Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2023-10-03
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-10-03

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to week: Feeder steers were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on yearlings under 800 lbs and lower undertones were noticed on yearlings over 800 lbs. Yearling heifers under 850 lbs sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher. Heifers over 850 lbs were not well compared, however lower undertones were noticed. Demand for both sexes of lightweight yearlings (under 850 lbs) was good to very good as buyers look to market most of these offerings against the April live cattle contract. Most of these consignments were in light flesh as many were coming off grass and out of country disseminated by grasshoppers. Consignments of spring born calves have been slow to come to market. Some late season rains have helped green up pastures and allowed ranchers to keep cows and calves out on grass. Calves sold on mostly moderate demand for light offerings. Not enough steer or heifer calves were seen this week to develop an accurate market trend, steady undertones were noticed. CME positions traded off sharply again today. Feeder cattle contracts closed 4.725 lower on the October to close at 248.60 while the November closed at 250.60, 5.35 lower. Market activity was mostly active today. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was lighter this week as all packers showed lighter demand for cows. Slaughter cows sold 3.00-4.00 lower on all classes in a narrow comparison. Feeding cows sold 3.00-4.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls sold 4.00-5.00 lower. Weigh up conditions were mixed this week. Young age cows were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, steady undertones were noticed. Good demand was seen for all offerings.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $263.36/cwt on 606 head.

Average price

$263.36

606 head · 673 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,772

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$1,156

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

$82.07/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+13.11

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	392	293.08	1,148	20
Medium 1	614	272.02	1,669	90
Medium and Large 1	694	261.34	1,814	481
Medium 1-2	616	242.88	1,497	12thin
Large 1	1,092	211.00	2,304	3thin

One grade step is worth $82.07/cwt here — about −$1,156 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 sale606 hd

263.36

—

MT average3 barns · 1,651 hd

250.25

+13.11

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	1,694	105.65	1,789	20
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,515	108.00	1,636	11
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,383	103.62	1,433	61
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,113	91.64	1,019	236

Every lot, as filed

62 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 1-2Unweaned	—	314	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	926	9
Heifers	Medium 1	—	576	275.50/cwt	275.50–275.50	1,587	9
Heifers	Medium 1-2Unweaned	—	372	252.50/cwt	252.50–252.50	939	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	270	317.50/cwt	317.50–317.50	857	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	336	318.00/cwt	318.00–318.00	1,068	39
Steers	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	700	286.00/cwt	286.00–286.00	2,002	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	750	265.50/cwt	265.50–265.50	1,991	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	501	268.00/cwt	268.00–268.00	1,343	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	563	288.10/cwt	287.00–290.00	1,622	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	588	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,470	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	840	245.50/cwt	245.50–245.50	2,062	75
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	681	282.50/cwt	282.50–282.50	1,924	11
Steers	Medium 1	—	604	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	1,661	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	580	283.00/cwt	283.00–283.00	1,641	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	376	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,316	4
Heifers	Medium 1Thin Fleshed	—	578	283.18/cwt	282.50–284.00	1,637	34
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	468	313.21/cwt	311.00–322.50	1,466	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	722	273.20/cwt	271.50–275.00	1,973	74
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	849	243.00/cwt	243.00–243.00	2,063	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	930	234.86/cwt	232.50–236.00	2,184	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	703	268.00/cwt	268.00–268.00	1,884	2
Steers	Medium 1-2	—	517	254.00/cwt	254.00–254.00	1,313	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	463	294.79/cwt	287.50–302.00	1,365	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	556	293.00/cwt	293.00–293.00	1,629	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	516	303.06/cwt	301.00–313.00	1,564	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	811	243.15/cwt	235.00–245.50	1,972	31
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	920	226.00/cwt	223.50–232.00	2,079	62
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	852	236.87/cwt	231.00–237.00	2,018	46
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	752	249.00/cwt	249.00–249.00	1,872	25
Heifers	Medium 1	—	640	266.60/cwt	266.00–269.50	1,706	37
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	555	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	1,610	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,372	105.81/cwt	104.00–110.50	1,452	35
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,455	112.00/cwt	112.00–112.00	1,630	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,211	102.86/cwt	98.00–109.00	1,246	37
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,570	103.00/cwt	103.00–103.00	1,617	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,447	93.28/cwt	89.00–95.00	1,350	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,070	78.00/cwt	78.00–78.00	835	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,501	108.86/cwt	108.00–109.00	1,634	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	884	61.25/cwt	61.00–62.00	541	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	889	80.94/cwt	75.00–87.00	720	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,361	104.84/cwt	102.00–110.50	1,427	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,237	98.86/cwt	98.00–105.50	1,223	9
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,510	110.00/cwt	110.00–110.00	1,661	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,092	87.86/cwt	78.00–95.00	959	132
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,134	96.38/cwt	91.00–100.00	1,093	39
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,186	110.39/cwt	109.50–111.00	1,309	4
Bulls	—	—	1,809	101.63/cwt	92.50–108.00	1,838	9
Bulls	—	—	1,813	110.52/cwt	108.00–113.00	2,004	4
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,418	104.12/cwt	103.50–105.00	1,476	4
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,555	113.26/cwt	113.00–114.00	1,761	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	935	158.39/cwt	147.00–172.00	1,481	42
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	875	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	1,050	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	986	134.88/cwt	109.00–153.00	1,330	32
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	623	110.00/cwt	110.00–110.00	685	2
Heifers	Medium 1	—	672	251.00/cwt	251.00–251.00	1,687	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	780	246.00/cwt	246.00–246.00	1,919	4
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	791	236.00/cwt	236.00–236.00	1,867	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	661	269.50/cwt	267.50–270.50	1,781	128
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	730	261.23/cwt	258.00–264.75	1,907	89
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,092	211.00/cwt	211.00–211.00	2,304	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	476	282.98/cwt	282.50–283.00	1,347	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	350	307.00/cwt	307.00–307.00	1,075	8

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 →