Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2025-01-21
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-01-21

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers under 550 lbs sold mostly 10.00-20.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Steers over 550 lbs sold generally steady. Heifer calves all sold steady in a narrow comparison, except 600-649 lbs heifers which sold mostly 4.00-8.00 higher. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly good, however demand was slightly lighter compared to last week as some buyers were off the market this week. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive and similar to last weeks offering. 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 continues to improve. Packer buyers opted to send all cows they purchased to immediate harvest this week as they showed good demand for slaughter cows. Slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00-7.00 higher on breaking cows. Boning and lean cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher. Notably, many cows which packers had been sending to feed were purchased for slaughter this week making this weeks slaughter cow offering significantly higher in quality and yield compared to last weeks offering. Feeding cow demand continues to be good. Both private feeders showed good demand for cows to feed. Private buyers continue to buy slightly lame or slightly blemished cows to but away on feed. Feeding cows sold mostly 1.00 to 5.00 higher on all cows suitable to feed. Demand for thin cows for short term feed was very good this sale as several buyers purchased cows for this purpose. Cow quality this week was average to attractive. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Weigh up conditions were mostly average this week for cows and bulls. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Quality was mostly average today. A light to moderate offering of bred cows and heifers sold today. Demand for bred offerings was mostly moderate to good. A large buyer pool of ranchers searching for aged broken mouth cows was seen. These offerings sold with the best demand.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $353.59/cwt on 127 head. That ranks 1 of 13 comparable sales and sits −132.65 against this barn's trailing median of $486.23.

Average price

$353.59

127 head · 551 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,947

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

—

single grade reported

vs the market

+11.55

vs MT average

+12.65 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	551	353.59	1,947	127

Only one grade was reported at this weight, so there is no spread to compute.

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 sale127 hd

353.59

—

MT average4 barns · 973 hd

342.03

+11.55

National average147 barns · 15,667 hd

340.94

+12.65

This barn, trailing median13 sales

486.23

−132.65

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	1,635	135.94	2,223	14
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,481	129.52	1,919	80
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,420	124.24	1,764	40
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,139	116.02	1,322	47

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/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,103	$2,762	31
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,201	$2,749	42
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	935	$2,600	2thin
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,378	$2,550	3thin
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,325	$2,475	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,349	$2,335	32
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,243	$2,166	113
Bred Heifers	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	1,101	$2,984	171

Every lot, as filed

62 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	600–650	604	296.36/cwt	286.00–299.50	1,790	108
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	446	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,561	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	630	323.67/cwt	314.00–326.50	2,039	121
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	650–700	665	287.00/cwt	287.00–287.00	1,909	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	427	420.32/cwt	417.50–421.00	1,795	51
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS	—	1,172	2,500.00/head	2,500.00–2,500.00	2,500	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	768	257.50/cwt	257.50–257.50	1,978	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	550	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,733	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,164	149.24/cwt	130.00–195.00	1,737	23
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,325	2,475.00/head	2,475.00–2,475.00	2,475	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	366	425.00/cwt	425.00–425.00	1,556	14
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,243	2,172.13/head	2,050.00–2,425.00	2,172	111
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	364	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	1,383	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	876	249.00/cwt	249.00–249.00	2,181	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	424	396.82/cwt	384.00–415.00	1,683	32
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	565	347.20/cwt	331.00–350.00	1,962	89
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,306	2,376.06/head	2,250.00–2,550.00	2,376	27
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	893	187.00/cwt	187.00–187.00	1,670	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,378	2,550.00/head	2,550.00–2,550.00	2,550	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	858	239.00/cwt	239.00–239.00	2,051	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,055	2,250.00/head	2,250.00–2,250.00	2,250	1
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,137	3,023.78/head	2,975.00–3,100.00	3,024	146
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,205	2,761.33/head	2,500.00–2,825.00	2,761	41
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,040	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	1,768	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,098	2,805.80/head	2,700.00–2,875.00	2,806	27
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,295	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	1,800	23
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,174	116.94/cwt	110.00–125.00	1,373	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,107	102.20/cwt	99.00–107.00	1,131	9
Bulls	—	—	1,846	148.28/cwt	146.00–149.00	2,737	4
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,345	110.00/cwt	110.00–110.00	1,480	1
Bulls	—	—	1,542	129.96/cwt	119.00–136.50	2,004	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,200	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,560	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,562	126.53/cwt	124.00–130.00	1,976	43
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,390	119.00/cwt	119.00–119.00	1,654	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,049	109.30/cwt	102.00–114.00	1,147	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,645	130.50/cwt	130.50–130.50	2,147	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,323	100.52/cwt	99.00–102.50	1,330	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,362	127.97/cwt	123.50–129.50	1,743	21
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,485	120.30/cwt	112.00–124.00	1,786	10
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,205	123.62/cwt	117.50–130.00	1,490	2
Bulls	—Natural	—	2,023	151.51/cwt	151.00–152.00	3,065	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,578	112.46/cwt	104.00–121.00	1,775	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,534	124.92/cwt	124.00–125.00	1,916	12
Bred Cows	Medium 1	—	935	2,600.00/head	2,600.00–2,600.00	2,600	2
Bred Heifers	Medium 1	—	890	2,750.00/head	2,750.00–2,750.00	2,750	25
Bred Cows	Large 1	—	1,584	2,111.05/head	2,000.00–2,150.00	2,111	5
Heifers	Large 1	550–600	580	272.00/cwt	272.00–272.00	1,578	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,184	124.57/cwt	115.00–127.00	1,475	20
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,588	132.05/cwt	131.00–133.50	2,097	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,250	1,850.00/head	1,850.00–1,850.00	1,850	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	935	224.79/cwt	220.00–228.50	2,102	10
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,030	2,350.00/head	2,350.00–2,350.00	2,350	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,077	134.22/cwt	126.00–156.00	1,446	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	676	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,791	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	713	282.00/cwt	282.00–282.00	2,011	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	521	328.52/cwt	312.00–335.75	1,712	96
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	467	349.44/cwt	347.00–350.00	1,632	32
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	479	386.95/cwt	379.50–396.00	1,853	42
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	951	197.66/cwt	146.50–221.00	1,880	62
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	517	368.54/cwt	360.00–370.50	1,905	38
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	650–700	685	274.50/cwt	274.50–274.50	1,880	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	655	292.00/cwt	292.00–292.00	1,913	3

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 →