Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2026-01-20

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Jan 20
● Final79 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,381 head
▼ 1,042 vs last sale 2,423▲ 568 vs year ago 813 · +69.9%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
250 head
▲ 7 vs last sale 243▲ 47 vs year ago 203 · +23.2%
Replacement Cattle receipts
701 head
▲ 583 vs last sale 118▲ 159 vs year ago 542 · +29.3%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week (1-13-26): Steers under 500 lbs were too lightly tested either this week or last week to develop a full market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Steers over 500 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 lower in a narrow comparison on a lower quality offering. Heifers under 450 lbs were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Heifers over 450 lbs sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Demand for all feeders was good on light to moderate offerings. Demand for light weight cattle suitable to develop into yearlings was mostly good this week. A combination of factors led to lower prices this week but quality, lower CME positions and package size were three of the largest factors that weighed on the market. Most cattle were offered in smaller groups this week with no full load lots on offer. Quality this sale was mostly plain to average and significantly lower than last weeks average to very attractive offering. Several sets of backgrounded offerings were seen this week and many had excess tag. Some backgrounded offerings were pushing moderate to moderate plus flesh this week. Market activity was mostly moderate to active this week with a slightly smaller buyer pool noticed. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Feeding demand continues to remain strong. Feeding cows sold steady to 5.00 lower with fewer feeding buyers noticed this week. Slaughter cows sold 3.00-5.00 higher on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold generally steady. One load of fed cows sold on good demand with packers and feeding buyers both bidding aggressively for cows which have been on feed. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Young age cows sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Quality was mostly average this week. A large offering of bred cows were seen this week with many aged cows in the offering. Demand was good to very good for bred cows as a good crowd of ranchers were in the stands actively bidding on cows.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $489.68/cwt on 227 head. That ranks 10 of 11 comparable sales and sits +38.10 against this barn's trailing median of $451.58.
Average price
$489.68
227 head · 548 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,683
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$68
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$4.61/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−9.03
vs MT average
+24.35 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1551491.202,706152
Medium and Large 1-2542486.592,63875
One grade step is worth $4.61/cwt here — about $68 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 700–800 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 sale227 hd
489.68
—
MT average2 barns · 877 hd
498.71
−9.03
National average169 barns · 18,411 hd
465.33
+24.35
This barn, trailing median11 sales
451.58
+38.10
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—Average1,792172.553,09317
CowsPremium White 65-75%Average1,649166.002,73749
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,472162.952,39824
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,356152.712,07150
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,200142.911,71567
Dairy CowsLean 85-90%Low1,170120.001,4041thin

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)1,360$3,97511
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,116$3,55516
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,389$3,13090
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,356$2,968396
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,022$2,9503thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,319$2,4005
Bred Heifers2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)(<2 yrs)905$3,82520

Every lot

79 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 · Steers19 lots · lightest first
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1386567.70/cwt560.00–592.502,19124
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2436536.76/cwt530.00–540.002,3406
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed451575.00/cwt575.00–575.002,5938
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1463575.00/cwt575.00–575.002,66211
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Fleshy482525.00/cwt525.00–525.002,53148
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2486542.68/cwt507.50–575.002,63721
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed508528.00/cwt528.00–528.002,68238
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2532508.38/cwt502.50–509.002,70510
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1537507.83/cwt497.00–521.002,72798
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1576461.03/cwt455.00–480.002,65654
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2594420.25/cwt400.00–424.002,49627
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1623429.95/cwt422.00–433.002,679131
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed626426.00/cwt426.00–426.002,66756
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2635414.22/cwt412.00–420.002,63020
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1660412.46/cwt402.50–419.002,72239
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2662385.00/cwt385.00–385.002,5493
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1733382.93/cwt382.00–387.502,80723
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1759368.00/cwt368.00–368.002,79314
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2795352.00/cwt352.00–352.002,7983
Feeder Cattle · Heifers19 lots · lightest first
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2398505.00/cwt505.00–505.002,01010
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2422484.03/cwt475.00–490.002,04313
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1436509.61/cwt505.00–530.002,22215
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed441475.00/cwt475.00–475.002,09517
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1468496.46/cwt483.00–500.002,32338
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed503455.00/cwt455.00–455.002,28940
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1528452.49/cwt442.50–475.002,389123
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2541435.00/cwt435.00–435.002,35314
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2570385.00/cwt385.00–385.002,1953
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1585419.91/cwt410.00–448.002,45692
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed595408.00/cwt408.00–408.002,42842
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1603393.00/cwt393.00–393.002,3702
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Replacement643391.75/cwt391.75–391.752,51985
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1659372.50/cwt372.50–372.502,4554
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1Replacement663400.00/cwt400.00–400.002,65255
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2663352.50/cwt352.50–352.502,3375
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy718310.00/cwt310.00–310.002,2263
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1719357.50/cwt357.50–357.502,57016
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1750331.00/cwt331.00–331.002,4839
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,459161.26/cwt159.00–165.002,3534
Bulls——1,720161.96/cwt152.00–173.002,7865
Bulls——Return to Feed1,870175.00/cwt175.00–175.003,2731
Bulls——1,974181.39/cwt178.00–185.003,5814
Bulls——2,090192.67/cwt192.00–194.004,0273
Slaughter Cattle · Cows16 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight985115.00/cwt115.00–115.001,1331
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,114110.08/cwt105.00–115.001,22612
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,185124.43/cwt121.00–126.001,4748
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,21085.00/cwt85.00–85.001,0291
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,230156.85/cwt151.00–165.001,92945
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,317117.63/cwt115.00–122.001,5495
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,341162.93/cwt156.00–167.002,18524
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,353144.83/cwt131.00–153.001,96011
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,383167.75/cwt167.75–167.752,32015
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,398171.00/cwt171.00–171.002,3915
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,418151.25/cwt147.00–155.002,1452
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,442128.88/cwt125.00–131.001,8583
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,510150.00/cwt150.00–150.002,2651
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,627156.21/cwt152.00–159.002,5427
Cows—Premium White 65-75%1,649166.00/cwt166.00–166.002,73749
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,675151.00/cwt151.00–151.002,5291
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Cows1 lot · lightest first
Dairy Cows—Lean 85-90%1,170120.00/cwt120.00–120.001,4041
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows13 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium 19873,500.00/head3,500.00–3,500.003,5005
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,0222,950.00/head2,950.00–2,950.002,9503
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,1102,305.23/head2,200.00–2,500.002,3059
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,1712,391.56/head2,350.00–2,450.002,39219
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1743,580.44/head3,500.00–3,700.003,58011
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2582,650.00/head2,650.00–2,650.002,6503
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,2682,250.00/head2,250.00–2,250.002,2502
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed1,3331,850.00/head1,850.00–1,850.001,8503
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3532,500.00/head2,500.00–2,500.002,5003
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3603,975.00/head3,975.00–3,975.003,97511
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3693,026.30/head2,700.00–3,250.003,026360
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3943,146.34/head2,925.00–3,300.003,14687
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,5852,800.00/head2,800.00–2,800.002,8005
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows4 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1950273.19/cwt220.00–292.002,59531
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1974280.23/cwt262.50–305.002,7294
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,066209.63/cwt172.00–280.002,2354
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,329175.76/cwt175.00–176.002,3364
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers2 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium 18593,750.00/head3,750.00–3,750.003,75010
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 19503,900.00/head3,900.00–3,900.003,90010

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.