Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2025-04-08
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-04-08

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were both too lightly tested this week or last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on all feeder offerings. Feeder quality this week was mostly plain to average on steers and average to attractive on heifers. Demand was mostly moderate to good for light offerings. CME positions moved sharply lower on outside market pressure over the last few days. Despite lower CME positions buyers continue to show good demand for limited offerings. Demand for cattle suitable to run on grass remains good with several ranchers looking for offerings to run on grass this summer. Market activity was mostly active today. Weigh up cows sold on good demand for light to moderate offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly good. Small regional packers were in the market again this week buying cows for immediate harvest. Several sets of fed cows were seen this week but these offerings were far from fleshy. Some of the higher quality offerings were purchased to return to feed, however most offerings were purchased for slaughter. Breaking and boning cows sold fully steady in a narrow comparison. Lean slaughter cows were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Feeding cows sold on moderate to good demand this week, however a smaller buyer pool was seen and cows softened slightly as quality this week was not as attractive as last week. Feeding cows sold steady to weak in a narrow comparison. Thin fleshed feeding cows sold steady to 5.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Again, feeding cow quality was not as attractive this week as last. Slaughter bulls sold on moderate to good demand this week. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher a narrow comparison. Bull quality was average this week, with many lightweight feeding type bulls on offer. However, most bull offerings were purchased to slaughter again this week as packers showed stronger demand for slaughter bulls. Weigh up conditions were mostly average this week. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on good to very good demand. Most offerings sold steady on like quality offerings. Quality was mostly average today, but not as attractive as last weeks offering. Very good demand was seen for wet bagged offerings which had recently lost calves. Demand for baron heifers was significantly lighter than heifers and cows which lost calves.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $338.79/cwt on 24 head. That ranks 1 of 14 comparable sales and sits −101.64 against this barn's trailing median of $440.43.

Average price

$338.79

24 head · 548 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,855

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$70

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

$28.68/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−6.87

vs MT average

+22.24 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	545	341.18	1,860	22
Medium and Large 1-2	573	312.50	1,791	2thin

One grade step is worth $28.68/cwt here — about $70 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

14 sales

Heifers 500–600 lb: high $468.13, low $357.36, median $440.43 across 14 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 sale24 hd

338.79

—

MT average3 barns · 412 hd

345.66

−6.87

National average178 barns · 10,561 hd

316.55

+22.24

This barn, trailing median14 sales

440.43

−101.64

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	—	High	1,718	162.48	2,791	34
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,468	151.56	2,224	43
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,410	145.91	2,058	62
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,159	134.43	1,557	24

Every lot, as filed

52 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	600–650	612	321.84/cwt	321.00–322.00	1,970	25
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	650–700	660	298.00/cwt	298.00–298.00	1,967	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	390	396.91/cwt	395.00–397.50	1,548	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	435	422.50/cwt	422.50–422.50	1,838	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	975	224.00/cwt	224.00–224.00	2,184	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	533	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	1,839	12
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,026	223.60/cwt	189.00–258.00	2,294	66
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	625	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	2,063	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	392	402.50/cwt	402.50–402.50	1,578	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	888	252.50/cwt	252.50–252.50	2,242	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	546	371.14/cwt	371.00–372.00	2,026	28
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	687	281.51/cwt	281.00–282.00	1,934	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	250–300	275	465.00/cwt	465.00–465.00	1,279	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,221	179.18/cwt	152.00–217.00	2,188	20
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,280	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	2,304	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	573	312.50/cwt	312.50–312.50	1,791	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	778	272.50/cwt	272.50–272.50	2,120	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	704	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	2,147	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	482	377.00/cwt	377.00–377.00	1,817	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	348	490.00/cwt	490.00–490.00	1,705	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,620	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	2,511	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,525	138.70/cwt	137.50–141.00	2,115	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,350	131.58/cwt	114.00–136.00	1,776	6
Bulls	—	—	2,062	181.59/cwt	181.00–183.00	3,744	3
Bulls	—	—	1,803	168.64/cwt	160.00–175.00	3,041	12
Bulls	—	—	1,632	153.77/cwt	141.00–159.00	2,510	13
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,456	152.50/cwt	152.50–152.50	2,220	38
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,155	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	1,686	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,593	167.35/cwt	165.00–169.00	2,666	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,146	127.51/cwt	119.00–133.00	1,461	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,409	146.60/cwt	139.00–149.00	2,066	32
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,463	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	2,209	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,386	146.07/cwt	139.00–150.00	2,025	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	963	112.72/cwt	103.00–122.00	1,085	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,420	134.58/cwt	133.00–136.00	1,911	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,585	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	2,393	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	945	128.08/cwt	126.00–130.00	1,210	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,270	131.00/cwt	131.00–131.00	1,664	1
Steers	Large 1	750–800	752	276.00/cwt	276.00–276.00	2,076	6
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	925	227.00/cwt	227.00–227.00	2,100	1
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,380	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	2,015	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,603	158.69/cwt	155.00–161.00	2,544	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,231	143.19/cwt	136.00–146.00	1,763	11
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,462	154.38/cwt	151.00–156.00	2,257	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,000	212.02/cwt	178.00–239.00	2,120	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,230	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	1,820	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	568	352.53/cwt	350.00–355.00	2,002	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	462	396.16/cwt	390.00–402.50	1,830	6
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	775	232.50/cwt	232.50–232.50	1,802	1
Steers	Medium 1	500–550	508	371.00/cwt	371.00–371.00	1,885	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	560	336.60/cwt	335.00–337.00	1,885	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	703	286.00/cwt	286.00–286.00	2,011	40

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 →