Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2026-03-17

Miles City Livestock Commission

Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2026-03-17
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-03-17

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, Mar 17

● Final77 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773

← Mar 10Mar 17Mar 24 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

1,348 head

▲ 1,196 vs last sale 152▼ 481 vs year ago 1,829 · −26.3%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

74 head

▼ 1 vs last sale 75▼ 116 vs year ago 190 · −61.1%

Replacement Cattle receipts

68 head

▼ 383 vs last sale 451▼ 186 vs year ago 254 · −73.2%

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week (3-10-26): All feeder cattle were to lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all steers and steady to higher undertones were noticed on feeder heifer under 650 lbs. Heifers over 650 lbs were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Feeder cattle were offered in mostly moderate size packages this week with a few load lots of replacement quality heifers seen. Quality was mostly average to very attractive this week. Demand was mostly good this sale and stronger than the last couple weeks. CME positions have moved sharply higher over the last couple days and buyers responded positively as they showed stronger demand for feeder cattle. Replacement heifer demand was mostly good, however a smaller crowd was on hand for todays sale and some ranchers are slightly concerned about drought conditions. Eastern Montana received limited snowfall with the latest winter storm this past weekend and with record warmth forecasted for this week, drought concerns weigh on local ranchers minds. Replacement heifers sold with lower undertones compared to the last few feeder specials. Market activity was moderate to active this week. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for light offerings. Feeding cow buyers showed good demand for all cows which would feed. Feeding cows sold steady to firm in a very narrow comparison. Cow quality this week was mostly average. Slaughter cows sold on good demand, however very few cows were purchased for immediate harvest as private feeders kept cow prices over slaughter cow orders Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Feeding type bulls were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Young age cows were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly average.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $448.25/cwt on 122 head, up $23.75 from the prior sale (only 14 head in that comparison). That ranks 13 of 14 comparable sales and sits +34.32 against this barn's trailing median of $413.93.

Average price

$448.25

▲ 23.75 vs prior sale

122 head · 535 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,397

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$636

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

$122.11/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+2.90

vs MT average

+32.13 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	533	475.49	2,534	94
Medium and Large 1-2	578	401.00	2,318	2thin
Medium and Large 2	537	353.38	1,898	26

One grade step is worth $122.11/cwt here — about $636 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 500–600 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale122 hd

448.25

—

MT average3 barns · 149 hd

445.35

+2.90

National average164 barns · 8,069 hd

416.12

+32.13

This barn, trailing median14 sales

413.93

+34.32

A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

14 sales

Heifers 500–600 lb: high $468.13, low $357.36, median $413.93 across 14 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

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	1,822	187.01	3,408	14
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,655	175.18	2,900	21
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,445	169.82	2,454	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,102	133.73	1,473	12

Every lot

77 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. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.

Class	Weight	Grade / description	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Feeder Cattle · Steers21 lots · lightest first
Steers	300–350	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	337	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	1,685	3
Steers	350–400	Medium 2	375	435.00/cwt	435.00–435.00	1,631	5
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	385	520.00/cwt	515.00–530.00	2,002	6
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	462	516.68/cwt	510.00–520.00	2,387	3
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 2	471	475.00/cwt	475.00–475.00	2,237	11
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	473	535.00/cwt	535.00–535.00	2,531	6
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	531	488.13/cwt	483.00–510.00	2,592	5
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	548	486.00/cwt	486.00–486.00	2,663	11
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	550	460.00/cwt	460.00–460.00	2,530	5
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 2	557	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,866	10
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	559	490.00/cwt	490.00–490.00	2,739	29
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	561	497.00/cwt	497.00–497.00	2,788	22
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	577	457.67/cwt	442.50–470.00	2,641	18
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	634	446.73/cwt	439.00–458.00	2,832	99
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	639	429.80/cwt	415.00–435.50	2,746	33
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	666	437.97/cwt	416.00–446.00	2,917	117
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2	667	410.21/cwt	385.00–415.00	2,736	25
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	700	386.00/cwt	386.00–386.00	2,702	1
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	717	417.31/cwt	390.00–418.00	2,992	41
Steers	750–800	Medium and Large 1	755	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	2,869	7
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 1	836	356.93/cwt	355.50–367.00	2,984	31
Feeder Cattle · Heifers20 lots · lightest first
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	454	447.50/cwt	447.50–447.50	2,032	35
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	478	482.38/cwt	472.00–522.50	2,306	14
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 2	506	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,619	12
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1	533	475.49/cwt	466.00–477.50	2,534	94
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 2	564	382.00/cwt	382.00–382.00	2,154	14
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	578	401.00/cwt	401.00–401.00	2,318	2
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	621	414.42/cwt	409.00–420.00	2,574	76
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	634	387.00/cwt	387.00–387.00	2,454	4
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	680	380.18/cwt	372.00–389.00	2,585	60
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	717	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	2,474	9
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1Replacement	718	373.17/cwt	351.00–381.00	2,679	114
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	730	356.54/cwt	349.00–359.00	2,603	40
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1Replacement	760	366.93/cwt	366.00–370.00	2,789	218
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1	772	354.06/cwt	350.00–355.00	2,733	16
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	772	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	2,490	6
Heifers	800–850	Medium and Large 1Replacement	820	352.00/cwt	352.00–352.00	2,886	29
Heifers	800–850	Medium and Large 1Replacement	825	2,812.81/head	2,800.00–2,825.00	2,813	20
Heifers	800–850	Medium and Large 1	842	319.00/cwt	319.00–319.00	2,686	3
Heifers	850–900	Medium and Large 1	865	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	2,768	2
Heifers	900–950	Medium and Large 1Replacement	934	2,825.00/head	2,825.00–2,825.00	2,825	10
Feeder Cattle · Bulls8 lots · lightest first
Bulls	50–100	Medium and Large 1	95	1,100.00/head	1,100.00–1,100.00	1,100	1
Bulls	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2	383	525.00/cwt	525.00–525.00	2,011	3
Bulls	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	519	480.00/cwt	480.00–480.00	2,491	7
Bulls	550–600	Medium and Large 2	590	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	2,095	7
Bulls	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	627	395.00/cwt	395.00–395.00	2,477	3
Bulls	950–1000	Medium and Large 1-2	988	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	3,063	3
Bulls	1100–1150	Large 1	1,145	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	2,805	1
Bulls	1150–1200	Large 1	1,165	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	2,913	1
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Light Weight	1,500	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	2,250	1
Bulls	—	—	1,590	177.98/cwt	164.00–185.00	2,830	3
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,725	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	3,191	1
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,805	192.00/cwt	192.00–192.00	3,466	1
Bulls	—	—	1,848	192.87/cwt	190.00–195.00	3,564	2
Bulls	—	—	2,003	195.25/cwt	193.00–197.00	3,911	6
Slaughter Cattle · Cows16 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	890	132.50/cwt	132.50–132.50	1,179	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	950	100.00/cwt	100.00–100.00	950	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	995	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	1,542	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,051	120.59/cwt	116.00–133.00	1,267	4
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,155	143.96/cwt	143.00–145.00	1,663	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,250	172.00/cwt	172.00–172.00	2,150	1
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,270	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	1,842	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,275	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	2,295	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,345	95.00/cwt	95.00–95.00	1,278	1
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,355	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	2,453	2
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,468	172.70/cwt	167.00–178.00	2,535	6
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,583	161.48/cwt	160.00–163.00	2,556	2
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,625	169.00/cwt	169.00–169.00	2,746	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,648	178.61/cwt	172.00–180.00	2,943	16
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,660	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	2,573	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,803	164.49/cwt	164.00–165.00	2,966	2
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows6 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium 1-2	800	282.50/cwt	282.50–282.50	2,260	2
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	994	299.53/cwt	290.00–304.00	2,977	4
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,048	245.04/cwt	190.00–285.00	2,568	3
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,100	227.34/cwt	207.50–250.00	2,501	8
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,137	269.12/cwt	220.00–305.00	3,060	15
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,238	192.00/cwt	192.00–192.00	2,377	2

This sale against other markets

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 →

Miles City Livestock Commission Auction - Miles City, MT

Tue Mar 17, 2026

USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)

Feeder CattleReceipts 1,348Last week 152Year ago 1,829

Slaughter CattleReceipts 74Last week 75Year ago 190

Replacement CattleReceipts 68Last week 451Year ago 254

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1100–1150	1,145	245.00	245.00
1	1150–1200	1,165	250.00	250.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	350–400	383	525.00	525.00
7	500–550	519	480.00	480.00
3	600–650	627	395.00	395.00
3	950–1000	988	310.00	310.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
1	50–100	95	1,100.00	1,100.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	550–600	590	355.00	355.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	300–350	337	500.00	500.00
6	350–400	385	515.00–530.00	520.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	450–500	462	510.00–520.00	516.68
5	500–550	531	483.00–510.00	488.13
18	550–600	577	442.50–470.00	457.67
33	600–650	639	415.00–435.50	429.80
25	650–700	667	385.00–415.00	410.21
1	700–750	700	386.00	386.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	450–500	473	535.00	535.00
22	550–600	561	497.00	497.00
99	600–650	634	439.00–458.00	446.73
117	650–700	666	416.00–446.00	437.97
41	700–750	717	390.00–418.00	417.31
7	750–800	755	380.00	380.00
31	800–850	836	355.50–367.00	356.93

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
11	500–550	548	486.00	486.00
5	550–600	550	460.00	460.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	350–400	375	435.00	435.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
29	550–600	559	490.00	490.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
11	450–500	471	475.00	475.00
10	550–600	557	335.00	335.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
35	450–500	454	447.50	447.50
2	550–600	578	401.00	401.00
4	600–650	634	387.00	387.00
9	700–750	717	345.00	345.00
6	750–800	772	322.50	322.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
114	700–750	718	351.00–381.00	373.17
218	750–800	760	366.00–370.00	366.93
29	800–850	820	352.00	352.00
20	800–850	825	2,800.00–2,825.00	2,812.81
10	900–950	934	2,825.00	2,825.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
14	450–500	478	472.00–522.50	482.38
94	500–550	533	466.00–477.50	475.49
76	600–650	621	409.00–420.00	414.42
60	650–700	680	372.00–389.00	380.18
40	700–750	730	349.00–359.00	356.54
16	750–800	772	350.00–355.00	354.06
3	800–850	842	319.00	319.00
2	850–900	865	320.00	320.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
12	500–550	506	320.00	320.00
14	550–600	564	382.00	382.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,275	180.00	180.00
1	—	995	155.00	155.00
1	—	1,250	172.00	172.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,660	155.00	155.00
6	—	1,468	167.00–178.00	172.70
2	—	1,355	181.00	181.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
16	—	1,648	172.00–180.00	178.61
2	—	1,803	164.00–165.00	164.49

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	950	100.00	100.00
1	—	890	132.50	132.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,270	145.00	145.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,051	116.00–133.00	120.59
2	—	1,155	143.00–145.00	143.96
1	—	1,345	95.00	95.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,625	169.00	169.00
2	—	1,583	160.00–163.00	161.48

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,805	192.00	192.00
1	—	1,725	185.00	185.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,500	150.00	150.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,848	190.00–195.00	192.87
6	—	2,003	193.00–197.00	195.25
3	—	1,590	164.00–185.00	177.98

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	8	—	1,100	207.50–250.00	227.34
(<2 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,048	190.00–285.00	245.04

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	15	—	1,137	220.00–305.00	269.12
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,238	192.00	192.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	4	—	994	290.00–304.00	299.53

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	2	—	800	282.50	282.50

Head, weight ranges, average weights and price ranges are exactly as USDA AMS filed them — nothing recomputed, nothing rounded — in USDA's own reporting structure. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of that data, not a copy of USDA's document.