Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2025-03-25
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-03-25

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers were all too lightly tested this week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on all steer offerings. Feeder heifers were too lightly tested this week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Feeder quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Quality this week was not as attractive as last weeks trailhead special feeder sale. Demand was mostly good to very good for light offerings. The cattle on feed report was released on Friday and it showed cattle on feed 2% below last year, placements 18% below and marketings 9% below. Ranchers were very active in buying cattle to go to grass this week. They helped push most attractive offerings higher. Market activity was mostly active today despite a smaller crowd on hand for todays 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 steady. Boning and lean slaughter cows were too lightly tested either this week or last to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Most fed cows had been on feed for over 100 days, however many were far from finished and major packer buyers purchased most of these cows to feed. Demand for feeding cows was mostly good Feeding cows sold mostly steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Cow quality was mostly average to attractive this week. Slaughter bulls sold on moderate demand this week. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to weak in a narrow comparison. Bull quality was average this week, with many lightweight feeding type bulls on offer. Most bulls were purchased to feed this week as a result and most feeding bulls sold 2.00-4.00 higher. Bull weigh up conditions were mostly below average this week as most bulls were pushing heavy amounts of fill. Cow weigh up conditions were mostly average this week. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady. Quality was mostly average 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

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $386.94/cwt on 51 head. That ranks 1 of 13 comparable sales and sits −99.30 against this barn's trailing median of $486.23.

Average price

$386.94

51 head · 536 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,075

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$83

per head · Medium 1 over Medium and Large 1

$0.59/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+8.07

vs MT average

+22.96 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	515	387.50	1,996	2thin
Medium and Large 1	537	386.91	2,078	49

One grade step is worth $0.59/cwt here — about −$83 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 600–700 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 sale51 hd

386.94

—

MT average3 barns · 156 hd

378.86

+8.07

National average170 barns · 13,177 hd

363.98

+22.96

This barn, trailing median13 sales

486.23

−99.30

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	1,802	154.92	2,791	35
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,532	150.68	2,309	94
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	Average	1,662	147.95	2,460	62
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,453	145.47	2,113	59
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,145	138.60	1,587	35

Every lot, as filed

58 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
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,658	152.01/cwt	151.00–154.00	2,520	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,483	151.18/cwt	151.00–153.50	2,242	34
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,509	153.65/cwt	152.00–155.00	2,319	35
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	775	107.40/cwt	102.00–112.50	832	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	678	287.50/cwt	287.50–287.50	1,949	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	1150–1200	1,180	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	2,478	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	451	372.50/cwt	372.50–372.50	1,680	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	617	313.00/cwt	313.00–313.00	1,931	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	410	430.00/cwt	430.00–430.00	1,763	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	500–550	501	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	1,904	26
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	731	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	2,230	13
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	646	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	1,906	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	750–800	793	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,903	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	465	418.58/cwt	417.50–419.00	1,946	14
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	935	225.38/cwt	195.00–240.00	2,107	14
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,114	183.99/cwt	150.00–213.00	2,050	18
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,320	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	2,125	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	410	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,435	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	510	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,683	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	200–250	240	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	1,128	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	624	345.94/cwt	342.50–348.00	2,159	32
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	665	298.79/cwt	294.00–301.00	1,987	31
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	685	319.94/cwt	319.50–320.00	2,192	39
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	532	343.08/cwt	340.00–353.00	1,825	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	556	336.00/cwt	336.00–336.00	1,868	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	516	399.56/cwt	393.00–403.00	2,062	34
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	485	353.00/cwt	353.00–353.00	1,712	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,531	149.19/cwt	149.00–152.00	2,284	36
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,433	152.88/cwt	149.00–154.00	2,191	5
Bulls	—Heavy Weight	—	2,790	135.50/cwt	135.50–135.50	3,780	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,332	162.21/cwt	150.00–167.50	2,161	6
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,748	146.14/cwt	142.50–150.00	2,555	7
Bulls	—	—	2,092	170.47/cwt	169.50–172.00	3,566	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,357	143.57/cwt	139.00–146.00	1,948	8
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,514	147.21/cwt	141.00–149.50	2,229	14
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	1,676	147.33/cwt	147.00–152.50	2,469	56
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,110	121.34/cwt	121.00–122.50	1,347	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,190	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	1,535	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,383	137.53/cwt	132.00–144.00	1,902	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,479	120.29/cwt	113.00–131.50	1,779	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,241	149.09/cwt	149.00–151.00	1,850	21
Bulls	Large 1-2	1250–1300	1,279	165.78/cwt	162.50–172.50	2,120	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,130	142.23/cwt	137.50–145.00	1,607	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,643	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	2,382	2
Bulls	—	—	1,893	147.21/cwt	139.00–153.00	2,787	9
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	1,536	153.69/cwt	153.50–154.50	2,361	6
Bulls	—	—	1,859	161.58/cwt	154.00–168.00	3,004	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	383	437.50/cwt	437.50–437.50	1,676	2
Steers	Medium 1	500–550	515	387.50/cwt	387.50–387.50	1,996	2
Bulls	Medium 1	700–750	720	262.00/cwt	262.00–262.00	1,886	2
Bulls	Large 1	1200–1250	1,220	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	2,501	1
Steers	Large 1	650–700	658	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	2,007	2
Bulls	Large 1	1050–1100	1,087	213.83/cwt	211.00–222.50	2,324	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	585	358.25/cwt	350.00–367.50	2,096	15
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	353	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	1,483	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	365	372.00/cwt	372.00–372.00	1,358	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	970	195.00/cwt	195.00–195.00	1,892	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	853	210.67/cwt	187.50–222.50	1,797	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 →