Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2020-11-17
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-11-17

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Moderate to good demand was seen for yearlings this week. Unweaned steer calves under 400 lbs were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, steady to weak undertones were noticed; 400-549 lbs unweaned steers sold steady to 2.00 higher; unweaned steers 550 lbs and heavier sold steady to 3.00 lower. Unweaned heifers under 450 lbs sold 5.00-10.00 higher; 450-599 lbs unweaned heifers sold unevenly steady from 3.00 lower to 5.00 higher; unweaned heifers over 600 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Quality this week was outstanding with many long strings of attractive to very attractive calves. Demand was good and unwavering throughout todays very long sale which stretched well into the evening. Many load lots of fresh, clean calves were seen this sale and most calves were offered with fall preconditioning shots. Market activity was mostly active this week with a full house of ranchers and order buyers actively bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for heavy offerings. Packers showed stronger demand for slaughter cows this week, opting to send most offerings directly to slaughter instead of feed. While cow prices overall were steady with last week, the purpose they were purchased for changed. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. Feeding cows sold steady to weak. Quality this week was mostly average and many thin cows continue to be marketed. Ranchers looking for cows to pregnancy test and feed help support a small portion of the cow market this week. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady. A higher quality bull offering was seen this week. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold 3.00-5.00 higher. Demand for these offerings was mostly good with several buyers in the market this week looking for this class of cow. Quality was mostly average.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $168.35/cwt on 2,843 head.

Average price

$168.35

2,843 head · 509 lb average

Value per head Derived

$857

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$250

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

$28.81/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+4.96

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	511	168.81	863	2,569
Medium and Large 1-2	495	165.54	819	238
Large 1	484	161.00	779	24
Medium and Large 2	438	140.00	613	12thin

One grade step is worth $28.81/cwt here — about $250 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 sale2,843 hd

168.35

—

MT average5 barns · 7,425 hd

163.39

+4.96

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	1,635	73.25	1,197	40
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,513	62.50	946	3thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,377	54.68	753	40
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,153	46.87	541	402

Every lot, as filed

76 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 1-2Unweaned	—	435	149.86/cwt	149.00–152.50	652	113
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	765	127.82/cwt	127.50–129.00	978	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	636	128.30/cwt	128.00–131.00	816	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	441	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	701	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	527	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	838	88
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	770	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	1,078	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	316	153.36/cwt	150.00–155.00	485	55
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	596	123.31/cwt	122.00–125.00	735	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	704	131.50/cwt	131.50–131.50	926	39
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	627	142.62/cwt	138.00–145.00	894	34
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	371	171.72/cwt	164.00–174.00	637	190
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	481	151.41/cwt	147.00–158.75	728	178
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	529	164.30/cwt	160.50–167.00	869	675
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	296	221.00/cwt	221.00–221.00	654	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	783	132.50/cwt	132.50–132.50	1,037	27
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	457	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	740	60
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	401	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	682	11
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	632	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	815	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	571	153.13/cwt	146.50–157.50	874	601
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	473	178.56/cwt	166.00–182.50	845	451
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	952	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,190	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	592	157.01/cwt	150.50–157.25	929	82
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	346	207.55/cwt	200.00–218.00	718	24
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	311	174.76/cwt	174.00–175.00	544	27
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	577	135.84/cwt	134.00–140.00	784	58
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	827	131.07/cwt	129.00–131.50	1,084	36
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	670	138.76/cwt	137.00–143.00	930	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	515	148.52/cwt	142.00–152.00	765	392
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	442	183.00/cwt	183.00–183.00	809	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	907	125.75/cwt	125.75–125.75	1,141	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	707	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	969	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	513	163.95/cwt	161.50–164.50	841	98
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	967	83.83/cwt	68.00–95.00	811	61
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,057	65.50/cwt	65.50–65.50	692	6
Heifers	Medium 1	—	725	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	892	4
Heifers	Medium 1	—	639	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	888	33
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	484	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	779	24
Heifers	Large 1	—	802	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,003	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,147	44.73/cwt	41.00–48.00	513	155
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,194	47.82/cwt	44.00–50.00	571	66
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	936	35.35/cwt	34.00–41.00	331	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,085	37.50/cwt	34.00–40.00	407	31
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,578	72.52/cwt	71.50–73.50	1,144	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	935	37.88/cwt	34.00–47.00	354	21
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,513	62.50/cwt	62.00–63.50	946	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,376	56.64/cwt	50.50–59.00	779	32
Bulls	—	—	1,548	64.99/cwt	55.00–74.00	1,006	11
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,175	64.61/cwt	62.00–66.50	759	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,518	47.29/cwt	46.00–48.50	718	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,335	46.15/cwt	45.00–48.00	616	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	434	159.83/cwt	154.00–164.00	694	362
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	467	184.94/cwt	184.50–187.00	864	144
Bulls	—	—	1,720	82.51/cwt	82.00–83.00	1,419	2
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,738	77.78/cwt	75.00–80.50	1,352	22
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	990	49.50/cwt	49.50–49.50	490	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,247	48.01/cwt	47.00–51.00	599	15
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	438	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	613	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	383	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	571	33
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,350	49.50/cwt	49.50–49.50	668	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,201	54.34/cwt	49.50–59.00	653	107
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	526	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	815	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	485	158.12/cwt	156.00–164.00	767	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	685	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	904	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	474	138.58/cwt	124.00–146.50	657	77
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	1,094	48.00/cwt	48.00–48.00	525	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,004	72.41/cwt	53.00–81.00	727	78
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	729	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	1,064	62
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	324	187.41/cwt	185.00–192.00	607	26
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	426	172.54/cwt	170.00–175.00	735	58
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	364	177.37/cwt	176.00–184.00	646	54
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	510	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	617	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	422	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	654	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	380	149.39/cwt	144.00–161.00	568	76
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	431	185.01/cwt	179.75–189.00	797	243
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	383	197.35/cwt	192.50–199.00	756	134
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	704	140.69/cwt	138.00–141.00	990	19

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 →