Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2025-01-14
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-01-14

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers 450-599 lbs offered the best test this week, these offerings sold sharply higher with most sales 20.00-30.00 higher than last week. All other steers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Feeder heifers under 450 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher. Heifers 450-549 lbs sold mostly 12.00-15.00 higher. Heifers over 550 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive and overall more attractive than last week. Demand was very good on all offerings. Demand for light weight cattle suitable to go to grass remains very good with many buyers sending cattle south to wheat pastures. Most offerings were weaned from 60-90 days. Market activity was mostly active today with rapid bidding seen on all offerings. Weigh up cows sold on good demand for light offerings. Demand for slaughter cows improved slightly this sale as packers showed moderate to good demand for cattle for immediate harvest. Packers were forced to become more aggressive later in the sale as they tried to fill slaughter loads. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher on boning and lean cows, breaking cows were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Feeding cow demand continues to be good. Both private feeders and packers both showed good demand for cows to feed. One set of fed cows which had been on feed since early fall were purchased to put back on feed. Private buyers continue to buy slightly lame or slightly blemished cows to but away on feed. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher on all cows suitable to feed. Cow quality this week was average to attractive. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average this week for cows and bulls. Most cows and bulls were pushing some fill today and weigh conditions deteriorated as the sale progressed. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Young age cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for light offerings. Quality was mostly plain to average today and most young offerings were purchased to feed.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $357.86/cwt on 345 head. That ranks 1 of 13 comparable sales and sits −128.37 against this barn's trailing median of $486.23.

Average price

$357.86

345 head · 558 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,997

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$95

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

$25.64/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+0.87

vs MT average

+15.41 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	556	360.76	2,007	306
Medium and Large 1-2	571	335.12	1,913	39

One grade step is worth $25.64/cwt here — about $95 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 sale345 hd

357.86

—

MT average3 barns · 699 hd

356.99

+0.87

National average190 barns · 32,836 hd

342.45

+15.41

This barn, trailing median13 sales

486.23

−128.37

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	1,606	137.38	2,207	33
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,563	123.09	1,924	90
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,430	122.00	1,744	100
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,172	112.01	1,312	80

Every lot, as filed

56 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	700–750	706	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	2,118	24
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	965	112.50/cwt	112.50–112.50	1,086	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	521	330.37/cwt	320.00–344.00	1,721	205
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	977	175.87/cwt	134.00–212.00	1,718	33
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	984	197.25/cwt	178.00–211.00	1,941	52
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	522	379.87/cwt	370.00–389.00	1,983	136
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	607	288.02/cwt	287.00–291.00	1,748	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	433	369.84/cwt	359.00–382.00	1,601	66
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	528	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,901	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	621	319.58/cwt	305.00–335.00	1,985	43
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	375	466.88/cwt	458.00–495.00	1,751	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	387	440.04/cwt	430.00–450.00	1,703	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	381	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	1,429	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	584	345.47/cwt	330.00–355.00	2,018	170
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	509	357.00/cwt	357.00–357.00	1,817	10
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,070	137.50/cwt	137.50–137.50	1,471	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	860	148.93/cwt	127.50–170.00	1,281	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	473	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	1,750	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	477	407.56/cwt	395.00–417.50	1,944	53
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	344	378.00/cwt	378.00–378.00	1,300	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	465	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,465	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,028	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	2,159	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,468	119.28/cwt	117.00–126.00	1,751	26
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,609	125.45/cwt	118.00–129.00	2,018	60
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,413	111.41/cwt	102.00–115.00	1,574	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,459	132.21/cwt	130.00–133.00	1,929	14
Bulls	—	—	1,603	134.22/cwt	116.00–140.00	2,152	19
Bulls	—	—	1,626	142.97/cwt	140.00–146.00	2,325	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,084	82.40/cwt	71.00–88.00	893	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,229	97.50/cwt	92.00–103.00	1,198	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,248	130.18/cwt	129.00–134.00	1,625	13
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,127	124.00/cwt	123.00–125.00	1,397	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,414	102.49/cwt	95.00–108.00	1,449	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,431	125.25/cwt	117.00–128.00	1,792	61
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,167	119.38/cwt	118.00–126.00	1,393	14
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,146	108.91/cwt	93.00–117.50	1,248	29
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,562	143.71/cwt	142.00–147.00	2,245	4
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,640	135.89/cwt	131.00–140.00	2,229	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,235	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	1,618	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,387	115.57/cwt	108.00–125.00	1,603	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	948	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	2,180	6
Heifers	Medium 1-2	400–450	412	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,298	3
Heifers	Medium 1-2	350–400	382	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	1,356	3
Steers	Medium 1-2	400–450	445	383.00/cwt	383.00–383.00	1,704	9
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,202	111.42/cwt	108.00–114.00	1,339	9
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,585	106.16/cwt	105.00–108.00	1,683	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	420	441.76/cwt	424.00–453.00	1,855	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	516	313.01/cwt	305.00–319.00	1,615	26
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	592	327.58/cwt	317.50–337.00	1,939	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	723	244.00/cwt	244.00–244.00	1,764	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	779	259.00/cwt	259.00–259.00	2,018	9
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	477	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,670	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	808	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	2,101	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	467	348.72/cwt	342.00–358.00	1,629	106
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	574	299.58/cwt	292.00–320.00	1,720	14
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	985	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	1,487	2

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 →