Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2021-09-21
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-09-21

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were scarcely traded this week thus no trend is available. Steer calves under 400 lbs sold generally steady, all calves over 400 lbs sold unevenly steady, from 10.00 lower to 5.00 higher. Yearling heifers sold generally steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Heifer calves under 400 lbs sold mostly 10.00-12.00 lower, 400-499 lbs heifer calves sold steady to 5.00 lower, heifer calves over 500 lbs were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand was mostly moderate to good for heavy offerings. Demand for light calves suitable to run as yearlings was mostly good. Calf quality was average to attractive this week, however it was not as attractive as last week overall. Many farmer feeders in the Midwest are busy chopping corn or harvesting and are not ready for calves yet. This limited demand for calves, especially ones too big to send to wheat pasture. Yearling offerings were light this week. However, demand for these offerings was good. Market activity was mostly moderate today. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand for heavy offerings. Packers were much more aggressive as they purchased cows for immediate slaughter this week. Many farmers and dairy men in the Midwest are busy with harvest. This has slowed the cows being delivered directly to the plant. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher on breaking and boning cows lean cows sold fully steady. Demand for feeding cows continues to be good. Feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold steady to weak on a light test. Demand for young rebreed type cows was mostly good. Young cows sold mostly 3.00-6.00 higher on a attractive offering. Quality this week was more attractive than last week.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $198.80/cwt on 1,304 head.

Average price

$198.80

1,304 head · 436 lb average

Value per head Derived

$867

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$59

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

$36.07/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+10.22

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	379	209.49	793	78
Medium and Large 1	436	201.21	878	1,073
Large 1	437	179.27	784	80
Medium 1	491	173.42	852	73

One grade step is worth $36.07/cwt here — about −$59 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 sale1,304 hd

198.80

—

MT average3 barns · 2,557 hd

188.58

+10.22

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	1,724	80.83	1,394	48
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,547	72.96	1,129	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,359	66.01	897	156
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,143	53.80	615	344

Every lot, as filed

71 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
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,397	61.35/cwt	60.00–65.50	857	13
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,081	46.76/cwt	46.00–47.00	505	10
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,093	133.50/cwt	133.50–133.50	1,459	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,153	52.73/cwt	48.50–56.00	608	187
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,180	56.84/cwt	55.75–62.00	671	94
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,450	62.00/cwt	62.00–62.00	899	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,385	70.17/cwt	70.00–71.50	972	10
Bulls	—	—	2,004	88.75/cwt	88.00–90.00	1,779	4
Bulls	—	—	1,732	82.94/cwt	79.00–88.00	1,437	26
Bulls	—	—	1,592	72.94/cwt	68.00–77.50	1,161	14
Bulls	—Natural	—	1,856	86.77/cwt	86.50–87.00	1,610	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	966	77.08/cwt	61.50–93.00	745	67
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	922	97.40/cwt	67.00–110.00	898	167
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,231	64.00/cwt	64.00–64.00	788	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,115	65.81/cwt	63.00–70.00	734	26
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	432	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	708	31
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,206	59.81/cwt	57.50–67.00	721	23
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,467	68.56/cwt	67.25–71.00	1,006	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,341	66.48/cwt	64.25–70.00	891	120
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,000	54.05/cwt	53.00–55.00	541	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	877	80.33/cwt	71.00–86.00	704	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,222	1,485.00/cwt	1,485.00–1,485.00	18,147	20
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,261	925.00/cwt	925.00–925.00	11,664	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,342	1,313.04/cwt	1,150.00–1,335.00	17,621	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	465	167.21/cwt	160.50–170.00	778	195
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	963	145.25/cwt	145.25–145.25	1,399	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	240	176.86/cwt	175.00–177.50	424	27
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	815	148.80/cwt	147.00–149.00	1,213	20
Heifers	Medium 1	—	600	158.00/cwt	158.00–158.00	948	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	768	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	1,137	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	433	163.28/cwt	160.50–166.00	707	33
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	963	137.64/cwt	137.00–140.00	1,325	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	492	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	758	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	375	170.17/cwt	164.00–174.00	638	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	275	173.34/cwt	167.50–175.00	477	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	414	173.48/cwt	168.00–176.50	718	314
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	296	188.62/cwt	188.00–189.00	558	34
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	923	142.54/cwt	142.00–143.50	1,316	35
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	513	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	805	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	338	171.38/cwt	170.00–173.00	579	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	367	177.31/cwt	173.00–180.00	651	35
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	400	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	700	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	333	184.58/cwt	177.00–189.00	615	109
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	375	223.51/cwt	216.00–240.00	838	84
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	754	161.47/cwt	155.00–162.00	1,217	28
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	774	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	1,169	4
Steers	Medium 1	—	679	165.92/cwt	163.00–166.50	1,127	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	273	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	601	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	610	148.50/cwt	148.50–148.50	906	35
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	442	187.00/cwt	187.00–187.00	827	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	331	221.38/cwt	210.00–225.00	733	51
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	420	203.07/cwt	199.50–215.00	853	273
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	467	188.18/cwt	176.50–195.50	879	356
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	482	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	839	61
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	327	238.83/cwt	227.50–247.50	781	127
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	576	164.94/cwt	164.50–165.00	950	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	271	242.95/cwt	236.00–246.00	658	55
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	375	196.00/cwt	196.00–196.00	735	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	515	177.80/cwt	174.00–179.50	916	135
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	473	169.75/cwt	169.75–169.75	803	51
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	393	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	825	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	863	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	1,208	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	751	150.94/cwt	150.00–151.00	1,134	49
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	875	146.31/cwt	143.50–148.00	1,280	37
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,027	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	1,397	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	732	152.50/cwt	152.50–152.50	1,116	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	855	43.77/cwt	43.50–44.00	374	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	963	50.47/cwt	47.00–54.50	486	22
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,573	69.81/cwt	69.00–73.50	1,098	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,364	56.54/cwt	55.50–58.00	771	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,574	74.43/cwt	73.50–75.50	1,172	9

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 →