Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2020-03-24
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-03-24

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: Steers 450-699 lbs sold steady to 10.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Feeder heifers under 500 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed, 500-549 lbs heifers sold generally steady in a narrow comparison, heifers over 550 lbs sold mostly 4.00-8.00 higher. Quality this week was average to attractive. Demand was mostly moderate to good. Demand for grass cattle improved slightly as CME positions have pushed higher in recent days. Live cattle prices have pushed significantly higher driven mostly by significantly higher retail demand and boxed beef prices. Market activity this sale was moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light offerings. Packers continue to show very good demand for cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold mostly 5.00-7.00 higher on lean cows all other classes of slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Feeding cow demand was mostly good this sale as feeders pushed packer buyers on fleshy high quality offerings. Feeding cows were too lightly tested to trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or re-breed were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $170.18/cwt on 381 head.

Average price

$170.18

381 head · 583 lb average

Value per head Derived

$992

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$44

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$29.52/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+1.57

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	580	171.77	995	345
Medium and Large 1-2	537	164.14	881	21
Large 1	731	142.25	1,040	15thin

One grade step is worth $29.52/cwt here — about −$44 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 sale381 hd

170.18

—

MT average3 barns · 430 hd

168.61

+1.57

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	1,562	81.14	1,267	15
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,548	70.81	1,096	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,417	66.40	941	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,134	60.69	688	35

Every lot, as filed

41 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	Medium and Large 1-2	—	940	87.00/cwt	87.00–87.00	818	1
Bulls	—	—	1,516	78.08/cwt	71.00–80.50	1,184	9
Bulls	—	—	1,630	85.72/cwt	79.00–91.00	1,397	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,420	62.58/cwt	61.00–64.00	889	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,416	67.35/cwt	64.00–70.50	954	8
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	765	81.00/cwt	81.00–81.00	620	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	880	64.00/cwt	64.00–64.00	563	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	564	159.73/cwt	156.50–162.50	901	15
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,348	1,205.95/cwt	1,150.00–1,300.00	16,256	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,330	65.50/cwt	65.50–65.50	871	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,418	68.00/cwt	68.00–68.00	964	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,035	80.24/cwt	71.00–93.00	830	21
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	997	72.47/cwt	67.50–80.00	723	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	579	167.85/cwt	167.50–173.00	972	76
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	529	182.32/cwt	182.00–185.00	964	106
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	626	167.22/cwt	152.00–167.50	1,047	106
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	495	184.75/cwt	184.75–184.75	915	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	682	147.25/cwt	146.50–154.00	1,004	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	412	186.00/cwt	186.00–186.00	766	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	562	157.99/cwt	154.00–159.00	888	97
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	533	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	821	4
Steers	Large 1	—	731	142.25/cwt	142.25–142.25	1,040	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	448	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	840	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	640	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	979	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	470	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	799	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	429	178.89/cwt	172.00–183.50	767	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	665	137.15/cwt	136.50–144.50	912	37
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	624	144.36/cwt	144.00–145.00	901	51
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	685	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	884	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	396	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	693	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	542	156.50/cwt	156.50–156.50	848	64
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,700	66.50/cwt	66.50–66.50	1,131	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,534	71.20/cwt	70.25–72.00	1,092	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,190	51.75/cwt	51.50–52.00	616	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,242	67.88/cwt	67.00–68.50	843	9
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,143	59.91/cwt	55.00–63.25	685	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	465	167.87/cwt	167.50–169.00	781	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,248	850.00/cwt	850.00–850.00	10,608	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	830	44.00/cwt	44.00–44.00	365	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	945	57.45/cwt	56.00–60.00	543	5
Bulls	Large 1-2	—	1,050	84.50/cwt	84.50–84.50	887	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 →