Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2026-04-21
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-04-21

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week (4-14-26): Feeder steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Feeder heifers 550-750 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 lower. All other heifer weights were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly moderate to good for light offerings. Very few steers were on offer this week which limited steer demand. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive overall. Feeders were mostly offered in small to moderate size packages this week. CME positions sold off over the last week and buyers showed some reserve as they bid on offerings. Today, CME positions sold off again with most contracts showing losses just over 2.00. A few ranchers were in the stands this week bidding on heifers to make replacements. Several sets of light fleshed heifers which would work to run on grass or to breed were seen. Buyers showed moderate to good demand for these offerings as both grass cattle buyers and replacement buyers bid on these offerings. A small crowd was on hand for todays sale, but buyers were a mix of order buyers and ranchers. Market activity was moderate to active this week. Weigh up cows sold on good demand for light offerings. Very few older cows were seen this week as most of the offering was comprised of young cows. Feeding cows sold on good demand for all cows which would feed. Feeding cows sold fully steady in a narrow comparison. Slaughter cows sold on good demand. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady to weak. Demand for All natural bulls was very good. Feeding type bulls were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Young age cows sold generally steady on very good demand. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Replacement or turn out cows sold on very good demand and buyers were willing to take older offerings up to 6 years old to rebreed as cow supplies remain tight.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $442.06/cwt on 145 head, down $26.07 from the prior sale. That ranks 9 of 16 comparable sales and sits +1.63 against this barn's trailing median of $440.43.

Average price

$442.06

▼ 26.07 vs prior sale

145 head · 560 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,475

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$150

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

$16.85/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−7.05

vs MT average

+19.89 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	520	454.50	2,363	38
Medium and Large 1	574	437.65	2,513	107

One grade step is worth $16.85/cwt here — about −$150 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 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 sale145 hd

442.06

—

MT average3 barns · 333 hd

449.12

−7.05

National average167 barns · 11,519 hd

422.17

+19.89

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	1,797	205.39	3,690	58
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,410	176.64	2,491	49
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,605	173.00	2,777	1thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,082	143.24	1,550	9thin

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)	1,128	$4,300	7

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
Steers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	676	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	2,603	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	683	366.00/cwt	366.00–366.00	2,500	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	520	454.50/cwt	452.00–461.00	2,363	38
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,128	4,300.00/head	4,300.00–4,300.00	4,300	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	762	351.58/cwt	350.00–354.00	2,679	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	625	406.08/cwt	390.00–416.00	2,538	86
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	675	392.00/cwt	392.00–392.00	2,646	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	468	479.44/cwt	460.00–495.00	2,244	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	833	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,832	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	623	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	2,399	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	800–850	809	345.50/cwt	345.50–345.50	2,795	30
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,020	305.19/cwt	230.00–340.00	3,113	53
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	728	362.33/cwt	350.00–369.00	2,638	33
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	544	467.93/cwt	464.50–475.50	2,546	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	424	555.33/cwt	550.00–565.00	2,355	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	750–800	770	356.00/cwt	356.00–356.00	2,741	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	50–100	64	975.00/head	975.00–975.00	975	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	670	390.53/cwt	385.00–398.00	2,617	98
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	463	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	2,315	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	582	429.81/cwt	413.00–459.00	2,501	85
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,379	163.74/cwt	155.00–167.00	2,258	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,353	184.03/cwt	183.00–187.00	2,490	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,250	167.50/cwt	167.50–167.50	2,094	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,208	182.00/cwt	182.00–182.00	2,199	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	870	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	1,001	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,058	124.32/cwt	115.00–132.00	1,315	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	650–700	687	411.00/cwt	411.00–411.00	2,824	40
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	50–100	88	1,050.00/head	1,050.00–1,050.00	1,050	8
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	855	307.50/cwt	307.50–307.50	2,629	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,083	253.71/cwt	199.00–285.00	2,748	9
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,048	272.63/cwt	212.50–310.00	2,857	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,465	186.00/cwt	186.00–186.00	2,725	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,163	238.63/cwt	188.00–325.00	2,775	35
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,294	198.94/cwt	182.00–222.00	2,574	17
Bulls	—	—	1,895	207.71/cwt	200.00–212.00	3,936	24
Bulls	—	—	1,995	223.17/cwt	218.00–230.00	4,452	4
Bulls	—Natural	—	2,153	239.00/cwt	238.00–240.00	5,146	2
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,270	192.62/cwt	190.00–196.00	2,446	2
Stock Cows	Large 1Fleshy	—	1,530	187.00/cwt	187.00–187.00	2,861	1
Steers	Large 1-2Fleshy	1200–1250	1,246	282.50/cwt	282.50–282.50	3,520	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,373	131.04/cwt	130.00–132.00	1,799	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,530	169.00/cwt	169.00–169.00	2,586	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,423	180.04/cwt	173.00–183.00	2,562	35
Bulls	—	—	1,774	179.94/cwt	162.50–192.00	3,192	6
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,295	186.00/cwt	186.00–186.00	2,409	1
Bulls	—Natural	—	1,963	223.22/cwt	220.00–226.00	4,382	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	880	102.00/cwt	102.00–102.00	898	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,070	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,605	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,605	173.00/cwt	173.00–173.00	2,777	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,565	204.87/cwt	198.00–208.00	3,206	13
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,575	183.77/cwt	173.00–191.00	2,894	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,140	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	1,619	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 →