Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2023-03-14
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-03-14

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on steers and generally steady undertones were noticed on heifers. Quality this sale was mixed from plain to very attractive. Demand was mostly good to very good today for light to moderate offerings. Demand for all cattle suitable to run on grass was good to very good. Market activity was mostly active this week as buyers bid rapidly on all offerings. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for very light offerings. Slaughter cows were all too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Major packers and local packers were both very aggressive as they bid on limited offerings. No cows were purchased to feed this week as supplies were light. Cow quality was average to attractive this sale. Bull quality was mixed, however most bulls were plain to average. Weigh up conditions were mostly average this sale. Slaughter bulls sold 5.00-8.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 5.00 higher in a narrow comparison Packer buyers searching for slaughter offerings continue to push the bottom end of young offerings higher as they search for cows for immediate harvest.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $250.16/cwt on 574 head.

Average price

$250.16

574 head · 605 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,513

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$181

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$76.16/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+8.95

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	606	251.16	1,522	554
Medium and Large 1-2	529	234.25	1,239	16thin
Large 1	766	175.00	1,341	4thin

One grade step is worth $76.16/cwt here — about $181 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 sale574 hd

250.16

—

MT average3 barns · 1,111 hd

241.21

+8.95

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	1,689	108.71	1,837	19
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,488	97.50	1,450	2thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,149	88.70	1,019	15
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,415	87.45	1,238	7thin

Every lot, as filed

43 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	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,430	99.50/cwt	99.50–99.50	1,423	1
Bulls	—	—	1,641	99.51/cwt	91.00–107.50	1,633	9
Bulls	—	—	1,868	126.11/cwt	124.50–128.00	2,356	2
Bulls	—	—	1,699	114.72/cwt	110.50–121.00	1,949	8
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	677	151.58/cwt	150.00–155.00	1,026	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	802	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	1,187	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	920	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	1,398	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	588	213.52/cwt	213.00–216.00	1,255	88
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	515	213.92/cwt	209.50–217.00	1,102	26
Heifers	Medium 1Fleshy	—	897	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	1,220	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	625	202.75/cwt	200.00–203.50	1,267	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	445	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	1,202	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	440	252.50/cwt	252.50–252.50	1,111	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	552	253.00/cwt	253.00–253.00	1,397	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	693	199.00/cwt	199.00–199.00	1,379	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	506	269.30/cwt	267.00–270.00	1,363	34
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	574	273.27/cwt	273.00–277.00	1,569	74
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	667	206.50/cwt	206.50–206.50	1,377	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	610	234.39/cwt	229.00–237.00	1,430	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	481	268.99/cwt	268.50–279.00	1,294	102
Steers	Large 1	—	766	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	1,341	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	370	258.00/cwt	258.00–258.00	955	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	467	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	957	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	522	218.47/cwt	217.00–220.00	1,140	34
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	670	189.08/cwt	183.00–189.50	1,267	46
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	741	206.15/cwt	202.50–208.50	1,528	43
Heifers	Medium 1	—	548	211.00/cwt	211.00–211.00	1,156	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	663	244.50/cwt	244.50–244.50	1,621	247
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	318	217.50/cwt	217.50–217.50	692	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	389	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	856	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	549	182.00/cwt	182.00–182.00	999	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	525	253.00/cwt	253.00–253.00	1,328	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	453	217.64/cwt	217.00–218.00	986	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	423	219.14/cwt	212.00–222.00	927	11
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,004	129.88/cwt	119.50–141.00	1,304	16
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,222	97.17/cwt	93.00–110.00	1,187	16
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,240	95.00/cwt	95.00–95.00	1,178	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,198	95.35/cwt	94.50–96.00	1,142	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,103	84.13/cwt	82.00–85.00	928	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,430	100.50/cwt	100.50–100.50	1,437	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,413	85.27/cwt	76.00–87.50	1,205	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,545	95.50/cwt	95.50–95.50	1,475	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,184	91.10/cwt	87.50–94.50	1,079	5

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 →