Cattle Market Pulse

Miles City Livestock Commission Auction Market Report

Miles City, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, September 15, 2026

1,012 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $309.87/cwt +18.07 vs last sale · ≈ $2,885/hd at 931 lb · 171 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $308.13/cwt +19.89 vs last sale · ≈ $2,983/hd at 968 lb · 135 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $349.69/cwt +28.69 vs last sale · ≈ $3,074/hd at 879 lb · 127 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,012 381 0
Feeder cattle 837 288 0
Slaughter cattle 165 88 0
Replacement cattle 10 5 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to the last sale (September 1, 2026): Feeder steers and heifers were overall too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend. However, a higher undertone was noted for feeder cattle over 800 lbs. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Demand for feeder cattle was moderate to good, especially for sets of attractive tested open heifers. Slaughter cows and bulls overall sold steady to 2.00 higher. Demand for slaughter cattle was light for a light sale supply.

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
762 762 9 360.00 $360.00 $2,743 —
815–845 824 7 350.00–362.00 $358.48 $2,954 —
873–888 879 127 349.50–350.50 $349.69 $3,074 +28.69
925 925 17 333.00–350.00 $334.00 $3,090 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1015 1015 1 300.00 $300.00 $3,045 —
1065–1089 1088 27 289.00–291.00 $289.07 $3,145 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
735 735 2 300.00–305.00 $302.50 $2,223 —
780–798 792 3 295.00–300.00 $298.36 $2,363 —
815 815 2 335.00 $335.00 $2,730 —
945 945 1 319.00 $319.00 $3,015 —
970–973 973 6 311.00–314.00 $311.50 $3,031 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1005–1025 1017 3 282.50–287.50 $285.01 $2,899 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
701 701 29 356.00 $356.00 $2,496 —
808–834 827 41 325.00–337.50 $329.83 $2,728 +6.64
846 846 11 322.00 $322.00 $2,724 -1.19
857–860 858 11 320.00–333.00 $322.37 $2,766 +14.07
859–875 871 28 315.00–316.00 $315.18 $2,745 +6.88
924 924 23 312.75 $312.75 $2,890 +20.95
913–948 932 148 305.00–313.00 $309.42 $2,884 +17.62
953–990 968 135 304.00–311.00 $308.13 $2,983 +19.89
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1003–1048 1020 51 290.00–300.50 $295.89 $3,018 —
1053–1063 1059 13 281.00–290.00 $284.44 $3,012 +21.01
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
940 940 2 295.00–296.00 $295.50 $2,778 —
965–995 986 38 292.00–298.00 $294.52 $2,904 —
996 996 12 284.00 $284.00 $2,829 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1025 1025 2 275.00 $275.00 $2,819 —
1073–1096 1080 22 272.00–279.50 $277.29 $2,995 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1322–1623 1419 80-85% 15 141.00–155.50 $150.57 $2,137 —
1300–1580 1424 80-85% 7 122.00–137.50 $127.85 $1,821 —
1360–1630 1576 80-85% 11 144.00–152.50 $151.58 $2,389 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1413 1413 75-80% 6 164.00 $164.00 $2,317 —
1425 1425 75-80% 1 157.00 $157.00 $2,237 —
1410–1533 1515 75-80% 7 148.50–150.00 $148.70 $2,253 —
1700 1700 75-80% 1 144.50 $144.50 $2,456 —
1655–1785 1720 75-80% 2 132.50–138.00 $135.15 $2,325 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1085–1345 1208 85-90% 3 130.00–135.00 $132.39 $1,599 -9.78
1075–1355 1214 85-90% 8 115.00–120.00 $116.64 $1,416 -25.53
1295–1310 1302 85-90% 3 105.00–107.50 $106.67 $1,389 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1200–1490 1380 5 192.00–205.00 $198.77 $2,743 —
1520 1520 1 172.50 $172.50 $2,622 +1.05
1550–2040 1820 39 172.00–182.50 $175.41 $3,192 -5.87
1450–2300 1824 38 160.00–171.00 $166.13 $3,030 -15.15

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1245–1384 1356 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 175.00–188.00 $185.61 $2,517

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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.