Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2026-05-12
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-05-12

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week (5-05-26): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly moderate to good for light offerings. Most feeders were offered in small to moderate size groups this week. Quality this week was mostly average, but slightly better than last week. CME feeder cattle positions sold off today. Feeder cattle contracts sold with large losses of $6.00-7.00 cwt for August 2026 through March 2027. A small crowd was on hand for todays sale. Market activity was moderate to active this week. Weigh up cows sold on good demand for moderate offerings. Feeding cows sold on very good demand for all cows which would feed. Feeding cows sold steady on boning and lean fleshed cows in a narrow comparison. Breaking flesh feeding cows sold 3.00-4.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Quality this week was mostly average. Slaughter cows sold on good demand. Packers showed need for cows for immediate harvest and purchased more cows for immediate harvest this week compared to last week. Slaughter cows sold with higher undertones on all classes, in a narrow comparison. Weigh up conditions were average to above average this week. Slaughter bulls sold steady to weak in a narrow comparison. Private feeding bull buyers were not as aggressive this week which allowed packers to buy bulls slightly lower. Slaughter bull quality this week was average to attractive. Feeding type bulls sold mostly 5.00 lower with lighter demand noticed from private buyers this week. Young age cows sold unevenly steady. Additional buyers entered the market later in the sale and pushed offerings higher compared to cows sold early in the sale. 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 7 years old to rebreed as cow supplies remain tight. A few attractive offerings of cow calf and heifer pairs were seen this sale. Despite good quality, demand for pairs was mostly light to moderate as buyers express concern over drought conditions.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $425.30/cwt on 40 head, down $16.76 from the prior sale. That ranks 3 of 14 comparable sales and sits −15.13 against this barn's trailing median of $440.43.

Average price

$425.30

▼ 16.76 vs prior sale

40 head · 589 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,503

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$242

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

$26.00/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−14.06

vs MT average

+8.19 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	505	450.00	2,273	2thin
Medium and Large 1	593	424.00	2,514	38

One grade step is worth $26.00/cwt here — about −$242 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 sale40 hd

425.30

—

MT average3 barns · 106 hd

439.36

−14.06

National average171 barns · 11,385 hd

417.11

+8.19

This barn, trailing median14 sales

440.43

−15.13

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	1,688	205.76	3,473	39
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,641	184.95	3,035	19
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,415	184.10	2,606	114
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,184	167.02	1,978	50
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,190	85.00	1,012	1thin

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)	1,230	$3,450	3thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,265	$4,850	9
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,648	$4,700	8
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,518	$4,227	38
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,515	$3,678	62
Heifer Pairs	Open	(<2 yrs)	1,297	$4,815	55

Every lot, as filed

69 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 1	450–500	498	480.00/cwt	480.00–480.00	2,390	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	505	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	2,273	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,023	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	2,506	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	910	282.50/cwt	282.50–282.50	2,571	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	620	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,232	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	760	339.00/cwt	339.00–339.00	2,576	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,028	307.02/cwt	232.50–355.00	3,156	66
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	672	431.00/cwt	431.00–431.00	2,896	28
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	620	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	2,790	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	466	472.50/cwt	472.50–472.50	2,202	7
Steers	Medium and Large 2	700–750	700	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	2,258	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	668	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,271	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	653	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,351	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	730	360.56/cwt	355.00–365.00	2,632	52
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,518	4,226.54/head	4,200.00–4,250.00	4,227	38
Heifer Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,286	4,501.53/head	4,300.00–4,625.00	4,502	8
Steers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	621	375.69/cwt	365.00–401.00	2,333	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	531	484.48/cwt	480.00–486.00	2,573	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	626	404.76/cwt	397.50–409.00	2,534	17
Heifer Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,355	4,856.12/head	4,800.00–4,900.00	4,856	26
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,648	4,700.00/head	4,700.00–4,700.00	4,700	8
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,515	3,677.86/head	3,610.00–3,950.00	3,678	62
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	851	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	2,723	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	593	424.00/cwt	424.00–424.00	2,514	38
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	682	374.35/cwt	370.00–378.00	2,553	13
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,265	4,850.00/head	4,850.00–4,850.00	4,850	9
Heifer Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,229	4,882.46/head	4,550.00–4,985.00	4,882	21
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,316	197.40/cwt	183.00–230.00	2,598	24
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,169	162.27/cwt	152.50–165.00	1,897	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,402	189.21/cwt	186.00–192.50	2,653	62
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,200	176.69/cwt	170.00–182.50	2,120	24
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,118	109.90/cwt	102.50–116.00	1,229	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	898	122.38/cwt	120.00–125.00	1,099	2
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,190	85.00/cwt	85.00–85.00	1,012	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,073	241.03/cwt	195.50–285.00	2,586	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,078	253.86/cwt	225.00–285.00	2,737	3
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,230	3,450.00/head	3,450.00–3,450.00	3,450	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,105	242.50/cwt	242.50–242.50	2,680	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,142	265.48/cwt	192.00–347.50	3,032	66
Bulls	Large 1	1050–1100	1,073	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	2,683	3
Steers	Large 1-2	700–750	719	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,445	8
Bulls	Large 1-2	1100–1150	1,100	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	2,530	1
Stock Cows	Medium 1-2	—	865	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	2,292	1
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	850	277.50/cwt	277.50–277.50	2,359	1
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	812	326.39/cwt	315.00–332.50	2,650	3
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,298	188.71/cwt	170.00–198.00	2,449	3
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,035	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	2,381	1
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,325	194.00/cwt	194.00–194.00	2,571	1
Bulls	Large 1Fleshy	1250–1300	1,250	232.50/cwt	232.50–232.50	2,906	1
Bulls	Large 1Fleshy	1300–1350	1,308	221.00/cwt	221.00–221.00	2,891	3
Bulls	Large 1Fleshy	1150–1200	1,168	232.50/cwt	232.50–232.50	2,716	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,795	183.00/cwt	183.00–183.00	3,285	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,399	163.91/cwt	154.00–171.00	2,293	7
Bulls	—	—	1,660	183.83/cwt	180.00–188.00	3,052	2
Bulls	—	—	2,073	227.99/cwt	223.00–236.00	4,726	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,232	187.36/cwt	185.00–193.00	2,308	9
Bulls	—Heavy Weight	—	2,630	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	5,786	1
Bulls	—	—	2,320	218.00/cwt	218.00–218.00	5,058	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,499	203.48/cwt	200.00–214.00	3,050	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,473	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	2,386	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,380	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,794	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,515	181.23/cwt	176.00–186.00	2,746	2
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,300	187.16/cwt	175.00–195.00	2,433	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,432	182.31/cwt	175.00–185.50	2,611	40
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,605	185.77/cwt	184.00–190.00	2,982	13
Bulls	—	—	1,881	215.27/cwt	201.00–222.00	4,049	12
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,681	183.27/cwt	181.00–184.00	3,081	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,233	154.08/cwt	152.00–156.00	1,900	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,161	135.59/cwt	120.00–142.50	1,574	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 →