Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2021-03-16
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-03-16

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Steers all sold steady to 3.00 higher, with the exception on 500-549 lbs which sold mostly 5.00-8.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Heifers under 450 lbs were too lightly tested either this week or last to develop an accurate market trend, however sharply higher undertones were noticed. 450-599 lbs heifers sold steady to 2.00 lower, heifers 600-699 lbs sold steady to 2.00 higher, heifers over 700 lbs were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, higher undertones were noticed on a much more attractive offering . Demand was mostly moderate this week with moderate to good demand seen at times. Quality was average to very attractive. Todays sale was the annual trailhead replacement heifer show and sale. A good crowd was on hand for todays sale. Several very attractive sets of heifers sold as replacements this week. Order buyers searching for fancy heifers suitable to run on grass competed with replacement buyers over offerings. Market activity was mostly active this week. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for light offerings. Feeding demand was moderate this week despite fewer feeding buyers were present. Feeing and slaughter cows both sold sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Cow and bull quality was mostly average this week. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 1.00-2.00 lower. 2 year old to young age cows sold mostly 2.00-5.00 lower. Moderate demand was seen this week for these offerings. Heavier supplies are starting to be seen around the area as ranchers are selling off any cows that lose calves due to high feed cost.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $151.51/cwt on 1,933 head.

Average price

$151.51

1,933 head · 586 lb average

Value per head Derived

$888

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$187

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

$26.22/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+1.02

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	487	156.22	761	92
Medium and Large 1	592	151.33	895	1,836
Medium 2	441	130.00	573	5thin

One grade step is worth $26.22/cwt here — about $187 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 sale1,933 hd

151.51

—

MT average3 barns · 3,227 hd

150.48

+1.02

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	1,735	80.87	1,403	51
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,692	59.39	1,005	4thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,425	59.38	846	26
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,173	51.65	606	50

Every lot, as filed

67 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	—	325	192.28/cwt	185.00–194.00	625	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	607	163.56/cwt	157.00–164.50	993	50
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	763	130.24/cwt	129.00–130.50	994	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	577	167.24/cwt	165.00–174.00	965	77
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	528	173.86/cwt	172.00–177.00	918	51
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	698	134.50/cwt	134.50–134.50	939	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	820	118.00/cwt	118.00–118.00	968	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	791	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	1,052	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	473	186.67/cwt	183.00–188.50	883	47
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	682	153.43/cwt	151.00–156.00	1,046	37
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	424	198.52/cwt	192.50–212.50	842	26
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	389	184.27/cwt	183.00–188.00	717	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	786	131.82/cwt	131.00–133.00	1,036	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	638	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	963	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	657	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	953	110
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	492	176.00/cwt	176.00–176.00	866	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	367	202.42/cwt	200.00–222.50	743	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	524	159.31/cwt	155.00–166.25	835	294
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	155	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	620	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	513	171.78/cwt	169.00–172.00	881	80
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	546	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	824	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	652	160.25/cwt	160.25–160.25	1,045	11
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	1,245	660.00/cwt	660.00–660.00	8,217	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	719	145.43/cwt	140.00–150.50	1,046	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	888	118.00/cwt	118.00–118.00	1,048	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	704	139.93/cwt	138.50–142.50	985	126
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	720	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	864	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,439	61.91/cwt	58.50–64.75	891	9
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,120	82.50/cwt	82.50–82.50	924	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,210	86.50/cwt	86.50–86.50	1,047	1
Bulls	—	—	1,799	82.87/cwt	80.50–86.50	1,491	20
Bulls	—	—	1,667	77.30/cwt	74.00–79.50	1,289	25
Bulls	—	—	2,126	91.43/cwt	89.00–95.50	1,944	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,605	61.75/cwt	60.50–63.00	991	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,355	60.00/cwt	60.00–60.00	813	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,317	56.81/cwt	55.00–58.00	748	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,533	61.02/cwt	58.00–63.50	935	4
Steers	Medium 1	—	537	167.91/cwt	165.00–173.00	902	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,149	59.14/cwt	58.00–60.50	680	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,401	57.22/cwt	54.00–58.00	802	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	870	42.00/cwt	42.00–42.00	365	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,187	51.91/cwt	49.00–56.50	616	38
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,118	45.24/cwt	41.00–48.50	506	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	994	57.00/cwt	57.00–57.00	567	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,778	57.04/cwt	56.00–58.00	1,014	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	934	82.80/cwt	82.00–85.00	773	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	900	98.36/cwt	85.00–105.00	885	17
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	915	87.00/cwt	87.00–87.00	796	1
Heifers	Medium 2	—	441	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	573	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	429	164.41/cwt	159.00–167.00	705	34
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,020	101.00/cwt	101.00–101.00	1,030	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	584	145.20/cwt	141.00–148.00	848	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	616	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	949	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	527	151.17/cwt	145.50–153.00	797	14
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,291	725.00/cwt	725.00–725.00	9,360	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	485	154.81/cwt	154.00–155.50	751	32
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,059	72.94/cwt	58.00–87.00	772	28
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	625	142.32/cwt	137.00–145.50	890	190
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	463	166.54/cwt	160.00–173.00	771	180
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	570	152.25/cwt	145.00–158.00	868	401
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	517	165.01/cwt	161.00–171.00	853	15
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	580	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	841	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	720	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	979	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	716	138.14/cwt	136.00–139.50	989	134
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	670	139.82/cwt	137.00–142.50	937	174
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	424	178.13/cwt	172.00–185.00	755	34
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	735	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	956	2

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 →