Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2025-02-25
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-02-25

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers 550-599 lbs offered the best comparison this week, selling generally steady. All other weights of steers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however unevenly steady undertones were noticed. Heifer calves were all too lightly tested either this week or last to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on like quality cattle. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. Quality was not as attractive this week as last weeks sale. Most feeders were offered in small to moderate size packages with many singles and packages under 5 head noticed. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly moderate to good. Quality this week hampered demand in places. CME feeder cattle positions continue to gain ground following the release of the cattle on feed report which was released on this past Friday. Today feeder cattle posted strong triple digit gains on all contracts. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for light offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly moderate to good, while demand for feeding cows was mostly good. This week a larger portion of the cow offering was purchased to feed instead of for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Demand from private feeding cow buyers was good to very good again this week. Most private feeders purchased thin cows to feed this week. All feeding cows sold steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Cow quality was mostly average to attractive this week. Two loads of cows which had been on feed sold this week these offerings were met with mostly moderate to good demand. Most fed cows were purchased to return to feed this week. Slaughter bulls sold on very good demand this week as private feeding buyers showed good to very good demand for bulls to feed. Packer buyers also showed good demand for bulls for immediate harvest. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Weigh up conditions were mostly average this week. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Quality was mostly average to attractive today.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $325.58/cwt on 164 head. That ranks 1 of 16 comparable sales and sits −114.85 against this barn's trailing median of $440.43.

Average price

$325.58

164 head · 542 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,763

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$121

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$18.37/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+0.50

vs MT average

+18.57 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	546	329.37	1,797	110
Medium 1	501	322.50	1,616	5thin
Medium and Large 1-2	536	319.22	1,711	38
Large 1	539	311.00	1,676	11thin

One grade step is worth $18.37/cwt here — about $121 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 sale164 hd

325.58

—

MT average2 barns · 177 hd

325.08

+0.50

National average189 barns · 18,586 hd

307.01

+18.57

This barn, trailing median16 sales

440.43

−114.85

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	1,725	159.72	2,756	18
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,588	146.04	2,318	101
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Very Low	1,432	139.85	2,003	49
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,161	121.89	1,415	20

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)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,271	$2,145	43

Every lot, as filed

69 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 1Fleshy	550–600	554	316.00/cwt	316.00–316.00	1,751	11
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	535	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	1,659	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	559	322.25/cwt	321.00–326.00	1,801	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	743	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,969	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	527	364.79/cwt	360.00–372.00	1,922	43
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	676	311.30/cwt	311.00–315.00	2,104	42
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	628	293.77/cwt	289.00–310.00	1,845	35
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	617	319.04/cwt	312.00–322.00	1,968	9
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,245	1,960.00/head	1,960.00–1,960.00	1,960	14
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	1,208	1,800.00/head	1,800.00–1,800.00	1,800	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	647	331.00/cwt	331.00–331.00	2,142	26
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	716	292.00/cwt	292.00–292.00	2,091	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	435	397.82/cwt	396.00–400.00	1,731	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	301	422.50/cwt	422.50–422.50	1,272	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	524	321.30/cwt	315.00–324.50	1,684	31
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	641	278.17/cwt	277.50–279.00	1,783	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	450	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	1,553	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	686	282.59/cwt	279.00–286.00	1,939	72
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,299	2,325.00/head	2,325.00–2,325.00	2,325	24
Steers	Medium and Large 2	700–750	739	275.35/cwt	261.00–281.00	2,035	7
Steers	Medium and Large 2	800–850	821	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	2,053	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	471	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	1,460	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	435	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,523	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,270	158.00/cwt	158.00–158.00	2,007	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	570	302.50/cwt	302.50–302.50	1,724	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	532	346.37/cwt	346.00–347.50	1,843	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	653	311.00/cwt	311.00–311.00	2,031	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	483	365.00/cwt	365.00–365.00	1,763	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,548	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	2,245	35
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,395	95.00/cwt	95.00–95.00	1,325	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,439	144.18/cwt	134.50–147.00	2,075	26
Bulls	—	—	1,682	149.22/cwt	141.00–155.00	2,510	3
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,735	145.28/cwt	141.50–150.00	2,521	4
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,403	160.33/cwt	160.00–161.00	2,249	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,410	120.77/cwt	113.00–134.00	1,703	3
Bulls	—	—	2,003	182.00/cwt	182.00–182.00	3,645	2
Bulls	—	—	1,809	166.85/cwt	161.00–174.00	3,018	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,740	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	2,349	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,778	144.48/cwt	142.00–147.00	2,569	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,579	148.12/cwt	148.00–149.00	2,339	56
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,430	124.19/cwt	117.00–133.00	1,776	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,509	138.45/cwt	131.00–144.00	2,089	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,169	118.77/cwt	113.00–126.00	1,388	12
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,149	126.58/cwt	119.00–130.00	1,454	8
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,778	133.40/cwt	122.00–138.50	2,372	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,366	149.40/cwt	148.00–152.00	2,041	8
Steers	Medium 1	600–650	602	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	1,941	6
Steers	Medium 1	500–550	531	354.82/cwt	347.00–357.50	1,884	20
Heifers	Medium 1	500–550	501	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	1,616	5
Steers	Large 1	600–650	625	318.00/cwt	318.00–318.00	1,988	3
Heifers	Large 1	600–650	624	284.50/cwt	284.50–284.50	1,775	35
Heifers	Large 1	500–550	539	311.00/cwt	311.00–311.00	1,676	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	387	369.11/cwt	365.00–371.00	1,428	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	589	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	1,826	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	484	324.37/cwt	322.50–326.00	1,570	47
Steers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	540	327.50/cwt	327.50–327.50	1,769	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	690	271.00/cwt	271.00–271.00	1,870	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	382	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	1,356	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	473	381.44/cwt	377.00–392.00	1,804	31
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	773	273.00/cwt	273.00–273.00	2,110	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	381	444.14/cwt	432.50–452.00	1,692	19
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,248	162.02/cwt	146.00–187.00	2,022	10
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,117	198.47/cwt	183.00–221.00	2,217	38
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	650–700	695	262.50/cwt	262.50–262.50	1,824	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	305	512.50/cwt	512.50–512.50	1,563	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	580	351.26/cwt	340.00–361.00	2,037	101
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	542	332.52/cwt	328.00–334.50	1,802	83
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	700–750	705	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	1,833	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	600–650	606	283.50/cwt	283.50–283.50	1,718	16

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 →