Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2024-10-08
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-10-08

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder calves were scarcely tested last week thus no comparisons can be made. Demand for limited calves was good to very good. Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Yearling heifers sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Demand was mostly moderate to good for yearlings and good to very good for calves under 450 lbs. Calves over 450 lbs sold on light to moderate demand. Demand for calves to turn out on wheat pasture in the south was very good. CME Feeder cattle positions continue to improve with triple digit gains seen today. Quality this sale was mostly average to attractive. Market activity was mostly active today. A large buyer pool was on hand for todays sale. Bidding was rapid with multiple buyers bidding to fill loads. Weigh up cows sold on mixed demand for moderate offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was light, while feeding cow demand was mostly good. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested this week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to lower undertones were noticed. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly light this week as most cows were purchased to send to feed. Even slightly lame or slightly blemished cows found their way to onto feeding buyers orders this week. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher. Private feeding cow buyers were very aggressive as they bid on cow suitable to feed. A large pool of feeding cow buyers was on hand for todays sale. Slaughter bulls sold on mostly light to moderate demand. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady in a narrow comparison. Weigh up conditions were mixed this week. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 10.00 higher. Young age cow quality was mostly average to attractive today. Demand for young cows to rebreed was good to very good.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $268.01/cwt on 71 head. That ranks 1 of 16 comparable sales and sits −172.42 against this barn's trailing median of $440.43.

Average price

$268.01

71 head · 536 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,436

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$147

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

$16.31/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+2.03

vs MT average

+15.33 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	539	270.31	1,457	61
Medium and Large 1-2	516	254.00	1,311	10thin

One grade step is worth $16.31/cwt here — about $147 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

16 sales

Heifers 500–600 lb: high $468.13, low $352.48, median $440.43 across 16 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 sale71 hd

268.01

—

MT average4 barns · 261 hd

265.99

+2.03

National average183 barns · 16,319 hd

252.68

+15.33

This barn, trailing median16 sales

440.43

−172.42

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	1,688	141.15	2,383	38
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,405	128.02	1,799	130
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,647	125.62	2,069	5thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,187	113.40	1,346	182

Every lot, as filed

74 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	900–950	911	228.20/cwt	225.00–230.00	2,079	45
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	868	231.27/cwt	227.00–232.50	2,007	36
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	841	236.50/cwt	236.50–236.50	1,989	31
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	900–950	942	216.00/cwt	216.00–216.00	2,035	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	950–1000	968	209.00/cwt	209.00–209.00	2,023	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	769	241.39/cwt	239.00–245.00	1,856	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	991	227.79/cwt	227.50–230.50	2,257	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	783	264.41/cwt	264.00–266.00	2,070	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	368	372.71/cwt	345.00–389.00	1,372	26
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	416	337.66/cwt	336.25–350.00	1,405	104
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	476	302.01/cwt	291.00–315.00	1,438	96
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	535	271.39/cwt	270.00–274.00	1,452	46
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	552	267.00/cwt	267.00–267.00	1,474	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	428	360.18/cwt	352.00–390.00	1,542	74
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,100	155.46/cwt	135.00–175.00	1,710	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	950	217.00/cwt	217.00–217.00	2,062	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	1050–1100	1,050	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	2,205	34
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	475	326.22/cwt	323.00–328.00	1,550	50
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	395	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	1,343	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	516	254.00/cwt	237.00–271.00	1,311	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	361	417.25/cwt	408.00–428.50	1,506	32
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	595	275.43/cwt	275.00–296.00	1,639	47
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	845	245.03/cwt	244.00–263.00	2,071	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	250–300	268	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	884	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	780	236.00/cwt	236.00–236.00	1,841	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	548	303.00/cwt	303.00–303.00	1,660	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	440	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	1,496	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	620	272.87/cwt	266.00–283.00	1,692	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	520	314.58/cwt	309.00–319.50	1,636	129
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	341	411.10/cwt	410.00–420.50	1,402	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	314	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	1,193	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,655	119.00/cwt	119.00–119.00	1,969	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,348	108.43/cwt	101.00–112.00	1,462	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,347	114.90/cwt	107.00–116.00	1,548	9
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,355	140.37/cwt	135.00–141.50	1,902	10
Bulls	—	—	1,804	137.77/cwt	129.00–142.00	2,485	17
Bulls	—	—	1,812	147.07/cwt	143.00–156.00	2,665	11
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,412	134.07/cwt	132.00–136.00	1,893	61
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,388	126.95/cwt	121.00–133.00	1,762	46
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,585	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	2,045	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,226	120.06/cwt	117.00–126.50	1,472	75
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,169	113.41/cwt	105.00–117.00	1,326	71
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,157	132.85/cwt	132.50–133.00	1,537	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,200	110.75/cwt	107.00–117.00	1,329	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,175	95.46/cwt	90.00–105.00	1,122	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,128	83.88/cwt	81.00–89.00	946	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,720	125.06/cwt	124.00–126.00	2,151	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,555	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	2,022	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,552	115.94/cwt	114.00–118.00	1,799	5
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	600–650	620	246.00/cwt	246.00–246.00	1,525	4
Steers	Large 1-2	1050–1100	1,062	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	2,230	3
Steers	Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,048	219.00/cwt	219.00–219.00	2,295	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,673	125.79/cwt	125.00–126.50	2,104	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	833	101.00/cwt	101.00–101.00	841	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	943	80.20/cwt	75.00–85.00	756	2
Heifers	Medium 1	650–700	686	247.50/cwt	247.50–247.50	1,698	42
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	300–350	332	392.50/cwt	392.50–392.50	1,303	6
Steers	Medium 1-2	650–700	662	258.00/cwt	258.00–258.00	1,708	7
Steers	Medium 1-2	600–650	634	262.00/cwt	262.00–262.00	1,661	15
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	450–500	489	272.18/cwt	265.00–274.00	1,331	24
Bulls	Large 1Unweaned	350–400	382	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,375	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	950	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	1,948	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	480	292.00/cwt	292.00–292.00	1,402	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	367	379.90/cwt	375.00–387.50	1,394	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	817	229.00/cwt	229.00–229.00	1,871	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	936	222.00/cwt	222.00–222.00	2,078	9
Heifers	Medium 1	700–750	715	244.50/cwt	244.50–244.50	1,748	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	507	323.75/cwt	323.75–323.75	1,641	50
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	738	267.98/cwt	266.50–268.50	1,978	46
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	870	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	2,088	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	855	198.91/cwt	185.00–214.00	1,701	44
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	750–800	790	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,817	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	585	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,404	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	419	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,341	12

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 →