Miles City Livestock Commission Auction Market Report

Miles City, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, September 21, 2021

3,859 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $188.18/cwt -3.25 vs last sale · ≈ $879/hd at 467 lb · 356 head

light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $173.48/cwt -6.38 vs last sale · ≈ $718/hd at 414 lb · 314 head

light 4-weight M&L 1 steers $203.07/cwt +0.95 vs last sale · ≈ $853/hd at 420 lb · 273 head

Receipts

Head	This sale	Last sale	Last year
Total receipts	3,859	3,893	1,496
Feeder cattle	2,481	2,944	1,105
Slaughter cattle	895	601	346
Replacement cattle	483	348	45

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were scarcely traded this week thus no trend is available. Steer calves under 400 lbs sold generally steady, all calves over 400 lbs sold unevenly steady, from 10.00 lower to 5.00 higher. Yearling heifers sold generally steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Heifer calves under 400 lbs sold mostly 10.00-12.00 lower, 400-499 lbs heifer calves sold steady to 5.00 lower, heifer calves over 500 lbs were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand was mostly moderate to good for heavy offerings. Demand for light calves suitable to run as yearlings was mostly good. Calf quality was average to attractive this week, however it was not as attractive as last week overall. Many farmer feeders in the Midwest are busy chopping corn or harvesting and are not ready for calves yet. This limited demand for calves, especially ones too big to send to wheat pasture. Yearling offerings were light this week. However, demand for these offerings was good. Market activity was mostly moderate today. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand for heavy offerings. Packers were much more aggressive as they purchased cows for immediate slaughter this week. Many farmers and dairy men in the Midwest are busy with harvest. This has slowed the cows being delivered directly to the plant. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher on breaking and boning cows lean cows sold fully steady. Demand for feeding cows continues to be good. Feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold steady to weak on a light test. Demand for young rebreed type cows was mostly good. Young cows sold mostly 3.00-6.00 higher on a attractive offering. Quality this week was more attractive than last week.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
264–294 unweaned	271	55	236.00–246.00	$242.95	$658	+1.95
304–346 unweaned	327	127	227.50–247.50	$238.83	$781	-1.49
358–389 unweaned	375	84	216.00–240.00	$223.51	$838	-10.92
401–434 unweaned	420	273	199.50–215.00	$203.07	$853	+0.95
457–493 unweaned	467	356	176.50–195.50	$188.18	$879	-3.25
507–518 unweaned	515	135	174.00–179.50	$177.80	$916	+1.80
553–580 unweaned	576	15	164.50–165.00	$164.94	$950	—
751–795	754	28	155.00–162.00	$161.47	$1,217	—

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
375 unweaned	375	29	196.00	$196.00	$735	-8.00
473 unweaned	473	51	169.75	$169.75	$803	—

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
273 unweaned	273	3	220.00	$220.00	$601	—
313–346 unweaned	331	51	210.00–225.00	$221.38	$733	—
393 unweaned	393	2	210.00	$210.00	$825	-2.50
442 unweaned	442	18	187.00	$187.00	$827	+2.00
774	774	4	151.00	$151.00	$1,169	—

Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
400 unweaned	400	6	175.00	$175.00	$700	—
482 unweaned	482	61	174.00	$174.00	$839	—
670–681	679	6	163.00–166.50	$165.92	$1,127	-1.38

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
293–298 unweaned	296	34	188.00–189.00	$188.62	$558	-27.38
301–349 unweaned	333	109	177.00–189.00	$184.58	$615	-12.74
353–377 unweaned	367	35	173.00–180.00	$177.31	$651	-13.75
401–438 unweaned	414	314	168.00–176.50	$173.48	$718	-6.38
454–475 unweaned	465	195	160.50–170.00	$167.21	$778	+0.36
513 unweaned	513	3	157.00	$157.00	$805	-3.00
610 unweaned	610	35	148.50	$148.50	$906	—
732	732	3	152.50	$152.50	$1,116	+4.16
751–755	751	49	150.00–151.00	$150.94	$1,134	-0.47
803–832	815	20	147.00–149.00	$148.80	$1,213	+2.64
869–890	875	37	143.50–148.00	$146.31	$1,280	-0.37
907–939	923	35	142.00–143.50	$142.54	$1,316	-0.35
955–972	963	7	137.00–140.00	$137.64	$1,325	+4.84
963 fancy	963	5	145.25	$145.25	$1,399	—

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
237–241 unweaned	240	27	175.00–177.50	$176.86	$424	—
257–289 unweaned	275	9	167.50–175.00	$173.34	$477	—
329–349 unweaned	338	9	170.00–173.00	$171.38	$579	—
370–383 unweaned	375	16	164.00–174.00	$170.17	$638	-14.45
407–443 unweaned	433	33	160.50–166.00	$163.28	$707	—
492 unweaned	492	21	154.00	$154.00	$758	—
768	768	8	148.00	$148.00	$1,137	+2.16
863	863	2	140.00	$140.00	$1,208	-1.00

Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
432 unweaned	432	31	164.00	$164.00	$708	—
600	600	6	158.00	$158.00	$948	—

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1027	1027	3	136.00	$136.00	$1,397	—
1093	1093	7	133.50	$133.50	$1,459	+9.00

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
801–950	855	85-90%	8	43.50–44.00	$43.77	$374	+1.86
855–1130	963	85-90%	22	47.00–54.50	$50.47	$486	+0.47
1000–1250	1081	85-90%	10	46.00–47.00	$46.76	$505	—
1000–1360	1153	85-90%	187	48.50–56.00	$52.73	$608	—
1071–1260	1180	85-90%	94	55.75–62.00	$56.84	$671	+3.85
1090–1345	1206	85-90%	23	57.50–67.00	$59.81	$721	+3.55

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1260–1565	1341	80-85%	120	64.25–70.00	$66.48	$891	+10.00
1312–1433	1364	80-85%	6	55.50–58.00	$56.54	$771	-6.02
1363–1585	1385	80-85%	10	70.00–71.50	$70.17	$972	+7.61
1275–1595	1397	80-85%	13	60.00–65.50	$61.35	$857	—
1450	1450	80-85%	1	62.00	$62.00	$899	—
1548–1700	1573	80-85%	6	69.00–73.50	$69.81	$1,098	—

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1430–1540	1467	75-80%	3	67.25–71.00	$68.56	$1,006	-2.52
1475–1655	1574	75-80%	9	73.50–75.50	$74.43	$1,172	—

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1335–2240	1592	14	68.00–77.50	$72.94	$1,161	—
1409–2115	1732	26	79.00–88.00	$82.94	$1,437	—
1693–2018	1856	4	86.50–87.00	$86.77	$1,610	-2.53
1900–2145	2004	4	88.00–90.00	$88.75	$1,779	—

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
818–995 thin fleshed	877	(<2 yrs)	Open	3	71.00–86.00	$80.33	$704
798–1150	922	(<2 yrs)	Open	167	67.00–110.00	$97.40	$898
830–1165	966	Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	67	61.50–93.00	$77.08	$745
950–1085 thin fleshed	1000	Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	3	53.00–55.00	$54.05	$540
1023–1227	1115	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	26	63.00–70.00	$65.81	$734
1231	1231	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	4	64.00	$64.00	$788

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
1222	1222	Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	20	1,485.00	$1,485.00
1168–1369	1342	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	22	1,150.00–1,335.00	$1,313.04

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
1261	1261	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	4	925.00	$925.00

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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.