Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2023-01-17
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-01-17

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed on steers. Heifers under 500 lbs sold with steady undertones while heifers over 500 lbs sold with higher undertones. Demand was mostly moderate to good for all feeders on offer. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Most offerings were weaned 45-90 days. Offerings were offered in mostly small packages, however demand was mostly good for all size packages. Market activity was mostly moderate to active this week. A large buyer pool of both order buyers and farmer feeders was on hand actively bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Packer buyers showed stronger demand for slaughter cows this week as eastern packers become more competitive as the sale progressed. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00 higher in a narrow compairson. Feeding cows were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady in a narrow compairson. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. A large portion of the cow offering was comprised of bred cows this week. Quality was good to very good. A very large buyer pool of ranchers was in the stands by the 1:00 pm start. Demand was good to very good for all bred cows and heifers on offer. 3rd trimester is today through Apri 21; 2nd trimester is April 21 to July 24; 1st trimester is After July 21st.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $189.93/cwt on 321 head.

Average price

$189.93

321 head · 539 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,024

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$169

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

$2.18/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−4.66

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	549	190.20	1,044	282
Medium and Large 1-2	466	188.02	875	39

One grade step is worth $2.18/cwt here — about $169 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 sale321 hd

189.93

—

MT average4 barns · 2,595 hd

194.59

−4.66

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	1,589	89.87	1,428	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,559	75.49	1,177	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,382	71.52	988	40
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,134	63.22	717	80

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age

Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.

Class	Stage	Age	Avg wt	$/head	Head
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,328	$1,949	67
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,236	$1,931	102
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,167	$1,924	121
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,308	$1,600	31
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,378	$1,300	32
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,296	$1,276	39
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,256	$1,104	152
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,345	$975	4thin
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,175	$923	15
Bred Heifers	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	1,137	$2,224	29

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
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	85	550.00/head	550.00–550.00	550	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	525	207.00/cwt	207.00–207.00	1,087	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	660	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	970	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	587	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	1,004	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	463	234.00/cwt	234.00–234.00	1,083	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	552	196.00/cwt	196.00–196.00	1,082	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	443	248.00/cwt	248.00–248.00	1,099	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	513	229.90/cwt	226.00–231.00	1,179	43
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	716	179.00/cwt	179.00–179.00	1,282	19
Steers	Large 1	—	542	219.00/cwt	219.00–219.00	1,187	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	384	282.48/cwt	277.50–283.00	1,085	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	474	194.00/cwt	193.00–196.00	920	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	540	219.00/cwt	219.00–219.00	1,183	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	578	215.44/cwt	210.25–228.00	1,245	46
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	765	164.50/cwt	164.50–164.50	1,258	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	607	209.80/cwt	207.00–210.75	1,273	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	466	240.63/cwt	239.50–243.00	1,121	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	670	178.00/cwt	178.00–178.00	1,193	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	416	242.50/cwt	242.50–242.50	1,009	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	472	229.58/cwt	225.00–234.00	1,084	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	660	186.50/cwt	186.50–186.50	1,231	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	543	186.00/cwt	186.00–186.00	1,010	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	423	192.37/cwt	190.00–194.00	814	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	444	198.75/cwt	196.00–201.50	882	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	363	208.50/cwt	208.50–208.50	757	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	626	185.50/cwt	185.50–185.50	1,161	47
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	790	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	1,280	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	603	188.50/cwt	188.50–188.50	1,137	27
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	529	194.78/cwt	191.00–197.50	1,030	56
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	560	185.53/cwt	182.00–189.50	1,039	86
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	601	169.00/cwt	169.00–169.00	1,016	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	460	190.80/cwt	180.00–191.50	878	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	353	195.00/cwt	195.00–195.00	688	5
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,135	1,085.00/head	1,085.00–1,085.00	1,085	6
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,345	975.00/head	975.00–975.00	975	4
Bulls	—	—	1,795	85.50/cwt	85.50–85.50	1,535	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,126	59.48/cwt	52.00–62.50	670	30
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,155	70.72/cwt	70.00–71.50	817	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,640	72.00/cwt	72.00–72.00	1,181	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	973	66.03/cwt	64.00–68.00	642	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	965	58.28/cwt	58.00–58.50	562	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,125	72.37/cwt	70.50–74.00	814	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,397	72.99/cwt	70.50–75.00	1,020	13
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,374	63.14/cwt	60.00–65.00	868	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	965	43.00/cwt	43.00–43.00	415	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,388	73.57/cwt	71.50–76.50	1,021	16
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	845	53.00/cwt	53.00–53.00	448	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,567	75.84/cwt	75.00–76.50	1,188	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,169	64.38/cwt	62.00–67.50	753	20
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,170	67.01/cwt	62.50–69.50	784	16
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,400	75.50/cwt	75.50–75.50	1,057	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,343	68.90/cwt	64.50–70.50	925	7
Bulls	—	—	1,515	97.50/cwt	97.50–97.50	1,477	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,562	87.29/cwt	81.50–92.50	1,363	6
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,605	95.96/cwt	95.50–96.50	1,540	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,175	923.06/head	885.00–950.00	923	15
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,378	1,300.00/head	1,300.00–1,300.00	1,300	32
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,085	1,545.85/head	1,250.00–1,625.00	1,546	37
Bred Cows	Medium 1	—	1,007	1,600.00/head	1,600.00–1,600.00	1,600	9
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,308	1,600.00/head	1,600.00–1,600.00	1,600	31
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,328	1,949.17/head	1,550.00–2,275.00	1,949	67
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,236	1,931.49/head	1,800.00–2,050.00	1,931	102
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	954	148.67/cwt	146.00–149.50	1,418	15
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,081	77.03/cwt	65.00–89.50	833	34
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	783	135.41/cwt	131.00–145.00	1,060	3
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,137	2,224.04/head	2,200.00–2,235.00	2,224	29
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,227	2,148.82/head	1,700.00–2,250.00	2,149	75
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,323	1,345.68/head	1,135.00–1,550.00	1,346	30
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,342	960.00/head	960.00–960.00	960	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,113	850.00/head	850.00–850.00	850	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,259	1,109.34/head	975.00–1,350.00	1,109	149

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 →