Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2024-10-15
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-10-15

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Steer calves under 450 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower, 450-549 lbs steers sold fully steady, steer calves over 550 lbs were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Heifer calves under 400 lbs were too lightly tested last week to develop a full market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. 400-449 lbs heifer calves sold mostly 10.00 lower. 450-499 lbs heifers sold fully steady, heifers over 500 lbs were too lightly tested last week to develop a full market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Yearling heifers sold fully steady in a narrow comparison. Demand for calves was mostly good, while demand for yearlings mostly moderate to good. Demand for light weight calves suitable to run on wheat pasture in the south or out west was very good. CME Feeder cattle positions sold off today with triple digit losses seen today. Quality this sale was mostly average to attractive on calves and plain to average on yearlings. Market activity was mostly active today with a large buyer pool noticed. Weigh up cows sold on good demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was light, but stronger than last sale as packer buyers were forced to pick around in order to buy cows away from feeding buyers. Slaughter cows sold steady to 5.00 higher on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Feeding cow demand was very good with multiple private ranchers and order buyers buying cows to feed. Even slightly lame or slightly blemished cows found their way to onto feeding buyers orders this week. Feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-5.00 higher. Demand for feeding cows did diminish slightly as buyers filled loads and exited the market. Slaughter bulls sold on mostly moderate demand for light offerings. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Weigh up conditions were mostly average 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 with several buyers looking for this class of cows.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $304.09/cwt on 796 head. That ranks 1 of 13 comparable sales and sits −182.14 against this barn's trailing median of $486.23.

Average price

$304.09

796 head · 548 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,667

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$152

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$9.44/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+5.36

vs MT average

+4.76 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	549	304.44	1,671	767
Medium and Large 1-2	530	295.07	1,564	26
Large 1	515	295.00	1,519	3thin

One grade step is worth $9.44/cwt here — about $152 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 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 sale796 hd

304.09

—

MT average5 barns · 1,795 hd

298.73

+5.36

National average188 barns · 32,793 hd

299.33

+4.76

This barn, trailing median13 sales

486.23

−182.14

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	—	Average	1,704	146.72	2,499	21
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,562	131.92	2,061	17
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,351	128.59	1,737	169
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,178	120.06	1,415	289

Every lot, as filed

80 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	700–750	707	248.61/cwt	246.00–250.50	1,758	147
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	612	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,499	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	530	313.58/cwt	302.00–317.00	1,662	404
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,009	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	2,169	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	873	232.60/cwt	229.00–235.50	2,031	43
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	442	351.81/cwt	346.00–399.00	1,555	152
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	869	232.33/cwt	231.50–233.50	2,019	46
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	744	262.00/cwt	262.00–262.00	1,949	31
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	374	410.23/cwt	392.50–432.50	1,534	100
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	761	241.07/cwt	238.00–242.00	1,835	112
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	698	252.00/cwt	252.00–252.00	1,759	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	334	422.00/cwt	422.00–422.00	1,409	59
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	812	246.69/cwt	244.00–250.00	2,003	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	532	281.86/cwt	269.50–295.00	1,499	179
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	485	291.64/cwt	287.00–293.00	1,414	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	530	295.07/cwt	286.00–300.00	1,564	26
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	419	306.26/cwt	303.00–307.50	1,283	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	305	369.56/cwt	360.00–371.00	1,127	49
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	472	326.38/cwt	311.00–341.00	1,541	329
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	250–300	279	413.45/cwt	409.00–420.00	1,154	39
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	892	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	2,007	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	986	137.30/cwt	131.00–140.00	1,354	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	535	262.00/cwt	262.00–262.00	1,402	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	733	257.00/cwt	257.00–257.00	1,884	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	570	294.26/cwt	285.00–298.50	1,677	363
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	300–350	331	335.88/cwt	330.00–340.00	1,112	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	487	304.94/cwt	290.00–306.00	1,485	108
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	812	233.00/cwt	233.00–233.00	1,892	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,037	219.50/cwt	219.50–219.50	2,276	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	700–750	709	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,702	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	928	219.19/cwt	218.00–220.00	2,034	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	798	226.00/cwt	226.00–226.00	1,803	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	250–300	299	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	1,032	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	300–350	320	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	1,280	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,098	86.90/cwt	82.50–91.00	954	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,169	114.96/cwt	103.00–123.00	1,344	83
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,355	129.63/cwt	124.00–134.50	1,756	114
Steers	Medium 1	650–700	679	264.00/cwt	264.00–264.00	1,793	9
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,368	121.22/cwt	111.00–125.00	1,658	10
Bulls	—Natural	—	1,890	153.53/cwt	152.00–155.00	2,902	2
Bulls	—	—	1,820	153.32/cwt	148.00–164.00	2,790	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,198	123.96/cwt	117.00–128.00	1,485	126
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,153	101.21/cwt	92.00–108.00	1,167	23
Bulls	—	—	1,697	139.66/cwt	135.00–146.00	2,370	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	904	95.06/cwt	85.00–107.00	859	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,295	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	1,671	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,758	128.86/cwt	128.00–130.00	2,265	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,421	107.67/cwt	103.00–111.00	1,530	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,329	136.00/cwt	135.00–137.00	1,807	28
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,507	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	2,004	14
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,193	132.85/cwt	130.00–135.50	1,585	46
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	900	111.00/cwt	111.00–111.00	999	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,185	112.43/cwt	111.00–116.00	1,332	3
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	450–500	481	304.61/cwt	301.00–310.00	1,465	10
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	500–550	515	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	1,519	3
Bulls	—Natural	—	1,475	141.91/cwt	134.00–147.00	2,093	5
Bulls	—Natural	—	1,820	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	3,039	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,940	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	2,386	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,325	114.48/cwt	111.00–123.00	1,517	12
Heifers	Medium 1	650–700	683	249.39/cwt	249.00–251.00	1,703	91
Heifers	Medium 1	700–750	719	243.00/cwt	243.00–243.00	1,747	9
Heifers	Medium 1	600–650	607	255.77/cwt	255.00–258.00	1,553	32
Heifers	Medium 1-2	650–700	653	243.00/cwt	243.00–243.00	1,587	6
Heifers	Medium 1-2	550–600	588	254.00/cwt	254.00–254.00	1,494	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	419	334.09/cwt	331.00–342.00	1,400	16
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	938	169.98/cwt	150.00–199.00	1,594	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	388	348.46/cwt	330.00–385.00	1,352	80
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	799	237.00/cwt	237.00–237.00	1,894	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	600–650	644	258.00/cwt	258.00–258.00	1,662	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	388	326.76/cwt	324.00–327.50	1,268	25
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	907	209.41/cwt	186.00–215.00	1,899	24
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	571	271.68/cwt	268.00–274.00	1,551	21
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,230	132.62/cwt	127.50–135.00	1,631	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	425	323.82/cwt	320.00–338.00	1,376	123
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	375	346.29/cwt	335.00–370.00	1,299	97
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,044	173.19/cwt	138.00–191.00	1,808	61
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	480	301.35/cwt	292.00–309.00	1,446	235
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	614	267.57/cwt	262.00–275.00	1,643	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	976	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	2,147	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	827	236.10/cwt	234.00–238.50	1,953	63

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 →