Miles City Livestock Commission Auction Market Report

Miles City, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, November 26, 2024

2,729 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $348.68/cwt +15.84 vs last sale · ≈ $1,480/hd at 425 lb · 279 head

light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $343.47/cwt +8.82 vs last sale · ≈ $1,821/hd at 530 lb · 208 head

light 4-weight M&L 1 steers $411.74/cwt +29.74 vs last sale · ≈ $1,728/hd at 420 lb · 175 head

Receipts

Head	This sale	Last sale	Last year
Total receipts	2,729	3,179	2,735
Feeder cattle	1,814	1,812	1,862
Slaughter cattle	521	664	728
Replacement cattle	394	703	145

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Steer calves under 400 lbs were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. 400-599 lbs steers sold 5.00-15.00 higher; steer calves over 600 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher. Heifer calves under 400 lbs were not well compared; 400-499 lbs heifers sold 5.00-15.00 higher; heifers over 500 lbs sold generally steady on like quality offerings in a narrow comparison. Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Calf quality was mostly average to very attractive, on steers and mixed on heifers, from plain to attractive. Heifer quality was not as attractive as last weeks sale. Demand was mostly good to very good for steers and moderate to good for heifers. All buyers were more aggressive as they bid on offerings and tried to fill loads. Demand for weaned calves was mostly good this week and most weaned offerings outsold unweaned offerings. Market activity was mostly active today. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was light while feeding cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand. Slaughter cows sold generally steady to firm in a very narrow comparison on all classes. Feeding cow demand remains moderate to good. Private buyers continue to buy slightly lame or slightly blemished cows to put away on feed. Packer buyers were also active and buying slightly lame or blemished cows to put away to feed for the upcoming holidays. Feeding cows sold steady to firm on high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white. Thin feeding cows sold mostly steady. Cow quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 3.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average this week, with a small portion of the cow and bull offering pushing moderate amounts of fill. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 5.00-8.00 lower on a lighter offering. Young age cows sold on moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Quality was mostly average today and overall not as attractive as last week.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
260 unweaned	260	1	525.00	$525.00	$1,365	—
305–345	331	14	457.50–480.00	$472.45	$1,564	—
305–346 unweaned	334	18	440.00–480.00	$463.90	$1,549	-6.65
350–398 unweaned	379	17	415.00–426.00	$422.61	$1,602	+10.68
366–392	380	23	424.00–425.00	$424.46	$1,613	-3.04
404–420 unweaned	413	46	405.00–418.00	$410.22	$1,694	+28.71
400–449	417	71	384.00–433.00	$420.68	$1,754	+37.09
428 value added	428	58	402.00	$402.00	$1,721	—
450–478	463	36	356.00–388.00	$370.01	$1,713	+11.27
465–490 unweaned	470	37	352.00–382.50	$377.20	$1,773	+17.78
520	520	46	351.50	$351.50	$1,828	+19.89
506–548 unweaned	533	162	334.50–360.00	$341.19	$1,819	+5.50
553–562 unweaned	560	70	324.00–328.00	$325.96	$1,825	+12.57
552–585	561	11	314.00–331.00	$326.17	$1,830	+11.17
610–638 unweaned	629	46	298.00–303.00	$299.34	$1,883	+8.69
666–680 unweaned	672	10	285.00–285.50	$285.30	$1,917	-4.75
827	827	9	244.00	$244.00	$2,018	—

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
365–390 unweaned	378	4	402.50–407.50	$404.92	$1,531	+30.91
423	423	6	377.50	$377.50	$1,597	+32.50
443 unweaned	443	17	378.00	$378.00	$1,675	—
463 unweaned	463	4	334.00	$334.00	$1,546	+0.48
525–540 unweaned	532	13	312.50–341.00	$332.28	$1,768	+27.82
617–633 unweaned	625	10	271.00–298.00	$280.42	$1,753	-2.01
778 unweaned	778	4	239.50	$239.50	$1,863	—

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
336	336	14	357.50	$357.50	$1,201	—
380–388 unweaned	381	45	353.00–364.00	$358.28	$1,365	-16.56
409–443	414	100	322.00–369.00	$361.65	$1,497	+29.15
401–448 unweaned	428	92	325.50–355.00	$337.13	$1,443	+4.21
433 value added	433	87	346.00	$346.00	$1,498	—
452–472	463	42	318.00–334.00	$325.91	$1,509	—
466–467 unweaned	466	10	316.00–321.00	$317.50	$1,480	+3.62
478 value added	478	9	324.50	$324.50	$1,551	—
521	521	11	293.00	$293.00	$1,527	-15.00
506–547 unweaned	523	157	288.00–311.00	$301.34	$1,576	-4.22
550–566 unweaned	556	55	272.00–275.00	$273.69	$1,522	-15.31
608–634 unweaned	625	43	252.00–270.00	$267.59	$1,672	+2.09
803	803	8	234.00	$234.00	$1,879	-2.87
872	872	5	233.00	$233.00	$2,032	—
909	909	11	227.50	$227.50	$2,068	-1.76

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
323–345 unweaned	334	33	352.00–357.50	$354.94	$1,185	-0.06
349	349	13	337.50	$337.50	$1,178	—
362–374 unweaned	365	25	322.50–342.50	$329.36	$1,202	-5.03
412	412	6	319.00	$319.00	$1,314	—
427–444 unweaned	437	39	292.50–318.00	$307.97	$1,346	+25.11
490 unweaned	490	4	281.00	$281.00	$1,377	+26.00
543 unweaned	543	4	283.00	$283.00	$1,537	+23.94
714–728	719	18	247.00	$247.00	$1,776	—
980	980	3	209.00	$209.00	$2,048	—

Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
696	696	7	244.00	$244.00	$1,698	—

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
503 unweaned	503	2	283.00	$283.00	$1,423	—

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
413 unweaned	413	2	375.00	$375.00	$1,549	—
481 unweaned	481	7	343.00	$343.00	$1,650	—
514	514	6	324.00	$324.00	$1,665	—

Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1113	1113	2	177.50	$177.50	$1,976	—

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1280	1280	1	170.00	$170.00	$2,176	—

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
790	790	85-90%	1	72.50	$72.50	$573	—
905–985	943	85-90%	3	82.50–92.00	$87.25	$823	—
945–1265	1092	85-90%	11	87.00–98.00	$91.68	$1,001	—
1105	1105	85-90%	1	82.50	$82.50	$912	-8.40
1088–1145	1107	85-90%	3	104.00–106.00	$105.31	$1,166	+14.41
1009–1245	1110	85-90%	10	70.00–86.00	$76.77	$852	-14.13
1112	1112	85-90%	15	123.00	$123.00	$1,368	+32.10
930–1280	1193	85-90%	82	108.00–119.00	$113.81	$1,358	+11.69
1000–1295	1203	85-90%	106	92.00–107.00	$102.28	$1,230	-11.87

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1265	1265	80-85%	1	122.00	$122.00	$1,543	—
1208–1608	1388	80-85%	111	110.00–121.00	$117.40	$1,630	+11.44
1325–1431	1410	80-85%	30	123.00–123.50	$123.09	$1,736	—
1415	1415	80-85%	1	109.00	$109.00	$1,542	—
1285–1745	1418	80-85%	22	96.00–109.00	$104.27	$1,479	—
1305–1575	1456	80-85%	4	92.00–102.00	$97.98	$1,427	—
1580	1580	80-85%	1	81.00	$81.00	$1,280	—
1595	1595	80-85%	1	91.00	$91.00	$1,451	—

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1550	1550	75-80%	1	113.00	$113.00	$1,752	-5.89
1530–1845	1562	75-80%	14	119.00–121.50	$120.89	$1,888	+2.00
1805	1805	75-80%	1	121.00	$121.00	$2,184	—

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1435	1435	1	131.00	$131.00	$1,880	—
1525–1940	1676	12	111.00–132.00	$127.12	$2,131	+3.46
2030–2050	2040	2	135.00–140.00	$137.51	$2,805	—

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
785 thin fleshed	785	(<2 yrs)	Open	1	185.00	$185.00	$1,452
708–1205	966	(<2 yrs)	Open	85	141.00–215.00	$177.25	$1,712
981–1312	1149	Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	32	120.50–169.00	$134.48	$1,545
1239	1239	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	5	121.00	$121.00	$1,499

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
820–1290	1055	(<2 yrs)	Open	2	123.00–157.50	$136.41	$1,439
975–1160	1068	Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	2	125.00–145.00	$134.13	$1,433

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
1033 thin fleshed	1033	Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	12	1,575.00	$1,575.00
1132–1265	1191	Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	111	1,735.00–1,850.00	$1,812.49
1320	1320	Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	8	2,500.00	$2,500.00
1364	1364	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	12	2,500.00	$2,500.00
1179–1413	1368	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	56	1,875.00–2,260.00	$2,194.56

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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.