Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2020-01-14
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-01-14

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand for yearlings continues to be mostly good on light offerings. Steer calves weighing less than 500 lbs were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however lower undertones were noticed; 500-549 lbs steers sold mostly 10.00 higher, 550-649 lbs steers sold mostly 4.00-6.00 higher. Heifer calves weighing less than 450 lbs sold with steady undertones in a narrow comparison; 450-699 lbs heifers sold steady to 5.00 higher in a narrow comparison. The bulk of the offering this week were offered in load lots. Demand for load lots was good to very good as most calves were one iron home raised calves. Quality this week was mostly average to very attractive. Market activity was mostly active. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for moderate offerings. Feeding buyers were less aggressive this week and cow prices softened as a result. Packers continued to show light demand for slaughter cows. Lean cows sold mostly 4.00-5.00 lower. All other classes of cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower as fewer market participants were seen this week. Slaughter bulls sold 1.00-3.00 higher on stronger packer demand. A couple large consignments of coming 3 and coming 4 year old cows were seen this week. These consignments sold fully steady. However, most single and small consignment offerings sold with lower undertones. Offerings were average to attractive.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $173.88/cwt on 672 head.

Average price

$173.88

672 head · 557 lb average

Value per head Derived

$969

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$193

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 1

$44.66/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+3.03

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	551	175.16	966	633
Medium and Large 1-2	595	159.14	947	31
Medium 1	888	130.50	1,159	8thin

One grade step is worth $44.66/cwt here — about −$193 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 sale672 hd

173.88

—

MT average3 barns · 3,527 hd

170.85

+3.03

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	—	Low	1,836	75.74	1,390	16
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,725	54.41	939	3thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,433	45.01	645	4thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,162	42.25	491	42

Every lot, as filed

46 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
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	763	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	923	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	821	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	1,084	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	751	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	1,089	14
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	749	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	989	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	498	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	762	15
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	600	147.50/cwt	147.50–147.50	885	24
Bulls	—	—	1,707	66.46/cwt	63.00–69.00	1,134	3
Bulls	—	—	2,103	84.27/cwt	83.00–86.50	1,772	3
Bulls	—	—	1,794	75.96/cwt	73.50–77.50	1,363	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	609	166.69/cwt	157.00–167.25	1,015	95
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	506	189.62/cwt	178.00–191.00	959	146
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	966	88.40/cwt	53.00–121.00	854	149
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,254	51.85/cwt	48.00–56.00	650	42
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,347	55.61/cwt	51.50–60.00	749	106
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,020	61.00/cwt	61.00–61.00	622	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	744	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	1,071	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	572	167.19/cwt	165.50–173.00	956	282
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	673	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	1,016	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	437	197.50/cwt	197.50–197.50	863	35
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	303	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	651	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	398	201.00/cwt	201.00–201.00	800	41
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	415	170.89/cwt	169.00–171.50	709	68
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	478	161.10/cwt	157.00–162.00	770	158
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	907	129.50/cwt	129.50–129.50	1,175	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	478	174.01/cwt	172.00–175.00	832	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	625	153.10/cwt	152.50–155.00	957	12
Steers	Medium 1	—	888	130.50/cwt	130.50–130.50	1,159	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	980	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	1,264	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	511	154.21/cwt	151.00–155.00	788	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	569	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	859	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	605	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	811	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	365	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	584	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	602	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	861	48
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,253	30.46/cwt	27.50–34.00	382	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,215	57.84/cwt	56.50–58.50	703	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,271	49.16/cwt	47.00–52.00	625	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,153	40.39/cwt	35.00–45.50	466	23
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,725	54.41/cwt	52.50–55.50	939	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,433	45.01/cwt	44.00–46.00	645	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,195	44.30/cwt	39.50–47.50	529	40
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	1,018	45.50/cwt	45.50–45.50	463	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,185	52.00/cwt	52.00–52.00	616	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,183	48.10/cwt	45.50–50.00	569	20
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,391	785.00/cwt	785.00–785.00	10,919	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	980	27.00/cwt	27.00–27.00	265	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	929	40.07/cwt	35.00–43.50	372	4

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 →