Cattle Market Pulse

Cattlemen's Livestock Auction Market Report, Belen, NM

Belen, New Mexico · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, May 26, 2023

480 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 2 heifers $168.57/cwt -5.43 vs last sale · ≈ $1,057/hd at 627 lb · 16 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $202.30/cwt +5.30 vs last sale · ≈ $1,060/hd at 524 lb · 12 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 2 heifers $163.07/cwt +4.84 vs last sale · ≈ $1,094/hd at 671 lb · 11 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 480 597 761
Feeder cattle 297 410 490
Slaughter cattle 149 138 175
Replacement cattle 34 49 96

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Limited comparisons on all classes, but a steady 2.00-4.00 increase was noted. Slaughter cows and bulls 2.00-3.00 higher. Trade was moderate demand good.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350–385 361 8 210.00–238.00 $229.06 $827 -3.44
405–425 415 2 225.00–227.00 $225.98 $938 +9.65
475–490 483 3 212.00–230.00 $221.28 $1,069 -3.96
500–545 533 6 200.00–232.00 $211.60 $1,128 +2.79
565–598 589 9 197.00–218.00 $209.34 $1,233 +15.34
600–645 622 3 193.00–198.00 $194.95 $1,213 -5.17
650–690 674 7 193.00–203.00 $196.74 $1,326 +10.02
720 720 2 192.00–199.00 $195.50 $1,408 —
800 800 2 178.00 $178.00 $1,424 +1.90
870–875 872 3 174.00–182.00 $176.68 $1,541 —
965 965 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,544 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 257.00 $257.00 $591 -3.00
245 unweaned 245 1 247.00 $247.00 $605 —
290 290 1 255.00 $255.00 $740 -5.00
315–320 318 2 240.00–257.00 $248.57 $790 -2.48
325 value added 325 1 274.00 $274.00 $890 —
365–395 383 9 245.00–262.00 $252.63 $968 +1.85
402 value added 402 3 281.00 $281.00 $1,130 —
420–435 430 3 242.00 $242.00 $1,041 -1.04
462–475 465 5 244.00–257.00 $248.23 $1,154 +3.52
530–534 532 7 224.00–227.00 $225.72 $1,201 -12.99
550–590 570 2 218.00–232.00 $224.75 $1,281 -2.15
623 623 4 217.50 $217.50 $1,355 -5.81
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
450–492 481 11 163.00–190.00 $169.98 $818 +9.35
505–545 523 4 165.00–180.00 $172.62 $903 —
550–580 562 8 160.00–185.00 $169.88 $955 +4.88
610–613 612 4 170.00–178.00 $171.99 $1,053 -5.36
650–675 667 3 165.00–172.00 $169.73 $1,132 +0.93
720 720 1 178.00 $178.00 $1,282 +9.72
795 795 1 158.00 $158.00 $1,256 -12.59
Small 4 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
385 385 1 350.00 $350.00 —
475 475 1 350.00 $350.00 —
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
570 570 1 75.00 $75.00 $428 +28.25
600 600 1 79.00 $79.00 $474 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
190 190 1 450.00 $450.00 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380–390 385 2 150.00–190.00 $170.26 $656 —
470–495 480 3 180.00 $180.00 $864 +17.60
500–535 523 5 150.00–190.00 $169.93 $889 +0.49
565–590 578 6 138.00–187.00 $174.74 $1,010 —
600–637 627 16 155.00–170.00 $168.57 $1,057 -5.43
655–688 671 11 160.00–167.00 $163.07 $1,094 +4.84
730 730 1 162.00 $162.00 $1,183 +8.87
768 768 2 150.00 $150.00 $1,152 +4.41
855–865 860 2 120.00–138.00 $128.95 $1,109 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220 unweaned 220 1 217.00 $217.00 $477 —
245 245 1 235.00 $235.00 $576 —
355 355 2 195.00–200.00 $197.50 $701 -22.50
425 425 1 205.00 $205.00 $871 —
450–495 467 5 195.00–207.00 $202.40 $945 -1.08
500–541 524 12 197.00–205.00 $202.30 $1,060 +5.30
550–575 563 2 185.00–195.00 $189.89 $1,069 -8.88
657 657 7 175.00 $175.00 $1,150 -14.50
748 748 3 162.00 $162.00 $1,212 —
775 775 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,279 +3.49
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–380 370 3 235.00–247.00 $242.89 $899 -3.44
400–445 426 7 214.00–235.00 $222.48 $948 -5.33
470 470 1 210.00 $210.00 $987 -7.60
500 500 1 213.00 $213.00 $1,065 -0.98
563 563 3 202.00 $202.00 $1,137 -2.65
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
543 543 3 40.00 $40.00 $217 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
50 unweaned 50 1 175.00 $175.00 —
110 unweaned 110 1 200.00 $200.00 -110.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
225 unweaned 225 1 430.00 $430.00 —
Small 4 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
300 300 1 400.00 $400.00 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 1 220.00 $220.00 $726 —
370 370 1 175.00 $175.00 $648 —
408 408 1 192.00 $192.00 $783 +4.50
490 490 1 180.00 $180.00 $882 —
680 680 2 155.00–160.00 $157.50 $1,071 -26.50
710–730 722 3 140.00–163.00 $153.44 $1,108 -1.94
755 755 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,246 ±0.00
800 800 1 134.00 $134.00 $1,072 —
915 915 1 133.50 $133.50 $1,222 +3.50
980 980 1 133.00 $133.00 $1,303 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
470 470 1 127.00 $127.00 $597 —
530–535 533 2 100.00–125.00 $112.56 $600 —
655–670 663 2 90.00 $90.00 $597 —
725 725 1 110.00 $110.00 $798 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275 unweaned 275 1 257.00 $257.00 $707 —
425 425 1 222.00 $222.00 $944 -4.03
465 465 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,046 —
505 505 1 223.00 $223.00 $1,126 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
720 720 2 124.00 $124.00 $893 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
130 unweaned 130 1 350.00 $350.00 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
220 unweaned 220 1 175.00 $175.00 —
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
580 580 1 65.00 $65.00 $377 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
863–1005 903 80-85% 4 97.00–109.50 $100.60 $908 —
1004–1340 1057 80-85% 15 91.00–95.00 $93.89 $992 +0.97
885–1460 1170 80-85% 48 96.50–107.00 $101.27 $1,185 —
1065–1535 1270 80-85% 8 108.00–113.00 $109.07 $1,385 +0.79
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
755–800 778 85-90% 2 26.50–57.00 $42.19 $328 -30.14
675–865 783 85-90% 6 51.00–64.00 $57.03 $447 -15.30
828–865 840 85-90% 3 72.00–81.00 $77.91 $654 —
720–1400 889 85-90% 11 65.00–77.50 $72.45 $644 +0.99
805–1270 978 85-90% 28 81.50–90.00 $84.25 $824 -0.40
865–1110 978 85-90% 3 81.00–85.00 $83.10 $813 -1.55

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
985 985 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,280 —
880–1190 1035 2 87.00–91.00 $89.30 $924 —
1170–1540 1388 3 108.00–112.00 $109.86 $1,525 —
1205–2200 1633 6 114.00–127.00 $119.57 $1,953 —
1705–1975 1825 3 113.00–127.00 $119.88 $2,188 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
860 860 (<2 yrs)Open 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,204
1440 1440 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 112.00 $112.00 $1,613

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
723–1170 867 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 4 1,025.00–1,350.00 $1,145.00
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
718 718 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 740.00 $740.00
740 740 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 875.00 $875.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1315 1315 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 1,380.00 $1,380.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1115–1120 1118 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 1,550.00–1,750.00 $1,650.00 —
1420 1420 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,650.00 $1,650.00 —
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
650 650 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 875.00 $875.00 —

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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.