Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2024-11-26
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-11-26

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Steer calves under 400 lbs were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. 400-599 lbs steers sold 5.00-15.00 higher; steer calves over 600 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher. Heifer calves under 400 lbs were not well compared; 400-499 lbs heifers sold 5.00-15.00 higher; heifers over 500 lbs sold generally steady on like quality offerings in a narrow comparison. Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Calf quality was mostly average to very attractive, on steers and mixed on heifers, from plain to attractive. Heifer quality was not as attractive as last weeks sale. Demand was mostly good to very good for steers and moderate to good for heifers. All buyers were more aggressive as they bid on offerings and tried to fill loads. Demand for weaned calves was mostly good this week and most weaned offerings outsold unweaned offerings. Market activity was mostly active today. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was light while feeding cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand. Slaughter cows sold generally steady to firm in a very narrow comparison on all classes. Feeding cow demand remains moderate to good. Private buyers continue to buy slightly lame or slightly blemished cows to put away on feed. Packer buyers were also active and buying slightly lame or blemished cows to put away to feed for the upcoming holidays. Feeding cows sold steady to firm on high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white. Thin feeding cows sold mostly steady. Cow quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 3.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average this week, with a small portion of the cow and bull offering pushing moderate amounts of fill. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 5.00-8.00 lower on a lighter offering. Young age cows sold on moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Quality was mostly average today and overall not as attractive as last week.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $293.82/cwt on 229 head. That ranks 1 of 16 comparable sales and sits −146.62 against this barn's trailing median of $440.43.

Average price

$293.82

229 head · 531 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,560

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$138

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$11.11/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+7.94

vs MT average

+12.92 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	531	294.11	1,562	223
Medium and Large 1-2	543	283.00	1,537	4thin
Large 1	503	283.00	1,423	2thin

One grade step is worth $11.11/cwt here — about $138 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 sale229 hd

293.82

—

MT average4 barns · 858 hd

285.88

+7.94

National average40 barns · 6,153 hd

280.90

+12.92

This barn, trailing median16 sales

440.43

−146.62

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	1,708	128.76	2,200	15
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,576	120.40	1,898	16
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,399	115.87	1,621	171
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,178	105.72	1,245	232

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)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,364	$2,500	12
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,320	$2,500	8
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,368	$2,195	56
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,176	$1,789	123

Every lot, as filed

89 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 1-2Unweaned	450–500	490	281.00/cwt	281.00–281.00	1,377	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,149	134.48/cwt	120.50–169.00	1,545	32
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,239	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	1,499	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	470	377.20/cwt	352.00–382.50	1,773	37
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	413	410.22/cwt	405.00–418.00	1,694	46
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	629	299.34/cwt	298.00–303.00	1,883	46
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,191	1,812.49/head	1,735.00–1,850.00	1,812	111
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	785	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	1,452	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	966	177.25/cwt	141.00–215.00	1,712	85
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	413	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	1,549	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	481	343.00/cwt	343.00–343.00	1,650	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	428	337.13/cwt	325.50–355.00	1,443	92
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	379	422.61/cwt	415.00–426.00	1,602	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	672	285.30/cwt	285.00–285.50	1,917	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	334	463.90/cwt	440.00–480.00	1,549	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1Value Added	400–450	428	402.00/cwt	402.00–402.00	1,721	58
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	803	234.00/cwt	234.00–234.00	1,879	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	521	293.00/cwt	293.00–293.00	1,527	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	625	267.59/cwt	252.00–270.00	1,672	43
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	560	325.96/cwt	324.00–328.00	1,825	70
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	533	341.19/cwt	334.50–360.00	1,819	162
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	872	233.00/cwt	233.00–233.00	2,032	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	250–300	260	525.00/cwt	525.00–525.00	1,365	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	523	301.34/cwt	288.00–311.00	1,576	157
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,068	134.13/cwt	125.00–145.00	1,433	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,364	2,500.00/head	2,500.00–2,500.00	2,500	12
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,033	1,575.00/head	1,575.00–1,575.00	1,575	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	349	337.50/cwt	337.50–337.50	1,178	13
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,368	2,194.56/head	1,875.00–2,260.00	2,195	56
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	443	378.00/cwt	378.00–378.00	1,675	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	719	247.00/cwt	247.00–247.00	1,776	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	365	329.36/cwt	322.50–342.50	1,202	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	543	283.00/cwt	283.00–283.00	1,537	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,055	136.41/cwt	123.00–157.50	1,439	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	300–350	334	354.94/cwt	352.00–357.50	1,185	33
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	423	377.50/cwt	377.50–377.50	1,597	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	412	319.00/cwt	319.00–319.00	1,314	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	980	209.00/cwt	209.00–209.00	2,048	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,418	104.27/cwt	96.00–109.00	1,479	22
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,410	123.09/cwt	123.00–123.50	1,736	30
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,388	117.40/cwt	110.00–121.00	1,630	111
Bulls	—	—	2,040	137.51/cwt	135.00–140.00	2,805	2
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,435	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	1,880	1
Bulls	—	—	1,676	127.12/cwt	111.00–132.00	2,131	12
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	790	72.50/cwt	72.50–72.50	573	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,580	81.00/cwt	81.00–81.00	1,280	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,193	113.81/cwt	108.00–119.00	1,358	82
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,105	82.50/cwt	82.50–82.50	912	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,203	102.28/cwt	92.00–107.00	1,230	106
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,562	120.89/cwt	119.00–121.50	1,888	14
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,456	97.98/cwt	92.00–102.00	1,427	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,550	113.00/cwt	113.00–113.00	1,752	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,265	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	1,543	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,595	91.00/cwt	91.00–91.00	1,451	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,092	91.68/cwt	87.00–98.00	1,001	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,107	105.31/cwt	104.00–106.00	1,166	3
Bulls	Large 1-2	1100–1150	1,113	177.50/cwt	177.50–177.50	1,976	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	943	87.25/cwt	82.50–92.00	823	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,112	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	1,368	15
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,805	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	2,184	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,110	76.77/cwt	70.00–86.00	852	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,415	109.00/cwt	109.00–109.00	1,542	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	463	334.00/cwt	334.00–334.00	1,546	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	378	404.92/cwt	402.50–407.50	1,531	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	532	332.28/cwt	312.50–341.00	1,768	13
Heifers	Medium 1	650–700	696	244.00/cwt	244.00–244.00	1,698	7
Bulls	Large 1	1250–1300	1,280	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	2,176	1
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	500–550	503	283.00/cwt	283.00–283.00	1,423	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	336	357.50/cwt	357.50–357.50	1,201	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	800–850	827	244.00/cwt	244.00–244.00	2,018	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	561	326.17/cwt	314.00–331.00	1,830	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	437	307.97/cwt	292.50–318.00	1,346	39
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	600–650	625	280.42/cwt	271.00–298.00	1,753	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	750–800	778	239.50/cwt	239.50–239.50	1,863	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Value Added	450–500	478	324.50/cwt	324.50–324.50	1,551	9
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,320	2,500.00/head	2,500.00–2,500.00	2,500	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	556	273.69/cwt	272.00–275.00	1,522	55
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	381	358.28/cwt	353.00–364.00	1,365	45
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	500–550	514	324.00/cwt	324.00–324.00	1,665	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	463	325.91/cwt	318.00–334.00	1,509	42
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	909	227.50/cwt	227.50–227.50	2,068	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	380	424.46/cwt	424.00–425.00	1,613	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	463	370.01/cwt	356.00–388.00	1,713	36
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	414	361.65/cwt	322.00–369.00	1,497	100
Steers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	331	472.45/cwt	457.50–480.00	1,564	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Value Added	400–450	433	346.00/cwt	346.00–346.00	1,498	87
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	466	317.50/cwt	316.00–321.00	1,480	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	417	420.68/cwt	384.00–433.00	1,754	71
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	520	351.50/cwt	351.50–351.50	1,828	46

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 →