Cattle Market Pulse

Miles City Livestock Commission Auction Market Report

Miles City, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, April 13, 2021

1,276 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Miles City Livestock Commission Auction report →

heavy 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $133.75/cwt ≈ $1,026/hd at 767 lb · 108 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $165.27/cwt ≈ $876/hd at 530 lb · 87 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $180.63/cwt +17.53 vs last sale · ≈ $1,134/hd at 628 lb · 62 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,276 606 0
Feeder cattle 994 290 0
Slaughter cattle 154 172 0
Replacement cattle 128 144 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Steers and heifers were all too lightly tested either this week or last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Feeder cattle were mostly offered in small to moderate size packages. Many singles were seen today as well. CME feeder positions were lower today as feed commodities pushed higher. The nearby April feeder cattle contract closed at 142.45, May closed at 147.325 and August closed at 158.15, which is 2.05, 2.375, and 2.425 lower, respectfully. Market activity was mostly slow to moderate this week. More buyers were on hand this sale compared to last week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for light offerings. Packers and feeder buyers continue to show good demand for cows. Packers purchased cows to both feed and send to harvest this week. Slaughter cows sold steady to 1.00 higher on all classes in a light test. Feeding cows sold steady to weak. Notably, feeding cow quality was not as attractive as last week. Weigh up conditions were mixed this sale. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold fully steady. Quality was mostly average this week.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 5 220.00 $220.00 $759 —
383–395 392 13 200.00–202.00 $201.55 $790 -8.45
418 418 2 205.00 $205.00 $857 —
438 unweaned 438 3 181.00 $181.00 $793 —
455–473 470 38 191.00–195.50 $194.10 $912 —
514–545 521 17 186.00–193.00 $191.28 $997 +10.19
550 unweaned 550 10 175.00 $175.00 $962 —
569–580 575 14 181.00–182.00 $181.58 $1,044 +11.08
610–645 628 62 177.50–181.50 $180.63 $1,134 +17.53
659–668 664 11 164.00–168.00 $166.73 $1,107 —
712–720 718 28 154.00 $154.00 $1,106 —
944 944 6 128.00 $128.00 $1,208 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
383 383 2 194.00 $194.00 $743 +1.00
400–423 414 5 190.00–191.00 $190.39 $788 +0.10
463–480 471 24 185.00–188.50 $187.07 $881 -1.63
505–517 514 4 176.00–178.00 $176.49 $907 —
595 595 1 167.00 $167.00 $994 —
608–634 623 13 167.50–168.00 $167.77 $1,045 +12.93
785 785 1 142.00 $142.00 $1,115 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
572 572 14 176.50 $176.50 $1,010 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
337 337 9 178.00 $178.00 $600 —
415–448 429 38 165.50–168.00 $166.12 $713 -5.77
482–495 492 42 167.00–167.50 $167.10 $822 +3.10
529–531 530 87 164.00–169.00 $165.27 $876 —
581–591 583 43 151.00–159.25 $157.31 $917 +11.31
606–643 616 34 143.50–155.50 $150.36 $926 +6.86
655–688 675 44 137.00–146.00 $140.88 $951 +7.38
723 723 31 134.50 $134.50 $972 —
755–769 767 108 132.00–134.75 $133.75 $1,026 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
406–432 427 38 159.00–160.00 $159.80 $682 -8.42
468 468 11 160.00 $160.00 $749 -3.00
515–547 524 24 151.00–156.00 $152.33 $798 -9.06
583–595 592 13 145.00–146.50 $146.16 $865 —
688 688 2 128.00 $128.00 $881 —
754 754 10 121.00 $121.00 $912 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
493 493 2 153.00 $153.00 $754 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
545 545 2 137.50 $137.50 $749 -6.50

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
500 500 1 160.00 $160.00 $800 —
695 695 4 133.00 $133.00 $924 —
910 910 1 113.50 $113.50 $1,033 —
950 950 1 114.00 $114.00 $1,083 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1015 1015 1 113.00 $113.00 $1,147 —
1055 1055 1 110.00 $110.00 $1,160 +2.00
1145 1145 1 107.00 $107.00 $1,225 —
1155–1175 1165 2 106.00–108.00 $107.01 $1,247 —
1245 1245 1 103.00 $103.00 $1,282 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
85 85 2 175.00 $175.00 —
140 140 2 410.00 $410.00 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
840–875 858 85-90% 2 51.00 $51.00 $438 —
850–955 903 85-90% 2 55.00–62.00 $58.70 $530 -0.07
1040 1040 85-90% 1 51.00 $51.00 $530 —
925–1275 1134 85-90% 6 63.00–65.00 $64.56 $732 +1.19
1060–1305 1169 85-90% 10 66.00–70.00 $66.89 $782 +0.74
1155–1330 1209 85-90% 4 60.00–64.50 $63.06 $762 -6.94
1145–1315 1236 85-90% 13 66.50–69.50 $67.93 $840 -2.07
1230–1275 1248 85-90% 3 70.00–71.00 $70.34 $878 +0.34
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1220–1335 1278 80-85% 2 66.50–69.00 $67.69 $865 —
1340 1340 80-85% 1 54.00 $54.00 $724 -10.95
1318–1530 1371 80-85% 9 68.00–70.50 $68.94 $945 +1.35
1400–1475 1425 80-85% 3 65.00–66.00 $65.65 $936 —
1407–1445 1427 80-85% 12 71.00–72.50 $71.62 $1,022 —
1348–1715 1440 80-85% 4 71.50–74.00 $72.24 $1,040 —
1440 1440 80-85% 1 62.50 $62.50 $900 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1545 1545 75-80% 1 72.00 $72.00 $1,112 —
1400–1905 1580 75-80% 7 69.50–73.00 $70.68 $1,117 —
1580 1580 75-80% 1 69.00 $69.00 $1,090 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1565 1565 65-75% 4 71.25 $71.25 $1,115 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1300 1300 1 71.00 $71.00 $923 -16.68
1470 1470 1 77.50 $77.50 $1,139 —
1460–1874 1730 8 74.00–85.00 $81.57 $1,411 —
1510–1925 1744 18 85.00–92.00 $89.46 $1,560 —
1760–2205 1955 12 93.50–99.00 $95.99 $1,877 -0.28

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
815–1302 989 (<2 yrs)Open 71 81.50–111.00 $96.92 $959
875–1275 1059 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 26 67.00–96.00 $79.66 $844
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
985–1100 1043 (<2 yrs)Open 2 70.00–84.00 $76.61 $799
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1015 1015 (<2 yrs)Open 1 85.00 $85.00 $863

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1333 1333 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 11 935.00 $935.00

↑ Back to top

Reading this report

What does "Medium and Large 1" mean?

USDA feeder grades describe frame size and muscle thickness, not quality of the individual animal. "Medium and Large" is the frame score; the number is muscle (1 = heaviest muscled). "Medium and Large 1–2" pens mix both muscle scores — common across the Southeast.

What is $/cwt?

Dollars per hundredweight — per 100 lb of animal. A 500-lb calf at $450/cwt brings 5 × $450 = $2,250. Lighter cattle usually bring more per cwt but less per head.

Why are some prices per head?

Bred cows, cow-calf pairs, and some replacement classes sell by the head, not by weight. We show those exactly as USDA reports them — a $/head figure is never converted into $/cwt on this site.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service's Livestock Market News — federal reporters at the sale. We publish each report in full and link the official USDA document at the top of the page.