Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2026-09-29
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-09-29

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale (9-22-26): All feeder steers and heifer calves were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. All weights of yearling heifers sold mostly 2.00-5.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Demand for feeders was mostly moderate for light to moderate offerings. Heavy rain fell across much of the feeding region and lot and pens remain very muddy as a result. Demand from eastern South Dakota and Iowa was lighter this week as a result. Most offerings were coming off grass and were in light flesh. Market activity was mostly moderate. A larger buyer pool was noticed this week. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand and offerings. Feeding cow quality was mostly plain to average this week and more attractive than last weeks offerings. Many blemished offerings continue to be seen as cows come off breeding pastures. Some buyers were willing to put blemished cows on feed but mostly at or just above slaughter cow prices. Feeding cows sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher with several more buyers noticed this week compared to last. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Many blemished cows were purchased to feed this week as feeding buyers showed stronger demand for lame and blemished cows than packer buyers. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher as feeding bull buyers pushed offerings above slaughter buyers orders. Feeding bulls sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Feeding bull demand was moderate this sale. Weigh up conditions were mixed today with both full and empty cows and bulls noticed. Young age cows were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. A few exposed cows were seen this week and buyers purchased these offerings on mostly good demand as they were willing to take the risk and test them themselves. They are listed as stock cows in the report below. Exposed cows sold with higher undertones in a narrow comparison.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $360.90/cwt on 10 head, up $3.54 from the prior sale (only 11 head in that comparison). That ranks 2 of 13 comparable sales and sits −81.16 against this barn's trailing median of $442.06.

Average price

$360.90

▲ 3.54 vs prior sale

10 head · 572 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,064

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$30

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

$12.50/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−19.06

vs MT average

+9.50 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	555	367.50	2,040	4thin
Medium 1-2	583	358.00	2,087	3thin
Medium and Large 1-2	583	355.00	2,070	3thin

One grade step is worth $12.50/cwt here — about −$30 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

13 sales

Heifers 500–600 lb: high $468.13, low $357.36, median $442.06 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 sale10 hd

360.90

—

MT average3 barns · 83 hd

379.96

−19.06

National average172 barns · 11,766 hd

351.40

+9.50

This barn, trailing median13 sales

442.06

−81.16

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	1,755	171.41	3,008	62
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,338	144.40	1,933	70
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,559	140.75	2,194	19
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,182	128.76	1,522	62

Every lot, as filed

74 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%Return to Feed	—	1,621	140.27/cwt	137.50–141.00	2,274	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,554	133.54/cwt	125.00–137.00	2,075	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,322	149.76/cwt	143.00–153.50	1,980	39
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,408	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	2,084	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,232	152.35/cwt	143.00–155.50	1,877	24
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	878	100.03/cwt	90.00–110.00	878	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	898	79.05/cwt	72.50–85.00	710	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,204	120.76/cwt	115.00–130.00	1,454	23
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,567	136.16/cwt	136.00–136.50	2,134	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,186	108.49/cwt	95.00–122.50	1,287	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	803	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,004	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,235	86.81/cwt	85.00–90.00	1,072	4
Heifers	Large 1	1050–1100	1,065	282.83/cwt	282.50–283.00	3,012	15
Bulls	Large 1-2	1200–1250	1,245	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	2,739	1
Bulls	Large 1-2	1100–1150	1,105	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	2,597	1
Bulls	Large 2	1050–1100	1,095	227.50/cwt	227.50–227.50	2,491	1
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,365	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	2,116	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,759	174.32/cwt	170.00–176.50	3,066	14
Heifers	Medium 1-2	550–600	583	358.00/cwt	358.00–358.00	2,087	3
Heifers	Medium 1-2	650–700	675	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	2,177	5
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	949	219.38/cwt	185.00–225.00	2,082	9
Steers	Large 1	1050–1100	1,072	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	3,109	3
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,150	157.50/cwt	157.50–157.50	1,811	2
Bulls	Large 1	1100–1150	1,120	247.50/cwt	247.50–247.50	2,772	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	741	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	2,482	12
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	1,048	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	1,939	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	750–800	772	307.50/cwt	307.50–307.50	2,374	5
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	825	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	2,310	1
Steers	Medium 1	650–700	660	372.00/cwt	372.00–372.00	2,455	7
Stock Cows	Medium 1-2	—	745	209.87/cwt	190.00–230.00	1,564	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	373	510.00/cwt	510.00–510.00	1,902	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	950–1000	960	283.50/cwt	283.50–283.50	2,722	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	882	339.00/cwt	339.00–339.00	2,990	23
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	400–450	420	417.50/cwt	417.50–417.50	1,754	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	900–950	945	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	2,221	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	990	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	2,772	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	425	461.94/cwt	461.00–462.00	1,963	34
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	997	279.07/cwt	187.50–291.00	2,782	29
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	937	288.87/cwt	270.00–291.00	2,707	36
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,249	169.43/cwt	160.00–170.00	2,116	33
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	555	367.50/cwt	367.50–367.50	2,040	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	599	387.00/cwt	387.00–387.00	2,318	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,013	285.17/cwt	282.00–292.00	2,889	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	966	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	2,801	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	923	336.25/cwt	336.25–336.25	3,104	100
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	782	343.28/cwt	340.00–344.00	2,684	49
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,013	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	2,431	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	827	319.86/cwt	315.00–321.00	2,645	56
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	896	307.00/cwt	307.00–307.00	2,751	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	813	306.00/cwt	306.00–306.00	2,488	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	436	459.17/cwt	445.00–462.50	2,002	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	583	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	2,070	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	482	442.33/cwt	430.00–444.00	2,132	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	813	348.79/cwt	345.00–351.00	2,836	35
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	852	333.00/cwt	332.00–335.00	2,837	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	588	372.00/cwt	372.00–372.00	2,187	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	945	223.08/cwt	187.50–230.00	2,108	20
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	1,079	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	1,672	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	910	307.70/cwt	292.50–310.50	2,800	94
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	612	383.18/cwt	378.00–385.00	2,345	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	929	317.28/cwt	310.00–321.00	2,948	12
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,025	214.25/cwt	200.00–245.00	2,196	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,338	142.80/cwt	137.50–147.50	1,911	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2	800–850	813	329.00/cwt	329.00–329.00	2,675	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,040	232.50/cwt	232.50–232.50	2,418	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	790	313.00/cwt	313.00–313.00	2,473	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	894	295.67/cwt	295.00–296.00	2,643	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	474	366.59/cwt	360.00–370.00	1,738	3
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,622	166.93/cwt	158.00–171.50	2,708	19
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,165	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	1,864	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,338	138.09/cwt	115.00–142.50	1,848	28
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,665	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	2,048	1
Bulls	—	—	1,845	163.59/cwt	159.00–168.00	3,018	9
Bulls	—	—	1,863	178.32/cwt	172.00–182.50	3,322	19

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 →