Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2024-02-13
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-02-13

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Demand was mostly moderate to good for light offerings. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Most cattle were weaned 45-100 days. Package sizes were small this week forcing buyers to piece together loads. CME positions sold off slightly today, however prices week over week continue to push higher. The March contract closed today at 248.00, 1.325 higher than last Tuesdays close. The April contract closed at 251.75 today, 0.05 higher than last Tuesdays close. Market activity was mostly moderate to active this week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for light offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was good to very good as packers pushed to fill loads on light offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher on breaking cows. Boning and lean cows sold mostly 3.00-6.00 higher. Several buyers continue to buy feeding cows as many are betting the market continues to improve. Both packer and private feeding cow buyers both pushed high quality feeding cows higher with light supplies fueling higher prices. Feeding offerings sold mostly 5.00-6.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Weigh up conditions were mixed today. Several sets of fed cows were pushing moderate amounts of tag. Young age cows sold on mostly good demand this week. Feeding buyers continue to buy coming 2 and some coming 3 year old cows to feed, especially ones who haven't calved and buyers can try to feed to choice. Quality this week was mostly average. This class of cows was too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, steady undertones were noticed.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $280.61/cwt on 320 head.

Average price

$280.61

320 head · 560 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,570

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$319

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

$69.04/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−1.07

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	410	307.24	1,259	9thin
Medium and Large 2	382	300.00	1,146	3thin
Medium 1	525	286.00	1,502	6thin
Medium and Large 1	563	280.93	1,582	292
Large 1	663	238.20	1,578	10thin

One grade step is worth $69.04/cwt here — about −$319 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 sale320 hd

280.61

—

MT average3 barns · 1,512 hd

281.68

−1.07

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	—	High	1,808	120.16	2,172	12
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	Average	1,556	111.11	1,728	29
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,473	104.98	1,546	25
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,361	102.10	1,390	43
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,157	100.07	1,158	68

Every lot, as filed

57 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 1	—	593	257.00/cwt	257.00–257.00	1,524	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	568	279.36/cwt	276.50–285.00	1,587	92
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	535	296.45/cwt	291.00–310.00	1,586	28
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	621	263.57/cwt	254.50–274.00	1,637	27
Heifers	Medium 1	—	525	286.00/cwt	286.00–286.00	1,502	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	490	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,397	2
Heifers	Large 1	—	767	210.00/cwt	202.50–212.50	1,611	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	345	338.00/cwt	338.00–338.00	1,166	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	380	351.00/cwt	351.00–351.00	1,334	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	419	351.00/cwt	351.00–351.00	1,471	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	526	324.11/cwt	321.00–325.00	1,705	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	382	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,146	3
Steers	Medium 1	—	383	342.50/cwt	342.50–342.50	1,312	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	393	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,415	3
Steers	Medium 1	—	411	344.47/cwt	335.00–348.00	1,416	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	534	330.29/cwt	326.00–333.00	1,764	38
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	464	346.13/cwt	346.00–346.50	1,606	26
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	369	342.00/cwt	342.00–342.00	1,262	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	617	293.75/cwt	291.00–295.50	1,812	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	453	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,495	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	733	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	1,723	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	679	244.74/cwt	244.50–245.00	1,662	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	387	313.60/cwt	311.00–314.00	1,214	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	434	333.00/cwt	333.00–333.00	1,445	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	663	244.64/cwt	240.00–246.50	1,622	67
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	487	307.06/cwt	301.00–313.00	1,495	59
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	518	303.00/cwt	303.00–303.00	1,570	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	843	199.00/cwt	199.00–199.00	1,678	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,095	74.00/cwt	74.00–74.00	810	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,178	104.33/cwt	95.00–106.00	1,229	29
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,318	102.99/cwt	97.50–107.50	1,357	23
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	898	64.22/cwt	63.00–65.50	577	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,340	93.69/cwt	91.00–95.00	1,255	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,470	110.32/cwt	110.00–111.00	1,622	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,417	104.39/cwt	97.00–109.00	1,479	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,248	97.49/cwt	96.50–98.00	1,217	3
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	1,551	110.90/cwt	107.00–113.00	1,720	19
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,465	106.00/cwt	106.00–106.00	1,553	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,660	109.50/cwt	109.50–109.50	1,818	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,445	102.00/cwt	102.00–102.00	1,474	1
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	1,497	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	1,751	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,459	101.71/cwt	99.50–103.50	1,484	9
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,448	106.22/cwt	104.00–108.00	1,538	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,576	109.75/cwt	109.75–109.75	1,730	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,111	90.85/cwt	81.00–96.00	1,009	15
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,368	94.89/cwt	87.00–98.00	1,298	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,179	106.75/cwt	106.75–106.75	1,259	18
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	1,665	103.28/cwt	101.00–105.50	1,720	4
Bulls	—	—	1,885	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	2,545	1
Bulls	—	—	1,733	107.10/cwt	94.00–116.50	1,856	3
Bulls	—	—	1,730	124.12/cwt	118.00–131.00	2,147	5
Bulls	—	—	2,095	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	2,765	1
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,365	110.00/cwt	110.00–110.00	1,502	1
Bulls	—Heavy Weight	—	2,500	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	3,075	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,052	136.31/cwt	107.00–148.00	1,434	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,033	164.98/cwt	132.00–190.00	1,704	9
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,163	119.50/cwt	119.50–119.50	1,390	11

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 →