Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2026-05-05

Miles City Livestock Commission

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

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, May 5

● Final53 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773

← Apr 28May 5May 12 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

282 head

▲ 233 vs last sale 49▼ 92 vs year ago 374 · −24.6%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

240 head

▲ 48 vs last sale 192▼ 12 vs year ago 252 · −4.8%

Replacement Cattle receipts

148 head

▼ 31 vs last sale 179▼ 50 vs year ago 198 · −25.3%

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week (4-28-26): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly good for light offerings. Most feeders were offered in moderate size groups this week. Quality this week was mostly average. Flesh conditions were ideal for buyers looking for cattle to run on grass this summer as most were in thin flesh and offered buyers very good weigh conditions. CME feeder cattle positions shot higher today as they piggybacked off higher live cattle contract prices. Feeder cattle contracts sold with strong 5.00 cwt or higher gains today for May 2026 through March 2027. 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. Feeding cows sold on very good demand for all cows which would feed. Feeding cows sold steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Quality this week was mostly average and overall not as attractive as last week. Slaughter cows sold on good demand. A couple loads of fed cows were seen this week. Demand for fed cows was very good. Fed cows sold generally steady to firm. Weigh up conditions were better this week for fed cows compared to last week. Breaking, boning and lean slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 3.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bull quality this week was better than last week. Feeding type bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Young age cows sold mostly 10.00-12.00 higher 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 7 years old to rebreed as cow supplies remain tight.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $486.23/cwt on 43 head, down $12.42 from the prior sale. That ranks 9 of 11 comparable sales and sits +34.65 against this barn's trailing median of $451.58.

Average price

$486.23

▼ 12.42 vs prior sale

43 head · 561 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,726

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$351

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

$83.14/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−17.97

vs MT average

−1.32 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	554	507.50	2,812	32
Medium and Large 2	580	424.36	2,461	11thin

One grade step is worth $83.14/cwt here — about $351 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.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale43 hd

486.23

—

MT average2 barns · 192 hd

504.21

−17.97

National average180 barns · 14,267 hd

487.55

−1.32

This barn, trailing median11 sales

451.58

+34.65

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

11 sales

Steers 500–600 lb: high $512.23, low $384.50, median $451.58 across 11 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	1,720	202.14	3,476	30
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,412	181.77	2,566	75
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,709	179.21	3,063	9thin
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	Low	1,827	179.01	3,271	89
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,127	150.10	1,692	20

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	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,215	$3,600	2thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,390	$3,300	6
Bred Heifers	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	1,043	$3,600	2thin

Every lot

53 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 · Steers10 lots · lightest first
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 2Thin Fleshed	376	540.00/cwt	540.00–540.00	2,030	4
Steers	400–450	Small and Medium 2	409	2,000.00/head	2,000.00–2,000.00	2,000	10
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 2Thin Fleshed	486	447.50/cwt	447.50–447.50	2,175	11
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	554	507.50/cwt	507.50–507.50	2,812	32
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 2Thin Fleshed	577	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	2,423	7
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 2	585	432.00/cwt	432.00–432.00	2,527	4
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	613	475.00/cwt	475.00–475.00	2,912	51
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 2Thin Fleshed	658	377.50/cwt	377.50–377.50	2,484	4
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	681	445.00/cwt	445.00–445.00	3,030	28
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	722	383.00/cwt	383.00–383.00	2,765	15
Feeder Cattle · Heifers6 lots · lightest first
Heifers	350–400	Small and Medium 2	372	2,000.00/head	2,000.00–2,000.00	2,000	7
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	673	407.50/cwt	407.50–407.50	2,742	25
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	694	365.00/cwt	365.00–365.00	2,533	5
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	704	337.16/cwt	335.00–341.50	2,374	15
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	728	345.39/cwt	341.00–350.00	2,514	6
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1	755	356.00/cwt	356.00–356.00	2,688	10
Feeder Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls	800–850	Medium and Large 1-2	803	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	2,409	2
Bulls	1000–1050	Medium and Large 1-2	1,024	262.50/cwt	262.50–262.50	2,688	4
Bulls	1050–1100	Large 1	1,083	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	2,978	2
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls8 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Light Weight	1,370	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	2,569	1
Bulls	—	—Light Weight	1,383	171.71/cwt	160.00–185.00	2,375	2
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,531	190.17/cwt	180.00–195.00	2,912	5
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,611	209.72/cwt	202.00–215.00	3,379	4
Bulls	—	—	1,759	188.38/cwt	175.00–205.00	3,314	5
Bulls	—	—	1,836	210.40/cwt	202.00–220.00	3,863	9
Bulls	—	—	1,845	211.00/cwt	211.00–211.00	3,893	1
Bulls	—	—	2,063	232.39/cwt	225.00–236.50	4,794	3
Slaughter Cattle · Cows16 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,020	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	1,071	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,111	133.80/cwt	120.00–140.00	1,487	6
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,117	155.91/cwt	150.00–164.00	1,742	8
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,175	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	1,927	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,177	179.00/cwt	177.00–182.00	2,107	3
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,215	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	1,774	1
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,298	144.05/cwt	130.00–157.00	1,870	2
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,391	161.38/cwt	153.00–167.00	2,245	7
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,397	153.45/cwt	150.00–158.00	2,144	3
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,400	189.20/cwt	185.00–193.00	2,649	42
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,455	181.35/cwt	175.00–185.00	2,639	21
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,636	177.57/cwt	172.00–180.00	2,905	6
Cows	—	Premium White 65-75%	1,823	179.67/cwt	175.00–180.00	3,275	86
Cows	—	Premium White 65-75%	1,833	152.37/cwt	150.00–155.00	2,793	2
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,855	182.50/cwt	182.50–182.50	3,385	3
Cows	—	Premium White 65-75%Heavy Weight	2,165	175.50/cwt	175.50–175.50	3,800	1
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows7 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium 1	710	327.71/cwt	305.00–355.00	2,327	2
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	959	281.69/cwt	247.50–310.00	2,701	6
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,080	299.61/cwt	235.00–360.00	3,236	46
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,152	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	2,362	7
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,161	260.23/cwt	193.00–322.50	3,021	56
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	1,250	212.50/cwt	212.50–212.50	2,656	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,345	204.06/cwt	197.50–220.00	2,745	3
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows2 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,215	3,600.00/head	3,600.00–3,600.00	3,600	2
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	1,390	3,300.00/head	3,300.00–3,300.00	3,300	6
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Bred Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,043	3,600.00/head	3,600.00–3,600.00	3,600	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 May 5, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 282Last week 49Year ago 374

Slaughter CattleReceipts 240Last week 192Year ago 252

Replacement CattleReceipts 148Last week 179Year ago 198

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,020	105.00	105.00
1	—	1,215	146.00	146.00
6	—	1,111	120.00–140.00	133.80
1	—	1,175	164.00	164.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Premium White 65-75%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,833	150.00–155.00	152.37
86	—	1,823	175.00–180.00	179.67

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	1,117	150.00–164.00	155.91
3	—	1,177	177.00–182.00	179.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,855	182.50	182.50
6	—	1,636	172.00–180.00	177.57

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,397	150.00–158.00	153.45
2	—	1,298	130.00–157.00	144.05

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
21	—	1,455	175.00–185.00	181.35
42	—	1,400	185.00–193.00	189.20
7	—	1,391	153.00–167.00	161.38

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Premium White 65-75% · Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,165	175.50	175.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,611	202.00–215.00	209.72
5	—	1,531	180.00–195.00	190.17

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,845	211.00	211.00
5	—	1,759	175.00–205.00	188.38
3	—	2,063	225.00–236.50	232.39
9	—	1,836	202.00–220.00	210.40

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,383	160.00–185.00	171.71
1	—	1,370	187.50	187.50

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
25	650–700	673	407.50	407.50
10	750–800	755	356.00	356.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	700–750	728	341.00–350.00	345.39

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Small and Medium 2$ per head · actual wt
7	350–400	372	2,000.00	2,000.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
5	650–700	694	365.00	365.00
15	700–750	704	335.00–341.50	337.16

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
15	700–750	722	383.00	383.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Small and Medium 2$ per head · actual wt
10	400–450	409	2,000.00	2,000.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
32	550–600	554	507.50	507.50
51	600–650	613	475.00	475.00
28	650–700	681	445.00	445.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
4	350–400	376	540.00	540.00
11	450–500	486	447.50	447.50
7	550–600	577	420.00	420.00
4	650–700	658	377.50	377.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	550–600	585	432.00	432.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	800–850	803	300.00	300.00
4	1000–1050	1,024	262.50	262.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	1050–1100	1,083	275.00	275.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	56	—	1,161	193.00–322.50	260.23
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,345	197.50–220.00	204.06
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	7	—	1,152	205.00	205.00
(<2 yrs)	Open	46	—	1,080	235.00–360.00	299.61

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,250	212.50	212.50

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	2	—	710	305.00–355.00	327.71

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	6	—	959	247.50–310.00	281.69

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	6	—	1,390	3,300.00	3,300.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	—	1,215	3,600.00	3,600.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	2	—	1,043	3,600.00	3,600.00

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.