Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2026-05-05
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-05-05

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week (4-28-26): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly good for light offerings. Most feeders were offered in moderate size groups this week. Quality this week was mostly average. Flesh conditions were ideal for buyers looking for cattle to run on grass this summer as most were in thin flesh and offered buyers very good weigh conditions. CME feeder cattle positions shot higher today as they piggybacked off higher live cattle contract prices. Feeder cattle contracts sold with strong 5.00 cwt or higher gains today for May 2026 through March 2027. A small crowd was on hand for todays sale, but buyers were a mix of order buyers and ranchers. Market activity was moderate to active this week. Weigh up cows sold on good demand for light offerings. Feeding cows sold on very good demand for all cows which would feed. Feeding cows sold steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Quality this week was mostly average and overall not as attractive as last week. Slaughter cows sold on good demand. A couple loads of fed cows were seen this week. Demand for fed cows was very good. Fed cows sold generally steady to firm. Weigh up conditions were better this week for fed cows compared to last week. Breaking, boning and lean slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 3.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bull quality this week was better than last week. Feeding type bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Young age cows sold mostly 10.00-12.00 higher on very good demand. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Replacement or turn out cows sold on very good demand and buyers were willing to take older offerings up to 7 years old to rebreed as cow supplies remain tight.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $486.23/cwt on 43 head, down $12.42 from the prior sale. That ranks 7 of 13 comparable sales and sits +0.00 against this barn's trailing median of $486.23.

Average price

$486.23

▼ 12.42 vs prior sale

43 head · 561 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,726

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$351

per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2

$83.14/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−17.97

vs MT average

−1.32 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	554	507.50	2,812	32
Medium and Large 2	580	424.36	2,461	11thin

One grade step is worth $83.14/cwt here — about $351 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 600–700 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

13 sales

Steers 500–600 lb: high $512.23, low $440.01, median $486.23 across 13 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale43 hd

486.23

—

MT average2 barns · 192 hd

504.21

−17.97

National average180 barns · 14,267 hd

487.55

−1.32

This barn, trailing median13 sales

486.23

+0.00

A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt

Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	Average	1,720	202.14	3,476	30
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,412	181.77	2,566	75
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,709	179.21	3,063	9thin
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	Low	1,827	179.01	3,271	89
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,127	150.10	1,692	20

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age

Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.

Class	Stage	Age	Avg wt	$/head	Head
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,215	$3,600	2thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,390	$3,300	6
Bred Heifers	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	1,043	$3,600	2thin

Every lot, as filed

53 lots · USDA AMS · Miles City Livestock Commission Auction - Miles City, MT

Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added.

Class	Grade / description	Weight	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,020	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	1,071	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,215	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	1,774	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	755	356.00/cwt	356.00–356.00	2,688	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	728	345.39/cwt	341.00–350.00	2,514	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	700–750	722	383.00/cwt	383.00–383.00	2,765	15
Heifers	Small and Medium 2	350–400	372	2,000.00/head	2,000.00–2,000.00	2,000	7
Steers	Small and Medium 2	400–450	409	2,000.00/head	2,000.00–2,000.00	2,000	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,111	133.80/cwt	120.00–140.00	1,487	6
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	1,833	152.37/cwt	150.00–155.00	2,793	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,117	155.91/cwt	150.00–164.00	1,742	8
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,855	182.50/cwt	182.50–182.50	3,385	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	803	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	2,409	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	550–600	554	507.50/cwt	507.50–507.50	2,812	32
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	600–650	613	475.00/cwt	475.00–475.00	2,912	51
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,161	260.23/cwt	193.00–322.50	3,021	56
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,345	204.06/cwt	197.50–220.00	2,745	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,390	3,300.00/head	3,300.00–3,300.00	3,300	6
Steers	Medium and Large 2Thin Fleshed	550–600	577	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	2,423	7
Steers	Medium and Large 2Thin Fleshed	350–400	376	540.00/cwt	540.00–540.00	2,030	4
Steers	Medium and Large 2Thin Fleshed	450–500	486	447.50/cwt	447.50–447.50	2,175	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	650–700	694	365.00/cwt	365.00–365.00	2,533	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	700–750	704	337.16/cwt	335.00–341.50	2,374	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	673	407.50/cwt	407.50–407.50	2,742	25
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,215	3,600.00/head	3,600.00–3,600.00	3,600	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,250	212.50/cwt	212.50–212.50	2,656	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2Thin Fleshed	650–700	658	377.50/cwt	377.50–377.50	2,484	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,024	262.50/cwt	262.50–262.50	2,688	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	650–700	681	445.00/cwt	445.00–445.00	3,030	28
Steers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	585	432.00/cwt	432.00–432.00	2,527	4
Bulls	Large 1	1050–1100	1,083	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	2,978	2
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	710	327.71/cwt	305.00–355.00	2,327	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,152	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	2,362	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,080	299.61/cwt	235.00–360.00	3,236	46
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	959	281.69/cwt	247.50–310.00	2,701	6
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,043	3,600.00/head	3,600.00–3,600.00	3,600	2
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,611	209.72/cwt	202.00–215.00	3,379	4
Bulls	—	—	1,845	211.00/cwt	211.00–211.00	3,893	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,397	153.45/cwt	150.00–158.00	2,144	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,455	181.35/cwt	175.00–185.00	2,639	21
Bulls	—	—	1,759	188.38/cwt	175.00–205.00	3,314	5
Bulls	—	—	2,063	232.39/cwt	225.00–236.50	4,794	3
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,383	171.71/cwt	160.00–185.00	2,375	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,636	177.57/cwt	172.00–180.00	2,905	6
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	1,823	179.67/cwt	175.00–180.00	3,275	86
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,370	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	2,569	1
Cows	Premium White 65-75%Heavy Weight	—	2,165	175.50/cwt	175.50–175.50	3,800	1
Bulls	—	—	1,836	210.40/cwt	202.00–220.00	3,863	9
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,531	190.17/cwt	180.00–195.00	2,912	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,175	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	1,927	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,298	144.05/cwt	130.00–157.00	1,870	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,177	179.00/cwt	177.00–182.00	2,107	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,400	189.20/cwt	185.00–193.00	2,649	42
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,391	161.38/cwt	153.00–167.00	2,245	7

How this sale compares

Montana weighted averages

One sale is one barn on one day. The state ladder is every Montana auction USDA reported that week, weighted by head — the fairer test of whether a lot sold well.

Montana feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →