Cattle Market Pulse

Miles City Livestock Commission Auction Market Report

Miles City, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, March 15, 2022

1,945 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $183.62/cwt +6.62 vs last sale · ≈ $958/hd at 522 lb · 142 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $167.31/cwt ≈ $1,053/hd at 629 lb · 126 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $226.03/cwt +14.42 vs last sale · ≈ $1,119/hd at 495 lb · 119 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,945 783 2,951
Feeder cattle 1,492 123 2,671
Slaughter cattle 234 309 165
Replacement cattle 219 351 115

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested last week to establish an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all weights of steers and heifers over 550 lbs. Heifers under 550 lbs sold with steady to lower undertones. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Demand for one iron home-raised cattle was mostly good. Part loads and full loads sold on mostly good demand as well, however, a heavy portion of the offering sold in small lots this week. Market activity was mostly moderate to active this week, with a good pool of buyers bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for light offerings. Packer buyers showed need for cows for immediate harvest as they pushed all offerings higher. Slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00 higher on all classes. Several sets of fed cows were seen this week. Most of these offerings had an overnight stand and offered buyers average weigh conditions. Feeding cows sold on mostly good demand as feeding buyers and packer buyers purchased mostly young cows to return to the country to feed this week. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. A full load of all natural bulls sold this week and most of these offerings returned to feed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold steady to 5.00 lower.

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
487–496 495 119 226.00–226.25 $226.03 $1,119 +14.42
559–584 568 23 188.50–205.00 $196.29 $1,115 —
618–634 625 47 182.00–188.50 $186.30 $1,164 +3.98
672 672 3 171.00 $171.00 $1,149 —
683 683 18 159.50 $159.50 $1,089 —
711–737 731 44 164.00–167.75 $164.50 $1,202 —
818 818 4 146.00–148.00 $147.00 $1,202 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
505–534 523 57 172.00–179.50 $175.49 $918 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
458–493 472 10 208.00–214.00 $210.51 $994 —
510–524 523 10 204.00–205.00 $204.90 $1,072 —
580 580 10 169.00–178.00 $173.50 $1,006 —
692 692 5 162.50 $162.50 $1,124 —
703 703 5 163.00 $163.00 $1,146 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–395 368 11 189.50–194.00 $189.94 $699 +4.94
423–448 432 71 187.50–190.50 $188.98 $816 -10.02
453–478 473 38 180.00–185.00 $181.41 $858 —
518 thin fleshed 518 87 189.00 $189.00 $979 —
507–532 524 45 175.00–181.00 $176.81 $926 -0.19
547 547 10 167.50 $167.50 $916 -9.50
550–578 564 57 165.00–169.00 $167.82 $947 +1.12
569 569 6 170.00 $170.00 $967 +3.30
595 595 10 160.00 $160.00 $952 -6.70
600 600 34 172.00 $172.00 $1,032 —
601–648 640 92 157.00–166.75 $165.58 $1,060 —
650–699 672 41 147.50–162.00 $154.09 $1,035 —
686 686 75 161.00 $161.00 $1,104 —
704–727 718 14 140.00–146.00 $142.18 $1,021 -1.32
708–727 725 69 154.50–156.50 $156.25 $1,133 +12.75
751 751 10 141.00 $141.00 $1,059 —
780 780 11 138.00 $138.00 $1,076 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
367 367 11 181.00 $181.00 $664 —
426–448 444 47 175.00–181.00 $176.50 $784 —
483–499 494 113 171.00–179.00 $177.38 $876 —
501 thin fleshed 501 25 186.00 $186.00 $932 —
520–542 524 23 165.00–173.00 $170.97 $896 —
557–593 574 33 155.00–165.50 $161.71 $928 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
454–498 478 27 171.00 $171.00 $817 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1143 1143 5 102.00 $102.00 $1,166 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
738 738 2 141.00 $141.00 $1,041 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1503 1503 65-75% 24 82.00 $82.00 $1,232 —
1382–1765 1625 65-75% 39 85.50–86.50 $85.56 $1,390 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
900–955 928 85-90% 2 50.00–55.00 $52.57 $488 -13.35
975–985 980 85-90% 2 67.50–72.50 $70.01 $686 -1.99
1060–1210 1135 85-90% 2 63.00–64.00 $63.53 $721 -8.48
1030–1305 1136 85-90% 17 66.00–76.50 $70.19 $797 -1.82
1075–1285 1184 85-90% 16 75.00–80.50 $77.62 $919 +1.44
1270–1280 1273 85-90% 3 78.00–80.00 $79.33 $1,010 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1305–1423 1367 80-85% 6 81.50–82.00 $81.75 $1,118 —
1395 1395 80-85% 1 75.00 $75.00 $1,046 —
1395 1395 80-85% 1 75.50 $75.50 $1,053 —
1315–1725 1407 80-85% 9 76.50–83.50 $79.61 $1,120 +6.61
1345–1485 1438 80-85% 3 85.50–87.50 $86.88 $1,249 +13.88
1500–1520 1510 80-85% 2 84.00–84.50 $84.25 $1,272 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1518 1518 75-80% 3 81.00 $81.00 $1,230 -1.52
1523 1523 75-80% 3 77.50 $77.50 $1,180 -5.02
1409–1855 1535 75-80% 11 82.00–84.50 $83.12 $1,276 +0.60
Boner ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1468 1468 80-85% 3 1,100.00 $1,100.00 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1255 1255 2 95.00 $95.00 $1,192 —
1270–1285 1278 2 85.00–91.00 $87.98 $1,124 —
1268–1865 1507 13 89.50–99.00 $95.12 $1,433 —
1185–1605 1574 27 97.50–101.50 $101.28 $1,594 —
1375–1755 1581 5 79.00–94.00 $85.64 $1,354 —
1755 1755 1 101.00 $101.00 $1,773 —
1700–1925 1811 8 101.00–104.50 $103.79 $1,880 —

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
728–1143 1001 (<2 yrs)Open 24 108.50–124.00 $111.85 $1,120
740–1273 1134 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 33 86.00–110.50 $92.98 $1,054
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1002 1002 (<2 yrs)Open 7 112.00 $112.00 $1,122

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1095 1095 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 12 1,375.00 $1,375.00
1084–1150 1127 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 13 1,400.00–1,485.00 $1,447.24
1211 thin fleshed 1211 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 37 900.00 $900.00
1193–1268 1260 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 37 1,200.00–1,250.00 $1,244.88
1201–1389 1285 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 44 960.00–1,135.00 $1,056.64

↑ Back to top

Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1021 1021 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 6 1,385.00 $1,385.00

↑ 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.