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Prairie County, MT

Cattle prices near Prairie County, Montana. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Miles City MT in Miles City, MT, about 32 miles away. On Nov 10, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $426.74 per hundredweight on 605 head (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

Check a bid with Ring Price

Change county
CRP emergency haying & grazing: Prairie County is on FSA's list (since Sep 1, 2026). Check with your FSA county office first. Details · FSA list as of Nov 5, 2026.
Drought Abnormally dryD0 · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Eligibleup to 2 payments Burn ban Checkcall the county Miles City MT 5-wt steers $427per cwt

Prairie County rain, outlook and forecast

The Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map shows most of Prairie County, MT abnormally dry (D0), with 37% at moderate drought (D1); 37% of the county is in moderate drought (D1) or worse, down from 67% four weeks earlier. Rain has run 251% of normal over the last 30 days (well above normal); the NWS forecast peaks at a 42% rain chance on Tuesday (high 52°) and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans wetter than normal (33% chance of above-normal rain). FSA's 2026 LFP list includes Prairie County with up to 2 monthly payments, and Miles City MT is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 32 miles.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 251% of normal
  • Last 60 days not read yet
  • Last 90 days not read yet

NOAA river forecast center rain (radar plus gauges) at the county center, Nov 15, 2026. Source.

Rain outlook

  • 6-10 day outlook (Nov 20–24) Leans wetter than normal (33% chance of above-normal rain)
  • 8-14 day outlook (Nov 22–28) Leans toward near-normal rain

NOAA Climate Prediction Center precipitation outlook, issued Nov 14, 2026. Source.

Next 7 days

  1. Today Mostly Sunny, high 56°, low 31°, 0% rain, wind 5–8 mph
  2. Monday Mostly Cloudy, high 56°, low 35°, 0% rain, wind 3 mph
  3. Tuesday Mostly Cloudy, high 52°, low 32°, 42% rain, wind 3–8 mph
  4. Wednesday Chance Light Rain, high 43°, low 25°, 42% rain, wind 1–18 mph
  5. Thursday Partly Sunny, high 43°, low 27°, 20% rain, wind 1–9 mph
  6. Friday Slight Chance Light Snow then Chance Rain And Snow, high 42°, low 25°, 28% rain, wind 5–9 mph
  7. Saturday Slight Chance Light Snow, high 39°, low 21°, 19% rain, wind 2–7 mph

National Weather Service forecast for the county center, updated Nov 15, 2026. Wind, warnings and burn bans.

PRF pasture insurance: sign up by Dec 1, 2026

The 2027 Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF) insurance sales closing date for Prairie County is Dec 1, 2026, 16 days from today. PRF (Rainfall Index) pays on a rainfall index for your grid, not on your own rain gauge. You buy it through a crop insurance agent.

How PRF works · PRF 2027 sign-up · Find your grid on RMA's PRF tool

Date from USDA RMA's actuarial data, read Aug 28, 2026 · RMA dates map. Your agent confirms the date for your policy.

Prairie County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Prairie County grew about 1,145 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 128% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 894 pounds per acre. That was the 5th best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2024 at 1,232 pounds per acre; worst: 1988 at 460.

Pounds per acre of new grass and forbs each year on rangeland and pasture, from the Rangeland Analysis Platform (satellite-based estimates). See every year on the Land tab.

Open loss windows

No open loss windows in Prairie County right now. A 30-day window opens when the county first hits severe drought (D2), jumps to D3 or D4, or after a blizzard, extreme heat or cold, flood or ice warning, a wildfire, or a USDA disaster designation. Keep a Drought Ledger.

Information only; not financial, tax or legal advice. FSA decides eligibility. Cownty sends nothing to FSA.

Drought-sale tax flag IRS list

Prairie County is on IRS Notice 2026-54 (severe or worse drought, Sep 1, 2025 to Aug 31, 2026).

Why it matters: if you sold breeding, dairy or draft livestock because of drought, the tax code may let you put off the gain (more time to buy replacement animals, or report the extra-sale income a year later). Your tax preparer decides whether either applies.

Work out your numbers and print a page for your preparer

Information only; not financial, tax or legal advice. Ask your tax preparer. FSA decides program eligibility. IRS Notice 2026-54 (PDF)

5-wt steers, nearest barns

Steers 500–599 lb, $/cwt, weekly average.

BarnLast sale5-wt steers
Miles City MT 32 miNov 10$427
Dickinson ND 128 miNov 12$448
Billings MT (BLC) 162 miNov 9$408
How to read this

Each line is one barn's head-weighted average for 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) in that week; gaps are weeks with no sale or no lots that size. Past sales, not a bid.

Dollars per hundredweight ($/cwt, per 100 lb), calculated from USDA AMS Market News sale reports (Medium & Large 1 and 1-2). Not a USDA-published average. ≈ $/head = $/cwt × the middle of the weight class ÷ 100.

Guide: How to read a USDA sale barn report

Price history · Barn map · Fed vs feeder cattle

All weights at the 3 nearest barns

Miles City MT 32 mi

Miles City, MT
Sale of Nov 10, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb272442.06$1,990
Heifers 500-599 lb600393.00$2,160
Heifers 600-699 lb79347.83$2,260
Steers 400-499 lb148475.73$2,140
Steers 500-599 lb605426.74$2,350
Steers 600-699 lb584390.49$2,540
Steers 700-799 lb17354.00$2,660

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Dickinson ND 128 mi

Dickinson, ND
Sale of Nov 12, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb357423.23$1,900
Heifers 500-599 lb497387.55$2,130
Heifers 600-699 lb122359.10$2,330
Steers 400-499 lb517505.87$2,280
Steers 500-599 lb935447.56$2,460
Steers 600-699 lb817398.09$2,590
Steers 700-799 lb134360.58$2,700

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Billings MT (BLC) 162 mi

Billings, MT
Sale of Nov 9, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb57422.51$1,900
Heifers 500-599 lb96360.80$1,980
Heifers 600-699 lb12315.08$2,050
Steers 400-499 lb56462.95$2,080
Steers 500-599 lb46408.25$2,250
Steers 600-699 lb5319.00$2,070

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

2 more within 200 mi: Billings MT (PAYS) (162 mi), St. Onge SD (179 mi).

Text me Prairie County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Miles City Livestock Commission Miles City, MT 32 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 10, 2026
  2. Stockmen's Livestock Exchange (feeder cattle) Dickinson, ND 128 mi · sells Thursdays · latest USDA report Nov 12, 2026
  3. Billings Livestock Commission Billings, MT 162 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
  4. Public Auction Yards Billings, MT 162 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  5. St. Onge Livestock Ltd St. Onge, SD 179 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Nov 13, 2026

Miles are straight-line from the county center. Sale days come from the barns' recent USDA AMS reports; call the barn to confirm. All barns

Printable county brief (PDF) · Everything on one page · Hay prices in Montana

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Prairie County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Prairie County is on FSA's 2026 Livestock Forage Disaster Program county list, with up to 2 monthly payments for some pasture types. FSA decides each operation's eligibility; apply at your county FSA office by March 1 after the loss year.

Source: FSA LFP county file of Nov 5, 2026

What is the drought level in Prairie County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Prairie County was in abnormally dry (D0), and the worst part was moderate drought (D1) on 37% of the county. 0 straight weeks with some severe drought (D2) or worse.

Source: U.S. Drought Monitor, map of Nov 10, 2026

Is there a burn ban in Prairie County?

No official statewide list to check: Cownty doesn't read an official statewide burn-ban list for Montana; county commissions, sheriffs and fire districts post local fire restrictions, so check your county's own notices.

What sale barns are near Prairie County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Miles City MT (32 mi), last report Nov 10, 2026; Dickinson ND (128 mi), last report Nov 12, 2026; Billings MT (BLC) (162 mi), last report Nov 9, 2026.

Source: USDA AMS Market News reports

What are the upcoming FSA and farm deadlines?

Next: Nov 20, 2026: Micro Farm 2027: last day to buy crop insurance; Nov 20, 2026: Whole Farm Revenue Protection 2027: last day to buy crop insurance. FSA program dates not posted officially are marked "confirm at source" on the calendar.

Source: official agency pages (see Calendar)

Information only; not financial or legal advice. FSA decides eligibility. Always check the linked official source.