Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2025-02-04

Miles City Livestock Commission

Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2025-02-04
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-02-04

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Feb 4

● Final44 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773

← Jan 28Feb 4Feb 18 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

296 head

▼ 1,295 vs last sale 1,591▼ 1,250 vs year ago 1,546 · −80.9%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

199 head

▲ 88 vs last sale 111▲ 1 vs year ago 198 · +0.5%

Replacement Cattle receipts

175 head

▲ 63 vs last sale 112▲ 57 vs year ago 118 · +48.3%

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to weak undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly plain to average and overall not as attractive as last weeks offering. Most feeders were offered in small packages or as singles this week. A snow storm and poor road conditions kept receipts light this week. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly good. CME feeder cattle positions have seen sharply lower movement as traders respond to news that the U.S. will allow live Mexican feeder cattle imports to resume after being closed since November 22nd 2024. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today. Weigh up cows sold on good demand for very light offerings. Demand for slaughter cows continues to improve. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Demand from private feeding cow buyers was very good this week as they pushed packers to give more for all classes of cows this week. Feeding cows sold 6.00-12.00 higher on all cow suitable to feed. Cow quality was mostly average this week. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to above average this week for cows and bulls. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 10.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Quality was mostly average today. Several large packages of young age cows were seen this week. Demand from rebreed buyers was very good this week.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $318.08/cwt on 80 head. That ranks 1 of 14 comparable sales and sits −95.85 against this barn's trailing median of $413.93.

Average price

$318.08

80 head · 565 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,796

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$121

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$19.84/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−3.15

vs MT average

+19.22 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	520	331.34	1,723	23
Medium and Large 1-2	539	318.50	1,715	10thin
Large 1	592	311.50	1,844	47

One grade step is worth $19.84/cwt here — about −$121 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 sale80 hd

318.08

—

MT average3 barns · 439 hd

321.23

−3.15

National average192 barns · 21,303 hd

298.86

+19.22

This barn, trailing median14 sales

413.93

−95.85

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

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.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	Average	1,845	151.05	2,787	2thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,668	142.05	2,370	9thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,386	141.46	1,960	38
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,172	138.18	1,619	107

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.

Class	Stage	Age	Avg wt	$/head	Head
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,264	$2,775	6
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,513	$2,350	2thin
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,326	$2,316	7
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,223	$2,200	18

Every lot

44 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.

Class	Weight	Grade / description	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Feeder Cattle · Steers6 lots · lightest first
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	413	404.00/cwt	404.00–404.00	1,669	2
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	479	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	1,772	5
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	533	340.30/cwt	332.00–346.00	1,814	6
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	586	339.00/cwt	339.00–339.00	1,987	20
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2	651	281.00/cwt	281.00–281.00	1,829	4
Steers	700–750	Large 1	733	283.00/cwt	283.00–283.00	2,074	18
Feeder Cattle · Heifers13 lots · lightest first
Heifers	300–350	Medium and Large 1	335	417.64/cwt	417.00–422.00	1,399	8
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1	380	394.00/cwt	394.00–394.00	1,497	15
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2	385	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,386	1
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1	440	403.00/cwt	403.00–403.00	1,773	1
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1	513	332.42/cwt	328.50–335.00	1,705	21
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	535	320.87/cwt	320.00–322.00	1,717	8
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	553	309.00/cwt	309.00–309.00	1,709	2
Heifers	550–600	Large 1	592	311.50/cwt	311.50–311.50	1,844	47
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	595	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,904	2
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	639	282.00/cwt	282.00–282.00	1,802	6
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	695	283.00/cwt	283.00–283.00	1,967	2
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	703	248.00/cwt	248.00–248.00	1,743	6
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1	785	262.50/cwt	262.50–262.50	2,061	4
Feeder Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls	300–350	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	329	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	1,645	5
Bulls	350–400	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	375	428.50/cwt	428.50–428.50	1,607	18
Bulls	400–450	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	430	405.50/cwt	405.50–405.50	1,744	20
Bulls	450–500	Medium and Large 1	491	334.00/cwt	334.00–334.00	1,640	4
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls1 lot · lightest first
Bulls	—	—	1,845	151.05/cwt	150.00–152.00	2,787	2
Slaughter Cattle · Cows12 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,085	120.75/cwt	120.00–122.00	1,310	3
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,158	123.38/cwt	122.00–125.00	1,429	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,163	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	1,698	42
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,178	137.38/cwt	129.00–143.00	1,618	52
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,216	112.53/cwt	109.00–115.00	1,368	8
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,343	146.01/cwt	144.00–150.00	1,961	18
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,345	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	1,829	1
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,419	139.95/cwt	130.00–144.00	1,986	16
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,475	119.00/cwt	119.00–119.00	1,755	1
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,483	126.50/cwt	125.00–128.00	1,876	2
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,651	143.06/cwt	135.00–145.00	2,362	8
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,805	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	2,419	1
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows4 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Large 1	845	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	1,563	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	900	220.08/cwt	145.50–233.00	1,981	119
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,018	162.08/cwt	142.00–190.00	1,650	8
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,133	167.88/cwt	145.00–180.00	1,902	31
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows4 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	1,223	2,200.00/head	2,200.00–2,200.00	2,200	18
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,264	2,775.00/head	2,775.00–2,775.00	2,775	6
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,326	2,316.41/head	2,310.00–2,325.00	2,316	7
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,513	2,350.00/head	2,350.00–2,350.00	2,350	2

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.

Montana feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →

Miles City Livestock Commission Auction - Miles City, MT

Tue Feb 4, 2025

USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)

Feeder CattleReceipts 296Last week 1,591Year ago 1,546

Slaughter CattleReceipts 199Last week 111Year ago 198

Replacement CattleReceipts 175Last week 112Year ago 118

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,085	120.00–122.00	120.75
52	—	1,178	129.00–143.00	137.38
42	—	1,163	146.00	146.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	1,419	130.00–144.00	139.95
2	—	1,483	125.00–128.00	126.50
18	—	1,343	144.00–150.00	146.01

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	1,651	135.00–145.00	143.06
1	—	1,805	134.00	134.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,475	119.00	119.00
1	—	1,345	136.00	136.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,158	122.00–125.00	123.38
8	—	1,216	109.00–115.00	112.53

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,845	150.00–152.00	151.05

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	450–500	479	370.00	370.00
20	550–600	586	339.00	339.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	400–450	413	404.00	404.00
6	500–550	533	332.00–346.00	340.30
4	650–700	651	281.00	281.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
18	700–750	733	283.00	283.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
8	300–350	335	417.00–422.00	417.64
15	350–400	380	394.00	394.00
1	400–450	440	403.00	403.00
21	500–550	513	328.50–335.00	332.42
2	550–600	595	320.00	320.00
2	650–700	695	283.00	283.00
4	750–800	785	262.50	262.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	385	360.00	360.00
8	500–550	535	320.00–322.00	320.87
2	550–600	553	309.00	309.00
6	600–650	639	282.00	282.00
6	700–750	703	248.00	248.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
47	550–600	592	311.50	311.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	450–500	491	334.00	334.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	300–350	329	500.00	500.00
18	350–400	375	428.50	428.50
20	400–450	430	405.50	405.50

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	8	—	1,018	142.00–190.00	162.08

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	845	185.00	185.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	31	—	1,133	145.00–180.00	167.88
(<2 yrs)	Open	119	—	900	145.50–233.00	220.08

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	6	—	1,264	2,775.00	2,775.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	7	—	1,326	2,310.00–2,325.00	2,316.41
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	2	—	1,513	2,350.00	2,350.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	18	—	1,223	2,200.00	2,200.00

Head, weight ranges, average weights and price ranges are exactly as USDA AMS filed them — nothing recomputed, nothing rounded — in USDA's own reporting structure. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of that data, not a copy of USDA's document.