Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2026-03-31
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-03-31

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week (3-24-26): All feeder cattle were to lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly good to very good. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive and significantly higher than last weeks offering. Feeders were mostly offered in moderate size packages this week, with a few load lots on offer as well. CME positions moved higher all last week and continued to push higher today with all contracts posting strong gains. A larger crowd was on hand for todays sale as quality and the volume of feeders drew a larger crowd. Several ranchers were present today bidding on both replacement heifers and steers suitable to go to grass. Market activity was active this week, with stronger demand and more buyers. Rapid bidding was seen as a result. Weigh up cows sold on good demand for light to moderate offerings. A large offering of fed cows was seen this week. Demand for fed cows was good as packers bid against each other on several sets of very attractive fed cows. Premium white cows sold fully steady on a slightly lower yielding offering noticed this week. Feeding cow buyers showed good demand for all cows which would feed. Feeding cows sold fully steady. Slaughter cows sold on good demand. Slaughter cows sold with steady undertones in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on a higher yielding offering. Feeding type bulls were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on a lower quality offering. Young age cows were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $438.80/cwt on 110 head, down $9.44 from the prior sale. That ranks 8 of 16 comparable sales and sits −1.63 against this barn's trailing median of $440.43.

Average price

$438.80

▼ 9.44 vs prior sale

110 head · 572 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,510

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$62

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

$2.20/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+7.92

vs MT average

+15.61 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	574	439.24	2,522	88
Medium and Large 1-2	563	437.05	2,460	22

One grade step is worth $2.20/cwt here — about $62 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

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 sale110 hd

438.80

—

MT average2 barns · 161 hd

430.88

+7.92

National average175 barns · 10,886 hd

423.19

+15.61

This barn, trailing median16 sales

440.43

−1.63

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	1,772	197.61	3,501	25
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,466	174.70	2,561	26
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	Average	1,870	172.38	3,223	146
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,484	168.99	2,508	54
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,193	146.08	1,743	12

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 Heifers	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	1,066	$4,050	12

Every lot, as filed

60 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	750–800	770	344.98/cwt	343.00–350.00	2,656	45
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	576	432.50/cwt	432.50–432.50	2,491	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	458	502.50/cwt	502.50–502.50	2,301	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	686	417.50/cwt	417.50–417.50	2,864	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	455	502.50/cwt	502.50–502.50	2,286	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	817	357.92/cwt	357.50–360.00	2,924	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	565	495.45/cwt	487.50–512.50	2,799	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	605	440.55/cwt	427.50–445.00	2,665	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	554	462.50/cwt	462.50–462.50	2,562	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	511	504.97/cwt	502.50–507.50	2,580	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	681	349.00/cwt	349.00–349.00	2,377	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	504	457.50/cwt	457.50–457.50	2,306	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	626	471.60/cwt	459.00–490.00	2,952	55
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	663	456.55/cwt	432.50–459.00	3,027	63
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	700–750	742	372.18/cwt	371.00–380.00	2,762	104
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	880	339.04/cwt	337.50–350.00	2,984	24
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	800–850	833	363.00/cwt	363.00–363.00	3,024	74
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	728	362.50/cwt	362.50–362.50	2,639	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	823	375.46/cwt	370.00–380.00	3,090	123
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	526	542.00/cwt	542.00–542.00	2,851	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	650–700	661	387.50/cwt	387.50–387.50	2,561	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	596	417.38/cwt	417.00–440.00	2,488	56
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	733	409.41/cwt	401.50–424.00	3,001	64
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	632	410.38/cwt	404.00–417.00	2,594	89
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,143	171.92/cwt	170.00–174.00	1,965	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,237	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	1,299	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,635	165.50/cwt	165.50–165.50	2,706	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,348	186.15/cwt	182.00–186.50	2,509	14
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,532	172.75/cwt	172.00–175.00	2,647	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,640	154.30/cwt	149.00–161.00	2,531	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,518	139.21/cwt	135.00–144.00	2,113	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,295	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	1,968	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,750	163.00/cwt	163.00–163.00	2,853	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,210	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	1,392	1
Cows	Premium White 65-75%Heavy Weight	—	2,096	173.00/cwt	173.00–173.00	3,626	19
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,530	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	2,219	1
Bulls	—	—	1,806	202.62/cwt	199.00–209.00	3,659	9
Bulls	—	—	1,523	177.05/cwt	164.00–185.00	2,696	3
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	1,881	173.65/cwt	171.00–174.00	3,266	105
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,373	155.19/cwt	150.00–164.00	2,131	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,110	145.07/cwt	137.00–155.00	1,610	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,225	182.50/cwt	182.50–182.50	2,236	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,343	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	2,176	2
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,740	199.00/cwt	199.00–199.00	3,463	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,427	152.16/cwt	145.00–155.00	2,171	4
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,528	182.91/cwt	164.00–192.50	2,795	6
Cows	Premium White 65-75%Heavy Weight	—	2,205	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	3,109	1
Cows	Premium White 65-75%Heavy Weight	—	2,025	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	3,321	1
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	747	338.31/cwt	320.00–342.50	2,527	5
Stock Cows	Medium 1-2	—	753	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	2,259	2
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	1,571	167.08/cwt	164.00–170.50	2,625	20
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,505	176.13/cwt	174.00–181.00	2,651	41
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,443	113.71/cwt	112.50–115.00	1,641	2
Bulls	—	—	2,094	214.84/cwt	210.00–218.00	4,499	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	536	477.50/cwt	475.00–480.00	2,559	32
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,222	217.49/cwt	195.00–312.50	2,658	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	874	289.53/cwt	277.00–312.50	2,530	3
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,066	4,050.00/head	4,050.00–4,050.00	4,050	12
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,085	279.88/cwt	207.50–337.50	3,037	30
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,089	279.42/cwt	240.00–342.50	3,043	49

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 →