Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2025-11-11

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Nov 11
● Final89 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
2,166 head
▼ 1,124 vs last sale 3,290▼ 1,336 vs year ago 3,502 · −38.1%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
990 head
▲ 78 vs last sale 912▲ 35 vs year ago 955 · +3.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
318 head
▲ 13 vs last sale 305▼ 277 vs year ago 595 · −46.6%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested develop any market trend. Steer calves under 400 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. 400-500 lbs sold 10.00-15.00 lower in a very narrow comparison on a lower quality offering. Steer calves 500 lbs and heavier sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower. Heifer calves under 400 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. 400-449 lbs sold mostly 10.00-15.00 lower, heifers over 450 lbs sold mostly steady to 10.00 lower. Demand was mostly moderate for moderate offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain to attractive and noticeably lower than last week. Lightweight offerings were mostly plain this week and this hampered demand. Many sets of calves were cutbacks off summer video sales. Several sets of weaned calves were seen this week, these offerings were met with light to moderate demand as buyers continue to prefer to buy fresh appearing calves right off the cow. Several short weaned packages were seen this week and these offerings were met with the lightest demand. Calves with 2 rounds of vaccinations sold with the best demand. This caused some price overlap as calves with both spring and fall preconditioning shots sold with strong premiums again this week. CME positions pushed higher for the 2nd day in a row with sharply higher movement seen for the nearby November contract. Market activity was mostly moderate. A slightly smaller crowd of buyers was noticed this week with a few less ranchers in the stands bidding on calves. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand for heavy offerings. Feeding cows continue to be driving force in the cow market. A large supply of cows was seen again this week and buyers report many lots are starting to fill as cow supplies have been heavy in the northern portion of the country over the last few weeks. Feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 lower on high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white. Thin feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower. Slaughter cows sold generally steady on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold 5.00-6.00 lower. Only severely blemished cows were purchased to send to harvest this week as packers continue to buy slightly blemished cows to feed and hold for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday week. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on moderate to good demand. These offerings sold 10.00-18.00 lower. Demand for these offerings was lighter this week as the calendar is starting to get to late for many buyers looking to breed for fall calving

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $431.36/cwt on 580 head. That ranks 3 of 11 comparable sales and sits −20.22 against this barn's trailing median of $451.58.
Average price
$431.36
580 head · 558 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,407
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$330
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 1
$23.43/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+10.34
vs MT average
+6.49 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1562433.432,438524
Medium and Large 1-2517412.212,13151
Medium 1514410.002,1075thin
One grade step is worth $23.43/cwt here — about $330 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 sale580 hd
431.36
—
MT average4 barns · 1,756 hd
421.02
+10.34
National average177 barns · 31,012 hd
424.87
+6.49
This barn, trailing median11 sales
451.58
−20.22
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—Average1,818173.503,15526
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,517167.082,53524
CowsPremium White 65-75%Average1,760164.332,89234
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,364161.152,198210
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,177147.641,738261
Dairy CowsLean 85-90%Low87585.007441thin

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 · Steers25 lots · lightest first
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned320555.00/cwt555.00–555.001,7761
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned337589.70/cwt575.00–620.001,9873
Steers300–350Medium 2-3343432.50/cwt432.50–432.501,4838
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned365532.06/cwt512.50–545.001,9425
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned374566.61/cwt560.00–580.002,11916
Steers350–400Medium and Large 2Unweaned391430.00/cwt430.00–430.001,6817
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned420538.22/cwt520.00–550.002,26132
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned442479.82/cwt452.50–485.002,12151
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned466488.38/cwt480.00–500.002,27656
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned472451.27/cwt427.50–467.502,13033
Steers450–500Medium 1494432.50/cwt432.50–432.502,1374
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned508418.28/cwt418.00–420.002,12545
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1510477.50/cwt477.50–477.502,43522
Steers500–550Medium 1Unweaned514410.00/cwt410.00–410.002,1075
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned538454.14/cwt440.00–465.002,443212
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1576418.88/cwt412.50–424.002,41390
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned585366.68/cwt350.00–402.502,1456
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned588413.18/cwt402.00–445.002,429200
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned619398.14/cwt390.00–412.002,464113
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned627362.14/cwt350.00–385.002,27130
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned667380.24/cwt360.00–394.002,53640
Steers650–700Large 1Unweaned680354.18/cwt349.00–362.002,4085
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2682350.00/cwt350.00–350.002,3873
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1700382.50/cwt382.50–382.502,6784
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1Unweaned715381.46/cwt365.00–385.502,72725
Feeder Cattle · Heifers26 lots · lightest first
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned321448.88/cwt420.00–495.001,44116
Heifers300–350Medium 2-3323435.00/cwt435.00–435.001,4057
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned325503.33/cwt500.00–505.001,6363
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned363486.57/cwt460.00–502.501,76623
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned372453.41/cwt440.00–455.001,68710
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2Unweaned405385.00/cwt385.00–385.001,55914
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned423454.20/cwt435.00–477.501,92161
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned430428.19/cwt420.00–431.001,8414
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1441431.00/cwt431.00–431.001,90115
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Fancy454461.00/cwt461.00–461.002,09313
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned473429.89/cwt412.50–442.502,033148
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned483404.79/cwt402.50–407.501,95511
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1496436.50/cwt436.50–436.502,16591
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned519375.52/cwt365.00–382.501,94910
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned521396.63/cwt381.00–414.002,066111
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2526377.80/cwt375.00–379.001,98716
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1554379.00/cwt379.00–379.002,1006
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned575383.48/cwt375.00–389.002,205131
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned582357.63/cwt340.00–362.502,08130
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned613362.62/cwt357.00–374.002,22364
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned624350.00/cwt350.00–350.002,1849
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2771318.00/cwt318.00–318.002,4525
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2821305.05/cwt300.00–308.002,5048
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1Fleshy968292.50/cwt292.50–292.502,8312
Heifers1050–1100Large 1Fleshy1,095284.00/cwt284.00–284.003,1105
Heifers1100–1150Large 1-21,134260.00/cwt260.00–260.002,9484
Feeder Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls250–300Medium and Large 1Unweaned280670.00/cwt670.00–670.001,8761
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned465480.00/cwt480.00–480.002,2321
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned506415.00/cwt415.00–415.002,1007
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned553402.50/cwt402.50–402.502,2262
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned660342.50/cwt342.50–342.502,2612
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 1Unweaned760267.50/cwt267.50–267.502,0332
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,770145.76/cwt134.00–164.002,5806
Bulls——Return to Feed1,775183.16/cwt180.00–187.003,25113
Bulls——Return to Feed1,833175.08/cwt172.00–178.003,2092
Bulls——1,971182.08/cwt177.00–185.003,5894
Bulls——2,030177.00/cwt177.00–177.003,5931
Slaughter Cattle · Cows18 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight86060.00/cwt60.00–60.005161
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight945107.05/cwt100.00–115.001,0128
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,153107.74/cwt102.50–117.501,24225
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,169171.00/cwt171.00–171.001,99912
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,16985.01/cwt82.50–87.509945
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,183146.42/cwt127.00–160.001,732118
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,200165.85/cwt161.00–169.001,99090
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,228120.92/cwt120.00–122.001,4852
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,357167.96/cwt162.00–175.002,279166
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,364113.55/cwt102.50–125.001,54917
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,402147.07/cwt111.00–160.002,06225
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,433177.00/cwt177.00–177.002,5362
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,454169.58/cwt166.00–171.002,46617
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,455168.50/cwt168.50–168.502,4522
Cows—Premium White 65-75%1,723165.00/cwt165.00–165.002,84326
Cows—Premium White 65-75%1,730159.28/cwt157.00–162.002,7564
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,756158.02/cwt155.00–164.002,7755
Cows—Premium White 65-75%Heavy Weight2,029165.00/cwt165.00–165.003,3484
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Cows1 lot · lightest first
Dairy Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight87585.00/cwt85.00–85.007441
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows6 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium 1-2785240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,8841
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2877286.94/cwt250.00–295.002,5167
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1910292.43/cwt240.00–332.502,661103
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,056241.57/cwt177.00–310.002,55167
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,126181.50/cwt170.00–190.002,0449
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,127179.83/cwt172.00–185.002,0279
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows2 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed1,231167.00/cwt167.00–167.002,0567
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,356174.00/cwt174.00–174.002,35920

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.