Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2021-05-11
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-05-11

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Steers were all too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. The best test for heifers was for 750-799 lbs which sold 5.00 higher. All other weights of heifers were too lightly tested either this week or last, however higher undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mixed from plain to very attractive. Steer quality was once again drastically lower than heifer quality this week. Ranchers are still marketing replacement quality heifers as drought conditions continue to drive offerings to market. However, rain and/or snow was seen today and over this past weekend in a wide swath across much of Eastern Montana. This sparked some interest from ranchers which purchased these high quality offerings again as replacements. Replacement type heifers sold around 10.00 higher for like quality offerings. Feeding demand was stronger in places this week compared to last. Demand for plain or cross bred cattle continues to be very light. Market activity today was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Packers showed mostly moderate demand for slaughter and feeding cows today. Slaughter cows and feeding cows both sold fully steady. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to above average as cows were emptied out from coming off fresh pasture or range. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold fully steady. Demand was mostly moderate for average to attractive offerings.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $134.41/cwt on 294 head.

Average price

$134.41

294 head · 641 lb average

Value per head Derived

$862

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$191

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

$18.94/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−1.07

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	549	139.13	764	72
Medium and Large 1	719	135.80	977	179
Medium and Large 2	448	124.00	556	6thin
Medium 2	476	120.18	573	37

One grade step is worth $18.94/cwt here — about $191 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 sale294 hd

134.41

—

MT average3 barns · 780 hd

135.48

−1.07

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	1,554	84.74	1,317	50
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,378	65.79	907	96
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,618	65.76	1,064	28
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,149	62.90	723	107

Every lot, as filed

63 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 1-2	—	510	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	734	36
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,127	64.40/cwt	63.00–65.00	726	3
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,045	1,087.83/cwt	1,085.00–1,100.00	11,368	22
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	782	80.95/cwt	78.00–82.00	633	6
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS	—	1,297	1,400.00/cwt	1,400.00–1,400.00	18,158	5
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,551	1,220.10/cwt	1,185.00–1,250.00	18,924	45
Heifer Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,115	1,250.00/cwt	1,250.00–1,250.00	13,938	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	684	136.50/cwt	136.50–136.50	934	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	732	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	959	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	688	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	908	2
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,366	985.00/cwt	985.00–985.00	13,455	8
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS	—	1,755	1,200.00/cwt	1,200.00–1,200.00	21,060	4
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,515	1,381.62/cwt	1,275.00–1,510.00	20,932	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	579	134.45/cwt	134.00–137.00	778	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	543	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	896	53
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	602	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	807	5
Heifer Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,108	1,550.00/cwt	1,550.00–1,550.00	17,174	10
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,553	64.50/cwt	64.50–64.50	1,002	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,052	73.62/cwt	65.00–84.00	774	37
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	683	148.50/cwt	148.50–148.50	1,014	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	638	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	944	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	819	120.74/cwt	119.00–121.00	989	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	733	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	1,004	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	666	139.13/cwt	137.25–148.00	927	34
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,340	1,556.96/cwt	1,550.00–1,560.00	20,863	12
Bulls	—	—	1,717	86.42/cwt	84.00–91.00	1,484	18
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,246	83.36/cwt	80.00–84.50	1,039	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,517	67.75/cwt	67.75–67.75	1,028	3
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,298	78.00/cwt	78.00–78.00	1,012	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,400	62.12/cwt	61.00–62.50	870	4
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,047	88.00/cwt	88.00–88.00	921	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,381	65.20/cwt	64.00–68.00	900	21
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,299	71.05/cwt	70.00–71.25	923	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,700	63.71/cwt	58.00–65.00	1,083	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,530	64.50/cwt	64.50–64.50	987	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,206	65.41/cwt	63.00–68.00	789	27
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	881	56.29/cwt	52.00–61.00	496	7
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,075	64.50/cwt	64.50–64.50	693	1
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	973	73.51/cwt	72.00–74.00	715	4
Stock Cows	Large 1-2	—	955	58.00/cwt	58.00–58.00	554	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,164	63.30/cwt	61.50–65.50	737	27
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,587	66.88/cwt	65.50–68.75	1,061	14
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,119	59.36/cwt	52.00–63.00	664	28
Heifers	Medium 2	—	425	123.75/cwt	122.50–125.00	526	21
Heifers	Medium 2	—	544	115.50/cwt	115.50–115.50	628	16
Steers	Medium 2	—	613	111.00/cwt	111.00–111.00	680	16
Bulls	—	—	1,551	82.02/cwt	75.00–84.50	1,272	18
Bulls	—	—	1,888	95.00/cwt	94.00–96.00	1,794	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,359	63.50/cwt	63.50–63.50	863	6
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,404	1,048.68/cwt	1,010.00–1,085.00	14,723	55
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	749	78.81/cwt	75.00–84.00	590	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	916	93.26/cwt	70.50–109.50	854	139
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,149	58.03/cwt	52.50–61.50	667	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,213	70.89/cwt	69.00–71.75	860	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,386	65.94/cwt	63.00–68.75	914	59
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	718	136.50/cwt	136.50–136.50	980	67
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	753	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	1,001	33
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	448	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	556	6
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	753	77.00/cwt	77.00–77.00	580	3
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,020	102.00/cwt	102.00–102.00	1,040	1
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,058	104.00/cwt	104.00–104.00	1,100	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	778	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	1,004	31
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	518	158.00/cwt	158.00–158.00	818	5

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 →