Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2023-11-07
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-11-07

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Steer calves under 450 lbs sold mostly 10.00-15.00 lower, steers over 450 lbs sold unevenly steady with front end calves selling higher and plain to average quality calves selling lower. Yearling heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold mostly 6.00-9.00 higher. Heifers over 500 lbs sold steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Quality was mixed this week from plain to very attractive. Demand for high quality attractive calves was mostly good, while plain to average quality cattle sold on light to moderate demand. One load lot was seen this week and demand for this offering was good. Most calves were offered in small to moderate size packages and demand was mostly moderate for packages of calves. CME positions sold off sharply today as most contracts showed triple digit losses. The nearby November closed at 232.225, 5.475 lower than last Tuesday, while the January closed at 230.825, 6.375 lower than last Tuesdays close. Calves with two rounds of vaccinations sold with good demand and at a strong premium to cattle with only spring shots. Calf health was a concern to most buyers as several consignments of calves were dirty following last weeks snow and this weeks warm-up. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today and overall more active than last week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand and moderate to heavy offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly light this week as all packers showed lighter demand for cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 lower on boning cows lean cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. High quality feeding cows, suitable to feed to premium white sold steady to 2.00 lower. Thin feeding or turn out cows sold steady to 3.00 lower. Cow quality was mostly plain to average again this week with many sets of very thin low dressing or very low dressing cows seen. Slaughter bulls sold were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Weigh up conditions were mixed this week, however cows that sold late in the day were pushing heavy amounts of fill. Young age cows sold mostly 10.00 higher. Quality this week was much better this week compared to last week. A full load lot of thin open cows was seen this week and these cows were met with good to very good demand.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $306.44/cwt on 1,026 head.

Average price

$306.44

1,026 head · 493 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,509

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$97

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

$17.84/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+19.41

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	407	309.81	1,262	26
Medium and Large 1	503	308.73	1,554	836
Medium and Large 2	361	308.13	1,112	22
Large 1	465	300.00	1,395	2thin
Medium and Large 1-2	466	291.96	1,360	140

One grade step is worth $17.84/cwt here — about −$97 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 sale1,026 hd

306.44

—

MT average5 barns · 3,885 hd

287.03

+19.41

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	1,746	101.01	1,763	13
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,682	104.74	1,762	6thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Very Low	1,363	89.00	1,213	60
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,187	78.86	936	464

Every lot, as filed

64 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
Bulls	—	—	1,638	93.52/cwt	82.00–104.00	1,532	2
Bulls	—	—	2,065	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	2,375	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,624	94.81/cwt	84.00–105.00	1,540	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	382	374.95/cwt	370.00–380.00	1,432	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	516	265.65/cwt	256.00–272.00	1,371	87
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	357	319.02/cwt	315.00–320.00	1,139	35
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	406	260.89/cwt	252.00–277.00	1,059	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	563	211.00/cwt	211.00–211.00	1,188	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	426	310.01/cwt	307.00–316.00	1,321	48
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	465	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,395	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	380	282.50/cwt	282.50–282.50	1,074	13
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	530	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,325	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	612	259.95/cwt	255.00–262.00	1,591	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	348	390.00/cwt	390.00–390.00	1,357	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	534	267.96/cwt	250.00–290.00	1,431	26
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	529	298.85/cwt	279.00–310.25	1,581	297
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	347	282.50/cwt	282.50–282.50	980	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	473	280.47/cwt	270.00–287.00	1,327	68
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	459	292.50/cwt	292.50–292.50	1,343	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	484	290.77/cwt	284.00–294.00	1,407	31
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	392	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,235	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	275	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	770	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	640	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	1,504	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	711	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	1,600	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	578	254.25/cwt	251.00–260.00	1,470	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	381	317.17/cwt	252.50–340.00	1,208	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	567	277.02/cwt	262.00–286.00	1,571	156
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	482	312.97/cwt	300.00–316.50	1,509	130
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	431	340.58/cwt	327.50–370.00	1,468	172
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	792	207.00/cwt	207.00–207.00	1,639	10
Heifers	Medium 1	—	776	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	1,668	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	819	215.66/cwt	215.00–219.00	1,766	12
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	514	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	1,208	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	426	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	1,086	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	381	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,086	10
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,300	84.00/cwt	84.00–84.00	1,092	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	941	74.01/cwt	66.00–79.00	696	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	965	60.48/cwt	57.50–62.00	584	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,684	107.55/cwt	106.00–108.50	1,811	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,179	70.79/cwt	64.00–79.00	835	51
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,190	77.08/cwt	70.00–84.00	917	198
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,705	74.00/cwt	74.00–74.00	1,262	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,366	81.74/cwt	70.00–86.00	1,117	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,356	84.31/cwt	74.00–88.00	1,143	24
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,356	94.47/cwt	91.50–102.00	1,281	30
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,116	61.44/cwt	51.00–67.50	686	51
Bulls	—	—	1,911	109.56/cwt	108.00–110.50	2,094	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,167	99.00/cwt	99.00–99.00	1,155	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,229	89.56/cwt	84.00–94.00	1,101	144
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,678	99.12/cwt	95.00–104.00	1,663	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	855	130.85/cwt	91.00–150.00	1,119	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	872	172.32/cwt	119.00–180.00	1,503	102
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	785	127.50/cwt	127.50–127.50	1,001	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	793	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	1,269	12
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,122	94.16/cwt	92.50–95.00	1,056	33
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	990	103.00/cwt	103.00–103.00	1,020	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,036	118.85/cwt	102.00–143.00	1,231	97
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	345	291.00/cwt	291.00–291.00	1,004	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	545	245.06/cwt	239.00–250.00	1,336	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	561	237.00/cwt	237.00–237.00	1,330	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	610	224.00/cwt	224.00–224.00	1,366	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	424	293.29/cwt	281.00–302.00	1,244	118
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	477	255.22/cwt	251.00–261.00	1,217	11
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	361	308.13/cwt	305.00–315.00	1,112	22

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 →