Cattle Market Pulse

Cattlemen's Livestock Auction Market Report

Belen, New Mexico · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, September 24, 2021

1,104 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Cattlemen's Livestock Auction report →

heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $176.86/cwt -1.72 vs last sale · ≈ $853/hd at 482 lb · 67 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $156.17/cwt +9.45 vs last sale · ≈ $658/hd at 422 lb · 42 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 steers $185.98/cwt -2.56 vs last sale · ≈ $771/hd at 414 lb · 32 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,104 745 1,567
Feeder cattle 722 555 831
Slaughter cattle 253 123 567
Replacement cattle 129 67 169

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, steer and heifer calves 4.00-5.00 higher. Feeder steers and heifers also 4.00-5.00 higher. Slaughter cows steady to 1.00-2.00 higher, bulls steady to 1.00 higher. Trade active demand good.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–248 233 5 197.00–216.00 $209.98 $489 +9.98
250–298 290 7 191.00–213.00 $206.59 $599 +0.59
305 thin fleshed 305 1 204.00 $204.00 $622 —
305–345 330 9 180.00–197.00 $189.24 $624 +8.02
350–380 359 7 185.00–190.00 $188.28 $676 -6.11
411–440 414 31 179.00–187.00 $186.33 $771 -2.21
430 unweaned 430 1 175.00 $175.00 $752 —
450–495 482 66 176.00–183.00 $177.16 $854 -1.42
495 495 1 157.00 $157.00 $777 -21.58
500–545 518 12 159.00–168.00 $164.64 $853 -0.89
600–621 617 11 145.00–160.00 $147.96 $913 -0.05
695 695 2 140.00 $140.00 $973 —
750–795 773 2 140.00–143.00 $141.54 $1,094 +9.47
800–805 803 2 138.50–141.00 $139.75 $1,122 +16.75
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
195 195 1 175.00 $175.00 $341 —
240 thin fleshed 240 2 160.00 $160.00 $384 —
255–295 275 2 183.00–195.00 $188.56 $519 +1.55
306–345 323 9 175.00–185.00 $182.68 $590 -2.32
350–395 376 14 160.00–181.00 $173.29 $652 -11.60
405–440 414 16 160.00–177.00 $170.98 $708 -8.91
425 425 1 145.00 $145.00 $616 -34.89
455–499 483 20 160.00–176.00 $165.64 $800 -5.48
500–545 518 8 150.00–167.00 $156.36 $810 -1.78
560–595 569 24 141.00–155.50 $152.36 $867 -6.64
600–640 616 12 142.00–157.00 $145.15 $894 -8.85
650–690 676 8 135.00–145.00 $138.72 $938 —
700–745 719 5 130.00–140.00 $133.17 $957 +8.17
735 735 1 136.00 $136.00 $1,000 +11.00
755–760 758 3 130.00–139.50 $134.84 $1,022 +12.84
810–848 835 3 126.00–130.00 $127.29 $1,063 +6.29
880–885 883 3 110.00–128.00 $122.02 $1,077 —
965–980 973 2 115.00–116.00 $115.50 $1,124 —
1010 1010 1 115.00 $115.00 $1,162 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
408–445 419 7 140.00–155.00 $143.80 $603 —
456–465 461 17 130.00–151.00 $148.65 $685 —
500–545 517 9 143.00–149.00 $145.96 $755 +4.96
550–595 572 24 131.00–142.00 $138.15 $790 —
600–620 610 2 130.00–136.00 $133.05 $812 —
650–685 674 4 110.00–130.00 $123.66 $833 —
745 745 1 114.00 $114.00 $849 —
1071 1071 6 100.00 $100.00 $1,071 —
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
490 490 1 90.00 $90.00 $441 —
587 587 8 43.00 $43.00 $252 —
800 800 1 57.00 $57.00 $456 —
850 850 1 58.00 $58.00 $493 —
Small 4 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
450–461 459 5 280.00 $280.00 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
145 145 1 360.00 $360.00 —
205 205 1 390.00 $390.00 —
300 300 1 370.00 $370.00 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–233 222 3 167.00–172.00 $170.50 $379 —
265–295 283 3 150.00–165.00 $159.45 $451 —
305–345 327 7 151.00–169.00 $161.72 $529 —
370 370 2 152.00 $152.00 $562 -2.63
404–441 421 41 145.00–159.00 $156.44 $659 +7.41
445 unweaned 445 1 145.00 $145.00 $645 +11.00
450–480 472 5 136.00–146.00 $142.18 $671 -4.44
503 thin fleshed 503 5 152.00 $152.00 $765 —
506–543 518 26 134.00–147.00 $140.44 $727 +3.97
643 643 3 143.00 $143.00 $919 —
658 658 6 129.00–143.00 $138.33 $910 —
800 800 1 137.00 $137.00 $1,096 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 165.00 $165.00 $396 —
275–295 285 2 139.00–149.00 $143.82 $410 -16.18
300–328 319 3 130.00–140.00 $133.14 $425 —
375–395 384 4 130.00–141.00 $136.81 $525 —
390 unweaned 390 1 130.00 $130.00 $507 —
405–448 438 14 130.00–141.00 $138.62 $607 -12.71
455–485 470 4 126.00–137.00 $133.95 $630 -6.05
510–533 526 12 125.00–134.00 $131.24 $690 -8.76
560–585 574 7 125.00–134.00 $129.87 $745 -2.10
605–640 620 4 129.00–135.00 $131.74 $817 -5.26
665–695 683 3 123.00–134.50 $127.84 $873 -8.16
905 905 1 122.00 $122.00 $1,104 —
995 995 1 101.00 $101.00 $1,005 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 1 115.00 $115.00 $270 —
310 310 1 117.00 $117.00 $363 -13.00
385–398 395 5 124.00–125.00 $124.19 $491 —
410–440 425 2 100.00–108.00 $103.86 $441 —
453–490 474 16 115.00–123.50 $121.03 $574 —
505–540 531 8 110.00–120.00 $116.02 $616 —
600 600 1 106.00 $106.00 $636 —
665–695 680 2 118.00–122.00 $119.96 $816 —
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
550 550 1 41.00 $41.00 $226 —
744 744 4 87.00 $87.00 $647 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
130 130 1 250.00 $250.00 —
Small 4 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
400 400 1 190.00 $190.00 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 1 135.00 $135.00 $425 -25.00
465–480 473 2 155.00 $155.00 $733 —
560–562 562 4 135.00–137.00 $136.50 $767 —
615–645 630 2 124.00–125.00 $124.49 $784 -0.51
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
755 755 1 107.00 $107.00 $808 —
845 845 1 99.00 $99.00 $837 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 unweaned 300 1 200.00 $200.00 $600 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
185 185 1 425.00 $425.00 —
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
465 465 1 78.00 $78.00 $363 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
669–835 694 85-90% 7 40.00–50.00 $47.78 $332 —
680–925 768 85-90% 3 25.00–36.00 $30.59 $235 —
675–925 808 85-90% 4 31.00–37.00 $34.71 $280 +9.89
670–1165 881 85-90% 40 39.00–54.50 $49.26 $434 —
755–1155 976 85-90% 8 55.50–62.00 $59.09 $577 +12.13
845–1395 1087 85-90% 94 55.00–67.00 $60.94 $662 +0.85
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
905–1133 1003 80-85% 14 50.00–64.00 $60.71 $609 —
905–1305 1104 80-85% 16 65.00–76.00 $69.66 $769 +9.19
650–1515 1258 80-85% 42 64.00–72.50 $68.96 $868 —
1317 1317 80-85% 7 81.00 $81.00 $1,067 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1300–1615 1509 75-80% 6 67.50–74.00 $71.08 $1,073 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1025–2205 1425 9 70.50–81.00 $76.91 $1,096 —
1365–2065 1741 9 82.50–95.00 $88.70 $1,544 —
2050–2075 2063 2 96.00–98.00 $96.99 $2,001 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
743–990 859 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 6 900.00–1,000.00 $940.83
765–1040 883 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 4 775.00–885.00 $815.00
1050–1130 1090 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 2 950.00–1,000.00 $975.00
840–1545 1193 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 875.00–970.00 $922.50
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
750 750 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 750.00 $750.00
645–865 755 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 650.00–700.00 $675.00
Small 4 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
605 605 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 350.00 $350.00
1010 1010 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 450.00 $450.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
995 995 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 800.00 $800.00 —
935–1165 1041 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 6 860.00–1,190.00 $979.17 —
1075–1230 1153 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 2 900.00–1,100.00 $1,000.00 —
1075–1360 1235 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 5 1,000.00–1,160.00 $1,062.00 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
890–1470 1197 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 1,210.00–1,350.00 $1,268.00 —
1350–1560 1455 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,250.00–1,320.00 $1,285.00 —

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Reading this report

What does "Medium and Large 1" mean?

USDA feeder grades describe frame size and muscle thickness, not quality of the individual animal. "Medium and Large" is the frame score; the number is muscle (1 = heaviest muscled). "Medium and Large 1–2" pens mix both muscle scores — common across the Southeast.

What is $/cwt?

Dollars per hundredweight — per 100 lb of animal. A 500-lb calf at $450/cwt brings 5 × $450 = $2,250. Lighter cattle usually bring more per cwt but less per head.

Why are some prices per head?

Bred cows, cow-calf pairs, and some replacement classes sell by the head, not by weight. We show those exactly as USDA reports them — a $/head figure is never converted into $/cwt on this site.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service's Livestock Market News — federal reporters at the sale. We publish each report in full and link the official USDA document at the top of the page.