Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2020-06-16
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-06-16

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were both too lightly tested this sale to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain and offered in mostly small packages, or as singles. Demand was mostly light for light offerings. CME positions showed positive movement today as triple digit gains were seen on all contract months. Market activity was slow. Weigh up cows comprised the majority of the sale again this week. Ranchers continue to sell cull cows as branding season is beginning to wrap up. Cow quality this week was average to very attractive. Weigh up conditions were mixed. However, buyers showed good demand for cows offering above average weigh conditions. Demand for cows this week started the sale light to moderate, however by late morning demand improved drastically and ended the sale mostly moderate to good. Slaughter and feeding cows both sold unevenly steady as a result from 2.00 lower to 2.00 higher on all classes and ages. Slaughter bulls sold steady to weak. Young age cows suitable to feed or re-breed sold mostly 5.00-10.00 lower. Fewer and fewer re-breed buyers are left in the market and young age cows continue to slide lower as a result. Demand for large frame young cows remains good. Young cow quality this week was mostly average.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $132.08/cwt on 108 head.

Average price

$132.08

108 head · 654 lb average

Value per head Derived

$864

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$220

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

$2.87/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−15.53

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 2	505	134.47	680	18thin
Medium and Large 1-2	683	131.60	899	90

One grade step is worth $2.87/cwt here — about −$220 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 sale108 hd

132.08

—

MT average3 barns · 559 hd

147.62

−15.53

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	1,857	85.27	1,584	35
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,387	64.90	900	53
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	Average	1,634	64.83	1,060	39
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,685	64.31	1,084	14
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,236	58.55	723	161

Every lot, as filed

36 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	—	1,032	80.00/cwt	80.00–80.00	826	5
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	400	147.50/cwt	147.50–147.50	590	11
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	671	114.00/cwt	114.00–114.00	765	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	746	134.79/cwt	131.00–135.25	1,006	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	775	121.68/cwt	118.50–130.00	943	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	942	107.50/cwt	107.50–107.50	1,013	12
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,205	68.98/cwt	63.50–80.00	831	103
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,065	63.42/cwt	62.50–65.00	675	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,004	80.04/cwt	66.00–94.00	804	57
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,437	65.97/cwt	61.50–71.00	948	257
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,155	56.50/cwt	56.50–56.50	653	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	610	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	775	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	980	63.50/cwt	63.50–63.50	622	1
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,140	76.50/cwt	76.50–76.50	872	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,315	63.12/cwt	59.50–67.00	830	25
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	1,631	64.97/cwt	64.50–67.50	1,060	38
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,232	61.26/cwt	58.00–64.50	755	82
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,609	63.99/cwt	63.00–66.50	1,030	7
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,740	61.25/cwt	58.50–62.50	1,066	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,255	66.73/cwt	65.00–68.50	837	2
Bulls	—	—	2,043	91.85/cwt	89.00–95.50	1,876	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,449	69.79/cwt	68.00–73.50	1,011	20
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,778	67.18/cwt	66.00–67.50	1,194	4
Bulls	—	—	1,925	85.62/cwt	82.00–90.50	1,648	17
Bulls	—	—	1,587	75.83/cwt	70.00–79.00	1,203	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	880	52.00/cwt	52.00–52.00	458	1
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,190	79.00/cwt	79.00–79.00	940	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,457	58.22/cwt	58.00–58.25	848	8
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	1,760	59.50/cwt	59.50–59.50	1,047	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,247	55.39/cwt	51.00–59.50	691	75
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,413	63.30/cwt	58.00–66.00	894	72
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,374	1,825.00/cwt	1,825.00–1,825.00	25,076	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	648	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	855	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	595	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	827	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	507	141.50/cwt	141.50–141.50	717	33
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	664	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	803	12

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 →