Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2021-12-07
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-12-07

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand for yearlings was moderate to good for light offerings. Feeder steers under 500 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Steers over 500 lbs sold mostly 5.00 higher. Feeder heifers under 500 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher, heifers over 500 lbs sold generally steady. Quality this week was average to attractive. A few large packages of calves were offered this week, however most calves were offered in small to moderate size packages. Demand for grass cattle remains good and buyers are purchasing some heavier weight calves (up to 525 lbs) to develop into yearlings. Demand for heavier calves was stronger this week as higher fat cattle prices helped support larger calf prices. Market activity this week was mostly active as a strong buyer pool was on hand actively bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Slaughter cows sold steady to weak on lean cows. Breaking and boning cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to lower undertones were noticed. Feeding cows sold steady to firm. A large buyer pool of feeding cows continues to be seen which helped keep cow prices close to steady. Packers showed lighter demand for slaughter cows this week compared to last week. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however weak undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, lower undertones were noticed. Fewer buyers and lower quality was noticed this week.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $174.28/cwt on 536 head.

Average price

$174.28

536 head · 435 lb average

Value per head Derived

$759

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$190

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

$26.22/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+16.26

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	446	177.22	791	452
Medium and Large 1-2	447	160.82	718	43
Medium 1	273	157.50	430	31
Medium 1-2	398	151.00	601	10thin

One grade step is worth $26.22/cwt here — about $190 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 sale536 hd

174.28

—

MT average5 barns · 3,748 hd

158.02

+16.26

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	1,571	79.33	1,246	18
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,637	61.86	1,013	3thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,377	51.23	705	20
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,128	46.48	524	214

Every lot, as filed

68 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 1-2Unweaned	—	581	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	808	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	538	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	1,009	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	374	176.00/cwt	176.00–176.00	658	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	684	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	951	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	825	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	1,188	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	630	173.55/cwt	170.50–175.50	1,093	30
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	440	203.00/cwt	203.00–203.00	893	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	602	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	891	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	477	162.50/cwt	162.50–162.50	775	35
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	509	157.80/cwt	157.00–162.00	803	31
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	404	172.00/cwt	172.00–172.00	695	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	441	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	838	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	303	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	682	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	257	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	553	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	308	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	724	9
Steers	Small and Medium 2	—	419	85.00/cwt	85.00–85.00	356	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	368	217.50/cwt	217.50–217.50	800	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	377	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	848	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	520	193.77/cwt	186.00–198.00	1,008	69
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	486	214.87/cwt	214.25–217.50	1,044	122
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	560	191.18/cwt	189.50–193.50	1,071	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	570	185.50/cwt	185.50–185.50	1,057	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	413	225.50/cwt	225.50–225.50	931	49
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	473	206.29/cwt	204.50–213.00	976	43
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	588	170.75/cwt	170.50–171.00	1,004	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	493	196.00/cwt	196.00–196.00	966	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	323	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	711	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	428	206.24/cwt	202.00–217.00	883	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	330	197.50/cwt	197.50–197.50	652	39
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	927	140.90/cwt	140.50–141.00	1,306	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	507	158.88/cwt	153.00–160.00	806	30
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	480	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	840	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	441	194.00/cwt	194.00–194.00	856	16
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	469	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	891	57
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	466	185.20/cwt	184.00–197.00	863	34
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	398	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	601	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	763	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	1,114	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	386	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	645	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	394	192.49/cwt	180.00–194.00	758	173
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	—	511	200.25/cwt	200.25–200.25	1,023	29
Steers	Medium 1-2	—	375	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	581	5
Heifers	Medium 1	—	273	157.50/cwt	157.50–157.50	430	31
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	483	158.61/cwt	157.00–159.00	766	47
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	855	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	1,223	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	422	181.47/cwt	166.00–193.00	766	57
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	389	167.84/cwt	166.00–172.50	653	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	578	149.50/cwt	149.50–149.50	864	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,081	64.67/cwt	54.00–79.50	699	43
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,272	49.71/cwt	48.50–52.00	632	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	915	74.00/cwt	74.00–74.00	677	1
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,014	61.00/cwt	61.00–61.00	619	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	999	77.57/cwt	63.50–107.00	775	34
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,556	83.29/cwt	81.00–86.00	1,296	9
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,715	80.50/cwt	80.50–80.50	1,381	1
Bulls	—	—	1,648	80.31/cwt	78.00–84.00	1,324	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,394	50.87/cwt	49.00–52.00	709	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,108	44.68/cwt	41.00–47.50	495	57
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,050	30.00/cwt	30.00–30.00	315	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	950	38.18/cwt	31.00–44.50	363	11
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,393	43.25/cwt	40.50–45.00	602	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,637	61.86/cwt	61.00–63.50	1,013	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,120	43.22/cwt	37.00–45.00	484	54
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,171	47.35/cwt	45.50–48.00	554	9
Bulls	—	—	1,522	71.37/cwt	63.00–79.50	1,086	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,164	50.70/cwt	47.50–56.00	590	75
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,200	58.00/cwt	58.00–58.00	696	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,360	55.39/cwt	53.00–60.00	753	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,160	39.00/cwt	39.00–39.00	452	1

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 →