Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2021-08-24
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-08-24

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were all too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Steer calves under 450 lbs sold mostly 15.00-20.00 higher. All other steer calves were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Yearling heifers sold unevenly steady in a narrow comparison. The best test for heifer calves was for calves under 400 lbs which sold mostly 10.00-15.00 higher. All other heifer calves were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Calf quality this week was mostly attractive with many long strings of freshly weaned calves on offer. Yearlings were of average to attractive quality with most offerings in light flesh. Outside of one load lot of steers, yearlings were mostly offered in small packages. Demand for both calves and yearlings was good to very good. Market activity was mostly active this week. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand for light offerings. Cows sold three different ways as buyers purchased them to feed, slaughter, and return to the country to test for breds. Packers showed mostly light to moderate demand for slaughter cows. Slaughter cows sold generally steady to firm on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Feeding cows sold steady to firm. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 1.00-2.00 lower on a lower quality offering. Both cow and bulls were of plain to average quality this week. Most were fresh off range and have been out breeding or have had a calf on them all summer. Cow and bull yields are starting to see seasonal lows. Demand for replacement cows was mostly good as buyers purchased cows to both rebreed or in hopes that they are bred for spring calves. This class of cows were too lightly tested both this week and last to develop any market trend.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $176.73/cwt on 1,048 head.

Average price

$176.73

1,048 head · 504 lb average

Value per head Derived

$891

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$293

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$33.77/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+8.33

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	481	180.19	866	898
Medium and Large 1-2	515	166.70	858	55
Medium 1	672	152.31	1,023	54
Large 1	791	146.43	1,159	41

One grade step is worth $33.77/cwt here — about −$293 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 sale1,048 hd

176.73

—

MT average2 barns · 1,818 hd

168.40

+8.33

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	—	High	1,766	80.31	1,418	102
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,740	66.51	1,157	7thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,430	64.89	928	90
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,160	53.82	624	56

Every lot, as filed

62 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
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	818	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	1,325	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,248	60.26/cwt	60.00–60.50	752	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	998	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	1,238	2
Steers	Medium 1	—	625	174.50/cwt	174.50–174.50	1,091	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	755	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	1,238	4
Steers	Large 1	—	381	207.00/cwt	207.00–207.00	789	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	659	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	1,147	22
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,219	56.14/cwt	52.00–61.00	684	22
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,245	62.00/cwt	62.00–62.00	772	1
Bulls	—	—	1,880	88.00/cwt	88.00–88.00	1,654	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,818	65.50/cwt	65.50–65.50	1,191	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,419	64.45/cwt	62.00–68.00	915	49
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,165	53.94/cwt	50.50–56.50	628	22
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	965	41.00/cwt	41.00–41.00	396	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	923	46.92/cwt	44.00–47.50	433	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,435	62.19/cwt	61.50–63.50	892	13
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,682	67.26/cwt	67.00–67.50	1,131	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,379	57.85/cwt	55.00–61.50	798	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,140	43.54/cwt	42.00–45.50	496	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,471	69.92/cwt	69.50–70.00	1,029	21
Bulls	—	—	1,810	84.11/cwt	82.00–87.50	1,522	34
Bulls	—	—	1,728	77.70/cwt	66.00–81.50	1,343	59
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,155	78.50/cwt	78.50–78.50	907	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,914	83.08/cwt	83.00–83.50	1,590	6
Bulls	—Canadian Origin	—	2,125	83.00/cwt	83.00–83.00	1,764	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	929	80.95/cwt	70.00–91.00	752	24
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,349	64.46/cwt	60.50–65.50	870	22
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,172	70.08/cwt	63.00–83.00	821	35
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,187	61.50/cwt	61.50–61.50	730	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	934	139.87/cwt	139.00–140.50	1,306	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	881	143.74/cwt	141.00–147.50	1,266	12
Heifers	Large 1	—	853	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	1,211	10
Heifers	Large 1	—	744	149.50/cwt	149.50–149.50	1,112	28
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,028	132.50/cwt	132.50–132.50	1,362	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	681	156.36/cwt	156.00–157.00	1,065	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	411	177.50/cwt	177.50–177.50	730	38
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	878	104.00/cwt	104.00–104.00	913	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	807	147.95/cwt	147.00–148.00	1,194	19
Heifers	Medium 1	—	664	154.50/cwt	154.50–154.50	1,026	21
Heifers	Medium 1	—	606	150.75/cwt	150.50–151.00	914	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	777	152.10/cwt	149.75–155.00	1,182	97
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	935	134.50/cwt	134.50–134.50	1,258	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	357	202.00/cwt	202.00–202.00	721	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	421	217.08/cwt	206.00–222.00	914	296
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	490	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	907	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	279	232.49/cwt	232.00–235.00	649	74
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	428	196.50/cwt	196.50–196.50	841	46
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	327	198.99/cwt	187.50–203.00	651	292
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	373	221.33/cwt	213.00–223.00	826	90
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	327	223.59/cwt	222.00–227.00	731	113
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	265	202.50/cwt	202.50–202.50	537	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	724	174.94/cwt	172.00–175.50	1,267	104
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	267	226.00/cwt	226.00–226.00	603	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	715	155.14/cwt	152.75–157.00	1,109	32
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	689	164.81/cwt	163.50–167.00	1,136	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	643	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	1,022	13
Heifers	Medium 1	—	717	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	1,083	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	423	183.11/cwt	180.50–183.50	775	188
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	713	145.02/cwt	144.00–151.50	1,034	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	388	184.65/cwt	184.50–185.00	716	145
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	480	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	821	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	961	138.11/cwt	135.50–140.50	1,327	29

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 →