Cattle Market Pulse

Miles City Livestock Commission Auction Market Report

Miles City, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, January 30, 2024

2,828 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 heifers $310.13/cwt +4.93 vs last sale · ≈ $1,469/hd at 474 lb · 329 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $307.53/cwt +2.81 vs last sale · ≈ $1,793/hd at 583 lb · 265 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $283.70/cwt +8.31 vs last sale · ≈ $1,639/hd at 578 lb · 260 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,828 3,006 2,269
Feeder cattle 2,335 1,764 1,842
Slaughter cattle 374 522 322
Replacement cattle 119 720 105

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last sale: Feeder steers under 450 lbs sold were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed, steers 450-549 lbs sold mostly 10.00-20.00 higher, 550-649 lbs steers sold mostly 5.00 higher, steers over 650 lbs were not well compared. Heifer calves under 450 lbs were too lightly tested either this week or last to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed, heifers 450-599 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher, heifers over 600 lbs were not well compared. Quality this week was mostly average to very attractive. Most cattle were weaned 45-100 days, with a limited offering of calves straight off the cows. Package sizes were mostly moderate again this week with lots of partial loads seen. A few load lots were seen this week and they were met with very good demand. CME positions continue to tick higher. The March closed today at 241.325, 7.675 higher than last Tuesdays close. The April closed at 247.00 today. Market activity was mostly active this week with a large buyer pool noticed of both farmer feeders, ranchers and order-buyers. Demand for replacement quality cattle was good again this week with several buyers looking for heifers to breed. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for light to moderate offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was especially good as packer buyers showed need for cows for immediate harvest. Packers balanced buying cows to feed with meeting slaughter needs. Slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher on Premium white and breaking cows. Boning and lean cows sold mostly 3.00-6.00 higher. Several buyers continue to buy feeding cows as many are betting the market continues to improve. Feeding cows sold on very good demand this sale as private buyers and packer buyers competed over high quality, sound offerings that are suitable to feed. All feeding offerings sold 3.00-8.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 4.00-5.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Weigh up conditions were mixed today. Young age cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand this week. Feeding buyers continue to buy coming 2 year olds to feed as they hope to still feed these cows or heifers to choice. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. This class of cows sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher.

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
375–380 375 32 367.50–372.50 $367.66 $1,379 +7.66
417 unweaned 417 42 334.00 $334.00 $1,393 —
410–448 423 29 344.00–359.00 $349.69 $1,479 —
459–493 472 55 340.00–354.50 $348.72 $1,646 +10.06
450–487 unweaned 485 37 322.00–335.75 $335.06 $1,625 +30.06
506–547 524 140 333.00–340.00 $337.32 $1,768 +24.34
547 unweaned 547 25 304.00 $304.00 $1,663 —
553 thin fleshed 553 9 331.00 $331.00 $1,830 —
555–591 584 256 295.00–312.50 $306.70 $1,791 +0.10
634 634 114 293.00 $293.00 $1,858 +5.57
672–685 678 13 253.00–263.00 $257.66 $1,747 -13.17
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385 385 3 343.00 $343.00 $1,321 +20.50
422–423 423 44 321.00–335.00 $330.87 $1,400 -4.13
450–495 471 20 302.50–334.00 $318.32 $1,499 +6.65
500–536 529 36 297.50–305.00 $302.19 $1,599 —
573 573 6 293.50 $293.50 $1,682 +16.60
738 738 8 235.00 $235.00 $1,734 —
870 870 12 210.00 $210.00 $1,827 —
967 967 35 208.00 $208.00 $2,011 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
308–336 322 39 320.00–337.50 $327.79 $1,055 —
394 394 5 321.00 $321.00 $1,265 -13.00
487 487 9 327.00 $327.00 $1,592 —
729 729 4 235.00 $235.00 $1,713 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
307 307 8 280.00 $280.00 $860 —
438 438 9 305.00 $305.00 $1,336 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
413 413 2 305.00 $305.00 $1,260 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
382 unweaned 382 32 317.50 $317.50 $1,213 —
400–438 417 68 311.00–317.50 $315.59 $1,316 +1.66
460–469 unweaned 462 32 288.00–291.00 $288.76 $1,334 —
450–498 475 297 300.00–318.00 $312.43 $1,484 +15.43
503–507 506 27 307.50–308.00 $307.65 $1,557 +9.84
525 unweaned 525 5 290.00 $290.00 $1,522 —
549 549 10 274.50 $274.50 $1,507 -14.50
566–579 573 173 285.50–286.00 $285.76 $1,637 +10.37
582–597 587 87 271.00–284.50 $279.61 $1,641 +4.22
630 630 85 264.00 $264.00 $1,663 +22.00
645 645 21 256.00 $256.00 $1,651 +14.00
701 701 5 226.00 $226.00 $1,584 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
304–328 309 24 302.50–310.00 $308.34 $953 —
352–392 376 62 294.00–307.50 $303.30 $1,140 —
438 438 8 288.00 $288.00 $1,261 -2.48
462–498 482 16 281.00–291.00 $285.57 $1,376 -11.43
559–598 579 8 241.00–251.00 $245.83 $1,423 -15.17
780 780 5 205.00 $205.00 $1,599 —
845 845 1 199.00 $199.00 $1,682 —
873–885 881 16 199.00–201.50 $200.57 $1,767 —
887 887 17 197.75 $197.75 $1,754 —
956–991 986 35 189.00–190.00 $189.14 $1,865 —
1035 1035 4 185.00 $185.00 $1,915 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
352 352 16 275.00 $275.00 $968 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 5 302.50 $302.50 $1,028 +17.50
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
480 480 4 271.00 $271.00 $1,301 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
494 494 6 312.00 $312.00 $1,541 —
624 624 4 273.00 $273.00 $1,704 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
673 673 2 205.00 $205.00 $1,380 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
845–950 898 85-90% 2 70.00–75.00 $72.65 $652 —
930–970 956 85-90% 5 74.00–85.00 $79.24 $758 +3.06
1015–1315 1118 85-90% 5 76.00–77.00 $76.57 $856 -4.46
1128–1330 1150 85-90% 55 85.00–92.50 $91.55 $1,053 +9.75
1119–1285 1153 85-90% 15 93.00–99.00 $96.08 $1,108 +14.28
1000–1360 1180 85-90% 61 81.00–92.00 $85.33 $1,007 +3.53
1205–1240 1223 85-90% 2 102.00–103.50 $102.76 $1,257 +2.76
1213–1242 1234 85-90% 23 91.00–100.00 $97.69 $1,205 -2.31
1290 1290 85-90% 1 102.50 $102.50 $1,322 +35.50
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1621 1621 65-75% 7 104.00 $104.00 $1,686 —
1627–1767 1710 65-75% 74 105.25–106.25 $105.49 $1,804 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1305–1385 1348 80-85% 3 104.50–107.00 $105.86 $1,427 —
1320–1480 1378 80-85% 22 96.00–104.00 $99.71 $1,374 +5.92
1380 1380 80-85% 1 89.00 $89.00 $1,228 -4.79
1250–1555 1392 80-85% 33 93.00–104.00 $98.21 $1,367 +4.42
1365–1430 1394 80-85% 4 83.00–94.50 $89.18 $1,243 -4.61
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1515 1515 75-80% 1 107.00 $107.00 $1,621 —
1520 1520 75-80% 1 99.00 $99.00 $1,505 —
1483–1660 1534 75-80% 6 104.00–104.50 $104.41 $1,602 —
1505–1630 1577 75-80% 6 97.50–101.00 $99.77 $1,573 +10.40
1585 1585 75-80% 1 102.00 $102.00 $1,617 +12.63

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1125–1895 1565 13 90.00–111.00 $99.37 $1,555 —
1615–2070 1803 8 111.00–119.00 $113.88 $2,053 —
1785–1900 1845 4 125.00–128.00 $126.01 $2,325 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
870–1180 1003 (<2 yrs)Open 26 122.00–177.00 $151.14 $1,516
989–1139 1063 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 25 111.00–128.00 $119.14 $1,266
1063 1063 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 10 122.00 $122.00 $1,297
1223 1223 (<2 yrs)Open 20 151.00 $151.00 $1,847
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
988 988 (<2 yrs)Open 3 150.00 $150.00 $1,482
1025 1025 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 91.00 $91.00 $933

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1165–1213 1197 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 3 1,700.00–1,750.00 $1,733.78
1258 1258 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 1,750.00 $1,750.00
1315–1357 1332 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 9 1,335.00–1,385.00 $1,373.91
1400 1400 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 1,500.00 $1,500.00

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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.