Cattle Market Pulse

Miles City Livestock Commission Auction Market Report

Miles City, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, October 8, 2024

1,784 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 $317.14/cwt -3.36 vs last sale · ≈ $1,638/hd at 516 lb · 179 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $335.83/cwt +10.83 vs last sale · ≈ $1,398/hd at 416 lb · 116 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $302.01/cwt ≈ $1,438/hd at 476 lb · 96 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,784 914 2,242
Feeder cattle 1,317 492 1,584
Slaughter cattle 386 350 427
Replacement cattle 81 72 231

Compared to last week: Feeder calves were scarcely tested last week thus no comparisons can be made. Demand for limited calves was good to very good. Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Yearling heifers sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Demand was mostly moderate to good for yearlings and good to very good for calves under 450 lbs. Calves over 450 lbs sold on light to moderate demand. Demand for calves to turn out on wheat pasture in the south was very good. CME Feeder cattle positions continue to improve with triple digit gains seen today. Quality this sale was mostly average to attractive. Market activity was mostly active today. A large buyer pool was on hand for todays sale. Bidding was rapid with multiple buyers bidding to fill loads. Weigh up cows sold on mixed demand for moderate offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was light, while feeding cow demand was mostly good. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested this week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to lower undertones were noticed. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly light this week as most cows were purchased to send to feed. Even slightly lame or slightly blemished cows found their way to onto feeding buyers orders this week. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher. Private feeding cow buyers were very aggressive as they bid on cow suitable to feed. A large pool of feeding cow buyers was on hand for todays sale. Slaughter bulls sold on mostly light to moderate demand. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady in a narrow comparison. Weigh up conditions were mixed this week. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 10.00 higher. Young age cow quality was mostly average to attractive today. Demand for young cows to rebreed was good to very good.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340–345 unweaned 341 29 410.00–420.50 $411.10 $1,402
353–372 unweaned 361 32 408.00–428.50 $417.25 $1,506
400–438 unweaned 428 74 352.00–390.00 $360.18 $1,542 +17.18
472–478 unweaned 475 50 323.00–328.00 $326.22 $1,550
507 507 50 323.75 $323.75 $1,641
505–534 unweaned 520 129 309.00–319.50 $314.58 $1,636 -5.92
575–595 unweaned 595 47 275.00–296.00 $275.43 $1,639
615–633 unweaned 620 17 266.00–283.00 $272.87 $1,692
737–741 738 46 266.50–268.50 $267.98 $1,978
780–795 783 5 264.00–266.00 $264.41 $2,070
825–846 845 18 244.00–263.00 $245.03 $2,071
870 870 2 240.00 $240.00 $2,088
965–994 991 10 227.50–230.50 $227.79 $2,257
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
634 634 15 262.00 $262.00 $1,661
662 662 7 258.00 $258.00 $1,708
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360–372 unweaned 367 5 375.00–387.50 $379.90 $1,394
440 unweaned 440 2 340.00 $340.00 $1,496
480 unweaned 480 2 292.00 $292.00 $1,402
548 unweaned 548 5 303.00 $303.00 $1,660
585 unweaned 585 3 240.00 $240.00 $1,404
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1048 1048 4 219.00 $219.00 $2,295
1062 1062 3 210.00 $210.00 $2,230
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
332 unweaned 332 6 392.50 $392.50 $1,303

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
314 unweaned 314 6 380.00 $380.00 $1,193
357–392 unweaned 368 26 345.00–389.00 $372.71 $1,372
407–417 unweaned 416 104 336.25–350.00 $337.66 $1,405 +12.66
419 419 12 320.00 $320.00 $1,341
455–496 unweaned 476 96 291.00–315.00 $302.01 $1,438
533–536 unweaned 535 46 270.00–274.00 $271.39 $1,452
552 unweaned 552 15 267.00 $267.00 $1,474
765–783 769 23 239.00–245.00 $241.39 $1,856 +2.63
841 841 31 236.50 $236.50 $1,989 -0.75
857–896 868 36 227.00–232.50 $231.27 $2,007 +3.92
905–930 911 45 225.00–230.00 $228.20 $2,079 +2.36
942 942 5 216.00 $216.00 $2,035 -9.84
950 950 1 217.00 $217.00 $2,062 -0.79
968 968 3 209.00 $209.00 $2,023 -8.79
1050 1050 34 210.00 $210.00 $2,205
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
686 686 42 247.50 $247.50 $1,698
715 715 5 244.50 $244.50 $1,748
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
268 unweaned 268 2 330.00 $330.00 $884
395 unweaned 395 2 340.00 $340.00 $1,343
500–530 unweaned 516 10 237.00–271.00 $254.00 $1,311
780 780 2 236.00 $236.00 $1,841
817 817 3 229.00 $229.00 $1,871 -4.00
936 936 9 222.00 $222.00 $2,078
950 950 2 205.00 $205.00 $1,948
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
476–493 unweaned 489 24 265.00–274.00 $272.18 $1,331
620 unweaned 620 4 246.00 $246.00 $1,525

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Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
382 unweaned 382 5 360.00 $360.00 $1,375
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
790 790 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,817

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Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
670–995 833 85-90% 2 101.00 $101.00 $841
905–980 943 85-90% 2 75.00–85.00 $80.20 $756
1015–1290 1128 85-90% 6 81.00–89.00 $83.88 $946
1065–1203 1157 85-90% 3 132.50–133.00 $132.85 $1,537 +21.52
980–1310 1169 85-90% 71 105.00–117.00 $113.41 $1,326 -4.72
1065–1380 1175 85-90% 15 90.00–105.00 $95.46 $1,122 -25.69
1140–1255 1200 85-90% 8 107.00–117.00 $110.75 $1,329 +4.75
965–1386 1226 85-90% 75 117.00–126.50 $120.06 $1,472 +14.06
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1325–1450 1347 80-85% 9 107.00–116.00 $114.90 $1,548 +3.82
1315–1420 1348 80-85% 7 101.00–112.00 $108.43 $1,462 -2.65
1205–1575 1388 80-85% 46 121.00–133.00 $126.95 $1,762 +4.80
1215–1485 1412 80-85% 61 132.00–136.00 $134.07 $1,893
1430–1650 1552 80-85% 5 114.00–118.00 $115.94 $1,799
1585–1760 1673 80-85% 2 125.00–126.50 $125.79 $2,104
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1555 1555 75-80% 1 130.00 $130.00 $2,022
1585 1585 75-80% 1 129.00 $129.00 $2,045
1655 1655 75-80% 1 119.00 $119.00 $1,969 +8.00
1610–1830 1720 75-80% 2 124.00–126.00 $125.06 $2,151

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1225–1790 1355 10 135.00–141.50 $140.37 $1,902 +7.25
1325–2230 1804 17 129.00–142.00 $137.77 $2,485 -7.06
1625–2140 1812 11 143.00–156.00 $147.07 $2,665 +2.24

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
710–997 855 (<2 yrs)Open 44 185.00–214.00 $198.91 $1,701
975–1305 1100 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 16 135.00–175.00 $155.46 $1,710

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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.