Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2026-06-16

Miles City Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Jun 16
● Final47 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773
Feeder Cattle receipts
63 head
▲ 28 vs last sale 35▼ 7 vs year ago 70 · −10.0%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
416 head
▼ 220 vs last sale 636▼ 102 vs year ago 518 · −19.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
145 head
▼ 87 vs last sale 232▲ 40 vs year ago 105 · +38.1%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week (6-9-26): Feeder cattle were all scarcely tested today. Offerings were to light to make any market trend. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly light to moderate for very light offerings. Most feeders were offered in very small packages or as singles. Most buyers sat on the sidelines as there were not enough feeders for buyers to build loads. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. CME feeder cattle positions moved sharply higher again today with 6.00-7.00 gains seen on contracts from August through April 2027. Market activity was slow to moderate with a small crowd on hand. Weigh up cows sold on good demand for moderate offerings. Feeding cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand. Feeding cows sold steady to 1.00 higher on all classes. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Weigh up conditions were average today with most cows pushing some fill. Weigh conditions were overall not as good as last week. Demand for slaughter cows was stronger this week as new slaughter cow buyers were in the market which helped improve demand for cows too blemished to feed. Too few slaughter cows were seen to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Packers showed moderate to good demand for cows to hold for the 4th of July holiday as they purchased some offerings for that purpose. Many of these offerings were slightly lame or blemished in some way. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady. Feeding bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Bull quality this week was average to very attractive. Young age cows sold 5.00-8.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. These offerings were met with good to very good demand as additional buyers were in the market this week. Recent rains have helped improve demand for all replacement cows: including open young cows suitable to rebreed, bred cows and pairs. These offerings all sold with higher undertones in a narrow comparison.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $431.50/cwt on 5 head, up $6.20 from the prior sale. That ranks 10 of 14 comparable sales and sits +17.57 against this barn's trailing median of $413.93.
Average price
$431.50
▲ 6.20 vs prior sale
5 head · 523 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,257
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$144
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$27.50/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+18.00
vs MT average
+20.00 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1523442.502,3143thin
Medium and Large 1-2523415.002,1702thin
One grade step is worth $27.50/cwt here — about $144 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 500–600 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 sale5 hd
431.50
—
MT average3 barns · 70 hd
413.50
+18.00
National average169 barns · 9,451 hd
411.50
+20.00
This barn, trailing median14 sales
413.93
+17.57
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—High1,849211.483,91033
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,438183.262,636241
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,662179.432,98361
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,175167.201,96434
Dairy CowsBoner 80-85%High1,380170.002,3461thin
Dairy CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,950161.003,1401thin

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 Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,400$3,7501thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,147$3,2009
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)1,274$5,1007
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,511$4,6507
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,405$4,5377
Cow-Calf PairsOpenAged (>8 yrs)1,528$4,4578

Every lot

47 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 · Steers4 lots · lightest first
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2557430.00/cwt430.00–430.002,3953
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2638436.00/cwt436.00–436.002,7824
Steers650–700Medium and Large 2673375.00/cwt375.00–375.002,5243
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2702395.00/cwt395.00–395.002,7736
Feeder Cattle · Heifers5 lots · lightest first
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1523442.50/cwt442.50–442.502,3143
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2523415.00/cwt415.00–415.002,1702
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1617384.74/cwt382.00–397.502,37411
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2753312.50/cwt312.50–312.502,3536
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2805322.50/cwt322.50–322.502,5962
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,420192.26/cwt185.00–200.002,7302
Bulls——Return to Feed1,504209.09/cwt204.00–215.003,1454
Bulls——1,675190.21/cwt175.00–200.003,1864
Bulls——1,952225.19/cwt222.00–232.004,3967
Bulls——1,987213.79/cwt204.00–220.504,24816
Slaughter Cattle · Cows19 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight965130.00/cwt130.00–130.001,2551
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,118170.00/cwt170.00–170.001,9012
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,133181.39/cwt177.00–184.002,0556
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,138112.92/cwt102.50–122.501,2852
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,148152.05/cwt149.00–161.001,7467
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,165135.35/cwt132.00–137.001,5773
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,241186.93/cwt186.00–188.002,32013
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,259142.05/cwt137.50–145.001,7884
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,275153.00/cwt153.00–153.001,9511
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,348180.19/cwt174.00–187.502,4292
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,381188.46/cwt186.00–195.002,60366
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,453169.53/cwt154.00–176.502,46321
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,469184.25/cwt177.00–186.502,707147
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,530186.50/cwt186.50–186.502,8531
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,651180.30/cwt176.00–184.502,97749
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,690184.50/cwt184.50–184.503,1181
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,703176.35/cwt175.50–177.003,0032
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,716171.76/cwt169.50–174.502,9474
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,755175.00/cwt175.00–175.003,0714
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Cows2 lots · lightest first
Dairy Cows—Boner 80-85%1,380170.00/cwt170.00–170.002,3461
Dairy Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,950161.00/cwt161.00–161.003,1401
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs5 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,2745,100.00/head5,100.00–5,100.005,1007
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,4054,536.88/head4,450.00–4,550.004,5377
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,4154,350.00/head4,350.00–4,350.004,3502
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,5114,650.00/head4,650.00–4,650.004,6507
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,5664,493.00/head4,200.00–4,550.004,4936
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows5 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2980265.00/cwt265.00–265.002,5971
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,085280.70/cwt208.50–327.503,04620
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,155198.64/cwt189.00–210.002,2942
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,192238.20/cwt197.50–311.002,83962
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,247195.41/cwt185.00–203.002,43713
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows2 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1473,200.00/head3,200.00–3,200.003,2009
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,4003,750.00/head3,750.00–3,750.003,7501

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.