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

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Steer calves were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers under 750 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed, yearling heifers over 750 lbs sold mostly 5.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Quality was mostly plain to average for yearlings and mostly average to very attractive for calves. Demand for yearlings was mostly light to moderate, while demand for spring born calves was good to very good. Most calves were in mostly light flesh as grasshoppers were in direct competition for feed this summer. Several ranchers were present bidding on light weight calves suitable to develop into yearlings. Demand for lightweight offerings was very good. CME positions traded mixed today with the nearby through January trading higher and March on out trading lower. The October closed at 248.60, 0.65 lower than last Tuesdays close. The November closed at 250.35, 0.25 lower than last Tuesday. Market activity was mostly active today. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand and offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was lighter again this week as all packers showed lighter demand for cows. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 lower on boning cows lean cows sold 3.00-7.00 lower. Breaking cows were not well tested. Feeding cows sold steady on high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white. Thin feeding or turn out cows sold 5.00-10.00 lower. Cow quality was mostly plain to average this week with many sets of very thin low dressing cows seen. Several independent buyers and ranchers were active in purchasing thin cows this week as packers showed light demand for lean cows. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 lower on a poorer quality offering. Feeding bulls sold 2.00-4.00 lower as quality was not as attractive this week. Weigh up conditions were mixed this week. Young age cows sold sharply higher this week as several sets of attractive tested open young cows were seen. Demand was good to very good for all offerings.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $286.28/cwt on 691 head.

Average price

$286.28

691 head · 517 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,480

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$201

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

$42.62/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+26.54

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	402	295.62	1,188	125
Medium and Large 1	546	288.46	1,574	493
Medium 1	607	260.19	1,580	21
Large 1	477	253.80	1,210	45
Medium 1-2	549	253.00	1,389	7thin

One grade step is worth $42.62/cwt here — about −$201 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 sale691 hd

286.28

—

MT average5 barns · 2,316 hd

259.74

+26.54

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	1,541	102.52	1,580	36
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,366	102.90	1,406	82
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,128	87.07	982	236

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	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,330	$1,535	5

Every lot, as filed

73 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	Large 1Unweaned	—	414	247.50/cwt	247.50–247.50	1,025	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	682	278.00/cwt	278.00–278.00	1,896	19
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	498	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	1,270	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	670	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	1,709	2
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	394	292.50/cwt	292.50–292.50	1,152	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	415	314.46/cwt	290.00–327.50	1,305	101
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	270	348.90/cwt	340.00–355.00	942	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	474	287.50/cwt	287.50–287.50	1,363	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	371	308.73/cwt	302.50–320.00	1,145	44
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	289	310.87/cwt	297.50–320.00	898	44
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	467	312.86/cwt	297.00–333.00	1,461	51
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	572	268.00/cwt	268.00–268.00	1,533	28
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	924	218.50/cwt	218.50–218.50	2,019	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	314	356.90/cwt	352.50–362.50	1,121	27
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	506	280.42/cwt	271.00–284.00	1,419	58
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	559	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	1,425	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	517	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,448	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	390	332.20/cwt	255.00–347.50	1,296	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	415	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,349	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	288	395.00/cwt	395.00–395.00	1,138	5
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	475	257.50/cwt	257.50–257.50	1,223	15
Steers	Medium 1	—	549	282.00/cwt	282.00–282.00	1,548	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	376	386.89/cwt	375.00–398.00	1,455	100
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	533	297.13/cwt	292.50–305.00	1,584	69
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	330	377.50/cwt	377.50–377.50	1,246	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	420	364.23/cwt	327.50–378.50	1,530	133
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	503	297.50/cwt	297.50–297.50	1,496	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	274	352.50/cwt	352.50–352.50	966	5
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	424	323.00/cwt	323.00–323.00	1,370	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	585	287.50/cwt	287.50–287.50	1,682	35
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,036	202.00/cwt	202.00–202.00	2,093	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	626	276.75/cwt	276.75–276.75	1,732	62
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	620	266.00/cwt	266.00–266.00	1,649	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	712	263.36/cwt	257.50–267.00	1,875	49
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	295	287.50/cwt	287.50–287.50	848	11
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	543	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,439	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,130	96.00/cwt	96.00–96.00	1,085	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,128	110.28/cwt	109.50–111.00	1,244	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,126	85.73/cwt	79.50–94.00	965	115
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,352	106.67/cwt	100.00–110.00	1,442	46
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,341	94.81/cwt	86.00–98.00	1,271	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,172	101.38/cwt	96.00–107.50	1,188	47
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,353	91.38/cwt	84.00–97.00	1,236	9
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,436	105.47/cwt	100.00–110.00	1,515	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,144	74.80/cwt	71.00–77.00	856	28
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,119	83.59/cwt	78.00–89.00	935	34
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	904	69.73/cwt	62.50–74.00	630	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,511	110.61/cwt	110.00–111.50	1,671	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	931	80.75/cwt	76.00–83.00	752	4
Bulls	—	—	1,490	99.65/cwt	92.00–107.00	1,485	20
Bulls	—	—	1,765	110.79/cwt	109.00–114.00	1,955	4
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,538	102.94/cwt	99.00–106.00	1,583	8
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,578	107.75/cwt	106.00–109.00	1,700	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,099	109.39/cwt	106.50–112.00	1,202	26
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,245	104.50/cwt	104.50–104.50	1,301	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	961	146.23/cwt	107.00–175.00	1,405	98
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,330	1,535.00/head	1,535.00–1,535.00	1,535	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	835	154.88/cwt	142.00–160.00	1,293	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	839	191.05/cwt	140.00–206.00	1,603	78
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	940	218.00/cwt	218.00–218.00	2,049	2
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	549	253.00/cwt	253.00–253.00	1,389	7
Heifers	Medium 1	—	572	264.00/cwt	264.00–264.00	1,510	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	241	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	771	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	864	229.63/cwt	229.00–230.00	1,984	37
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	783	242.48/cwt	242.00–243.00	1,899	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	463	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	1,204	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	811	236.08/cwt	233.00–238.00	1,915	14
Heifers	Medium 1	—	665	254.00/cwt	254.00–254.00	1,689	8
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	539	237.00/cwt	237.00–237.00	1,277	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	811	224.50/cwt	224.50–224.50	1,821	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	744	253.00/cwt	253.00–253.00	1,882	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	373	328.48/cwt	317.00–345.00	1,225	69
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	325	344.62/cwt	335.00–352.50	1,120	32

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 →