Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2025-08-19
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-08-19

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale(8-05-25): Feeder steers and heifers were both too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were notice on all offerings. Today was the first true test of the yearling market as around 500 head of yearlings sold. A couple load lots were seen today and these offerings were met on very good demand. Even small groups of yearlings sold on good demand as buyers pushed to fill loads. Offerings were light to moderate. Quality this week was average to attractive. Demand for cutting bulls remains very good as several buyers were looking for bulls to cut and make steers. Cutting bull prices continue to push higher on very good demand. Market activity was mostly active today with very good buyer participation seen on all classes. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good for light offerings. The largest consignment of cows was a set of exposed 10-12 year olds. These cows were exposed to Balancer bulls and are listed as stock cows in the report below. Feeding cow demand was very good as even lame and blemished cows were purchased to feed this week. Feeding cows sold steady to 3.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Feeding cow demand kept cow prices mostly above slaughter cow orders. Very few cows were purchased for immediate harvest this week. Only extremely blemished cows or cows too lame to feed were purchased for slaughter. Quality this week was mostly average, and similar to last sale. Weigh up conditions were mixed with lots of variation noticed. Slaughter bulls sold on mostly good to very good demand this week. Bull yield has decreased over the last month as most bulls have been turned out with cows. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher compared to the last sale. Several thin fleshed bulls continue to be purchased to feed. Feeding bulls sold 3.00-4.00 higher than last sale. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on very good demand for light offerings. Quality was mostly average to attractive. Too few young cows were seen to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $445.76/cwt on 23 head. That ranks 2 of 13 comparable sales and sits −40.47 against this barn's trailing median of $486.23.

Average price

$445.76

23 head · 558 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,486

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

—

single grade reported

vs the market

+7.01

vs MT average

+45.87 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	558	445.76	2,486	23

Only one grade was reported at this weight, so there is no spread to compute.

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 sale23 hd

445.76

—

MT average2 barns · 30 hd

438.75

+7.01

National average156 barns · 7,040 hd

399.89

+45.87

This barn, trailing median13 sales

486.23

−40.47

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	1,708	194.35	3,320	73
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,404	169.61	2,382	50
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,668	164.52	2,744	2thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,146	148.69	1,705	18

Every lot, as filed

55 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
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	829	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,984	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,015	322.00/cwt	322.00–322.00	3,268	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	692	372.50/cwt	372.50–372.50	2,578	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	733	394.13/cwt	394.00–397.50	2,889	54
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	872	357.00/cwt	357.00–357.00	3,113	83
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	900–950	935	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	3,086	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	778	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	2,879	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	589	442.50/cwt	442.50–442.50	2,606	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	808	349.99/cwt	348.00–352.00	2,828	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	693	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	2,772	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	874	332.30/cwt	331.50–333.00	2,904	41
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	781	354.91/cwt	350.00–359.00	2,772	47
Steers	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,007	338.00/cwt	338.00–338.00	3,404	39
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	650–700	651	422.50/cwt	422.50–422.50	2,750	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	800–850	802	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,727	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	740	359.00/cwt	359.00–359.00	2,657	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,008	297.50/cwt	297.50–297.50	2,999	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	903	332.00/cwt	332.00–332.00	2,998	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	922	354.50/cwt	354.50–354.50	3,268	126
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	850–900	880	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	3,036	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	950–1000	984	303.00/cwt	303.00–303.00	2,982	20
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	905	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	1,312	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,155	130.62/cwt	122.00–140.00	1,509	3
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,490	183.12/cwt	181.00–185.00	2,728	3
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,591	191.98/cwt	185.00–197.00	3,054	31
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,386	173.74/cwt	166.00–176.50	2,408	35
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,160	151.43/cwt	140.00–156.00	1,757	13
Bulls	—	—	1,840	180.61/cwt	179.00–182.00	3,323	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,668	164.52/cwt	163.50–165.50	2,744	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,399	154.08/cwt	146.00–158.00	2,156	5
Bulls	—Natural	—	1,695	193.68/cwt	192.00–196.00	3,283	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Non-Traditional	—	1,330	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	2,274	1
Bulls	—	—	1,933	209.31/cwt	201.00–217.00	4,046	6
Bulls	Large 1	1000–1050	1,040	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	3,224	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,185	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	2,026	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,481	161.76/cwt	157.00–164.00	2,396	8
Bulls	—Natural	—	1,872	216.88/cwt	213.00–222.00	4,060	3
Bulls	—	—	1,798	193.52/cwt	188.00–200.00	3,479	25
Cows	Boner 80-85%Non-Traditional	—	1,535	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	2,517	1
Steers	Medium 1Thin Fleshed	600–650	630	417.50/cwt	417.50–417.50	2,630	8
Steers	Medium 1	650–700	688	392.50/cwt	392.50–392.50	2,700	3
Steers	Medium 1-2	650–700	662	376.00/cwt	376.00–376.00	2,489	17
Steers	Large 1-2	1100–1150	1,145	273.00/cwt	273.00–273.00	3,126	9
Bulls	Large 1-2	1150–1200	1,170	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	3,159	1
Bulls	Large 1	1200–1250	1,225	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	3,063	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	800–850	835	365.00/cwt	365.00–365.00	3,048	11
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	1,243	163.00/cwt	163.00–163.00	2,026	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,289	178.00/cwt	178.00–178.00	2,294	23
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,317	184.63/cwt	184.00–185.00	2,432	123
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,200	216.57/cwt	203.00–234.00	2,599	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,316	174.43/cwt	174.00–174.50	2,295	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	509	450.84/cwt	447.50–457.50	2,295	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	878	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,985	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	819	356.00/cwt	356.00–356.00	2,916	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	375	550.00/cwt	550.00–550.00	2,063	1

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 →