Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2025-03-18
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-03-18

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers were all too lightly tested either this week or last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all steer offerings. Feeder heifers were too lightly tested either this week or last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Feeder quality this week was mostly average to very attractive and overall quality this week was more attractive than last week. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly good to very good for light to moderate offerings. CME feeder cattle positions traded firm today on all contracts. Very good demand was seen for heifers today as todays sale featured replacement heifers in todays Annual Trailhead replacement heifer special. Heifers as light as 537 lbs were purchased for replacements this week. Demand from packer buyers was very good for heavyweight heifers as they competed with replacement buyers over high quality offerings. Market activity was mostly active today with a large buyer pool on hand for todays annual trailhead sale. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for light offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly good. Small regional packers were in the market again this week and helped push fed cows mostly higher. Premium white and breaking cows sold mostly 2.00-5.00 higher. Boning and lean slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Most fed cows had been on feed for over 100 days. Cows were mixed for grade but most fed cows were purchased to slaughter this week. Major packers and private feeding buyers both showed good demand for all cows suitable to feed. Demand for feeding cows mostly good as regional packers, major packers, and private feeders all showed good demand for high quality offerings. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher on all offerings. Cow quality was mostly average to attractive this week. Slaughter bulls sold on good demand this week. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Bull quality was not as attractive this week as the past few weeks. Weigh up conditions were mostly average this week. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady. Quality was mostly average to attractive today. Many sets of light weight offerings were purchased to feed, while heavier offerings which had recently lost calves sold to rebreed or use as recips.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $339.12/cwt on 259 head. That ranks 1 of 16 comparable sales and sits −101.31 against this barn's trailing median of $440.43.

Average price

$339.12

259 head · 551 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,867

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$85

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

$40.24/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+5.42

vs MT average

+24.54 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	541	347.67	1,882	204
Medium and Large 1-2	585	307.43	1,797	55

One grade step is worth $40.24/cwt here — about $85 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

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 sale259 hd

339.12

—

MT average3 barns · 388 hd

333.71

+5.42

National average174 barns · 12,680 hd

314.58

+24.54

This barn, trailing median16 sales

440.43

−101.31

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	1,503	149.70	2,251	27
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	Average	1,576	148.38	2,338	79
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,409	141.46	1,993	38
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,518	141.23	2,144	5thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,080	129.55	1,400	19

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)	1,247	$3,700	55
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,500	$3,425	45
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,516	$3,025	7
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,274	$2,796	56

Every lot, as filed

85 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	550–600	577	324.63/cwt	317.00–333.00	1,873	28
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	731	300.50/cwt	300.50–300.50	2,197	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	700–750	727	298.79/cwt	295.00–300.00	2,172	174
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	500–550	537	361.00/cwt	361.00–361.00	1,939	106
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	450–500	465	383.00/cwt	383.00–383.00	1,781	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	250–300	278	442.50/cwt	442.50–442.50	1,230	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	791	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	2,096	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	363	415.00/cwt	415.00–415.00	1,506	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	608	312.86/cwt	298.00–316.00	1,902	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	750–800	764	283.00/cwt	283.00–283.00	2,162	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	720	287.50/cwt	287.50–287.50	2,070	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	800–850	849	2,200.00/head	2,200.00–2,200.00	2,200	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	534	336.70/cwt	333.00–348.00	1,798	70
Steers	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	400–450	426	472.00/cwt	472.00–472.00	2,011	63
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	470	368.49/cwt	354.00–381.00	1,732	94
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,516	3,025.00/head	3,025.00–3,025.00	3,025	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	410	398.06/cwt	387.50–401.00	1,632	35
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,281	2,810.32/head	2,725.00–2,900.00	2,810	53
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,155	2,550.00/head	2,550.00–2,550.00	2,550	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	650–700	682	291.60/cwt	285.00–297.00	1,989	42
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,010	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	1,717	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,154	172.44/cwt	153.00–215.00	1,990	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	600–650	622	332.18/cwt	299.00–349.00	2,066	251
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,005	222.57/cwt	195.00–251.00	2,237	35
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,043	197.90/cwt	195.00–201.00	2,064	13
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,500	3,425.00/head	3,425.00–3,425.00	3,425	45
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	523	352.68/cwt	340.00–365.00	1,845	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	508	331.00/cwt	331.00–331.00	1,681	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	650–700	688	2,075.00/head	2,075.00–2,075.00	2,075	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	337	445.00/cwt	445.00–445.00	1,500	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	608	323.00/cwt	323.00–323.00	1,964	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	436	356.02/cwt	350.00–359.00	1,552	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	670	274.00/cwt	274.00–274.00	1,836	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	478	345.06/cwt	341.00–347.50	1,649	33
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,247	3,700.00/head	3,700.00–3,700.00	3,700	55
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	365	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	1,460	2
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,172	157.40/cwt	157.00–157.50	1,845	5
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,400	141.39/cwt	132.00–149.00	1,979	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	820	92.59/cwt	81.00–111.00	759	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,074	116.68/cwt	110.00–130.50	1,253	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,392	141.36/cwt	138.00–150.00	1,968	16
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,570	139.50/cwt	139.50–139.50	2,190	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,255	145.44/cwt	142.00–149.00	1,825	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,503	113.85/cwt	101.00–125.00	1,711	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,533	156.00/cwt	155.00–157.00	2,391	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,422	130.88/cwt	122.00–136.00	1,861	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,142	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	1,656	11
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,483	140.05/cwt	139.00–141.00	2,077	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,391	153.48/cwt	153.00–157.00	2,135	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,210	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	1,476	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,528	143.27/cwt	141.00–146.00	2,189	2
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	1,576	148.38/cwt	146.50–151.00	2,338	79
Bulls	—	—	1,521	143.84/cwt	139.00–149.00	2,188	13
Bulls	—	—	1,793	160.13/cwt	152.00–165.00	2,871	6
Steers	Medium 2	350–400	394	222.50/cwt	222.50–222.50	877	4
Steers	Large 1	600–650	620	331.00/cwt	331.00–331.00	2,052	3
Heifers	Large 1	650–700	663	277.50/cwt	277.50–277.50	1,840	4
Steers	Large 1-2	1200–1250	1,202	206.25/cwt	206.25–206.25	2,479	22
Steers	Large 1-2	1150–1200	1,179	209.50/cwt	209.50–209.50	2,470	7
Steers	Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,023	223.00/cwt	223.00–223.00	2,281	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	370	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	1,277	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	462	391.00/cwt	391.00–391.00	1,806	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	439	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	1,800	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	728	284.00/cwt	284.00–284.00	2,068	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	589	306.07/cwt	292.00–322.50	1,803	52
Steers	Medium 2	250–300	250	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	950	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	350–400	395	425.00/cwt	425.00–425.00	1,679	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	900–950	912	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	2,143	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	950–1000	961	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	2,354	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	950–1000	990	219.02/cwt	216.00–222.00	2,168	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	800–850	815	272.50/cwt	272.50–272.50	2,221	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	767	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,879	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	325	505.00/cwt	505.00–505.00	1,641	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	418	435.53/cwt	432.00–439.00	1,821	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	670	330.00/cwt	322.00–337.00	2,211	86
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	475	413.78/cwt	395.00–428.00	1,965	46
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	832	274.00/cwt	274.00–274.00	2,280	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	750–800	770	2,175.00/head	2,175.00–2,175.00	2,175	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	355	490.00/cwt	490.00–490.00	1,740	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	694	292.50/cwt	292.50–292.50	2,030	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	623	344.15/cwt	326.00–351.00	2,144	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	900	262.00/cwt	262.00–262.00	2,358	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	539	384.00/cwt	384.00–384.00	2,070	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	754	299.61/cwt	291.00–300.50	2,259	85
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	574	383.22/cwt	354.00–386.50	2,200	126

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 →