Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2023-05-09
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-05-09

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested this week and last week to develop any market trend. Quality this sale was mostly plain to average. Demand was mostly moderate for light offerings. Cattle were offered in mostly small packages or as singles. CME feeder cattle contract prices traded higher today as grains sold off. Market activity was mostly moderate to active this week. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on breaking and lean cows, boning cows sold with firm undertones. Packers opted to send most of the cow offering to feed this week as they try to put cows away for the 4th of July. Demand for high quality feeding cows improved as the sale progressed. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 1.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold on moderate to good demand this sale. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady. Demand for feeding bulls remains good and continues to keep bull prices near steady. Cow and bull quality was mostly average to attractive this week. Weigh up conditions were mixed this week. Young age cows comprised a large portion of the sale again this week as ranchers continue to sell off cows which lost calves. Young age cows sold unevenly steady. Prices started the sale higher but cheapened as buyers filled loads and exited the market. Demand for bred cows and pairs was good this sale. Quality was mostly average.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $222.88/cwt on 169 head.

Average price

$222.88

169 head · 591 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,317

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$25

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

$12.37/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−6.57

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	553	225.21	1,245	39
Medium and Large 1	607	223.59	1,357	113
Medium 1	573	212.84	1,220	17thin

One grade step is worth $12.37/cwt here — about $25 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 sale169 hd

222.88

—

MT average3 barns · 356 hd

229.46

−6.57

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	1,643	114.84	1,887	29
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,570	97.92	1,537	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,360	95.16	1,294	97
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,167	88.73	1,036	117

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	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,383	$1,812	8
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,347	$1,708	9
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,243	$1,700	2thin
Bulls	N/A	(<2 yrs)	1,300	$2,500	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,558	$2,548	18
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,227	$2,523	14
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,519	$2,478	8
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,352	$1,857	20
Heifer Pairs	Open	(<2 yrs)	1,036	$2,854	31

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
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	652	191.00/cwt	191.00–191.00	1,245	3
Heifers	Medium 1	—	708	177.00/cwt	177.00–177.00	1,253	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,448	97.50/cwt	97.50–97.50	1,412	2
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,492	2,525.00/head	2,525.00–2,525.00	2,525	5
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,563	2,400.00/head	2,400.00–2,400.00	2,400	3
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,286	2,586.12/head	2,500.00–2,650.00	2,586	9
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,558	2,548.29/head	2,350.00–2,750.00	2,548	18
Heifer Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,044	2,375.00/head	2,375.00–2,375.00	2,375	4
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,352	1,856.50/head	1,850.00–1,975.00	1,857	20
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	898	135.72/cwt	124.00–152.50	1,219	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,124	97.57/cwt	89.00–116.00	1,097	16
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,005	137.73/cwt	92.00–170.00	1,384	86
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	939	162.83/cwt	131.00–181.00	1,529	75
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,347	1,708.09/head	1,600.00–1,850.00	1,708	9
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,395	87.85/cwt	85.50–88.50	1,226	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,594	98.00/cwt	98.00–98.00	1,562	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,312	94.76/cwt	90.00–97.50	1,243	17
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	990	85.00/cwt	85.00–85.00	842	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,395	88.00/cwt	88.00–88.00	1,228	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,375	100.33/cwt	99.00–102.00	1,380	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,137	81.32/cwt	73.00–84.50	925	21
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,450	100.00/cwt	100.00–100.00	1,450	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,252	97.21/cwt	93.00–98.25	1,217	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,202	93.49/cwt	88.00–96.50	1,124	22
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,010	84.00/cwt	84.00–84.00	848	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,160	86.14/cwt	84.50–92.50	999	42
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	964	77.80/cwt	72.00–83.00	750	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,363	95.61/cwt	90.50–98.00	1,303	57
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,232	98.05/cwt	97.00–104.00	1,208	19
Bulls	—	—	1,517	106.82/cwt	103.00–111.00	1,620	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,105	138.50/cwt	138.50–138.50	1,530	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	725	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	1,312	1
Bulls	Large 1	—	443	272.50/cwt	272.50–272.50	1,207	4
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,125	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	1,496	1
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,093	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	1,825	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	870	178.00/cwt	178.00–178.00	1,549	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Spayed	—	493	237.00/cwt	237.00–237.00	1,168	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	780	202.00/cwt	202.00–202.00	1,576	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	845	196.00/cwt	196.00–196.00	1,656	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	75	125.00/head	125.00–125.00	125	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	718	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	1,580	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	522	279.00/cwt	279.00–279.00	1,456	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	725	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	1,523	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	563	260.26/cwt	257.50–263.00	1,465	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	686	212.20/cwt	211.00–212.50	1,456	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	797	192.00/cwt	192.00–192.00	1,530	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	550	237.50/cwt	237.50–237.50	1,306	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	690	204.00/cwt	204.00–204.00	1,408	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	584	232.00/cwt	232.00–232.00	1,355	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	615	219.30/cwt	218.00–219.50	1,349	37
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	440	227.50/cwt	227.50–227.50	1,001	2
Heifers	Medium 1	—	532	223.87/cwt	210.00–230.00	1,191	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	547	233.00/cwt	233.00–233.00	1,275	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	716	192.00/cwt	192.00–192.00	1,375	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	85	220.00/head	220.00–220.00	220	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	979	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	1,703	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	712	209.00/cwt	209.00–209.00	1,488	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	753	183.00/cwt	183.00–183.00	1,378	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	578	226.26/cwt	225.00–227.00	1,308	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	514	241.40/cwt	240.50–243.00	1,241	40
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Registered	—	1,300	2,500.00/head	2,500.00–2,500.00	2,500	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS	—	1,170	2,500.00/head	2,500.00–2,500.00	2,500	2
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	960	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	1,354	4
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,088	2,350.00/head	2,350.00–2,350.00	2,350	3
Heifer Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,035	2,925.00/head	2,925.00–2,925.00	2,925	27
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,243	1,700.00/head	1,700.00–1,700.00	1,700	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,334	1,865.90/head	1,800.00–1,900.00	1,866	6
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,528	1,650.00/head	1,650.00–1,650.00	1,650	2
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,509	116.02/cwt	114.00–119.00	1,751	7
Bulls	—	—	1,715	115.61/cwt	111.00–119.00	1,983	11
Bulls	—	—	1,900	124.70/cwt	121.50–128.00	2,369	4

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 →