Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2020-10-13
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-10-13

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady undertones were noticed. Unweaned steer calves sold mostly 3.00-6.00 higher. Unweaned heifers 500-549 lbs sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower, all other weights of heifer calves were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Quality on yearlings was mostly average, while quality on calves was average to very attractive. Demand for both yearlings and calves was mostly moderate. Both calves and yearlings were coming out of dry country and were in very light to light flesh. Preconditioned calves with fall vaccinations sold with the best demand. Market activity was mostly active today with a large crowd and many buyers ringside bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for moderate offerings. Cow quality this week was mostly plain to average and significantly lower than last week. Many cows were very thin as both poor range conditions and suckling calves combined to pull cows' body condition scores lower. Many cows selling this week were shells and buyers did not want to risk feeding this type offering. Feeding cows sold unevenly steady. Breaking flesh cows continue to sell with the best demand. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 lower, however on a dressed basis cows sold near steady as yielding conditions were significantly lower this week compared to last. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 higher as feeding buyers pushed packers over limited offerings. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average this week on both cows and bulls. 2-3 year old cows suitable to rebreed sold sharply lower this week. Quality was plain to average with many very thin cows on offer this week.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $163.96/cwt on 1,274 head.

Average price

$163.96

1,274 head · 512 lb average

Value per head Derived

$840

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$36

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$14.78/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+7.33

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	510	165.37	844	1,113
Medium and Large 2	402	156.77	630	13thin
Medium and Large 1-2	535	154.72	828	121
Large 1	537	150.59	808	27

One grade step is worth $14.78/cwt here — about $36 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 sale1,274 hd

163.96

—

MT average5 barns · 3,040 hd

156.63

+7.33

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	1,756	75.58	1,327	33
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,795	69.20	1,242	5thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,367	58.37	798	73
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,145	49.54	567	228

Every lot, as filed

78 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 1Unweaned	—	559	136.75/cwt	136.75–136.75	764	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	376	155.12/cwt	154.00–156.50	583	90
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	472	170.23/cwt	165.00–178.50	803	320
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	659	145.17/cwt	145.00–145.50	957	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	505	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	833	50
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	398	168.00/cwt	168.00–168.00	669	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	434	178.43/cwt	175.00–180.00	774	134
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	934	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,214	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	332	156.50/cwt	156.50–156.50	520	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	591	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	916	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	477	144.62/cwt	140.50–152.00	690	176
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	608	142.42/cwt	139.00–144.50	866	50
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	339	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	636	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	849	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,104	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	714	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	1,085	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	674	155.75/cwt	155.75–155.75	1,050	26
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	786	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	1,148	31
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	570	153.31/cwt	150.00–155.00	874	167
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	843	133.50/cwt	133.50–133.50	1,125	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	437	151.01/cwt	149.75–156.00	660	170
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	437	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	721	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	779	130.45/cwt	130.00–131.00	1,016	9
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	946	86.68/cwt	64.00–102.00	820	91
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	520	139.84/cwt	135.50–140.50	727	173
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	429	178.00/cwt	178.00–178.00	764	20
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	560	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	829	17
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	497	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	770	10
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	363	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	541	7
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,002	122.75/cwt	122.75–122.75	1,230	5
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,143	114.50/cwt	114.50–114.50	1,309	2
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	481	126.81/cwt	124.00–136.00	610	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	758	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	1,008	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	372	179.99/cwt	174.00–187.00	670	55
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	492	138.75/cwt	138.75–138.75	683	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	537	150.40/cwt	148.00–153.50	808	48
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	430	166.48/cwt	161.00–173.00	716	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	522	163.17/cwt	156.00–168.00	852	194
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	475	160.39/cwt	160.00–164.50	762	33
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	435	142.91/cwt	141.00–146.00	622	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	927	124.50/cwt	124.50–124.50	1,154	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	742	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	1,068	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	332	208.07/cwt	207.50–210.00	691	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	823	137.76/cwt	137.50–138.00	1,134	13
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	957	1,225.00/cwt	1,225.00–1,225.00	11,723	11
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	949	68.06/cwt	59.00–74.00	646	15
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	830	73.08/cwt	64.00–77.00	607	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	267	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	387	7
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	381	170.50/cwt	170.50–170.50	650	6
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	420	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	609	7
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	420	145.50/cwt	145.50–145.50	611	12
Heifers	Medium 1	—	642	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	847	5
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	656	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	833	11
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,224	51.87/cwt	46.00–58.00	635	21
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	996	71.42/cwt	61.50–84.00	711	87
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,039	55.00/cwt	55.00–55.00	571	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,196	55.94/cwt	52.00–63.00	669	67
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,215	51.23/cwt	49.50–53.50	622	9
Bulls	—	—	1,915	75.00/cwt	75.00–75.00	1,436	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,771	79.30/cwt	74.50–81.50	1,404	17
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,372	59.71/cwt	55.00–63.50	819	55
Bulls	—	—	1,735	78.00/cwt	78.00–78.00	1,353	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,760	71.16/cwt	71.00–71.50	1,252	3
Bulls	—Natural	—	1,520	78.00/cwt	78.00–78.00	1,186	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	2,110	73.00/cwt	73.00–73.00	1,540	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,311	64.37/cwt	64.00–65.00	844	4
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,700	82.00/cwt	82.00–82.00	1,394	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,180	67.50/cwt	67.50–67.50	797	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,585	59.50/cwt	59.50–59.50	943	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,131	48.53/cwt	47.00–52.00	549	88
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,312	52.42/cwt	51.00–53.00	688	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	963	42.70/cwt	41.00–44.50	411	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,126	46.60/cwt	45.50–49.00	525	25
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,411	50.37/cwt	48.00–53.50	711	7
Bulls	—	—	1,840	69.42/cwt	58.00–73.00	1,277	9
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,475	69.39/cwt	65.00–73.00	1,024	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,052	43.04/cwt	42.50–44.50	453	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	963	37.19/cwt	35.00–42.00	358	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,163	41.56/cwt	35.00–44.50	483	16

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 →