Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2023-10-17
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-10-17

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Steer under 550 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher, steers over 550 lbs were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend steady to weak undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers under 750 lbs sold 5.00-10.00 lower in a narrow comparison, yearling heifers over 750 lbs sold mostly 5.00 lower. Yearling quality was mostly average this week and not as attractive as last week. Heifer calves sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower on calves under 500 lbs, calves over 500 lbs were too lightly tested either this week or last to develop any market trend. Quality was average to very attractive for calves and mostly plain to average for yearlings. Several sets of calves offered buyers two rounds of vaccinations; these offerings sold with the best demand. Most calves continue to be light weight and in light flesh. CME positions traded higher today with the nearby October closing at 248.80, 0.20 higher than last Tuesdays close. The November closed at 250.45, 0.10 higher 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 4.00 lower on boning cows lean cows. Breaking cows were not well tested. High quality feeding cows, suitable to feed to premium white sold 3.00-5.00 lower however quality was not as attractive this week as last. Thin feeding or turn out cows sold steady to 3.00 lower. Cow quality was mostly plain to average this week with many sets of very thin low dressing or very low dressing cows seen. Packer buyers joined independent feeders this week in purchasing thin cows to put away for the holiday. This is historically very early in the season (2-3 weeks early) for packers to start buying thin cows for the holiday. Slaughter bulls sold 2.00 lower on a poorer quality offering. Weigh up conditions were mixed this week. Young age cows sold generally steady. Demand was good for all offerings.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $329.77/cwt on 1,443 head.

Average price

$329.77

1,443 head · 480 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,583

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$275

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

$79.27/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+23.07

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	379	340.15	1,291	128
Medium and Large 1	489	329.60	1,610	1,299
Large 1	600	260.88	1,566	16thin

One grade step is worth $79.27/cwt here — about −$275 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 sale1,443 hd

329.77

—

MT average5 barns · 2,939 hd

306.70

+23.07

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	1,604	101.69	1,631	26
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,568	107.75	1,690	9thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,358	94.87	1,288	100
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,117	84.93	949	728

Every lot, as filed

78 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	—	809	224.62/cwt	222.50–226.00	1,817	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	795	229.00/cwt	229.00–229.00	1,821	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	383	289.11/cwt	285.00–295.00	1,107	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	492	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	1,328	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	461	285.26/cwt	272.00–289.00	1,315	51
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	327	328.90/cwt	317.50–350.00	1,076	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	681	231.57/cwt	231.50–232.50	1,577	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	700	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,680	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	521	262.24/cwt	259.00–269.00	1,366	28
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	570	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,368	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	640	254.00/cwt	254.00–254.00	1,626	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	369	328.16/cwt	307.50–337.50	1,211	129
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	587	242.50/cwt	242.50–242.50	1,423	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	420	302.94/cwt	282.00–310.00	1,272	68
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	685	249.00/cwt	249.00–249.00	1,706	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	632	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,770	43
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	694	272.31/cwt	271.00–273.00	1,890	122
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	517	302.23/cwt	285.00–310.00	1,563	134
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	474	326.20/cwt	301.00–341.00	1,546	296
Steers	Large 1	—	733	229.00/cwt	229.00–229.00	1,679	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	364	357.83/cwt	355.00–367.50	1,303	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	473	275.53/cwt	212.50–305.00	1,303	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	317	362.37/cwt	330.00–385.00	1,149	37
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	275	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	1,045	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	374	390.37/cwt	377.50–408.00	1,460	169
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	426	357.28/cwt	337.00–385.00	1,522	343
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	581	277.66/cwt	272.50–288.00	1,613	122
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	705	251.00/cwt	251.00–251.00	1,770	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	605	265.38/cwt	264.00–270.00	1,606	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	330	393.15/cwt	387.50–400.00	1,297	40
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	525	283.00/cwt	283.00–283.00	1,486	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	440	326.36/cwt	325.00–330.00	1,436	32
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	410	302.50/cwt	302.50–302.50	1,240	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	688	254.19/cwt	252.50–254.50	1,749	27
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	642	259.18/cwt	247.50–265.00	1,664	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	445	272.50/cwt	272.50–272.50	1,213	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	369	373.73/cwt	370.00–375.00	1,379	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	675	222.50/cwt	222.50–222.50	1,502	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	586	253.67/cwt	252.50–254.00	1,487	9
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,177	85.10/cwt	79.00–89.00	1,002	69
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,088	77.82/cwt	72.00–78.50	847	88
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,113	84.25/cwt	80.00–88.50	938	308
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,176	95.75/cwt	89.00–102.00	1,126	131
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,079	105.74/cwt	105.00–106.00	1,141	31
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,349	106.00/cwt	106.00–106.00	1,430	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	975	75.85/cwt	71.00–78.00	740	16
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,359	100.22/cwt	97.00–105.00	1,362	40
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,337	84.37/cwt	83.00–89.00	1,128	17
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,415	103.00/cwt	103.00–103.00	1,457	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,345	94.50/cwt	94.50–94.50	1,271	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,119	74.59/cwt	67.00–79.00	835	46
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,165	91.62/cwt	89.50–95.50	1,067	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,568	107.75/cwt	107.75–107.75	1,690	9
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	980	87.50/cwt	87.50–87.50	858	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	986	65.78/cwt	65.00–66.00	649	34
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,368	90.85/cwt	86.00–96.50	1,243	33
Bulls	—	—	1,509	99.41/cwt	92.50–106.50	1,500	9
Bulls	—	—	1,988	108.94/cwt	107.00–110.50	2,166	5
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,165	100.00/cwt	100.00–100.00	1,165	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,515	106.00/cwt	106.00–106.00	1,606	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,550	99.86/cwt	95.00–103.50	1,548	10
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	924	186.00/cwt	186.00–186.00	1,719	10
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,005	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	1,156	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,015	114.66/cwt	102.00–135.00	1,164	54
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	890	182.10/cwt	162.00–202.00	1,621	45
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	713	177.29/cwt	177.00–179.00	1,264	46
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	881	108.53/cwt	107.00–109.00	956	27
Stock Cows	Large 1-2	—	953	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	1,001	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	879	216.14/cwt	215.50–221.50	1,900	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	727	237.00/cwt	234.00–243.00	1,723	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	822	229.22/cwt	226.00–231.50	1,884	41
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	857	223.78/cwt	219.50–226.00	1,918	27
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	718	251.40/cwt	248.50–255.00	1,805	89
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	777	236.27/cwt	233.50–240.50	1,836	52
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	324	312.50/cwt	312.50–312.50	1,013	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	428	282.00/cwt	282.00–282.00	1,207	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	299	312.50/cwt	312.50–312.50	934	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	520	248.00/cwt	248.00–248.00	1,290	7

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 →