Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2020-10-06
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-10-06

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: The best test for yearling steers was for 700-749 lbs which sold fully steady. All other weights were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Unweaned steer calves were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however mostly lower undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers 700-899 lbs sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher, heavier weights of yearling heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, lower undertones were noticed. Unweaned calves were too lightly tested either this sale or last to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Demand for yearlings was mostly moderate while demand for calves was mostly light to moderate. Quality this week was average to attractive on all feeders on offer. Both calves and yearlings were coming out of dry country and were in light flesh. Buyers showed mostly significantly lighter demand for calves without preconditioning shots. CME positions were sharply lower today as all contracts saw triple digit losses. Market activity was mostly moderate today. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher, with the best demand seen for boning and breaking flesh cows. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 1.00 lower. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average this week on both cows and bulls. Many cows were in very light flesh as most were coming out of dry country. 2-3 year old cows suitable to rebreed sold on good to very good demand. Many sets of thin fleshed young age cows sold sharply higher this week. Quality was average to attractive.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $160.04/cwt on 606 head.

Average price

$160.04

606 head · 576 lb average

Value per head Derived

$921

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$334

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

$36.36/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+3.46

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	578	160.86	930	546
Medium 1	482	157.60	760	29
Large 1	460	156.00	718	5thin
Medium and Large 1-2	548	152.75	837	20
Large 1-2	1,015	124.50	1,264	6thin

One grade step is worth $36.36/cwt here — about −$334 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 sale606 hd

160.04

—

MT average3 barns · 2,078 hd

156.58

+3.46

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	1,763	75.45	1,330	40
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,537	69.96	1,075	31
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,360	62.51	850	62
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,173	55.06	646	166

Every lot, as filed

73 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	—	—	1,830	72.30/cwt	64.00–75.50	1,323	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,390	52.97/cwt	50.50–55.50	736	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,057	47.31/cwt	47.25–48.50	500	21
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,425	47.50/cwt	47.50–47.50	677	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,292	64.30/cwt	64.00–67.00	831	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,378	69.48/cwt	68.00–70.50	957	15
Bulls	—	—	1,943	79.76/cwt	79.50–80.00	1,550	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	818	45.00/cwt	45.00–45.00	368	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,358	56.62/cwt	53.50–60.00	769	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,172	51.04/cwt	48.00–55.00	598	9
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,208	61.44/cwt	58.00–68.50	742	35
Bulls	—	—	1,979	76.97/cwt	75.50–79.00	1,523	9
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,228	60.00/cwt	60.00–60.00	737	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,495	59.50/cwt	59.50–59.50	890	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,526	77.06/cwt	75.50–79.00	1,176	15
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,609	71.82/cwt	71.00–72.50	1,156	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	332	168.45/cwt	168.00–168.50	559	27
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	312	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	543	5
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	365	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	555	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	829	136.44/cwt	134.00–140.00	1,131	47
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	460	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	718	5
Steers	Large 1-2	—	1,015	124.50/cwt	124.50–124.50	1,264	6
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	323	146.50/cwt	146.50–146.50	473	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	473	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	667	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	597	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	872	10
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	859	79.12/cwt	73.00–82.00	680	4
Heifers	Medium 1	—	618	142.50/cwt	142.50–142.50	881	10
Steers	Medium 1	—	758	139.50/cwt	139.50–139.50	1,057	9
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	374	163.00/cwt	163.00–163.00	610	15
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,195	69.50/cwt	69.50–69.50	831	33
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	850	80.00/cwt	80.00–80.00	680	11
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	929	86.76/cwt	60.00–104.75	806	124
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	633	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	798	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	364	172.50/cwt	172.50–172.50	628	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	386	177.00/cwt	177.00–177.00	683	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	739	141.71/cwt	139.00–142.00	1,047	73
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	942	93.66/cwt	68.50–105.00	882	68
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	376	177.53/cwt	177.00–178.00	668	13
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,278	860.00/cwt	860.00–860.00	10,991	33
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,112	710.00/cwt	710.00–710.00	7,895	12
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,103	61.00/cwt	61.00–61.00	673	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	935	136.25/cwt	134.00–136.75	1,274	16
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,108	80.50/cwt	80.50–80.50	892	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	790	140.86/cwt	139.00–141.25	1,113	33
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	261	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	574	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	947	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	1,174	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	957	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,196	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	605	151.95/cwt	150.00–152.00	919	46
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	372	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	580	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	309	202.49/cwt	197.50–205.00	626	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	463	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	759	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Natural	—	463	180.25/cwt	180.25–180.25	835	88
Steers	Medium and Large 1Natural	—	528	163.25/cwt	163.25–163.25	862	56
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	553	136.50/cwt	136.50–136.50	755	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	694	152.75/cwt	152.75–152.75	1,060	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	440	174.86/cwt	173.00–177.50	769	32
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	923	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	1,181	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	529	142.73/cwt	137.50–145.00	755	154
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	581	149.02/cwt	146.00–154.00	866	49
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,338	63.77/cwt	58.00–67.50	853	28
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,442	68.43/cwt	68.00–69.00	987	14
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,635	69.26/cwt	69.00–70.00	1,132	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	779	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	1,044	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	535	158.37/cwt	154.00–159.50	847	110
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,983	71.04/cwt	69.00–73.50	1,409	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,189	54.78/cwt	48.00–60.00	651	79
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,096	44.61/cwt	42.00–46.50	489	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	791	144.25/cwt	144.25–144.25	1,141	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	741	152.35/cwt	152.35–152.35	1,129	82
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	612	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	869	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	594	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	737	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	879	133.89/cwt	129.50–135.25	1,177	44
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	449	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	678	14

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 →