Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2023-08-08
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-08-08

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last reported sale (7/11/23): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed. Demand was mostly very good for light offerings. Quality this sale was mostly average. Warmer, dryer weather and an abundance of grasshoppers has put a lot of stress on pasture and range conditions in the eastern half of the state. As a result all cattle out on grass were mostly in light flesh. Market activity was mostly active this week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light offerings. Cow and bull body condition scores were drastically lower compared to the last sale as breeding season and poorer pasture and range conditions are weighing on both cows and bulls. Breaking and boning cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher in a narrow comparison, lean cows sold unevenly steady as quality played a roll in lower prices. Feeding cows sold 2.00-3.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 1.00 lower. Weigh up conditions were average to below average as many cows were pushing excessive amounts of fill. Young age cows sold sharply higher in a very narrow comparison as several buyers looking for replacement cattle helped push young cow prices higher. Demand was mostly very good for light offerings. Quality was mostly average to attractive this week.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $258.08/cwt on 149 head.

Average price

$258.08

149 head · 747 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,928

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$150

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

$6.02/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+2.32

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	756	259.46	1,963	115
Medium and Large 1-2	715	253.44	1,813	34

One grade step is worth $6.02/cwt here — about $150 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 sale149 hd

258.08

—

MT average2 barns · 200 hd

255.77

+2.32

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	114.12	1,858	64
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,492	116.80	1,743	5thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,354	105.27	1,425	22
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,149	95.93	1,102	43

Every lot, as filed

42 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	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,400	118.57/cwt	116.50–120.00	1,660	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,399	111.02/cwt	106.00–114.00	1,553	5
Bulls	—	—	1,630	107.19/cwt	100.00–110.50	1,747	14
Bulls	—	—	1,898	127.25/cwt	126.00–128.50	2,415	2
Bulls	—	—	1,773	115.52/cwt	111.00–122.50	2,048	31
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	925	109.50/cwt	109.50–109.50	1,013	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	980	72.50/cwt	72.50–72.50	711	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,168	91.04/cwt	78.00–97.00	1,063	12
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	985	85.00/cwt	85.00–85.00	837	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,061	91.67/cwt	87.00–101.00	973	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,158	105.84/cwt	105.00–108.00	1,226	9
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,178	111.49/cwt	110.00–113.00	1,313	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,105	71.49/cwt	70.50–73.00	790	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,245	104.54/cwt	101.00–108.00	1,302	7
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,492	116.80/cwt	115.50–119.00	1,743	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,324	98.98/cwt	94.00–99.50	1,310	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,350	108.67/cwt	103.50–114.00	1,467	2
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,325	110.50/cwt	110.50–110.50	1,464	1
Bulls	—Natural	—	1,760	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	2,182	1
Bulls	—Natural	—	2,060	116.00/cwt	116.00–116.00	2,390	1
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,193	102.74/cwt	95.00–109.00	1,226	4
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,263	122.83/cwt	117.00–134.00	1,551	8
Bulls	—Canadian Origin	—	1,660	114.00/cwt	114.00–114.00	1,892	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,095	120.81/cwt	107.50–132.00	1,323	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,024	183.13/cwt	127.00–194.50	1,875	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	792	251.69/cwt	251.50–253.00	1,993	39
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	710	269.14/cwt	260.00–271.00	1,911	62
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	900	236.00/cwt	236.00–236.00	2,124	1
Heifers	Medium 1	—	674	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,651	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	830	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,992	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	961	209.00/cwt	209.00–209.00	2,008	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	542	274.00/cwt	274.00–274.00	1,485	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	840	244.00/cwt	244.00–244.00	2,050	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	743	250.29/cwt	250.00–251.00	1,860	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	636	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	1,654	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	860	238.39/cwt	238.00–241.00	2,050	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	827	231.00/cwt	231.00–231.00	1,910	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	856	239.00/cwt	239.00–239.00	2,046	10
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,068	195.00/cwt	195.00–195.00	2,083	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	753	241.00/cwt	241.00–241.00	1,815	20
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,155	173.00/cwt	173.00–173.00	1,998	1
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,130	169.00/cwt	169.00–169.00	1,910	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 →