Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2024-03-05
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-03-05

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested last week to develop a full market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on both steers heifers. Demand was mostly moderate to good for light to moderate offerings. Quality this week was mostly average with a limited offering of attractive cattle seen. Plain to average quality calves sold on much stronger demand compared to last week. Most cattle were long weaned from 45-100 days. Package sizes were mostly small to moderate this week and larger than last week. Several partial load lots were seen this week. CME positions pushed higher today but have traded unevenly since last week. The March contract closed today at 252.30, 0.70 lower than last Tuesdays close. The April closed at 257.175 today, 1.775 lower than last Tuesdays close. Market activity was mostly moderate to active this week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light to moderate offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was good to very good. Packers opted to send most of the cow offering to slaughter this week as supplies remain tight. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-5.00 higher on Premium white and Breaking cows. Boning and lean cows sold mostly 3.00-6.00 higher. Private feeding buyers pushed feeding cows higher as they pushed to buy them away from packers. Very few feeding cows were seen last week thus no comparisons can be made. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Weigh up conditions were mixed today. Another set of fed cows sold this week. Most of these offerings were fed for over 100 days. Young age cows were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Young cow quality was mostly average to attractive this week. Demand from both feeding and rebreed buyers helped push these offerings higher, with many selling near the same price levels as late fall. A moderate offering of bred cows was seen this sale. Demand for bred cows was mostly good with a large crowd on hand for todays bred portion of the sale.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $332.00/cwt on 225 head. That ranks 1 of 13 comparable sales and sits −154.23 against this barn's trailing median of $486.23.

Average price

$332.00

225 head · 560 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,858

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$121

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

$39.50/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+0.00

vs MT average

+19.00 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	503	337.00	1,695	7thin
Medium and Large 1	564	333.97	1,882	202
Medium 1	544	317.50	1,727	6thin
Medium and Large 2	529	297.50	1,574	10thin

One grade step is worth $39.50/cwt here — about $121 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

13 sales

Steers 500–600 lb: high $512.23, low $440.01, median $486.23 across 13 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale225 hd

332.00

—

MT average1 barns · 225 hd

332.00

+0.00

National average178 barns · 13,961 hd

313.00

+19.00

This barn, trailing median13 sales

486.23

−154.23

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	1,617	120.68	1,951	10
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	Average	1,606	120.94	1,942	44
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,439	117.57	1,691	88
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,453	115.71	1,681	35
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,180	105.53	1,245	35

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	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,091	$2,622	45
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,226	$2,435	68
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,264	$2,334	152
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,259	$2,142	95
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,158	$1,800	16
Bred Heifers	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	1,099	$2,821	35

Every lot, as filed

84 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	650–700	673	231.00/cwt	231.00–231.00	1,555	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	511	309.69/cwt	305.50–322.50	1,583	47
Heifers	Medium 2-3	400–450	443	110.00/cwt	110.00–110.00	487	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	590	275.93/cwt	275.00–280.00	1,628	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	436	286.00/cwt	286.00–286.00	1,247	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	500	264.00/cwt	264.00–264.00	1,320	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	543	279.00/cwt	279.00–279.00	1,515	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	600	252.00/cwt	252.00–252.00	1,512	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	446	313.61/cwt	308.00–324.00	1,399	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	379	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	1,289	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	553	276.44/cwt	274.50–277.00	1,529	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	487	303.00/cwt	303.00–303.00	1,476	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	550–600	571	319.00/cwt	319.00–319.00	1,821	16
Steers	Large 1Full	750–800	772	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,853	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	850–900	885	212.50/cwt	212.50–212.50	1,881	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	800–850	845	231.75/cwt	231.75–231.75	1,958	31
Heifers	Medium 1	400–450	424	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	1,367	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	610	274.00/cwt	274.00–274.00	1,671	12
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	490	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,470	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	377	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	1,338	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	623	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	1,713	3
Steers	Medium 1	350–400	378	351.00/cwt	351.00–351.00	1,327	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	726	267.13/cwt	267.00–268.00	1,939	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	521	342.00/cwt	342.00–342.00	1,782	36
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	450	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	1,598	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	503	337.00/cwt	337.00–337.00	1,695	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	439	351.00/cwt	345.00–360.00	1,541	14
Steers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	529	297.50/cwt	297.50–297.50	1,574	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	627	288.19/cwt	284.50–294.00	1,807	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	493	334.48/cwt	332.50–342.50	1,649	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	667	290.84/cwt	285.50–292.25	1,940	85
Steers	Medium 1	500–550	544	317.50/cwt	317.50–317.50	1,727	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	573	333.64/cwt	322.50–341.75	1,912	150
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	425	369.35/cwt	365.00–370.00	1,570	110
Steers	Medium 1	450–500	484	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,621	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	718	263.00/cwt	263.00–263.00	1,888	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	500–550	545	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,744	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	650	252.50/cwt	252.50–252.50	1,641	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	480	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,536	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	450–500	465	337.50/cwt	337.50–337.50	1,569	1
Bulls	Large 2	1150–1200	1,195	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,793	1
Bulls	Large 1	700–750	740	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	1,628	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	995	74.00/cwt	74.00–74.00	736	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,398	117.38/cwt	114.00–119.50	1,641	29
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,377	105.56/cwt	101.00–108.00	1,454	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,180	113.09/cwt	111.50–115.00	1,334	8
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,580	114.49/cwt	114.00–115.00	1,809	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,117	105.66/cwt	102.00–108.50	1,180	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,295	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	1,515	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,235	100.00/cwt	92.00–105.00	1,235	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,040	88.00/cwt	88.00–88.00	915	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,177	109.05/cwt	106.00–111.00	1,284	9
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,403	112.50/cwt	108.00–119.00	1,578	15
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,480	101.08/cwt	99.00–103.00	1,496	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,485	121.42/cwt	120.00–122.50	1,803	39
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,535	106.00/cwt	106.00–106.00	1,627	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,425	122.25/cwt	122.25–122.25	1,742	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,443	115.89/cwt	113.00–117.00	1,672	31
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	1,606	120.94/cwt	120.25–121.50	1,942	44
Bulls	—	—	1,410	111.00/cwt	111.00–111.00	1,565	1
Bulls	—	—	1,845	127.16/cwt	121.00–132.00	2,346	4
Bulls	—	—	2,000	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	2,700	1
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,400	113.59/cwt	110.00–117.00	1,590	2
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,290	104.00/cwt	104.00–104.00	1,342	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,290	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	1,561	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,117	148.99/cwt	117.00–171.00	1,664	26
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	691	213.15/cwt	203.00–217.00	1,473	11
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,099	2,821.44/head	2,800.00–2,850.00	2,821	35
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,181	2,300.00/head	2,300.00–2,300.00	2,300	19
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,244	2,487.45/head	2,375.00–2,500.00	2,487	49
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,117	2,800.00/head	2,800.00–2,800.00	2,800	24
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	932	203.26/cwt	184.00–217.50	1,894	18
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,063	2,350.00/head	2,350.00–2,350.00	2,350	2
Bred Cows	Medium 1	—	1,061	2,425.88/head	2,300.00–2,500.00	2,426	19
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,264	2,334.11/head	2,200.00–2,350.00	2,334	152
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,258	2,220.10/head	2,000.00–2,350.00	2,220	75
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,158	1,800.00/head	1,800.00–1,800.00	1,800	16
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,265	1,847.36/head	1,825.00–1,850.00	1,847	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	618	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,421	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	360	326.87/cwt	325.00–327.50	1,177	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	414	333.54/cwt	326.00–338.00	1,381	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	562	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	1,321	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	700–750	711	265.50/cwt	265.50–265.50	1,888	57
Bulls	Large 1-2	1150–1200	1,155	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	2,079	1

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 →