Cattle Market Pulse

Miles City Livestock Commission Auction Market Report

Miles City, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, October 4, 2022

1,412 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 steers $209.63/cwt -6.35 vs last sale · ≈ $1,082/hd at 516 lb · 318 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $182.71/cwt -2.92 vs last sale · ≈ $1,407/hd at 770 lb · 83 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $169.71/cwt -2.89 vs last sale · ≈ $1,312/hd at 773 lb · 69 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,412 870 4,986
Feeder cattle 1,112 631 2,290
Slaughter cattle 231 218 1,895
Replacement cattle 69 21 801

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last reported sale(9-20-22): Feeder steers were too lightly tested either this week or last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers under 800 lbs sold steady to 2.00 lower, heifers over 800 lbs sold 3.00-5.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Spring born calves were not tested two weeks ago, no comparisons are available. Demand and offerings today were light to moderate. Quality today was mostly average to attractive. Several load lots of calves were seen today and these offerings were met with the best demand. Calves were in mostly light flesh as many are selling early out of dry country. A good crowd was on hand for todays sale. Market activity was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light demand for light to moderate offerings. Packers showed lighter demand for slaughter cows this week and cow prices were mostly 3.00-5.00 lower than two weeks ago. Feeding cow demand was lighter as well as this class of cows sold mostly 5.00-6.00 lower. Cow quality was average to attractive this week. The cutter cow cutout was 211.41, 0.46 higher as of todays close. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-3.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, steady undertones were noticed.

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
387 unweaned 387 9 218.50 $218.50 $846 —
413–436 unweaned 424 61 216.50–220.00 $217.22 $921 —
453–489 unweaned 480 52 213.00–218.50 $215.22 $1,033 —
502–548 unweaned 516 318 189.00–216.50 $209.63 $1,082 —
563 unweaned 563 2 179.00 $179.00 $1,008 —
619 unweaned 619 4 179.50 $179.50 $1,111 —
680 680 66 192.00 $192.00 $1,306 +5.00
770–773 770 83 175.00–183.00 $182.71 $1,407 -2.92
830 830 12 177.50 $177.50 $1,473 -4.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385 unweaned 385 3 200.00 $200.00 $770 —
486 unweaned 486 8 205.00 $205.00 $996 —
515 unweaned 515 13 193.00 $193.00 $994 —
588 unweaned 588 4 176.00 $176.00 $1,035 —
601 unweaned 601 27 178.50 $178.50 $1,073 —
855–890 867 3 169.00–172.50 $171.30 $1,485 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
642 642 6 179.00 $179.00 $1,149 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
357 unweaned 357 8 192.50 $192.50 $687 —
415–442 unweaned 420 33 186.00–192.00 $190.77 $801 —
450–465 unweaned 463 27 186.00–190.00 $186.58 $864 —
512 unweaned 512 9 179.00 $179.00 $916 —
748 748 19 173.50 $173.50 $1,298 —
753–784 773 69 166.50–171.50 $169.71 $1,312 -2.89
827–845 830 37 164.00–170.00 $167.76 $1,392 -0.24
854–898 877 19 159.00–169.00 $164.32 $1,441 -3.98
915–943 938 12 157.00–158.50 $157.62 $1,478 -7.61
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
367 unweaned 367 3 207.50 $207.50 $762 —
438 unweaned 438 8 184.00 $184.00 $806 —
498 unweaned 498 8 170.00 $170.00 $847 —
513 513 6 204.00 $204.00 $1,047 +38.08
564 unweaned 564 33 167.00 $167.00 $942 —
703–748 735 14 161.00–164.00 $163.18 $1,199 —
753–793 782 11 161.00–164.50 $161.92 $1,266 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1009 1009 18 154.00 $154.00 $1,554 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
671 671 4 153.00 $153.00 $1,027 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410 unweaned 410 4 185.00 $185.00 $758 —
852–855 853 4 128.00–134.00 $132.50 $1,130 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1050 1050 1 118.00 $118.00 $1,239 —
1128 1128 2 113.00 $113.00 $1,275 —
1255 1255 1 110.00 $110.00 $1,380 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1261–1558 1369 80-85% 54 76.75–82.00 $79.42 $1,087 -7.35
1385–1500 1412 80-85% 10 71.00–77.75 $76.29 $1,077 —
1270–1745 1417 80-85% 10 71.50–73.50 $72.93 $1,033 —
1225–1551 1430 80-85% 14 77.00–84.00 $80.30 $1,148 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
900 900 85-90% 1 71.00 $71.00 $639 —
1057–1240 1084 85-90% 13 75.00–78.50 $75.72 $821 -0.42
1155 1155 85-90% 1 80.50 $80.50 $930 —
1160 1160 85-90% 1 58.50 $58.50 $679 —
1040–1359 1220 85-90% 24 65.00–74.50 $70.49 $860 —
1217–1250 1232 85-90% 9 75.00–78.00 $76.35 $941 —
1285 1285 85-90% 1 68.50 $68.50 $880 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1450–1690 1570 75-80% 2 82.50 $82.50 $1,295 -8.60
1715 1715 75-80% 3 80.50–82.00 $81.50 $1,398 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1220–1540 1363 3 91.50–102.00 $97.72 $1,332 —
1360–1810 1510 3 85.00–95.00 $89.80 $1,356 —
1430–2170 1713 9 81.00–90.50 $85.35 $1,462 -13.56
1415–2150 1732 15 91.50–98.50 $95.45 $1,653 -3.46
1415–2230 1880 10 99.00–103.50 $101.49 $1,908 +0.49

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
853–1190 thin fleshed 993 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 7 72.00–79.00 $76.91 $764
795–1260 1037 (<2 yrs)Open 27 84.00–107.00 $95.44 $990
1057 1057 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 10 82.00 $82.00 $867
1045–1191 1092 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 20 79.00–91.00 $85.38 $932
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
895 895 (<2 yrs)Open 1 89.00 $89.00 $797

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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.