Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2024-01-23
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-01-23

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: The sale last week was canceled due to severely cold temperatures, so all comparisons are to two weeks ago. Feeder steers under 450 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed, steers 450-499 lbs sold mostly 15.00 higher on a higher quality offering. 500-549 lbs steers sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher, steers over 550 lbs sold 5.00-15.00 higher. Heifer calves under 650 lbs sold mostly 5.00-15.00 higher. Heifers over 650 lbs were not well compared, however steady undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive, and overall more attractive than last sale. Most cattle were weaned 45-100 days, with a limited offering of calves straight off the cows. Package sizes were mostly moderate this week with several partial loads seen. CME positions continue to tick higher. The January contract closed today at 231.00, while the March closed at 233.65, 7.225 and 8.775 higher respectfully compared to two weeks ago. Market activity was mostly active this week with a large buyer pool noticed of farmer feeders, ranchers and order-buyers. Demand for replacement quality cattle was good this week with several buyers looking for heifers to breed. These offerings pushed higher than last sale as feeding buyers and replacement buyers both competed over offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for light to moderate offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was especially good as packer buyers showed need for cows for immediate harvest. With many canceled sales across the northern portion of the country last week packers are short cows. Slaughter cows sold mostly 4.00-8.00 higher on all classes. Several buyers continue to buy feeding cows as many are betting the market continues to improve. Feeding cows sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Weigh up conditions were average to below average this week. Young age cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand this week. Interest continues to be good for this class of cows, with a strong buyer pool seen again this week. Quality this week was mostly average. This class of cows sold mostly steady. Todays sale featured around 500 head of bred cows and heifers. Demand for bred stock was good to very good. A very large crowd was on hand for the bred portion of todays sale.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $281.18/cwt on 992 head.

Average price

$281.18

992 head · 552 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,553

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$250

per head · Medium 1 over Large 1

$38.83/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+6.83

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	435	289.14	1,257	60
Medium and Large 1-2	506	281.67	1,425	89
Medium and Large 1	565	281.47	1,590	816
Large 1-2	468	276.00	1,292	3thin
Large 1	602	250.31	1,507	24

One grade step is worth $38.83/cwt here — about −$250 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 sale992 hd

281.18

—

MT average4 barns · 1,563 hd

274.35

+6.83

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	1,690	102.92	1,739	19
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	Average	1,679	102.28	1,717	89
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,568	98.47	1,544	37
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,366	94.10	1,285	129
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,155	83.77	968	173

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	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,133	$2,150	4thin
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,157	$1,774	6
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,415	$1,768	40
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,402	$1,750	3thin
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,359	$1,544	175
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,349	$1,393	15
Bred Heifers	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	1,080	$2,548	99
Bred Heifers	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	1,030	$2,399	215
Bred Heifers	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	(<2 yrs)	947	$1,900	10

Every lot, as filed

85 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	—	563	275.39/cwt	266.00–289.00	1,550	45
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	563	261.00/cwt	261.00–261.00	1,469	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	985	199.00/cwt	199.00–199.00	1,960	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	680	226.00/cwt	226.00–226.00	1,537	5
Heifers	Medium 1	—	524	278.00/cwt	278.00–278.00	1,457	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	417	313.93/cwt	312.00–320.00	1,309	32
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	846	202.50/cwt	202.50–202.50	1,713	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	526	297.81/cwt	288.00–306.00	1,566	261
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	800	198.50/cwt	198.50–198.50	1,588	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	676	247.46/cwt	238.00–250.50	1,673	89
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	605	271.90/cwt	271.00–273.50	1,645	156
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	—	544	289.00/cwt	289.00–289.00	1,572	48
Heifers	Medium 1	—	495	282.02/cwt	274.00–292.00	1,396	18
Heifers	Medium 1	—	344	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	980	6
Heifers	Medium 1	—	368	305.76/cwt	301.00–311.00	1,125	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	467	305.58/cwt	300.00–314.00	1,427	108
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	573	276.90/cwt	275.00–277.00	1,587	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	626	256.16/cwt	255.00–262.00	1,604	6
Steers	Medium 1	—	384	334.00/cwt	334.00–334.00	1,283	10
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	489	271.00/cwt	271.00–271.00	1,325	7
Steers	Large 1	—	555	289.00/cwt	289.00–289.00	1,604	3
Heifers	Large 1	—	607	249.50/cwt	249.50–249.50	1,514	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	627	287.43/cwt	277.00–294.00	1,802	128
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	514	312.98/cwt	303.00–325.00	1,609	38
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	392	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	1,264	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	568	306.60/cwt	291.00–310.50	1,741	162
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	418	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,400	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	475	311.67/cwt	310.00–313.00	1,480	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	477	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	1,455	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	557	296.00/cwt	296.00–296.00	1,649	35
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	822	216.00/cwt	216.00–216.00	1,776	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	325	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	1,251	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	370	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,332	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	661	270.83/cwt	262.00–272.00	1,790	34
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	726	256.00/cwt	256.00–256.00	1,859	56
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	469	338.66/cwt	330.00–341.00	1,588	62
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	480	297.00/cwt	297.00–297.00	1,426	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	646	242.00/cwt	242.00–242.00	1,563	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	742	207.00/cwt	207.00–207.00	1,536	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	485	297.00/cwt	297.00–297.00	1,440	27
Heifers	Large 1	—	567	256.00/cwt	256.00–256.00	1,452	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	695	217.00/cwt	217.00–217.00	1,508	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,260	67.00/cwt	67.00–67.00	844	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,109	87.13/cwt	87.00–87.50	966	13
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,374	86.67/cwt	85.00–89.50	1,191	17
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,354	99.53/cwt	93.50–102.00	1,348	53
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,117	81.03/cwt	72.00–85.00	905	56
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,379	93.79/cwt	92.00–100.00	1,293	39
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	1,679	102.28/cwt	101.00–105.00	1,717	89
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,568	89.37/cwt	89.00–89.50	1,401	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,568	99.57/cwt	96.00–100.50	1,561	33
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	972	76.18/cwt	76.00–77.00	740	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,366	86.63/cwt	83.00–92.00	1,183	20
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,205	89.35/cwt	87.00–98.00	1,077	50
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,028	63.03/cwt	62.00–64.00	648	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,183	81.80/cwt	72.00–87.00	968	45
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,220	100.00/cwt	100.00–100.00	1,220	1
Bulls	—	—	1,633	94.12/cwt	86.00–103.00	1,537	9
Bulls	—	—	1,783	109.10/cwt	105.00–111.00	1,945	4
Bulls	—	—	1,963	111.00/cwt	111.00–111.00	2,179	4
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,210	114.00/cwt	114.00–114.00	1,379	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,094	112.78/cwt	96.00–129.00	1,234	28
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,415	1,768.22/head	1,575.00–1,835.00	1,768	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	435	290.48/cwt	282.00–299.00	1,264	28
Heifers	Large 1-2	—	468	276.00/cwt	276.00–276.00	1,292	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	876	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	1,752	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	517	284.26/cwt	277.00–285.00	1,470	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	718	207.50/cwt	207.50–207.50	1,490	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	393	321.40/cwt	315.00–325.00	1,263	11
Heifers	Medium 1	—	441	286.09/cwt	284.00–289.00	1,262	17
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	1,342	1,275.00/head	1,275.00–1,275.00	1,275	3
Bred Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	757	1,750.00/head	1,750.00–1,750.00	1,750	10
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,407	1,625.11/head	1,525.00–1,675.00	1,625	131
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,205	1,302.50/head	1,300.00–1,325.00	1,303	41
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,470	1,350.00/head	1,350.00–1,350.00	1,350	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,012	138.99/cwt	120.00–182.00	1,407	57
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,080	2,548.32/head	2,425.00–2,650.00	2,548	99
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,055	2,444.75/head	2,350.00–2,550.00	2,445	188
Bred Heifers	Medium 1	—	916	2,275.00/head	2,275.00–2,275.00	2,275	17
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	889	1,750.00/head	1,750.00–1,750.00	1,750	4
Bred Heifers	Medium 1	—	986	2,000.00/head	2,000.00–2,000.00	2,000	6
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,330	1,400.00/head	1,400.00–1,400.00	1,400	13
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,157	1,773.67/head	1,750.00–1,800.00	1,774	6
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,133	2,150.00/head	2,150.00–2,150.00	2,150	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,402	1,750.00/head	1,750.00–1,750.00	1,750	3

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 →