Sale reports / Montana / Miles City Livestock Commission / 2026-05-12

Miles City Livestock Commission

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

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Miles City, Montana · Tue, May 12

● Final69 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1773

← May 5May 12May 19 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

275 head

▼ 7 vs last sale 282▲ 101 vs year ago 174 · +58.0%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

260 head

▲ 20 vs last sale 240▼ 40 vs year ago 300 · −13.3%

Replacement Cattle receipts

544 head

▲ 396 vs last sale 148▲ 96 vs year ago 448 · +21.4%

View

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 — 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 $425.30/cwt on 40 head, down $16.76 from the prior sale. That ranks 9 of 14 comparable sales and sits +11.37 against this barn's trailing median of $413.93.

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

Price by quality 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.

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

413.93

+11.37

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	—	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

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. 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 · Steers7 lots · lightest first
Steers	450–500	Medium 1	498	480.00/cwt	480.00–480.00	2,390	3
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	531	484.48/cwt	480.00–486.00	2,573	8
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	620	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	2,790	6
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 2	621	375.69/cwt	365.00–401.00	2,333	7
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	672	431.00/cwt	431.00–431.00	2,896	28
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 2	700	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	2,258	2
Steers	700–750	Large 1-2	719	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,445	8
Feeder Cattle · Heifers11 lots · lightest first
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	466	472.50/cwt	472.50–472.50	2,202	7
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	505	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	2,273	2
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	593	424.00/cwt	424.00–424.00	2,514	38
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	620	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,232	3
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	626	404.76/cwt	397.50–409.00	2,534	17
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2	653	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,351	15
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 2	668	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,271	2
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	682	374.35/cwt	370.00–378.00	2,553	13
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	730	360.56/cwt	355.00–365.00	2,632	52
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	760	339.00/cwt	339.00–339.00	2,576	2
Heifers	850–900	Medium and Large 1-2	851	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	2,723	6
Feeder Cattle · Bulls7 lots · lightest first
Bulls	900–950	Medium and Large 1-2	910	282.50/cwt	282.50–282.50	2,571	1
Bulls	1000–1050	Medium and Large 1-2	1,023	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	2,506	2
Bulls	1050–1100	Large 1	1,073	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	2,683	3
Bulls	1100–1150	Large 1-2	1,100	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	2,530	1
Bulls	1150–1200	Large 1Fleshy	1,168	232.50/cwt	232.50–232.50	2,716	6
Bulls	1250–1300	Large 1Fleshy	1,250	232.50/cwt	232.50–232.50	2,906	1
Bulls	1300–1350	Large 1Fleshy	1,308	221.00/cwt	221.00–221.00	2,891	3
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls8 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Light Weight	1,298	188.71/cwt	170.00–198.00	2,449	3
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,300	187.16/cwt	175.00–195.00	2,433	6
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,499	203.48/cwt	200.00–214.00	3,050	10
Bulls	—	—	1,660	183.83/cwt	180.00–188.00	3,052	2
Bulls	—	—	1,881	215.27/cwt	201.00–222.00	4,049	12
Bulls	—	—	2,073	227.99/cwt	223.00–236.00	4,726	4
Bulls	—	—	2,320	218.00/cwt	218.00–218.00	5,058	1
Bulls	—	—Heavy Weight	2,630	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	5,786	1
Slaughter Cattle · Cows16 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	898	122.38/cwt	120.00–125.00	1,099	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,118	109.90/cwt	102.50–116.00	1,229	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,161	135.59/cwt	120.00–142.50	1,574	5
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,169	162.27/cwt	152.50–165.00	1,897	6
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,200	176.69/cwt	170.00–182.50	2,120	24
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,232	187.36/cwt	185.00–193.00	2,308	9
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,233	154.08/cwt	152.00–156.00	1,900	2
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,380	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,794	1
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,399	163.91/cwt	154.00–171.00	2,293	7
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,402	189.21/cwt	186.00–192.50	2,653	62
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,432	182.31/cwt	175.00–185.50	2,611	40
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,473	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	2,386	2
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,515	181.23/cwt	176.00–186.00	2,746	2
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,605	185.77/cwt	184.00–190.00	2,982	13
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,681	183.27/cwt	181.00–184.00	3,081	4
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,795	183.00/cwt	183.00–183.00	3,285	2
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Cows1 lot · lightest first
Dairy Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,190	85.00/cwt	85.00–85.00	1,012	1
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows11 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium 1	812	326.39/cwt	315.00–332.50	2,650	3
Stock Cows	—	Medium 1	850	277.50/cwt	277.50–277.50	2,359	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium 1-2	865	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	2,292	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,028	307.02/cwt	232.50–355.00	3,156	66
Stock Cows	—	Large 1	1,035	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	2,381	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
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
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,316	197.40/cwt	183.00–230.00	2,598	24
Stock Cows	—	Large 1	1,325	194.00/cwt	194.00–194.00	2,571	1
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs4 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs	—	Medium and Large 1	1,265	4,850.00/head	4,850.00–4,850.00	4,850	9
Cow-Calf Pairs	—	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	1,515	3,677.86/head	3,610.00–3,950.00	3,678	62
Cow-Calf Pairs	—	Medium and Large 1	1,518	4,226.54/head	4,200.00–4,250.00	4,227	38
Cow-Calf Pairs	—	Medium and Large 1	1,648	4,700.00/head	4,700.00–4,700.00	4,700	8
Replacement Cattle · Heifer Pairs3 lots · lightest first
Heifer Pairs	—	Medium and Large 1	1,229	4,882.46/head	4,550.00–4,985.00	4,882	21
Heifer Pairs	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,286	4,501.53/head	4,300.00–4,625.00	4,502	8
Heifer Pairs	—	Medium and Large 1	1,355	4,856.12/head	4,800.00–4,900.00	4,856	26
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Bred Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	1,230	3,450.00/head	3,450.00–3,450.00	3,450	3

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 12, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 275Last week 282Year ago 174

Slaughter CattleReceipts 260Last week 240Year ago 300

Replacement CattleReceipts 544Last week 148Year ago 448

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	450–500	498	480.00	480.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	600–650	620	450.00	450.00
28	650–700	672	431.00	431.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	600–650	621	365.00–401.00	375.69
2	700–750	700	322.50	322.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	500–550	531	480.00–486.00	484.48

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	700–750	719	340.00	340.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	450–500	466	472.50	472.50
2	500–550	505	450.00	450.00
3	600–650	620	360.00	360.00
15	650–700	653	360.00	360.00
2	750–800	760	339.00	339.00
6	850–900	851	320.00	320.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	650–700	668	340.00	340.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
38	550–600	593	424.00	424.00
17	600–650	626	397.50–409.00	404.76
13	650–700	682	370.00–378.00	374.35
52	700–750	730	355.00–365.00	360.56

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	900–950	910	282.50	282.50
2	1000–1050	1,023	245.00	245.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	1050–1100	1,073	250.00	250.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1100–1150	1,100	230.00	230.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
6	1150–1200	1,168	232.50	232.50
1	1250–1300	1,250	232.50	232.50
3	1300–1350	1,308	221.00	221.00

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
(<2 yrs)	Open	66	—	1,028	232.50–355.00	307.02
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	24	—	1,316	183.00–230.00	197.40
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	66	—	1,142	192.00–347.50	265.48

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	3	—	1,073	195.50–285.00	241.03
(<2 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,078	225.00–285.00	253.86

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,105	242.50	242.50

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	865	265.00	265.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	850	277.50	277.50
(<2 yrs)	Open	3	—	812	315.00–332.50	326.39

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,035	230.00	230.00
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,325	194.00	194.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	38	—	1,518	4,200.00–4,250.00	4,226.54
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	8	—	1,648	4,700.00	4,700.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	9	—	1,265	4,850.00	4,850.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	62	—	1,515	3,610.00–3,950.00	3,677.86

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifer Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	8	—	1,286	4,300.00–4,625.00	4,501.53

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifer Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	26	—	1,355	4,800.00–4,900.00	4,856.12
(<2 yrs)	Open	21	—	1,229	4,550.00–4,985.00	4,882.46

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	3	—	1,230	3,450.00	3,450.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,169	152.50–165.00	162.27
24	—	1,200	170.00–182.50	176.69
9	—	1,232	185.00–193.00	187.36

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
62	—	1,402	186.00–192.50	189.21
7	—	1,399	154.00–171.00	163.91
40	—	1,432	175.00–185.50	182.31

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,118	102.50–116.00	109.90
2	—	1,233	152.00–156.00	154.08
5	—	1,161	120.00–142.50	135.59

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	898	120.00–125.00	122.38

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,795	183.00	183.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,473	162.00	162.00
1	—	1,380	130.00	130.00
2	—	1,515	176.00–186.00	181.23

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	1,605	184.00–190.00	185.77
4	—	1,681	181.00–184.00	183.27

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,190	85.00	85.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,298	170.00–198.00	188.71

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,660	180.00–188.00	183.83
4	—	2,073	223.00–236.00	227.99
1	—	2,320	218.00	218.00
12	—	1,881	201.00–222.00	215.27

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,630	220.00	220.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	1,499	200.00–214.00	203.48
6	—	1,300	175.00–195.00	187.16

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.