Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2024-11-05
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-11-05

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Both steer and heifer calves under 500 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 lower on a lower quality offering this week. Steer calves 500-599 lbs sold steady to 5.00 lower. Heifers over 500 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Calf quality, calf health, and package size all affected demand this week. Packages were smaller this week compared to last weeks sale, which saw several load lots. Most calves were offered in small packages this week with no load lots of calves seen. Partial loads of calves sold with the best demand, these offerings sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower. The only load lot on offer this week was a load of yearling heifers which sold fully steady. Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality overall this sale was mixed from plain to attractive. Market activity was mostly moderate today with a smaller buyer pool noticed. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for heavy offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was light while feeding cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand. Slaughter cows sold 2.00-5.00 lower on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Feeding cow demand was moderate to good with multiple private ranchers and order buyers, buying cows to feed. Private buyers continue to buy slightly lame or slightly blemished cows to but away on feed. Packer buyers were also active and buying slightly lame or blemished cows to put away to feed for the upcoming holidays. Most of these cows were normally go to slaughter. Feeding cows sold steady to 3.00 lower. Cow quality this week plain to average and similar to last weeks offering. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to weak. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average this week. Many cows early morning offered buyers average weigh conditions, while cows late in the sale were pushing moderate amounts of fill. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady to weak on a lower quality offering. Many young age cows were very thin this sale. Quality was mostly average today and similar to last week.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $306.29/cwt on 560 head. That ranks 1 of 13 comparable sales and sits −179.95 against this barn's trailing median of $486.23.

Average price

$306.29

560 head · 551 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,688

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$120

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 1

$16.71/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+7.08

vs MT average

+4.44 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	551	306.71	1,692	543
Medium and Large 1-2	544	293.10	1,594	14thin
Medium 1	542	290.00	1,572	3thin

One grade step is worth $16.71/cwt here — about $120 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 sale560 hd

306.29

—

MT average5 barns · 1,453 hd

299.21

+7.08

National average187 barns · 26,509 hd

301.85

+4.44

This barn, trailing median13 sales

486.23

−179.95

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	1,733	143.38	2,485	44
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,358	118.65	1,611	232
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,607	118.25	1,900	6thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,183	113.17	1,339	430

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)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,180	$1,527	14

Every lot, as filed

87 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
Steers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	943	233.00/cwt	233.00–233.00	2,197	30
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	468	323.00/cwt	323.00–323.00	1,512	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	567	263.88/cwt	255.00–265.00	1,496	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	250–300	280	395.00/cwt	395.00–395.00	1,106	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	756	248.75/cwt	248.75–248.75	1,881	109
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	536	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,420	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	750–800	759	240.50/cwt	240.50–240.50	1,825	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	477	321.91/cwt	317.00–331.00	1,536	94
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	573	297.95/cwt	296.00–300.00	1,707	33
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	335	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	1,290	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	417	356.66/cwt	353.00–365.00	1,487	82
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	340	408.28/cwt	400.00–415.00	1,388	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	521	315.31/cwt	301.00–326.00	1,643	245
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	600–650	613	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	1,594	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	367	388.37/cwt	372.50–400.00	1,425	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	961	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	2,162	13
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,176	132.30/cwt	130.00–135.00	1,556	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	250–300	286	472.19/cwt	465.00–491.00	1,350	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	626	274.65/cwt	272.00–295.00	1,719	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	479	297.91/cwt	283.00–312.50	1,427	102
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	420	311.60/cwt	308.00–315.00	1,309	62
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	577	299.86/cwt	282.00–308.75	1,730	265
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	923	125.64/cwt	125.00–127.50	1,160	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	655	276.93/cwt	262.50–281.00	1,814	28
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,075	151.22/cwt	127.00–182.50	1,626	45
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	471	316.00/cwt	316.00–316.00	1,488	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	912	198.94/cwt	164.00–217.50	1,814	134
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,203	1,575.00/head	1,575.00–1,575.00	1,575	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	386	313.29/cwt	301.00–320.00	1,209	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	411	303.10/cwt	285.00–306.00	1,246	16
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	988	145.15/cwt	124.00–185.00	1,434	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	300–350	339	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	1,203	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	925	132.50/cwt	132.50–132.50	1,226	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	1,097	1,350.00/head	1,350.00–1,350.00	1,350	3
Heifers	Small and Medium 2	450–500	469	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,126	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	911	223.00/cwt	223.00–223.00	2,032	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	580	282.00/cwt	282.00–282.00	1,636	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,377	105.37/cwt	101.00–109.00	1,451	3
Bulls	—	—	2,465	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	3,648	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,404	135.76/cwt	135.00–136.00	1,906	4
Bulls	—	—	1,686	135.28/cwt	121.00–145.00	2,281	14
Bulls	—	—	2,063	160.51/cwt	160.00–161.00	3,311	2
Bulls	—	—	1,759	147.95/cwt	145.00–153.00	2,602	23
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,162	107.77/cwt	97.00–112.00	1,252	120
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,172	91.92/cwt	85.00–97.50	1,077	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,380	95.58/cwt	90.00–105.00	1,319	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,422	127.27/cwt	127.00–129.00	1,810	20
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,345	120.52/cwt	113.00–127.00	1,621	177
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	885	96.00/cwt	96.00–96.00	850	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,376	107.14/cwt	97.50–109.00	1,474	24
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	949	74.59/cwt	72.50–76.00	708	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,479	95.00/cwt	95.00–95.00	1,405	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	933	90.06/cwt	86.00–94.00	840	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,182	125.65/cwt	124.00–129.00	1,485	35
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,206	117.33/cwt	112.00–123.00	1,415	241
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	400–450	431	327.50/cwt	327.50–327.50	1,412	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,084	75.76/cwt	70.00–82.00	821	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,186	102.27/cwt	100.00–106.00	1,213	8
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,603	112.84/cwt	106.00–116.00	1,809	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,565	123.50/cwt	123.50–123.50	1,933	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,700	124.00/cwt	124.00–124.00	2,108	1
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	350–400	399	337.50/cwt	337.50–337.50	1,347	4
Heifers	Medium 1-2	600–650	622	239.00/cwt	239.00–239.00	1,487	7
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,041	138.40/cwt	131.00–152.00	1,441	22
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	500–550	514	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,362	9
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	400–450	422	306.00/cwt	306.00–306.00	1,291	3
Heifers	Large 1	1050–1100	1,055	216.00/cwt	216.00–216.00	2,279	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	350–400	395	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	1,165	7
Heifers	Medium 1	650–700	651	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,595	17
Heifers	Medium 1	700–750	703	237.00/cwt	237.00–237.00	1,666	10
Steers	Medium 1	650–700	677	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	1,760	10
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	400–450	405	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	1,235	5
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	500–550	542	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	1,572	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	369	341.01/cwt	327.50–356.00	1,258	70
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	538	294.95/cwt	291.00–300.00	1,587	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	429	325.73/cwt	315.00–332.50	1,397	40
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	383	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	1,360	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	470	271.00/cwt	271.00–271.00	1,274	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	650–700	652	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,500	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	548	267.00/cwt	267.00–267.00	1,463	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,035	225.43/cwt	217.50–228.00	2,333	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	603	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	1,417	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	863	234.50/cwt	234.50–234.50	2,024	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	330	361.31/cwt	357.50–365.00	1,192	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	519	277.20/cwt	270.00–286.00	1,439	78
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	900	235.50/cwt	235.50–235.50	2,120	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	479	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,437	13

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 →