Cattle Market Pulse

Cattlemen's Livestock Auction Market Report

Belen, New Mexico · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, February 24, 2023

364 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $200.01/cwt +8.68 vs last sale · ≈ $954/hd at 477 lb · 23 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $217.00/cwt +12.00 vs last sale · ≈ $881/hd at 406 lb · 17 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 steers $234.36/cwt +16.42 vs last sale · ≈ $1,032/hd at 440 lb · 12 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 364 270 606
Feeder cattle 240 205 405
Slaughter cattle 72 39 121
Replacement cattle 52 26 80

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Limited comparisons in all classes, but strong sales of 4.00-5.00 higher. Slaughter cows and bulls also limited but noted 2.00-3.00 higher. Trade moderate 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
295 295 1 244.00 $244.00 $720 —
314–325 value added 316 5 235.00–255.00 $250.89 $793 +13.90
335–345 340 2 225.00–232.00 $228.55 $777 —
370–395 value added 380 3 232.00–255.00 $243.28 $924 +0.45
385–395 390 2 201.00–230.00 $215.69 $841 -4.15
420–435 430 3 219.00–230.00 $226.42 $974 +10.69
444 value added 444 9 237.00 $237.00 $1,052 -3.00
455–490 473 6 220.00–232.00 $225.32 $1,066 +6.77
502–515 value added 507 5 222.00–228.00 $225.56 $1,144 —
505–528 522 6 201.00–217.00 $210.62 $1,099 -0.52
560–569 value added 568 6 215.00–224.00 $216.48 $1,230 —
560–575 569 4 196.00–213.00 $201.23 $1,145 +0.06
620–645 631 5 190.00–197.00 $195.62 $1,234 -0.38
655 655 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,310 +7.00
708 708 3 195.00 $195.00 $1,381 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 1 230.00 $230.00 $540 ±0.00
260–290 275 2 210.00–222.00 $216.33 $595 -15.67
330 330 1 195.00 $195.00 $644 -13.00
425 425 1 180.00 $180.00 $765 -15.30
415–445 430 2 190.00–210.00 $199.65 $858 +4.35
485 485 1 198.00 $198.00 $960 -1.00
525 525 1 192.00 $192.00 $1,008 +3.00
580 580 1 182.00 $182.00 $1,056 +12.00
670 670 1 187.00 $187.00 $1,253 —
820 820 1 163.00 $163.00 $1,337 —
955 955 1 169.00 $169.00 $1,614 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 1 179.00 $179.00 $573 —
360 360 2 147.00–165.00 $156.00 $562 ±0.00
435 435 1 175.00 $175.00 $761 +10.00
485 485 1 167.00 $167.00 $810 —
500 500 2 162.00–165.00 $163.50 $818 -2.49
610–625 618 2 131.00–160.00 $145.68 $900 +4.16
680–690 685 2 147.00–166.00 $156.43 $1,072 —
755–785 770 2 154.00–155.00 $154.49 $1,190 —
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
603 603 4 52.50 $52.50 $317 —
Small 4 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
438 438 3 250.00 $250.00 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
185–190 188 2 400.00–430.00 $415.20 +30.20

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
321 value added 321 2 227.00 $227.00 $729 —
340 340 1 203.00 $203.00 $690 -5.59
370–385 378 2 210.00–212.00 $210.98 $798 +6.37
390 value added 390 2 216.00 $216.00 $842 —
406 value added 406 17 217.00 $217.00 $881 —
450–490 474 11 188.00–205.00 $193.61 $918 +2.28
455–487 value added 480 12 205.00–209.00 $205.87 $988 —
505 505 1 188.00 $188.00 $949 -6.74
550 value added 550 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,100 +14.00
567 567 10 189.00 $189.00 $1,072 —
630 630 1 174.00 $174.00 $1,096 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 1 137.00 $137.00 $438 -7.42
355–365 360 3 128.00–153.00 $138.78 $500 -25.22
430 430 1 140.00 $140.00 $602 —
450–495 473 2 150.00 $150.00 $710 +10.31
520 520 1 140.00 $140.00 $728 -3.50
595 595 2 130.00–146.00 $138.00 $821 —
640–645 643 2 130.00 $130.00 $836 —
835 835 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,086 ±0.00
910 910 1 100.00 $100.00 $910 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 171.00 $171.00 $419 —
320–340 330 2 175.00–190.00 $182.27 $601 —
465–490 482 3 160.00–180.00 $168.39 $812 —
535 535 1 184.00 $184.00 $984 +9.93
550–570 560 2 180.00–185.00 $182.54 $1,022 —
605 605 1 165.00 $165.00 $998 —
720–735 728 2 151.00–159.00 $154.96 $1,128 —
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
543 543 7 275.00 $275.00 $1,493 +205.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510 510 1 222.00 $222.00 $1,132 +17.00
600 600 6 197.00 $197.00 $1,182 —
667 667 6 194.00 $194.00 $1,294 —
718 718 3 190.00 $190.00 $1,364 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 1 144.00 $144.00 $641 —
555–565 562 3 162.50–167.00 $164.83 $926 —
650–685 668 2 140.00–178.00 $159.50 $1,065 —
780 780 1 129.00 $129.00 $1,006 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
555 555 1 110.00 $110.00 $610 -10.00
770 770 1 77.00 $77.00 $593 —
835 835 1 95.00 $95.00 $793 —
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
535 535 1 43.00 $43.00 $230 —
740 740 1 76.00 $76.00 $562 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
835–1430 984 80-85% 29 84.50–95.00 $88.30 $869 —
770–1390 1136 80-85% 9 90.00–100.00 $94.46 $1,073 —
1030–1350 1171 80-85% 10 98.00–106.00 $99.91 $1,170 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
705–755 722 85-90% 3 54.00–58.00 $56.61 $409 —
795 795 85-90% 1 35.00 $35.00 $278 —
790–830 810 85-90% 2 94.00–97.50 $95.71 $775 +50.71
725–940 814 85-90% 9 58.00–70.00 $66.00 $537 +21.00
855–900 872 85-90% 3 61.00–71.00 $64.27 $560 -1.65
625–1045 910 85-90% 15 71.50–81.00 $76.63 $697 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1230–1305 1268 2 100.00 $100.00 $1,268 +4.38
1945–2185 2065 3 109.00–115.00 $111.74 $2,307 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
715–790 753 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 2 900.00–1,000.00 $950.00
880–985 933 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 1,035.00–1,050.00 $1,042.50
915–1020 952 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 5 950.00–1,250.00 $1,110.00
960 960 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 1,200.00 $1,200.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
855–980 918 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 2 1,225.00–1,500.00 $1,362.50
965–1055 1033 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 4 1,300.00–1,600.00 $1,525.00
1095 1095 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 1,250.00 $1,250.00
1065–1295 1180 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 1,450.00–1,625.00 $1,537.50
Small 4 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
638 638 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 5 360.00 $360.00
765 765 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 450.00 $450.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
765 765 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 700.00 $700.00
840 840 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 900.00 $900.00

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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.