Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2020-12-15
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-12-15

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. All steer calves under 500 lbs sold steady to 10.00 higher, steers 500-599 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher; steers over 600 lbs sold steady. Yearling heifers sold steady to 3.00 higher. Heifer calves sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower on all weight classes. Quality this week was average to attractive, however not as attractive as last week. Demand was light to moderate this week and uneven at times. Heifers suitable to run on grass was not as strong this week, however this class of feeders continue to sell with the best demand. Market activity this week was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for heavy offerings. Packer buyers purchased slaughter cows on lighter demand than last week, and opted to send most offerings to feed. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-2.00 lower on all classes. Feeding cows sold steady to firm. Cow quality this week was average to attractive. Many very thin cows Continue to be offered. Many of these offerings are purchased for short term feed as long as they are sound and look strong enough to feed. Slaughter bulls were scarcely tested this week as most offerings sold to feeding buyers. Bulls sold 4.00-5.00 higher than last week. Weigh up conditions on cows and bulls were mixed this week. 2 year old to young age cows sold mostly 4.00-6.00 higher. Several groups of one iron 2 year old cows sold this week. These offerings sold on mostly good demand. Quality was mostly average to attractive.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $176.06/cwt on 1,231 head.

Average price

$176.06

1,231 head · 500 lb average

Value per head Derived

$880

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$32

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$20.08/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+9.00

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	498	177.73	885	1,095
Medium and Large 1-2	469	171.59	806	49
Large 1	541	157.64	853	87

One grade step is worth $20.08/cwt here — about $32 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 sale1,231 hd

176.06

—

MT average3 barns · 3,829 hd

167.06

+9.00

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	1,600	80.60	1,290	17
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,682	57.26	963	4thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,318	56.40	743	102
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,153	45.65	526	263

Every lot, as filed

77 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	—	—	1,665	77.50/cwt	77.50–77.50	1,290	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,624	81.34/cwt	79.00–82.00	1,321	14
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,403	77.00/cwt	77.00–77.00	1,080	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,314	57.07/cwt	54.50–60.50	750	96
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,135	43.51/cwt	41.00–48.00	494	86
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,065	38.05/cwt	34.00–38.50	405	38
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	467	156.68/cwt	147.00–163.50	732	113
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	851	130.75/cwt	130.75–130.75	1,113	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	512	144.90/cwt	144.00–146.00	742	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	386	169.27/cwt	167.00–169.50	653	45
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	342	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	571	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	387	167.33/cwt	167.00–168.00	648	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	527	173.65/cwt	167.00–182.00	915	147
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	529	175.14/cwt	170.00–176.00	926	139
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	855	65.00/cwt	65.00–65.00	556	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	418	166.30/cwt	158.00–170.00	695	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	743	132.25/cwt	132.25–132.25	983	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	481	176.07/cwt	174.00–177.50	847	98
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	425	184.84/cwt	181.00–187.00	786	43
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	592	152.50/cwt	152.50–152.50	903	49
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	469	151.81/cwt	149.50–155.00	712	52
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	913	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	1,123	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	430	162.63/cwt	158.00–165.00	699	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	667	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	827	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	622	150.26/cwt	145.00–152.00	935	53
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	467	187.97/cwt	175.00–191.00	878	104
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	386	196.45/cwt	195.00–202.00	758	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	523	153.78/cwt	144.00–158.50	804	75
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	563	141.97/cwt	136.00–144.50	799	38
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	337	209.90/cwt	205.00–211.00	707	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	619	148.52/cwt	144.00–153.50	919	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	372	188.44/cwt	182.00–195.00	701	51
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Natural	—	463	162.59/cwt	161.00–169.50	753	110
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	478	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	688	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	842	131.20/cwt	127.00–133.00	1,105	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	440	182.00/cwt	182.00–182.00	801	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	358	168.00/cwt	168.00–168.00	601	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	767	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	989	9
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,682	57.26/cwt	56.50–57.50	963	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,218	53.39/cwt	51.00–56.50	650	64
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	913	35.44/cwt	34.00–37.50	324	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	981	40.85/cwt	40.00–42.50	401	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,005	52.00/cwt	52.00–52.00	523	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,345	46.20/cwt	44.00–48.50	621	2
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	528	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	850	61
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,196	46.21/cwt	40.00–47.50	553	64
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	565	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	735	4
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	549	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	802	14
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	436	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	698	7
Heifers	Large 1	—	585	131.50/cwt	131.50–131.50	769	7
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,163	790.26/cwt	725.00–835.00	9,191	67
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,398	45.50/cwt	45.50–45.50	636	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	988	49.90/cwt	48.00–51.00	493	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,023	71.60/cwt	48.50–80.00	732	23
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	417	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	626	3
Heifers	Medium 1	—	405	158.50/cwt	158.50–158.50	642	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	487	170.50/cwt	170.50–170.50	830	5
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	622	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	908	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	708	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	892	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	435	151.38/cwt	151.00–153.50	659	25
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	865	87.35/cwt	60.50–94.25	756	152
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	754	74.00/cwt	74.00–74.00	558	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	367	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	569	24
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,133	576.40/cwt	550.00–610.00	6,531	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	563	133.61/cwt	132.00–135.00	752	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	496	173.00/cwt	173.00–173.00	858	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	335	186.50/cwt	186.50–186.50	625	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	614	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	872	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	797	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	996	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	515	139.50/cwt	139.50–139.50	718	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	421	198.41/cwt	186.00–209.50	835	162
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	442	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	676	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	553	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	730	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	529	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	725	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	333	214.00/cwt	214.00–214.00	713	31
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	537	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	870	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	581	161.29/cwt	151.00–168.00	937	161

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 →