Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2026-05-26
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-05-26

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week (5-19-26): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly moderate for very light offerings. Most feeders were offered in small packages or as singles. Quality this week was mostly average. Too few offerings were seen this week for buyers to build loads and demand suffered as a result. CME feeder cattle positions moved sharply lower over the last few trading days as traders reacted to higher cattle on feed and placement numbers. Market activity was moderate with a small crowd on hand. Internet bidding was active this week. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for light offerings. Feeding cows sold on good to very good demand. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to weak on all classes of cows. Offerings were moderate to heavy and heavier than last week. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Many empty cows were on offer, especially early in the sale, as most were coming off grass. However, as the sale progressed, cows did take on some fill as temperatures soared into the mid 90s by noon. Demand for slaughter cows remains good. Packers showed need for cows for immediate harvest and with fewer feeding buyers on hand this week packers were able to purchased more cows for slaughter. Slaughter cows sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Feeding bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Bull quality this week was average to very attractive. Young age cows sold generally steady. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 600–700 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

600–700 lb heifers averaged $366.50/cwt on 5 head, down $11.65 from the prior sale. That ranks 2 of 18 comparable sales and sits −28.52 against this barn's trailing median of $395.02.

Average price

$366.50

▼ 11.65 vs prior sale

5 head · 671 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,461

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$169

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

$10.00/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−2.77

vs MT average

−10.97 vs national

What quality paid 600–700 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 2	633	372.50	2,358	2thin
Medium and Large 1-2	697	362.50	2,527	3thin

One grade step is worth $10.00/cwt here — about −$169 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 700–800 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 600–700 lb

18 sales

Heifers 600–700 lb: high $404.52, low $363.33, median $395.02 across 18 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

How it compared 600–700 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale5 hd

366.50

—

MT average3 barns · 55 hd

369.27

−2.77

National average118 barns · 4,576 hd

377.47

−10.97

This barn, trailing median18 sales

395.02

−28.52

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	1,782	215.85	3,847	44
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,409	186.33	2,626	232
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,586	185.00	2,934	44
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,170	165.53	1,937	48

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 Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,297	$3,798	30
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,554	$3,567	12
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,545	$3,475	9
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,610	$3,275	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,123	$3,900	3thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,402	$3,500	3thin

Every lot, as filed

58 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
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,755	183.00/cwt	183.00–183.00	3,212	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,595	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	2,472	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	900	82.50/cwt	82.50–82.50	743	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,359	183.81/cwt	175.00–187.50	2,498	91
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,277	189.58/cwt	189.50–191.00	2,421	16
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,925	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	3,080	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,552	209.00/cwt	207.50–214.00	3,244	6
Bulls	—	—	2,020	192.95/cwt	185.00–200.00	3,898	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,015	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	1,066	1
Bulls	—	—	1,913	216.66/cwt	208.00–221.00	4,145	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,448	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	2,476	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,408	161.48/cwt	161.00–162.00	2,274	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	945	123.74/cwt	122.50–125.00	1,169	2
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,405	175.30/cwt	154.00–196.00	2,463	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,197	180.64/cwt	174.00–187.00	2,162	7
Bulls	—	—	1,898	231.36/cwt	225.00–238.00	4,391	17
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,407	194.74/cwt	189.00–200.00	2,740	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,201	163.16/cwt	158.00–171.00	1,960	7
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	940	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	2,773	1
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	851	285.68/cwt	270.00–315.00	2,431	5
Stock Cows	Medium 1-2	—	825	246.32/cwt	242.50–250.00	2,032	2
Stock Cows	Medium 1-2	—	950	192.50/cwt	192.50–192.50	1,829	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,060	135.55/cwt	130.00–145.00	1,437	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,528	189.00/cwt	187.00–191.00	2,888	26
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,232	3,522.63/head	3,500.00–3,750.00	3,523	10
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,008	237.16/cwt	230.00–240.00	2,391	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,330	191.26/cwt	190.00–192.50	2,544	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,613	3,850.00/head	3,850.00–3,850.00	3,850	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,279	3,950.00/head	3,950.00–3,950.00	3,950	17
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,445	190.04/cwt	187.50–193.00	2,746	131
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,589	184.12/cwt	181.00–185.00	2,926	11
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,823	175.72/cwt	174.00–179.00	3,203	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,097	157.18/cwt	154.00–161.00	1,724	8
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,310	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	2,227	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,399	143.31/cwt	137.50–148.00	2,005	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,694	3,650.00/head	3,650.00–3,650.00	3,650	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	1,045	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	2,142	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,610	3,275.00/head	3,275.00–3,275.00	3,275	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,098	210.77/cwt	187.50–252.50	2,314	18
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,233	192.52/cwt	191.00–195.00	2,374	12
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,707	3,425.00/head	3,425.00–3,425.00	3,425	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,464	3,500.00/head	3,500.00–3,500.00	3,500	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	731	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,632	9
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,129	243.29/cwt	195.00–310.00	2,747	89
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,454	3,507.15/head	3,350.00–3,700.00	3,507	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	831	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	2,680	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	920	302.00/cwt	302.00–302.00	2,778	22
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	450–500	455	432.50/cwt	432.50–432.50	1,968	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	829	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	2,611	4
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,402	3,500.00/head	3,500.00–3,500.00	3,500	3
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,123	3,900.00/head	3,900.00–3,900.00	3,900	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	741	347.50/cwt	347.50–347.50	2,575	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	653	387.50/cwt	387.50–387.50	2,530	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	578	440.00/cwt	440.00–440.00	2,543	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	697	362.50/cwt	362.50–362.50	2,527	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	633	372.50/cwt	372.50–372.50	2,358	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	750–800	779	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	2,882	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,095	270.75/cwt	235.00–325.00	2,965	47

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 →