Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2021-10-19
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-10-19

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop an market trend. Yearling heifers were very lightly tested, lower undertones were noticed. Demand for yearlings was light to moderate on an average quality offering. Steer calves under 350 lbs were not well compared, lower undertones were noticed. Steer calves 350-449 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower, 450-599 lbs steers sold unevenly steady from 10.00 lower to 5.00 higher, steer calves over 600 lbs sold with higher undertones. Heifers under 450 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher, however instances of sharply higher prices were noted. Heifers 450-549 lbs sold unevenly steady from 3.00 higher to 4.00 lower. Heifers over 550 lbs sold with steady to weak undertones. Quality this week was mostly attractive to very attractive and noticeably higher in quality than last week. Vaccinations were vital to selling calves this week as Calves with two rounds of preconditioning shots sold with the best demand and offered 12.00-15.00 premiums in some instances. This led to very wide price spreads. Trucking is also still a major issue. Demand for feeders is moderate to good but buyers are limiting the volume of feeders they purchased due to lack of transportation. Buyers focused on buying front end calves, especially ones with two rounds of vaccinations and passed or discounted average quality calves or calves with only spring shots. Heavy discounts were seen on plain or average quality cattle. Several sets of very attractive heifer calves were seen this week. On many of these offerings consigners kept no replacements. Demand for grass cattle remains good to very good. Market activity this week was moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for heavy offerings. An additional packer buyer was present this week which helped create strong competition for cows. This coupled with very strong demand for thin feeding cows helped push all cow prices higher. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher on lean cows, boning and breaking cows were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. The majority of cows were purchased to feed this week. Feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-5.00 higher, with the best demand seen for high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white. Many sets of very thin cows were purchased to turn out on corn stalks or feed a holding ration until the market improves for the holidays. Additionally, several buyers purchased cows to preg test or cows that were ranch tested bred. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, as most sold as feeding bulls this week. Bull prices were higher this week but were purchased for a different purpose. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower. Quality this week was mostly average and not as attractive as last week. More thin offerings were seen this week.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $178.31/cwt on 1,826 head.

Average price

$178.31

1,826 head · 466 lb average

Value per head Derived

$830

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$325

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 2

$65.97/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+1.23

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	477	180.97	864	1,516
Medium and Large 1-2	415	170.87	710	250
Medium and Large 2	340	152.78	520	43
Medium 2	469	115.00	539	17thin

One grade step is worth $65.97/cwt here — about $325 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 sale1,826 hd

178.31

—

MT average3 barns · 4,875 hd

177.08

+1.23

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	1,628	76.37	1,243	29
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,635	68.00	1,112	1thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,353	61.09	826	87
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,122	45.16	507	475

Every lot, as filed

83 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
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	912	81.08/cwt	61.00–85.00	739	11
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	989	62.37/cwt	58.00–64.00	617	28
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,170	70.00/cwt	70.00–70.00	819	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	850	67.50/cwt	67.50–67.50	574	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,162	46.50/cwt	46.50–46.50	540	7
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,205	63.75/cwt	63.75–63.75	768	15
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	848	102.07/cwt	84.00–110.50	866	94
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,040	47.00/cwt	47.00–47.00	489	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,070	850.00/cwt	850.00–850.00	9,095	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,240	810.00/cwt	810.00–810.00	10,044	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,238	51.00/cwt	51.00–51.00	631	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,059	51.00/cwt	51.00–51.00	540	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	326	175.72/cwt	170.00–186.00	573	133
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	476	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	671	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	393	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	645	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	417	146.44/cwt	140.00–153.00	611	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	477	158.45/cwt	149.00–167.00	756	250
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	624	136.77/cwt	128.00–139.00	853	27
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	430	164.24/cwt	161.00–172.00	706	190
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	431	171.34/cwt	161.00–176.00	738	53
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	629	168.89/cwt	154.00–169.50	1,062	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	717	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	968	5
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	414	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	662	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	342	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	619	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	784	146.50/cwt	146.50–146.50	1,149	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	469	161.67/cwt	157.50–171.00	758	42
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	474	180.99/cwt	168.50–193.00	858	435
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	572	161.44/cwt	153.00–171.50	923	163
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	287	189.70/cwt	187.50–192.50	544	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	428	194.17/cwt	185.00–198.00	831	195
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	374	173.87/cwt	165.00–185.00	650	99
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	326	204.24/cwt	192.50–215.00	666	116
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	665	151.05/cwt	149.00–152.00	1,004	37
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	385	146.84/cwt	145.00–148.00	565	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	535	154.38/cwt	154.00–155.00	826	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	535	165.89/cwt	152.00–172.75	888	338
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	380	205.26/cwt	192.00–215.00	780	183
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	810	141.60/cwt	140.00–143.50	1,147	46
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,372	52.48/cwt	46.00–54.50	720	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,139	32.63/cwt	29.00–36.00	372	25
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,172	50.93/cwt	46.50–59.00	597	117
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,635	68.00/cwt	68.00–68.00	1,112	1
Bulls	—	—	1,818	65.00/cwt	65.00–65.00	1,182	2
Bulls	—	—	1,670	82.64/cwt	81.50–83.50	1,380	2
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,596	74.80/cwt	67.00–77.00	1,194	12
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,622	78.60/cwt	76.00–82.00	1,275	13
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,059	66.26/cwt	56.50–80.00	702	50
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	428	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	565	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	702	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	969	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	517	172.43/cwt	167.50–176.00	891	132
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	463	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	806	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	787	142.68/cwt	139.00–143.50	1,123	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	263	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	421	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	424	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	585	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	916	134.71/cwt	134.50–135.00	1,234	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	530	154.33/cwt	147.00–156.50	818	166
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	326	164.53/cwt	158.00–169.00	536	66
Heifers	Medium 2Unweaned	—	422	90.00/cwt	90.00–90.00	380	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	464	125.96/cwt	124.00–130.00	584	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	281	212.50/cwt	212.50–212.50	597	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	838	144.50/cwt	144.50–144.50	1,211	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	379	173.98/cwt	160.00–185.50	659	279
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	703	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	879	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	556	139.92/cwt	139.00–141.00	778	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	283	178.24/cwt	176.00–186.00	504	56
Steers	Medium 2Unweaned	—	469	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	539	17
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	279	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	432	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	726	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,089	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	466	166.00/cwt	166.00–166.00	774	27
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	334	197.00/cwt	197.00–197.00	658	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	406	183.00/cwt	183.00–183.00	743	24
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	393	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	645	22
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	903	32.01/cwt	31.00–33.00	289	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	895	40.00/cwt	40.00–40.00	358	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	989	33.49/cwt	33.00–34.00	331	65
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,440	46.76/cwt	43.00–47.50	673	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,143	43.07/cwt	39.00–45.50	492	78
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,270	60.47/cwt	60.00–62.00	768	25
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,093	45.98/cwt	39.50–49.00	503	137
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,321	62.10/cwt	56.50–64.50	820	50
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,398	55.00/cwt	55.00–55.00	769	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,194	48.91/cwt	47.00–52.50	584	25
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,395	69.00/cwt	69.00–69.00	963	18

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 →