Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2023-09-12
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-09-12

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last reported sale (8/29/23): Feeder steers were all too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers under 900 lbs sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher. Heifers over 900 lbs were not well compared, however higher undertones were noticed. Only two consignments of spring calves sold today. This was the first test of the calf market for the fall so no comparisons can be made. Spring calves were met with very good demand as multiple buyers bid aggressively on todays very attractive offering. Quality this sale was mostly attractive to very attractive and overall more attractive than last sales offering. Cattle continue to offer buyers light flesh as pasture and range conditions are in mostly poor condition due to excess heat and grasshoppers. Market activity was mostly active this week with a large pool of buyers on hand rapidly bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light offerings. Cow and bull body condition scores remain poor as pasture and range conditions are poor in many locations in Eastern Montana. Demand for all cows was good today as feeding buyers and packer buyers both were aggressive as they bid on limited offerings. Breaking cows were not well compared. Boning and lean cows sold mostly steady in a very narrow comparison. Feeding cows were very lightly tested last week thus comparisons are narrow, however most offerings sold steady to 3.00 higher with the largest advance seen on lean cow offerings. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady. Feeding bulls sold mostly 2.00 higher. Weigh up conditions were mixed. Young age cows were too lightly tested to trend. Good demand was seen for limited offerings.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $242.67/cwt on 803 head.

Average price

$242.67

803 head · 774 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,879

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$333

per head · Medium 1 over Large 1

$14.60/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+5.32

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	654	250.60	1,640	66
Medium 1-2	572	247.05	1,413	19thin
Medium and Large 1	798	242.15	1,932	604
Medium and Large 1-2	747	240.42	1,795	105
Large 1	836	236.00	1,973	9thin

One grade step is worth $14.60/cwt here — about −$333 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 sale803 hd

242.67

—

MT average2 barns · 1,361 hd

237.35

+5.32

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	1,717	114.10	1,959	91
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,320	106.72	1,409	48
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,099	93.28	1,025	84

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 Heifers	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	(<2 yrs)	813	$1,950	2thin

Every lot, as filed

61 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	—	845	231.50/cwt	231.50–231.50	1,956	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Natural	—	848	239.25/cwt	239.25–239.25	2,029	70
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Value Added	—	762	249.00/cwt	249.00–249.00	1,897	76
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	672	273.00/cwt	273.00–273.00	1,835	3
Heifers	Medium 1	—	636	253.72/cwt	250.00–256.00	1,614	24
Heifers	Large 1	—	778	239.00/cwt	239.00–239.00	1,859	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	815	239.04/cwt	237.00–242.00	1,948	137
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	888	243.29/cwt	243.00–247.00	2,160	53
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	955	221.00/cwt	221.00–221.00	2,111	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	751	259.00/cwt	259.00–259.00	1,945	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	322	292.06/cwt	285.00–297.50	940	7
Heifers	Medium 1	—	574	254.32/cwt	252.00–257.50	1,460	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	920	231.52/cwt	226.50–234.00	2,130	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	770	251.00/cwt	251.00–251.00	1,933	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	876	239.50/cwt	239.50–239.50	2,098	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	825	248.50/cwt	248.50–248.50	2,050	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	633	286.50/cwt	286.50–286.50	1,814	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	326	367.00/cwt	367.00–367.00	1,196	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,010	226.64/cwt	222.50–227.50	2,289	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	475	348.00/cwt	348.00–348.00	1,653	207
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	341	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,142	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	391	391.00/cwt	391.00–391.00	1,529	57
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	730	258.00/cwt	258.00–258.00	1,883	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	733	268.00/cwt	268.00–268.00	1,964	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	923	222.00/cwt	222.00–222.00	2,049	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	896	230.50/cwt	230.50–230.50	2,065	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	775	243.57/cwt	241.00–248.00	1,888	66
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	655	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,605	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	361	307.50/cwt	307.50–307.50	1,110	4
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,045	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	1,682	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	832	83.67/cwt	81.00–86.00	696	14
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,320	104.00/cwt	104.00–104.00	1,373	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,495	113.00/cwt	113.00–113.00	1,689	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,319	107.35/cwt	104.00–110.00	1,416	42
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,146	94.67/cwt	82.00–103.50	1,085	33
Bulls	—	—	1,710	106.65/cwt	92.00–113.00	1,824	16
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,287	96.36/cwt	96.00–97.00	1,240	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,150	92.13/cwt	81.00–101.00	1,059	21
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,218	78.01/cwt	76.00–79.00	950	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	898	102.00/cwt	102.00–102.00	916	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,300	108.00/cwt	108.00–108.00	1,404	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,206	106.14/cwt	104.00–107.00	1,280	11
Bulls	—	—	1,958	125.94/cwt	124.00–128.00	2,466	2
Bulls	—	—	1,799	117.84/cwt	114.00–123.00	2,120	35
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,619	110.69/cwt	104.00–114.00	1,792	21
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,649	116.22/cwt	114.50–120.00	1,916	17
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	857	177.78/cwt	150.00–182.50	1,524	21
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	813	1,950.00/head	1,950.00–1,950.00	1,950	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	985	140.20/cwt	115.00–152.50	1,381	20
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	845	117.50/cwt	117.50–117.50	993	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	718	242.77/cwt	236.00–245.00	1,743	69
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	594	246.36/cwt	246.00–246.50	1,463	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	863	225.50/cwt	225.50–225.50	1,946	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,004	223.00/cwt	223.00–223.00	2,239	6
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	504	249.00/cwt	249.00–249.00	1,255	6
Heifers	Large 1	—	865	234.50/cwt	234.50–234.50	2,028	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	866	235.08/cwt	230.50–239.75	2,036	71
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	722	249.00/cwt	246.25–250.00	1,798	127
Heifers	Medium 1	—	679	248.72/cwt	248.00–250.00	1,689	31
Heifers	Medium 1	—	716	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,718	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	790	237.40/cwt	237.00–238.50	1,875	29

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 →