Cattle Market Pulse

Miles City Livestock Commission Auction Market Report

Miles City, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, February 21, 2023

1,154 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 $217.60/cwt ≈ $1,136/hd at 522 lb · 91 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $198.50/cwt +2.60 vs last sale · ≈ $1,133/hd at 571 lb · 40 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $185.43/cwt -8.22 vs last sale · ≈ $1,176/hd at 634 lb · 16 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,154 672 251
Feeder cattle 209 360 19
Slaughter cattle 169 31 125
Replacement cattle 776 281 107

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on steers and higher undertones were noticed on heifers. Demand was mostly good today for light offerings. Despite limited offerings buyers showed good demand for all offerings. Quality this week was mostly average. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light offerings. Another offering of fed cows were seen again this week. Premium white cows sold generally steady. Fed cow offerings were pushing more fill this week compared to last. Breaking cows sold generally steady, boning and lean cows 3.00-4.00 higher. Feeding cows were too lightly tested to trend as most cows were purchased for immediate harvest. Cow quality was average to attractive this sale. Weigh up conditions were mixed this sale as a cold front and winter storm had many cows tanked up on feed and water. Slaughter bulls sold 1.00-3.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, higher undertones were noticed. A heavy offering of bred cows was seen this sale. Quality was mixed from plain to attractive. 3rd trimester is from through the end of May. Several May calving cows were seen this sale and these offering sold at a discount to March calving cows.

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
525 525 15 233.50 $233.50 $1,226 —
593 593 4 219.00 $219.00 $1,299 -3.86
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435 435 2 222.50 $222.50 $968 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 1 223.00 $223.00 $892 —
505–525 522 91 217.50–219.00 $217.60 $1,136 —
571 571 40 198.50 $198.50 $1,133 +0.50
613–644 634 16 183.00–188.50 $185.43 $1,176 -8.22
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
414 414 5 215.00 $215.00 $890 —
501 501 5 201.00 $201.00 $1,007 +0.50

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Slaughter Cows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1381 1381 65-75% 5 107.50 $107.50 $1,485 —
1666–1690 1670 65-75% 44 88.00–93.00 $88.46 $1,477 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
880 880 85-90% 1 62.00 $62.00 $546 —
895–945 920 85-90% 2 79.50–85.50 $82.42 $758 +5.68
1040–1275 1155 85-90% 16 85.00–92.50 $87.94 $1,016 +0.94
1080–1273 1163 85-90% 15 77.25–84.50 $82.03 $954 -4.97
1250–1270 1260 85-90% 2 93.00–93.50 $93.25 $1,175 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1335–1625 1413 80-85% 6 80.00–86.50 $83.67 $1,182 —
1305–1535 1420 80-85% 2 95.00 $95.00 $1,349 —
1310–1480 1429 80-85% 13 86.00–92.00 $88.84 $1,270 —
1492 1492 80-85% 5 90.50 $90.50 $1,350 -0.09
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1225–1692 1508 75-80% 19 87.50–90.50 $89.79 $1,354 —
1598–1775 1671 75-80% 5 80.25–86.50 $82.51 $1,379 -0.99

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1476 1476 3 89.50 $89.50 $1,321 —
1350–1785 1619 6 108.00–115.50 $113.46 $1,837 —
1840–2055 1958 3 117.00–124.00 $119.53 $2,340 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
868–1020 936 (<2 yrs)Open 25 137.00–146.00 $143.99 $1,348
860–1140 965 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 37 80.50–132.00 $103.17 $996

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
968–1180 1139 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 71 2,025.00–2,100.00 $2,052.36
1100–1215 thin fleshed 1177 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 6 1,100.00–1,260.00 $1,210.14
1060–1473 1195 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 153 1,650.00–1,850.00 $1,734.18
1205–1452 1302 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 57 1,375.00–1,660.00 $1,566.05
1236–1457 1316 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 86 1,300.00–1,660.00 $1,440.57
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
929 929 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 1,200.00 $1,200.00
885–967 955 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 110 1,550.00–1,875.00 $1,817.94
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1570 1570 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 16 1,550.00 $1,550.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1045–1167 1067 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 106 1,935.00–2,125.00 $1,984.91
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
933–941 937 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 41 1,860.00 $1,860.00

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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.