Cattle Market Pulse

Miles City Livestock Commission Auction Market Report

Miles City, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, January 18, 2022

3,371 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $181.71/cwt -4.80 vs last sale · ≈ $1,125/hd at 619 lb · 299 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $196.86/cwt -17.35 vs last sale · ≈ $1,048/hd at 532 lb · 289 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $192.00/cwt -6.18 vs last sale · ≈ $1,083/hd at 564 lb · 156 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,371 3,345 2,182
Feeder cattle 1,902 2,612 1,063
Slaughter cattle 549 492 255
Replacement cattle 920 241 864

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were scarcely tested today, no trend is available. Feeder steers all sold 5.00-15.00 lower. Heifer calves sold 5.00-10.00 lower on all offerings. Quality was mostly average this week and significantly lower than last weeks very attractive offering. Fewer takers were seen this week as lighter buyer attendance was noted. Cattle suitable to run on grass continue to sell with the best demand. Feeders in the corn-belt were not as aggressive this week in bidding on cattle as many show frustration with slower marketing speeds which are backing up finished cattle in the feed yards. Market activity this week was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Packers showed mixed demand for cows this sale. Slaughter cows sold steady on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 lower. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 lower. Fewer high quality cows were seen this week compared to last week. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold lower, however quality was significantly lower this week compared to last. Fewer takers were seen on this class of cattle as well. Several sets of bred cows sold this week. Demand for bred cows was light to moderate. Quality was mostly average.

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
313–347 336 23 220.00–230.00 $227.03 $763 —
363–383 379 10 213.00–220.00 $214.34 $812 -10.66
413–446 431 92 206.00–217.50 $211.44 $911 -24.64
451–470 463 132 203.50–213.00 $211.37 $979 -2.57
500–539 531 255 191.00–201.00 $198.04 $1,052 -16.17
543 543 34 188.00 $188.00 $1,021 -26.21
550–578 564 156 180.00–195.00 $192.00 $1,083 -6.18
602–639 619 299 172.00–186.00 $181.71 $1,125 -4.80
684–695 689 13 157.00–160.50 $158.87 $1,095 -20.55
732 732 3 154.00 $154.00 $1,127 -9.60
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
433–448 445 22 200.00–202.00 $200.35 $892 -10.76
467–490 476 28 191.00–195.00 $193.82 $923 +2.23
531–543 536 18 173.00–184.00 $181.99 $975 -2.38
578–583 580 9 173.00–177.00 $175.66 $1,019 -3.34
655 655 3 152.50 $152.50 $999 -12.50
743 743 6 146.00 $146.00 $1,085 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460 460 5 203.00 $203.00 $934 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
363–381 371 40 182.00–185.00 $183.61 $681 -19.57
423 unweaned 423 27 153.00 $153.00 $647 —
420–432 425 11 175.00–187.00 $180.54 $767 -8.32
450–498 472 129 168.00–172.00 $170.43 $804 -11.11
521 unweaned 521 29 141.00 $141.00 $735 —
511–545 529 101 155.00–171.50 $166.25 $879 +0.89
561–594 566 56 157.00–166.50 $164.72 $932 -3.33
634 634 4 151.00 $151.00 $957 -11.12
660 660 3 140.00 $140.00 $924 -9.10
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
319 319 7 177.50 $177.50 $566 -14.50
351–399 375 26 170.00–173.00 $171.60 $644 —
405–434 419 10 164.00–172.00 $168.34 $705 -9.24
458–479 467 14 160.00–165.00 $162.60 $759 -6.36
523 523 4 154.00 $154.00 $805 —
553–570 562 6 152.00–153.50 $152.76 $859 —
613 613 8 149.50 $149.50 $916 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
426 426 11 173.00 $173.00 $737 -8.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385 unweaned 385 11 174.00 $174.00 $670 —
503 503 2 160.00 $160.00 $805 —
543 unweaned 543 32 162.00 $162.00 $880 —
685 685 12 150.00 $150.00 $1,028 +2.00

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
915 915 85-90% 1 32.00 $32.00 $293 -6.10
815–975 927 85-90% 8 37.00–47.50 $42.34 $392 +4.24
955 955 85-90% 4 50.00 $50.00 $478 +2.04
1035–1320 1115 85-90% 27 43.50–51.50 $46.61 $520 -5.14
1155 1155 85-90% 1 66.50 $66.50 $768 +9.31
1105–1284 1189 85-90% 34 52.75–56.50 $54.66 $650 —
1020–1323 1193 85-90% 7 40.00–42.50 $41.30 $493 —
1010–1315 1197 85-90% 16 52.00–59.50 $55.32 $662 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1389–1474 1420 75-80% 75 63.50–67.25 $66.51 $944 —
1470–1788 1579 75-80% 11 58.00–63.50 $60.90 $962 +1.93
1665 1665 75-80% 1 70.50 $70.50 $1,174 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1200–1465 1306 80-85% 48 57.50–67.50 $61.99 $810 +5.00
1340 1340 80-85% 1 40.50 $40.50 $543 -13.03
1325–1385 1355 80-85% 2 51.50–53.00 $52.27 $708 -6.97
1260–1555 1415 80-85% 8 55.50–60.50 $58.08 $822 —
1411–1540 1427 80-85% 8 46.50–54.00 $52.99 $756 —
1275–1591 1522 80-85% 9 61.00–62.00 $61.14 $931 —
1670 1670 80-85% 1 67.50 $67.50 $1,127 —
Lean ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1268 1268 85-90% 28 725.00 $725.00 —
1285 1285 85-90% 1 625.00 $625.00 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1290 1290 1 83.50 $83.50 $1,077 +11.50
1317–1330 1319 7 78.50–80.50 $80.21 $1,058 —
1390 1390 1 62.50 $62.50 $869 —
1415–1890 1641 8 71.50–80.00 $77.36 $1,269 —
169–2130 1657 11 81.00–88.50 $84.24 $1,396 +6.11

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
823–1100 965 (<2 yrs)Open 13 81.00–116.00 $88.72 $856
863–1305 1002 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 81 51.00–84.50 $74.09 $742
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
863–963 918 (<2 yrs)Open 11 66.00–68.00 $66.86 $614

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1094–1136 1119 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 12 1,250.00–1,275.00 $1,264.81
1184–1257 thin fleshed 1202 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 120 610.00–710.00 $648.31
1215 thin fleshed 1215 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 11 725.00 $725.00
1144–1318 1268 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 18 1,050.00–1,100.00 $1,087.47
1304–1418 1361 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 19 800.00 $800.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1174–1179 1176 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 83 53.50–58.75 $56.73 $667
Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1355 1355 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 12 1,125.00 $1,125.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
912–1054 969 (<2 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 235 1,350.00–1,575.00 $1,479.47
995 995 (<2 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 26 1,350.00 $1,350.00
Medium 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
799–801 800 (<2 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 46 1,050.00–1,110.00 $1,072.14
Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
881–948 903 (<2 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 25 1,025.00–1,050.00 $1,034.92
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1062 1062 (<2 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 9 1,075.00 $1,075.00

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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.