Cattle Market Pulse

Miles City Livestock Commission Auction Market Report

Miles City, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, March 19, 2024

2,234 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 heifers $290.26/cwt +10.26 vs last sale · ≈ $1,807/hd at 623 lb · 479 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $272.63/cwt ≈ $1,832/hd at 672 lb · 281 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $319.06/cwt +9.70 vs last sale · ≈ $1,662/hd at 521 lb · 170 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,234 855 1,454
Feeder cattle 2,024 563 1,218
Slaughter cattle 142 212 90
Replacement cattle 68 80 146

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last sale: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested last week to develop a full market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Demand was good to very good and quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Average quality calves sold on good demand, much like last week. Most cattle were long weaned from 45-100 days. Market activity was active to very active this week. Ranchers and order buyers were both very active as they bid on offerings today. Weigh up cows sold with good demand. Demand for slaughter cows was very good. Packers opted to send all cows to immediate harvest this week as supplies remain tight. Slaughter cows sold sharply higher on breaking and boning cows, lean cows sold 2.00-6.00 higher. Very few feeding cows were seen last week to develop a full market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Slaughter bulls sold sharply higher. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on good demand again this week. This class sold mostly firm in a narrow comparison. Young cow quality was mostly average to attractive this week.

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
408–413 409 17 353.00–355.00 $353.47 $1,446 —
459–494 467 20 339.00–355.00 $348.08 $1,626 -4.92
511–527 516 40 330.00–332.00 $330.69 $1,706 —
559–583 579 46 323.50–335.00 $325.43 $1,884 —
628–637 634 17 302.00–304.00 $303.30 $1,923 -5.53
655–683 666 15 290.00–296.00 $293.19 $1,953 +0.44
728 728 36 278.00 $278.00 $2,024 +8.00
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
748 748 24 278.00 $278.00 $2,079 —
910 910 2 222.00 $222.00 $2,020 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 352.50 $352.50 $1,181 -20.00
393 393 2 340.00 $340.00 $1,336 -17.46
420–430 423 3 330.00–335.00 $333.31 $1,410 +0.37
470–486 483 9 313.00–334.00 $331.57 $1,601 +4.04
650–675 665 3 270.00–277.00 $274.63 $1,826 -7.40
781–795 784 5 242.00–248.00 $246.78 $1,935 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 320.00 $320.00 $992 —
415 415 1 310.00 $310.00 $1,286 —
510–530 519 4 305.00–315.00 $310.95 $1,614 —
555–570 563 2 278.00–287.50 $282.69 $1,592 —
630 630 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,764 —
733 733 3 230.00 $230.00 $1,686 —
785 785 1 223.00 $223.00 $1,751 —
890–895 893 2 207.50–219.00 $213.27 $1,905 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410–441 422 38 340.00–355.00 $350.49 $1,479 +9.44
450–471 464 40 327.00–340.50 $331.60 $1,539 +13.16
500–533 521 170 311.00–330.00 $319.06 $1,662 +9.70
552–593 570 154 290.00–303.00 $296.97 $1,693 -7.89
614–649 618 279 284.00–294.00 $289.17 $1,787 +9.17
615–648 629 200 288.50–294.50 $291.79 $1,835 +11.79
657–687 672 281 265.00–285.00 $272.63 $1,832 —
701–737 725 79 250.00–264.00 $252.65 $1,832 —
729 729 8 250.00 $250.00 $1,822 —
760–762 761 36 247.00–248.00 $247.72 $1,885 —
816–845 823 29 222.00–231.00 $230.68 $1,898 —
860 860 4 221.00 $221.00 $1,901 —
905 905 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,900 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–378 372 13 312.50–325.00 $320.78 $1,193 -15.22
400–438 424 36 319.00–336.00 $328.63 $1,393 +15.63
464 464 4 294.00 $294.00 $1,364 —
520–548 537 28 291.00–309.00 $298.93 $1,605 +8.96
538 538 4 292.00 $292.00 $1,571 +2.03
553–584 575 89 284.00–286.00 $285.15 $1,640 +2.74
609–644 630 91 266.00–279.50 $276.35 $1,741 +11.67
650–699 688 26 252.50–271.00 $256.22 $1,763 +13.22
740 740 1 231.00 $231.00 $1,709 —
755–775 763 3 221.00–227.00 $223.32 $1,704 —
913 913 8 196.00 $196.00 $1,789 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385 385 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,116 —
400 400 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,140 —
532–545 537 31 277.00–290.00 $286.58 $1,539 +13.58
575–580 578 2 247.50–262.50 $254.97 $1,474 —
640–645 643 2 240.00 $240.00 $1,543 —
780 780 1 214.00 $214.00 $1,669 —
965 965 1 183.00 $183.00 $1,766 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
560–590 574 11 230.00–232.50 $231.33 $1,328 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
490 490 1 252.50 $252.50 $1,237 —
625 625 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,375 —
815 815 1 216.00 $216.00 $1,760 —
900 900 1 209.00 $209.00 $1,881 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1012–1290 1148 80-85% 14 131.00–141.00 $136.91 $1,572 —
1005–1363 1171 80-85% 25 127.00–134.00 $128.62 $1,506 —
1210–1330 1255 80-85% 3 114.00–118.00 $116.26 $1,459 —
1253–1465 1328 80-85% 13 126.00–133.00 $130.34 $1,731 +21.34
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
875–995 947 85-90% 3 99.00–100.00 $99.65 $944 -24.09
985–1235 1111 85-90% 8 116.00–119.00 $116.72 $1,297 -6.28
1187–1195 1188 85-90% 21 115.00–124.00 $122.71 $1,458 +18.33
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1377–1385 1381 75-80% 4 141.00–155.00 $147.98 $2,044 —
1325–1710 1494 75-80% 21 128.00–135.00 $131.08 $1,958 —
1480–1840 1660 75-80% 2 123.00–125.00 $124.11 $2,060 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1460–2075 1690 4 129.00–136.00 $133.32 $2,253 —
1590–2060 1792 7 140.00–146.00 $143.90 $2,579 —
1580–2140 1802 7 148.00–154.00 $150.74 $2,716 —
1955 1955 1 161.00 $161.00 $3,148 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
800–1050 898 (<2 yrs)Open 18 164.00–226.00 $206.89 $1,858
845–1215 1029 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 31 136.00–197.00 $161.52 $1,662

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1050 1050 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,800.00 $1,800.00
1132 fancy 1132 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 11 2,750.00 $2,750.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
— — Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 2,300.00 $2,300.00 —

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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.