Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2021-04-20
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-04-20

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Steers were all too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Heifers under 500 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Heifers weighing over 500 lbs sold mostly steady to 4.00 higher. Quality today was average to attractive and better overall than last week. Feeder cattle were offered in mostly moderate size packages this week, with one load lot of steers on offer. A heavy offering of cutting bulls were on offer today as several load lots were on offer. Bulls sold on good to very good demand as quality was mostly attractive. CME positions traded mostly higher today. The April contract closed at 137.575, 0.15 lower while the May contract closed 0.30 higher at 142.775. The deferred contracts August through the end of 2021 closed 1.25 to 1.75 higher. Market activity was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light offerings. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 lower. Feeding cows sold fully steady. Feeding buyers were less aggressive on older, thinner cows this week which allowed packers to buy slaughter cows steady to lower. High quality feeding cows continue to sell on good demand as both packer and feeding cow buyers bid aggressively over light offerings. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady. Very good demand was seen for a high quality reputation offering of 3 year old cows this week. Quality overall was average.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $152.88/cwt on 703 head.

Average price

$152.88

703 head · 619 lb average

Value per head Derived

$946

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$60

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

$13.35/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+4.51

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	617	153.85	950	652
Medium and Large 1-2	634	140.50	890	51

One grade step is worth $13.35/cwt here — about $60 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 sale703 hd

152.88

—

MT average3 barns · 4,159 hd

148.37

+4.51

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	1,775	86.23	1,531	15
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,530	70.08	1,072	9thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,406	67.40	947	46
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,164	63.37	737	78

Every lot, as filed

69 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	—	622	154.51/cwt	145.00–159.00	961	280
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	479	158.00/cwt	158.00–158.00	757	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	579	171.35/cwt	170.00–173.00	992	19
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,345	1,100.00/cwt	1,100.00–1,100.00	14,795	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	452	172.00/cwt	172.00–172.00	777	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	618	169.87/cwt	162.00–172.00	1,050	64
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	825	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	1,106	26
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	661	152.89/cwt	149.50–154.00	1,011	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	510	173.62/cwt	171.00–174.00	885	43
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	445	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	734	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	670	159.09/cwt	158.00–160.00	1,066	13
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	735	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	978	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	765	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	1,017	15
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	75	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	113	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	484	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	876	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	723	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	947	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	733	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	1,056	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	760	135.50/cwt	135.50–135.50	1,030	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	570	160.91/cwt	158.00–163.50	917	82
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	705	140.24/cwt	138.50–143.50	989	61
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	564	182.54/cwt	175.00–186.25	1,030	152
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	669	141.50/cwt	141.50–141.50	947	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	614	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	835	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	821	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	1,034	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	725	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	928	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	841	118.50/cwt	118.50–118.50	997	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	784	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	1,035	86
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	424	177.13/cwt	171.00–179.50	751	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,196	67.00/cwt	66.00–67.50	801	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,357	69.01/cwt	67.00–70.50	936	16
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,417	65.80/cwt	65.50–66.50	932	5
Bulls	—	—	1,447	79.05/cwt	73.00–82.00	1,144	3
Bulls	—	—	2,099	93.58/cwt	93.00–95.00	1,964	4
Bulls	—	—	1,657	85.79/cwt	83.00–88.50	1,422	7
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,514	67.51/cwt	67.00–68.00	1,022	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,100	70.00/cwt	70.00–70.00	770	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,130	67.59/cwt	67.00–69.50	764	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,105	52.96/cwt	52.00–54.00	585	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,402	71.17/cwt	71.00–71.50	998	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,570	71.05/cwt	70.00–72.50	1,115	4
Steers	Medium 1	—	428	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	792	4
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,172	91.00/cwt	91.00–91.00	1,067	3
Steers	Large 1	—	765	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	1,040	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,505	73.00/cwt	73.00–73.00	1,099	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,414	67.61/cwt	67.50–68.50	956	8
Bulls	—	—	2,290	81.50/cwt	81.50–81.50	1,866	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	765	82.50/cwt	82.50–82.50	631	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,090	81.63/cwt	67.00–102.50	890	65
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	718	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	754	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,131	65.53/cwt	60.00–66.50	741	30
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,463	62.64/cwt	58.00–65.00	916	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,212	58.83/cwt	52.00–65.00	713	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	643	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	1,003	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	435	183.00/cwt	183.00–183.00	796	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	786	124.82/cwt	124.00–125.00	981	17
Bulls	Large 1	—	725	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	935	13
Bulls	Large 1	—	839	126.50/cwt	126.50–126.50	1,061	7
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,488	70.50/cwt	70.50–70.50	1,049	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	664	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	896	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	332	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	564	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	530	165.51/cwt	160.50–170.50	877	112
Steers	Medium 1-2	—	490	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	858	10
Steers	Medium 1-2	—	405	183.00/cwt	183.00–183.00	741	4
Steers	Medium 1	—	554	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	947	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	571	149.06/cwt	140.50–155.50	851	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	946	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	1,145	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	686	141.93/cwt	140.00–143.00	974	59
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	867	130.60/cwt	129.75–131.50	1,132	105
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	938	95.65/cwt	82.00–108.00	897	99

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 →