Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2025-05-06
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-05-06

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were both too lightly tested either this week or last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed on like quality offerings of both sexes. Feeder quality this week was mostly plain to average. Demand for feeders was mostly good, despite lower quality and a light offering. Quality limited demand at times. CME positions continue to push higher as deferred contracts continue to hit new contract highs. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly light to moderate. Packers continue to try to buy slaughter cows lower as many cow packers are operating in the red. Very few slaughter cows were purchased today as most cows were purchased to feed. Slaughter cows were all very poor in quality as most were lame or had major blemishes. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 lower on boning and breaking cows, lean cows sold mostly 4.00-6.00 lower as many poor quality offerings were noticed. Feeding cows sold on good to very good demand as private feeders and packer buyers both showed good demand for high quality cows to feed. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to weak. Again quality overall was poorer than last week and limited demand in places. Slaughter bulls sold on moderate to good demand this week. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00-4.00 lower a narrow comparison. Bull quality was not as attractive this week. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average and also limited demand for bulls. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on good demand for moderate to heavy offering. Most offerings sold steady to 5.00 lower on a poorer quality offering. Quality was mostly plain to average today, with a limited offering of attractive quality young cows noticed. Many young cows had slight blemishes including short ears or tails, which also hindered demand at times. Many young cows were purchased to feed today as a result.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $337.80/cwt on 18 head. That ranks 1 of 13 comparable sales and sits −148.43 against this barn's trailing median of $486.23.

Average price

$337.80

18 head · 542 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,830

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$349

per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2-3

$90.49/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−49.03

vs MT average

−40.99 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	524	372.99	1,956	11thin
Medium and Large 2-3	569	282.50	1,607	7thin

One grade step is worth $90.49/cwt here — about $349 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 500–600 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 sale18 hd

337.80

—

MT average3 barns · 239 hd

386.83

−49.03

National average168 barns · 13,508 hd

378.79

−40.99

This barn, trailing median13 sales

486.23

−148.43

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	1,766	167.82	2,963	49
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,579	157.63	2,489	26
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,412	154.16	2,177	86
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,131	136.19	1,541	69
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,040	140.00	1,456	1thin

Every lot, as filed

64 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 2	400–450	418	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	1,421	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	616	313.93/cwt	310.00–324.00	1,934	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	753	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	2,033	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	418	391.71/cwt	357.50–422.50	1,637	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	578	337.50/cwt	337.50–337.50	1,951	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	426	447.89/cwt	440.00–450.00	1,908	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	500–550	548	197.50/cwt	197.50–197.50	1,082	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	550–600	569	282.50/cwt	282.50–282.50	1,607	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	563	361.00/cwt	361.00–361.00	2,032	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	250–300	257	442.50/cwt	442.50–442.50	1,137	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	310	425.00/cwt	425.00–425.00	1,318	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	462	412.21/cwt	401.00–415.00	1,904	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	652	289.00/cwt	289.00–289.00	1,884	5
Steers	Medium and Large 2	700–750	723	301.00/cwt	301.00–301.00	2,176	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	300–350	314	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	1,319	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	640	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	1,888	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	403	381.99/cwt	375.00–385.00	1,539	33
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	200–250	248	502.50/cwt	502.50–502.50	1,246	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	510	377.49/cwt	370.00–387.50	1,925	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	762	317.00/cwt	317.00–317.00	2,416	26
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	900–950	937	241.00/cwt	241.00–241.00	2,258	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	543	353.76/cwt	350.00–355.00	1,921	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	660	284.27/cwt	277.50–288.00	1,876	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	661	305.50/cwt	305.50–305.50	2,019	14
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,020	238.00/cwt	238.00–238.00	2,428	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	960	246.00/cwt	246.00–246.00	2,362	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,227	154.70/cwt	150.00–158.00	1,898	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,098	133.95/cwt	117.50–142.00	1,471	34
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,185	130.92/cwt	130.00–132.00	1,551	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,450	142.36/cwt	130.00–147.00	2,064	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	900	112.79/cwt	105.00–120.00	1,015	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,058	104.16/cwt	102.50–105.00	1,102	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,504	139.70/cwt	135.00–145.00	2,101	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,477	129.30/cwt	128.00–130.00	1,910	3
Bulls	—	—	1,825	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	2,738	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,438	155.69/cwt	151.00–165.00	2,239	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,568	158.47/cwt	152.00–159.00	2,485	24
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,211	160.65/cwt	159.00–162.50	1,945	8
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,736	173.67/cwt	160.00–181.00	3,015	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,143	121.04/cwt	115.00–125.00	1,383	10
Bulls	—	—	1,641	154.74/cwt	141.00–164.00	2,539	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,362	161.20/cwt	160.00–164.00	2,196	22
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,040	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	1,456	1
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,270	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	1,740	1
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,078	193.89/cwt	175.00–250.00	2,090	3
Bulls	—Heavy Weight	—	2,720	179.00/cwt	179.00–179.00	4,869	1
Bulls	—	—	2,045	184.88/cwt	183.00–186.00	3,781	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,715	147.50/cwt	147.00–148.00	2,530	2
Bulls	—	—	1,891	174.46/cwt	165.00–182.00	3,299	17
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,416	155.68/cwt	147.00–160.00	2,204	49
Heifers	Medium 1	550–600	550	302.50/cwt	302.50–302.50	1,664	1
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	826	238.00/cwt	230.00–242.50	1,966	6
Steers	Large 1	950–1000	970	267.50/cwt	267.50–267.50	2,595	1
Bulls	Large 1	1050–1100	1,061	236.51/cwt	235.00–238.00	2,509	6
Bulls	Large 1	1200–1250	1,215	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	2,248	1
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,185	163.00/cwt	163.00–163.00	1,932	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	703	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	2,250	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	912	241.20/cwt	205.00–268.00	2,200	85
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,178	165.24/cwt	162.00–171.00	1,947	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,051	198.21/cwt	162.00–237.50	2,083	53
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	886	223.88/cwt	182.00–245.00	1,984	17
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,042	168.00/cwt	162.00–187.50	1,751	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	663	340.62/cwt	325.00–345.00	2,258	48
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	635	341.00/cwt	341.00–341.00	2,165	5

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 →