294.111,562223
Medium and Large 1-2543283.001,5374thin
Large 1503283.001,4232thin
One grade step is worth $11.11/cwt here — about $138 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 sale229 hd
293.82
—
MT average4 barns · 858 hd
285.88
+7.94
National average40 barns · 6,153 hd
280.90
+12.92
This barn, trailing median14 sales
413.93
−120.11
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

14 sales
482436390343median 413.9303/1004/0708/2510/1311/03
Heifers 500–600 lb: high $468.13, low $357.36, median $413.93 across 14 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—Average1,708128.762,20015
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,576120.401,89816
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,399115.871,621171
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,178105.721,245232

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)1,364$2,50012
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,320$2,5008
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,368$2,19556
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,176$1,789123

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 · Steers24 lots · lightest first
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1Unweaned260525.00/cwt525.00–525.001,3651
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1331472.45/cwt457.50–480.001,56414
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned334463.90/cwt440.00–480.001,54918
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned378404.92/cwt402.50–407.501,5314
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned379422.61/cwt415.00–426.001,60217
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1380424.46/cwt424.00–425.001,61323
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned413410.22/cwt405.00–418.001,69446
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1417420.68/cwt384.00–433.001,75471
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2423377.50/cwt377.50–377.501,5976
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Value Added428402.00/cwt402.00–402.001,72158
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned443378.00/cwt378.00–378.001,67517
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1463370.01/cwt356.00–388.001,71336
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned463334.00/cwt334.00–334.001,5464
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned470377.20/cwt352.00–382.501,77337
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1520351.50/cwt351.50–351.501,82846
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned532332.28/cwt312.50–341.001,76813
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned533341.19/cwt334.50–360.001,819162
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned560325.96/cwt324.00–328.001,82570
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1561326.17/cwt314.00–331.001,83011
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned625280.42/cwt271.00–298.001,75310
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned629299.34/cwt298.00–303.001,88346
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned672285.30/cwt285.00–285.501,91710
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned778239.50/cwt239.50–239.501,8634
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1Full827244.00/cwt244.00–244.002,0189
Feeder Cattle · Heifers26 lots · lightest first
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned334354.94/cwt352.00–357.501,18533
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1336357.50/cwt357.50–357.501,20114
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2349337.50/cwt337.50–337.501,17813
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned365329.36/cwt322.50–342.501,20225
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned381358.28/cwt353.00–364.001,36545
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2412319.00/cwt319.00–319.001,3146
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1414361.65/cwt322.00–369.001,497100
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned428337.13/cwt325.50–355.001,44392
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Value Added433346.00/cwt346.00–346.001,49887
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned437307.97/cwt292.50–318.001,34639
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1463325.91/cwt318.00–334.001,50942
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned466317.50/cwt316.00–321.001,48010
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Value Added478324.50/cwt324.50–324.501,5519
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned490281.00/cwt281.00–281.001,3774
Heifers500–550Large 1Unweaned503283.00/cwt283.00–283.001,4232
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1521293.00/cwt293.00–293.001,52711
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned523301.34/cwt288.00–311.001,576157
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned543283.00/cwt283.00–283.001,5374
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned556273.69/cwt272.00–275.001,52255
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned625267.59/cwt252.00–270.001,67243
Heifers650–700Medium 1696244.00/cwt244.00–244.001,6987
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2719247.00/cwt247.00–247.001,77618
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1803234.00/cwt234.00–234.001,8798
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1872233.00/cwt233.00–233.002,0325
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1909227.50/cwt227.50–227.502,06811
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1-2980209.00/cwt209.00–209.002,0483
Feeder Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned413375.00/cwt375.00–375.001,5492
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned481343.00/cwt343.00–343.001,6507
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1514324.00/cwt324.00–324.001,6656
Bulls1100–1150Large 1-21,113177.50/cwt177.50–177.501,9762
Bulls1250–1300Large 11,280170.00/cwt170.00–170.002,1761
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,435131.00/cwt131.00–131.001,8801
Bulls——1,676127.12/cwt111.00–132.002,13112
Bulls——2,040137.51/cwt135.00–140.002,8052
Slaughter Cattle · Cows20 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight79072.50/cwt72.50–72.505731
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight94387.25/cwt82.50–92.008233
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,09291.68/cwt87.00–98.001,00111
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,10582.50/cwt82.50–82.509121
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,107105.31/cwt104.00–106.001,1663
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,11076.77/cwt70.00–86.0085210
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,112123.00/cwt123.00–123.001,36815
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,193113.81/cwt108.00–119.001,35882
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,203102.28/cwt92.00–107.001,230106
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,265122.00/cwt122.00–122.001,5431
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,388117.40/cwt110.00–121.001,630111
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,410123.09/cwt123.00–123.501,73630
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,415109.00/cwt109.00–109.001,5421
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,418104.27/cwt96.00–109.001,47922
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,45697.98/cwt92.00–102.001,4274
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,550113.00/cwt113.00–113.001,7521
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,562120.89/cwt119.00–121.501,88814
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,58081.00/cwt81.00–81.001,2801
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,59591.00/cwt91.00–91.001,4511
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,805121.00/cwt121.00–121.002,1841
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows6 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed785185.00/cwt185.00–185.001,4521
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1966177.25/cwt141.00–215.001,71285
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,055136.41/cwt123.00–157.501,4392
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,068134.13/cwt125.00–145.001,4332
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,149134.48/cwt120.50–169.001,54532
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,239121.00/cwt121.00–121.001,4995
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows5 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,0331,575.00/head1,575.00–1,575.001,57512
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,1911,812.49/head1,735.00–1,850.001,812111
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3202,500.00/head2,500.00–2,500.002,5008
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3642,500.00/head2,500.00–2,500.002,50012
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3682,194.56/head1,875.00–2,260.002,19556

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.