Cattle Market Pulse

Miles City Livestock Commission Auction Market Report

Miles City, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, May 7, 2024

386 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $253.50/cwt +4.42 vs last sale · ≈ $1,823/hd at 719 lb · 59 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $280.72/cwt +2.92 vs last sale · ≈ $1,569/hd at 559 lb · 53 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $266.04/cwt -1.38 vs last sale · ≈ $1,681/hd at 632 lb · 26 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 386 672 1,019
Feeder cattle 267 267 270
Slaughter cattle 89 204 316
Replacement cattle 30 201 433

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested either this week or last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Demand was mostly good for light offerings. Several inches of rain fell across Eastern Montana over the last few days which kept receipts light today. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. Heifer quality was better than steer quality this week. CME positions pushed higher today with most contracts showing triple digit gains by closing bell. Market activity was mostly active this week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was stronger this week as packers showed good demand for cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on all offerings. Demand for feeding cows was good today however fewer buyers were in the seats as offerings were light. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to weak on a lower quality offering. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to above average today with most cows emptied out from being out grazing. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady undertones were noticed. Demand for these offerings was good to very good. Quality this week was mostly average.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
508 508 2 332.00 $332.00 $1,687 +9.51
561–575 563 17 315.00–320.00 $319.10 $1,797 —
674–675 674 8 251.00 $251.00 $1,692 —
725 725 2 245.00 $245.00 $1,776 —
813 813 10 250.00 $250.00 $2,032 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
671 671 19 289.50 $289.50 $1,943 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
364 364 4 322.50 $322.50 $1,174 —
493 493 2 306.50 $306.50 $1,511 +14.00
543 543 2 291.50 $291.50 $1,583 —
556–595 559 53 279.50–281.50 $280.72 $1,569 —
602–647 632 26 259.00–269.00 $266.04 $1,681 -1.38
670 670 7 243.50 $243.50 $1,631 -6.12
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
650 650 2 270.00 $270.00 $1,755 +12.02
719 719 59 253.50 $253.50 $1,823 +4.42
825–843 838 7 220.00–227.00 $221.97 $1,860 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
403 403 5 302.00 $302.00 $1,217 —
516–533 522 11 254.00–271.50 $265.00 $1,383 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
713 713 3 226.00 $226.00 $1,611 +1.00

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
860–980 920 85-90% 2 102.00–109.00 $105.73 $973 —
965 965 85-90% 1 90.00 $90.00 $868 —
1117 1117 85-90% 3 117.00 $117.00 $1,307 -8.61
1098–1263 1143 85-90% 13 124.00–131.00 $126.83 $1,450 +1.22
1083–1220 1146 85-90% 8 122.50–130.00 $125.54 $1,439 -0.07
1175–1200 1188 85-90% 2 104.00–114.00 $109.05 $1,296 -27.80
1180–1275 1220 85-90% 14 135.50–136.00 $135.81 $1,657 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1315–1345 1330 80-85% 2 115.00–124.00 $119.55 $1,590 —
1380 1380 80-85% 2 127.00 $127.00 $1,753 +5.00
1318–1470 1404 80-85% 5 126.00–136.00 $132.39 $1,859 -6.70
1240–1550 1439 80-85% 10 138.00–140.50 $139.14 $2,002 —
1315–1600 1457 80-85% 3 117.00–120.50 $119.07 $1,735 -18.93
1550 1550 80-85% 1 138.00 $138.00 $2,139 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1380–1670 1525 75-80% 2 135.00–137.00 $136.10 $2,076 —
1645 1645 75-80% 1 143.50 $143.50 $2,361 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1625 1625 1 126.00 $126.00 $2,048 —
1730–2010 1848 5 142.00–147.00 $144.84 $2,677 —
1863 1863 2 156.00 $156.00 $2,906 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
750 thin fleshed 750 (<2 yrs)Open 1 206.00 $206.00 $1,545
813–1034 924 (<2 yrs)Open 13 172.00–201.00 $191.19 $1,767
910–1180 1014 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 9 136.00–180.00 $168.18 $1,705
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
915–980 947 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 136.00–140.00 $138.02 $1,307

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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.