Cattle Market Pulse

Miles City Livestock Commission Auction Market Report

Miles City, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, November 16, 2021

3,217 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 $183.50/cwt -6.09 vs last sale · ≈ $869/hd at 474 lb · 270 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $151.05/cwt -8.73 vs last sale · ≈ $714/hd at 473 lb · 218 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $141.32/cwt -7.36 vs last sale · ≈ $753/hd at 533 lb · 175 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,217 3,044 7,806
Feeder cattle 2,222 1,721 5,832
Slaughter cattle 701 929 1,664
Replacement cattle 294 394 310

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend, however firm undertones noted for heifers. Demand for yearlings was moderate to good for light offerings of plain to average cattle. Feeder steers under 400lbs sold weak on a light test; 400-499 lbs steers sold steady to 5.00 lower; 500-599 lbs steers sold steady to 7.00 lower, calves over 600 were not well tested last week. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold steady to 10.00 lower; heifers over 500 lbs sold steady to 2.00 lower. Heifers over 900lbs sold with a firm undertone compared to a light test last week. Quality this week was average to attractive. Most calves were offered in mostly small to medium size packages. Very few packages over 50 head were seen this week. Trucks remain tight but have started to loosen up some according to buyers. Demand for grass calves was mostly very good this week as supplies have started to tighten. Market activity this week was mostly moderate, some buyers were absent from todays sale which softened demand. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. This sale offered the lightest cow offerings seen in weeks. Feeding cows comprised the majority of the sale this week. Fewer feeding buyers were on hand this week and prices slid on lighter demand. Packers showed light demand for slaughter cows as they purchased only very lame or severely blemished cows to send to imitate harvest. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher for boning cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested to trend, however firm undertones were noticed. Lean cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 lower. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend, but firm undertones were notices on an average to attractive quality of bulls in todays sale. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower. Fewer buyers were seen 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
283 unweaned 283 5 232.50 $232.50 $658 —
325–331 326 48 224.00–230.00 $229.36 $748 —
310–348 unweaned 331 32 205.00–220.00 $215.58 $714 -11.42
362–378 unweaned 369 22 195.00–213.00 $203.35 $750 -10.15
371–392 387 142 221.00–227.00 $225.75 $874 —
400–426 unweaned 415 83 188.00–196.00 $192.31 $798 -9.43
403–430 416 24 185.00–195.00 $192.44 $801 -1.90
433 fancy 433 4 223.00 $223.00 $966 —
465–480 470 142 183.50–185.00 $184.07 $865 -7.71
458–490 unweaned 478 128 180.50–194.50 $182.87 $874 -6.44
520 520 6 175.50 $175.50 $913 -16.00
516–538 unweaned 529 106 165.00–178.00 $169.79 $898 -6.33
554–568 unweaned 556 110 159.75–168.50 $163.83 $911 -1.54
554–570 563 11 148.00–159.00 $154.08 $867 —
621 621 4 148.00 $148.00 $919 —
603–643 unweaned 626 59 144.00–148.50 $146.06 $914 -15.52
677 unweaned 677 4 145.00 $145.00 $982 —
719–724 unweaned 720 27 138.00–144.00 $139.56 $1,005 —
913 913 2 135.50 $135.50 $1,237 —
975 975 8 142.00 $142.00 $1,384 —
1054 1054 9 125.00 $125.00 $1,318 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–343 unweaned 327 6 170.00–185.00 $177.88 $582 -17.12
361–390 unweaned 367 15 161.00–186.00 $166.32 $610 -23.91
420–446 unweaned 439 29 165.00–183.00 $174.91 $768 +9.91
469–479 unweaned 477 35 157.00–176.00 $172.26 $822 -2.74
503–541 unweaned 521 15 155.00–161.00 $158.09 $824 -2.02
552–596 unweaned 593 64 149.00–151.00 $149.99 $889 —
658 658 2 142.00 $142.00 $934 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
381 unweaned 381 4 190.00 $190.00 $724 —
408 unweaned 408 3 156.00 $156.00 $636 —
478 unweaned 478 9 162.00 $162.00 $774 —
500 unweaned 500 3 154.00 $154.00 $770 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
293 unweaned 293 8 162.00 $162.00 $475 —
330–340 unweaned 333 6 157.00–165.00 $159.72 $532 -15.11
371–391 unweaned 383 66 159.00–163.00 $161.22 $617 -18.83
383 383 29 160.00 $160.00 $613 -8.00
405–445 unweaned 433 61 145.00–163.00 $156.19 $676 -7.49
455–466 465 27 148.00–157.50 $156.81 $729 -10.19
453–489 unweaned 474 191 147.00–153.50 $150.24 $712 -7.48
511–547 unweaned 533 175 138.00–149.50 $141.32 $753 -7.36
561 561 8 136.00 $136.00 $763 —
563–579 unweaned 574 16 134.00–153.00 $144.22 $828 -0.05
609 unweaned 609 15 132.00 $132.00 $804 —
873–890 879 3 135.00–136.00 $135.34 $1,190 -2.66
925–946 941 8 134.50–136.00 $134.87 $1,269 +2.66
951–995 965 9 132.50–138.00 $136.29 $1,315 +1.93
1007–1008 1007 12 132.00–132.50 $132.42 $1,333 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 unweaned 325 2 157.50 $157.50 $512 +2.50
355 355 3 153.00 $153.00 $543 —
396 unweaned 396 4 155.00 $155.00 $614 —
445 unweaned 445 2 137.50 $137.50 $612 -22.50
499 unweaned 499 42 138.50 $138.50 $691 —
513 513 4 138.00 $138.00 $708 +7.00
538 unweaned 538 3 136.00 $136.00 $732 +5.00
563 563 5 130.00 $130.00 $732 —
573–585 unweaned 575 53 135.00–136.00 $135.19 $777 +5.19
699 unweaned 699 15 126.00 $126.00 $881 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
404 unweaned 404 7 136.00 $136.00 $549 —
473 unweaned 473 5 136.00 $136.00 $643 +8.18

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
475–488 unweaned 482 13 145.00–154.00 $149.09 $719 —
504–540 unweaned 519 7 136.00–140.00 $138.22 $717 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
957–975 964 85-90% 5 33.00–39.00 $35.22 $340 —
937–991 971 85-90% 16 24.00–26.00 $25.01 $243 —
934–1168 1023 85-90% 14 28.00–34.00 $31.29 $320 —
1030–1163 1073 85-90% 24 27.00–35.00 $29.77 $319 -9.52
1017–1145 1079 85-90% 13 45.00–50.00 $47.04 $508 +7.75
1038–1355 1153 85-90% 36 34.50–45.00 $37.44 $432 -6.06
867–1270 1156 85-90% 156 35.00–45.00 $41.24 $477 -2.26
1005–1428 1202 85-90% 120 44.00–54.00 $48.58 $584 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1137–1555 1283 80-85% 6 41.00–50.00 $44.11 $566 —
1130–1540 1335 80-85% 44 51.00–59.00 $55.90 $746 +8.09
1269–1508 1389 80-85% 35 60.50–63.50 $61.51 $854 +18.20
1470 1470 80-85% 1 49.00 $49.00 $720 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1480 1480 75-80% 1 56.00 $56.00 $829 —
1550 1550 75-80% 1 53.00 $53.00 $822 —
1568–1603 1586 75-80% 4 64.50–66.50 $65.49 $1,039 —
1400–1875 1667 75-80% 9 55.00–63.50 $59.34 $989 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
965–1410 1129 4 62.00–72.50 $69.97 $790 —
1285–1725 1486 13 78.00–87.50 $84.56 $1,257 —
1170–2060 1632 22 85.00–90.00 $87.71 $1,431 —
1480–1935 1733 13 82.50–86.00 $84.49 $1,464 —
1530–1955 1778 6 71.00–78.00 $75.18 $1,337 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
775–1085 932 (<2 yrs)Open 123 72.00–95.00 $85.63 $798
730–1250 1026 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 115 57.00–81.00 $65.16 $669
1011–1113 thin fleshed 1054 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 19 45.00–47.00 $45.89 $484
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
864 864 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 57.00 $57.00 $492
865–990 940 (<2 yrs)Open 4 71.00–85.00 $79.60 $748

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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.