Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2025-01-28
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-01-28

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers under 500 lbs were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed. 500-599 lbs steers sold mostly 10.00 higher; steers over 600 lbs sold mostly 10.00-20.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Heifer calves under 500 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed. Heifers 500-599 lbs sold mostly 10.00-15.00 higher, heifers 600-649 lbs sold all sold steady to firm. Heifers over 650 lbs were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly good to very good for light offerings. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive and similar to last weeks offering. Most offerings were weaned from 60 days or longer. Many sets of feeders were weaned in a backgrounding lot. Flesh conditions were mostly moderate to moderate plus, with a few sets of fleshy cattle noticed as well. CME feeder cattle positions continue to show improvement following the cattle on feed report from Friday. Placements come in under the industry guess which added additional fuel to push contracts higher despite being at record high levels. Market activity was mostly active today with rapid bidding seen on all offerings. Weigh up cows sold on good demand for very light offerings. Demand for slaughter cows continues to improve. Slaughter cows sold mostly 6.00-12.00 higher on breaking cows and boning cows. Lean cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher. Packers were back in the market buying feeding cows this week. Feeding cow demand continues to be good. Both private feeders showed good demand for cows to feed. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher on all cows suitable to feed. Cow quality this week was average to attractive. Several sets of fed cows were seen this week. Most fed cow offerings were purchased to return to feed. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested develop an accurate market trend, however 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. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 10.00-12.00 higher. Demand from both feeding buyers and rebreed buyers was very good.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $365.68/cwt on 219 head. That ranks 1 of 13 comparable sales and sits −120.55 against this barn's trailing median of $486.23.

Average price

$365.68

219 head · 552 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,019

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$125

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

$13.93/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+6.72

vs MT average

+17.02 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	553	366.76	2,028	202
Medium and Large 1-2	540	352.83	1,904	17thin

One grade step is worth $13.93/cwt here — about $125 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 sale219 hd

365.68

—

MT average3 barns · 404 hd

358.96

+6.72

National average177 barns · 23,098 hd

348.66

+17.02

This barn, trailing median13 sales

486.23

−120.55

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	1,886	146.88	2,771	25
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,552	138.64	2,152	19
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	Low	1,692	136.81	2,315	9thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,346	128.21	1,725	32
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,164	114.13	1,328	18

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)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,453	$2,500	2thin
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	996	$2,475	5

Every lot, as filed

74 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	650–700	684	322.87/cwt	310.00–324.50	2,208	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	714	269.74/cwt	269.00–270.00	1,926	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	818	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	2,086	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	400–450	417	367.50/cwt	367.50–367.50	1,532	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	832	280.21/cwt	280.00–282.50	2,331	35
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	440	430.46/cwt	430.00–440.00	1,894	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	429	391.35/cwt	374.00–417.50	1,679	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	642	298.04/cwt	297.00–305.00	1,913	74
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	384	409.00/cwt	409.00–409.00	1,571	13
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	550–600	588	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,911	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	365	477.62/cwt	454.00–490.00	1,743	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	860	249.00/cwt	249.00–249.00	2,141	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	765	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	2,066	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	477	372.36/cwt	370.00–380.00	1,776	113
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,453	2,500.00/head	2,500.00–2,500.00	2,500	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	573	324.94/cwt	320.00–329.00	1,862	186
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	476	386.91/cwt	382.00–402.50	1,842	34
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	543	321.00/cwt	321.00–321.00	1,743	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	346	390.00/cwt	390.00–390.00	1,349	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	879	237.03/cwt	232.50–245.00	2,083	12
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	974	209.97/cwt	165.00–240.00	2,045	74
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,175	152.81/cwt	142.50–202.50	1,796	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	574	358.29/cwt	352.00–360.00	2,057	108
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	570	331.33/cwt	327.50–339.00	1,889	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	384	378.85/cwt	372.50–385.00	1,455	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	550	317.50/cwt	317.50–317.50	1,746	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	533	357.44/cwt	325.00–360.00	1,905	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	337	418.00/cwt	418.00–418.00	1,409	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	525	345.67/cwt	332.50–356.00	1,815	91
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	681	286.00/cwt	286.00–286.00	1,948	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	344	468.65/cwt	465.00–480.00	1,612	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,095	112.00/cwt	112.00–112.00	1,226	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,190	125.51/cwt	124.00–127.50	1,494	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,474	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	2,093	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,584	137.40/cwt	137.00–140.00	2,176	13
Bulls	—	—	1,793	150.05/cwt	147.00–153.00	2,690	4
Bulls	—	—	1,739	140.68/cwt	131.00–146.00	2,446	11
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,395	109.45/cwt	106.00–114.00	1,527	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,319	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	1,847	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,413	120.68/cwt	118.00–126.00	1,705	4
Bulls	—	—	2,165	154.43/cwt	150.00–155.00	3,343	8
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,530	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	2,111	1
Cows	Premium White 65-75%Heavy Weight	—	2,130	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	2,663	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,045	113.78/cwt	110.00–117.00	1,189	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,342	126.03/cwt	118.00–138.00	1,691	13
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	1,637	138.29/cwt	137.00–138.50	2,264	8
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,293	126.70/cwt	118.00–134.00	1,638	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,180	106.13/cwt	91.00–118.00	1,252	9
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,195	132.00/cwt	132.00–132.00	1,577	1
Heifers	Medium 1-2	600–650	639	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,693	4
Steers	Medium 1-2	600–650	625	267.00/cwt	267.00–267.00	1,669	3
Steers	Medium 1-2	350–400	353	397.50/cwt	397.50–397.50	1,403	2
Dairy Steers	Large 2	650–700	652	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,630	8
Bulls	—	—	2,415	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	3,840	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,120	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,456	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	427	392.83/cwt	385.00–430.00	1,677	20
Steers	Medium 1	400–450	425	402.50/cwt	402.50–402.50	1,711	3
Steers	Medium 1	650–700	688	271.00/cwt	271.00–271.00	1,864	2
Steers	Medium 1	450–500	496	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	1,860	8
Heifers	Medium 1	400–450	436	361.00/cwt	361.00–361.00	1,574	6
Bred Cows	Medium 1	—	996	2,475.00/head	2,475.00–2,475.00	2,475	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	450–500	494	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,630	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	674	297.23/cwt	290.00–303.00	2,003	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	618	323.68/cwt	322.50–326.00	2,000	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	485	344.35/cwt	332.50–349.00	1,670	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	415	376.00/cwt	376.00–376.00	1,560	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	383	430.00/cwt	430.00–430.00	1,647	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	610	345.47/cwt	327.50–349.50	2,107	126
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	743	304.39/cwt	302.50–304.50	2,262	156
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	527	378.45/cwt	368.00–385.00	1,994	90
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	600–650	645	296.00/cwt	296.00–296.00	1,909	40
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	600–650	625	322.93/cwt	322.50–325.00	2,018	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	550–600	573	332.50/cwt	332.50–332.50	1,905	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	768	292.68/cwt	280.50–298.00	2,248	65

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 →