Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2019-10-01
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2019-10-01

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Feeder heifers 800-899 lbs sold mostly steady to 4.00 higher, 900-1049 lbs heifers sold mostly 1.00-2.00 lower. Quality was average to attractive. Demand this week was mostly moderate to good for light offerings. Heavy rain fell across much of the eastern half of the state over the weekend which led to some canceled consignments and lightened offerings this sale. Market activity was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand this week. All three packers continue to purchase cows on good demand as they search for cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher this week on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested to trend. Cows were very full this week as a change in weather had all cows pushing excess fill. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 1.00-2.00 higher. Bull quality this week was mostly plain with many lighter weight, low dressing bulls in the sale. Cow quality was mixed this week from plain to attractive. Young age cows suitable to re-breed were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. A full dispersion of ewes were on offer this sale. These offerings sold on mostly very good demand. Market activity was active with many ranchers in the stands.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $135.20/cwt on 260 head.

Average price

$135.20

260 head · 866 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,171

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$231

per head · Medium 1 over Large 1

$13.65/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+0.58

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	752	136.50	1,026	17thin
Medium and Large 1	873	136.07	1,188	210
Medium and Large 1-2	823	134.28	1,105	14thin
Medium 1-2	692	130.00	900	6thin
Large 1	1,024	122.85	1,258	13thin

One grade step is worth $13.65/cwt here — about −$231 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 0–100 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 0–100 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale260 hd

135.20

—

MT average3 barns · 910 hd

134.62

+0.58

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	1,737	76.15	1,323	31
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,681	67.83	1,140	6thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,471	63.43	933	23
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,219	61.69	752	33

Every lot, as filed

32 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
Bulls	Large 1-2	—	1,025	82.00/cwt	82.00–82.00	841	1
Heifers	Large 1Fleshy	—	1,030	122.50/cwt	122.50–122.50	1,262	10
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,003	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	1,244	3
Heifers	Medium 1	—	752	136.50/cwt	136.50–136.50	1,026	17
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	692	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	900	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	847	130.50/cwt	130.50–130.50	1,105	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	893	130.50/cwt	130.50–130.50	1,165	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	993	121.50/cwt	121.50–121.50	1,206	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	962	127.42/cwt	126.25–128.50	1,226	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	870	137.23/cwt	136.00–138.00	1,194	26
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	918	131.45/cwt	128.50–133.00	1,207	48
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	822	141.52/cwt	138.50–142.00	1,163	98
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	850	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	1,122	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	818	134.66/cwt	134.00–135.00	1,102	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	883	133.90/cwt	133.50–134.50	1,182	5
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	937	1,175.00/cwt	1,175.00–1,175.00	11,010	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,347	67.02/cwt	66.00–67.50	903	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,173	66.96/cwt	64.50–69.00	785	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,120	59.49/cwt	58.50–60.50	666	2
Bulls	—	—	1,941	80.16/cwt	77.00–83.50	1,556	8
Bulls	—	—	1,649	73.97/cwt	67.00–77.50	1,220	21
Bulls	—Natural	—	1,755	84.00/cwt	84.00–84.00	1,474	1
Bulls	—Natural	—	1,945	82.00/cwt	82.00–82.00	1,595	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,495	58.80/cwt	57.50–61.50	879	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,452	66.99/cwt	66.50–67.50	973	13
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	2,065	66.50/cwt	66.50–66.50	1,373	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,598	67.25/cwt	67.00–67.50	1,075	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Natural	—	1,630	71.50/cwt	71.50–71.50	1,165	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,245	50.00/cwt	50.00–50.00	623	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,228	57.61/cwt	51.00–62.00	707	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,230	64.65/cwt	62.50–67.00	795	20
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	870	59.00/cwt	59.00–59.00	513	1

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 →