Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2025-02-18
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-02-18

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale (2-4-25): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Quality this week was average to very attractive and overall more attractive than last sales offering. Most feeders were offered in moderate packages to load lots. Very few consigners were seen this week as most offerings come off a few ranches. A snow storm, subzero highs and poor road conditions kept feeder receipts light this week. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly good to very good. CME feeder cattle positions have gained ground after a strong sell off two weeks ago. Today feeder cattle posted strong triple digit gains on all contracts. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today. Weigh up cows sold on good demand for very light offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly good. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to weak undertones were noticed. Demand from private feeding cow buyers was good to very good this week. Most private feeders purchased thin cows to feed this week. Feeding cows sold steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Cow quality was mostly average this week. One load of fed cow sold this week these offerings were met with mostly moderate to good demand. Some of the fed cow offering was purchased to return to feed this week. 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 as many sets of cows were pushing fill as temperatures were well below 0 throughout the day. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality was mostly average today. Several large full dispersions of bred cows were seen this week. The stands were packed as most offerings were of very high quality and off reputation eastern Montana ranches. Quality was mostly very attractive for all bred cows on offer.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $358.63/cwt on 178 head. That ranks 1 of 13 comparable sales and sits −127.60 against this barn's trailing median of $486.23.

Average price

$358.63

178 head · 569 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,039

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

—

single grade reported

vs the market

+7.85

vs MT average

+17.42 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	569	358.63	2,039	178

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 sale178 hd

358.63

—

MT average3 barns · 360 hd

350.78

+7.85

National average106 barns · 4,665 hd

341.21

+17.42

This barn, trailing median13 sales

486.23

−127.60

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	1,663	150.27	2,499	5thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,489	144.83	2,156	46
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	Low	1,562	143.00	2,234	41
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,164	122.00	1,420	39
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,381	121.11	1,672	16

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	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,241	$3,563	234
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,467	$3,284	146
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,184	$2,828	4thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,469	$2,760	179
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,392	$2,515	307
Bred Heifers	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	1,138	$3,385	164

Every lot, as filed

44 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
Bulls	—	—	1,608	147.11/cwt	143.00–149.50	2,366	3
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,695	158.00/cwt	158.00–158.00	2,678	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,075	96.93/cwt	94.00–100.00	1,042	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,430	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,859	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,390	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	1,821	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,375	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	1,898	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,240	2,346.05/head	2,300.00–2,375.00	2,346	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	632	319.13/cwt	312.00–320.00	2,017	56
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	465	354.12/cwt	345.00–356.00	1,647	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	492	382.00/cwt	382.00–382.00	1,879	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	990	197.00/cwt	197.00–197.00	1,950	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	948	236.00/cwt	236.00–236.00	2,237	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,471	2,778.13/head	2,550.00–3,100.00	2,778	169
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,239	3,582.03/head	2,900.00–3,985.00	3,582	228
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	604	302.41/cwt	280.50–311.00	1,827	89
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	395	390.00/cwt	390.00–390.00	1,541	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	519	380.96/cwt	368.00–385.00	1,977	62
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,007	199.00/cwt	199.00–199.00	2,004	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,249	153.92/cwt	139.00–178.00	1,922	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	595	346.70/cwt	334.00–352.00	2,063	116
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,430	2,459.30/head	2,375.00–2,475.00	2,459	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	533	341.00/cwt	341.00–341.00	1,818	15
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,184	2,828.25/head	2,750.00–2,850.00	2,828	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	726	299.24/cwt	293.50–305.00	2,172	133
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,401	2,525.71/head	2,400.00–2,650.00	2,526	289
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	447	392.00/cwt	392.00–392.00	1,752	11
Bred Heifers	Medium 1	—	929	2,850.00/head	2,850.00–2,850.00	2,850	20
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,020	2,750.00/head	2,750.00–2,750.00	2,750	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	341	390.00/cwt	390.00–390.00	1,330	5
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,467	3,283.84/head	2,850.00–3,450.00	3,284	146
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,167	3,459.47/head	2,950.00–3,550.00	3,459	144
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,222	130.50/cwt	130.50–130.50	1,595	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,195	134.08/cwt	132.00–137.50	1,602	3
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	1,562	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	2,234	41
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,377	118.36/cwt	109.00–129.00	1,630	13
Bulls	Large 1-2	1100–1150	1,110	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	2,220	1
Steers	Large 1	750–800	787	258.00/cwt	258.00–258.00	2,030	10
Bred Cows	Large 1	—	1,592	2,900.00/head	2,900.00–2,900.00	2,900	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,480	145.25/cwt	145.25–145.25	2,150	41
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,562	140.29/cwt	138.00–141.50	2,191	3
Bulls	—	—	1,795	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	2,728	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,558	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	2,228	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,191	108.83/cwt	102.00–113.00	1,296	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,159	126.59/cwt	122.00–130.50	1,467	26

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 →