Cattle Market Pulse

Cattlemen's Livestock Auction Market Report

Belen, New Mexico · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, August 25, 2023

845 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $245.82/cwt ≈ $1,384/hd at 563 lb · 35 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $291.49/cwt +12.73 vs last sale · ≈ $1,379/hd at 473 lb · 27 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $267.14/cwt +4.64 vs last sale · ≈ $1,555/hd at 582 lb · 26 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 845 667 456
Feeder cattle 606 379 286
Slaughter cattle 179 159 127
Replacement cattle 60 129 43

Compared to last week: Steer and heifer calves sold steady to 1.00-2.00 lower. Feeder steers and heifers sold steady. Slaughter cows sold 3.00-4.00 lower and slaughter bulls sold 2.00-3,00 higher. Trade and demand good.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 320.00 $320.00 $768
265–295 283 3 320.00–325.00 $322.24 $912 -0.26
330–333 unweaned 332 3 300.00–305.00 $303.34 $1,007
325–338 333 6 310.00–325.00 $320.91 $1,069 +1.85
350–390 363 6 295.00–325.00 $305.20 $1,108 +4.79
405–445 418 21 280.00–310.00 $299.66 $1,253 +18.98
455–498 473 27 285.00–300.00 $291.49 $1,379 +12.73
505–533 518 11 260.00–287.00 $273.26 $1,415 +4.90
550–584 582 26 257.00–272.00 $267.14 $1,555 +4.64
600–638 622 24 252.00–257.00 $253.43 $1,576
663 fancy 663 10 246.00 $246.00 $1,631
655–680 667 3 240.00–250.00 $243.40 $1,623 +7.40
750–780 765 2 235.00–245.00 $239.90 $1,835
810–825 815 3 224.00–239.00 $233.94 $1,907
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 280.00 $280.00 $644 -26.39
290–292 292 6 275.00–304.00 $299.19 $874 +10.71
325–345 333 5 282.00–300.00 $293.83 $978 +43.83
370–395 377 5 260.00–290.00 $281.05 $1,060 +7.01
400–440 430 15 237.00–275.00 $261.05 $1,123 +18.05
450–485 463 8 235.00–260.00 $253.96 $1,176 +33.96
500–540 526 15 220.00–260.00 $249.57 $1,313 +2.49
560–588 571 11 226.00–257.00 $245.93 $1,404 +10.15
601–635 612 8 235.00–242.00 $239.73 $1,467 +1.25
657–695 664 13 222.00–247.00 $231.16 $1,535 +11.97
720–740 728 5 200.00–220.00 $211.44 $1,539 -5.61
754–790 763 9 200.00–218.00 $209.73 $1,600 -4.32
820–840 830 2 180.00–210.00 $194.82 $1,617
965 965 6 171.00 $171.00 $1,650
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225–235 230 2 240.00–250.00 $245.11 $564 +20.11
235 unweaned 235 1 252.00 $252.00 $592
265–290 278 2 250.00 $250.00 $695 +21.53
350 350 1 239.00 $239.00 $836 +23.40
415–425 417 15 224.00–240.00 $235.94 $984 +28.44
453–495 476 7 210.00–225.00 $221.31 $1,053 +36.83
505–540 528 4 172.00–207.00 $189.94 $1,003 +2.57
605–645 626 8 167.00–210.00 $187.69 $1,175 +7.69
650–680 665 2 195.00–200.00 $197.44 $1,313
730 730 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,350 -19.00
915–930 919 4 142.00–180.00 $160.33 $1,473
965–995 971 9 135.00–166.00 $145.16 $1,410
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440 440 1 91.00 $91.00 $400
450 450 1 92.00 $92.00 $414
515 515 1 88.00 $88.00 $453 +5.53
572–580 574 4 74.00–91.00 $78.29 $449 -6.71
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
205 unweaned 205 1 350.00 $350.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
150 unweaned 150 1 300.00 $300.00
Small 4 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
385 385 1 410.00 $410.00 +50.00

↑ Back to top

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320–345 339 8 255.00–275.00 $269.94 $915 +2.45
360–370 368 4 250.00–267.00 $256.68 $945 -4.19
405–424 415 11 253.00–275.00 $261.81 $1,087 +12.51
525–528 526 7 245.00–254.00 $248.87 $1,309
560–595 563 35 244.00–246.00 $245.82 $1,384
612 fancy 612 18 245.00 $245.00 $1,499
705 705 5 259.00 $259.00 $1,826 +45.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250 unweaned 250 1 250.00 $250.00 $625
275–290 283 2 270.00–275.00 $272.43 $771 +5.43
345 345 3 240.00 $240.00 $828 +10.00
360–380 369 5 240.00–250.00 $242.98 $897 +7.49
408–430 412 6 220.00–250.00 $239.82 $988 -1.18
450–490 463 8 220.00–255.00 $239.49 $1,109 -1.34
500–547 537 13 210.00–235.00 $227.17 $1,220 +5.70
572–590 578 10 207.00–230.00 $219.12 $1,267 +7.68
600–640 621 4 205.00–220.00 $213.71 $1,327 +4.52
660–675 668 2 210.00–220.00 $214.94 $1,436 +2.11
720 720 2 191.00 $191.00 $1,375 -11.39
780 780 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,482
863 863 2 190.00 $190.00 $1,640 -2.50
910 910 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,684
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320–340 330 2 167.00–190.00 $178.15 $588
425–440 430 6 200.00–217.00 $205.80 $885 +10.92
455–490 475 8 165.00–200.00 $188.32 $895 +5.86
505–545 536 10 190.00–200.00 $197.30 $1,058 +13.70
550–590 568 3 185.00–200.00 $192.45 $1,093
613–615 614 4 162.00–180.00 $175.49 $1,078 +7.50
650–670 664 5 180.00–192.00 $183.74 $1,220 +9.45
700–720 708 3 175.00–177.00 $176.32 $1,248 -7.80
990 990 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,683
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
130–135 unweaned 133 2 350.00–385.00 $367.17
180–190 unweaned 185 2 350.00–400.00 $375.68 +115.68
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
570 570 2 80.00 $80.00 $456
650–655 653 2 70.00–73.00 $71.49 $467
Small 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
400 400 1 550.00 $550.00
Small 4 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
70 70 1 250.00 $250.00

↑ Back to top

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 1 180.00 $180.00 $801 -50.12
505–545 525 2 170.00–180.00 $175.19 $920 -19.81
560–595 569 9 186.00–217.00 $200.44 $1,141
600–610 603 3 188.00–208.00 $194.96 $1,176 +9.56
680–695 687 3 179.00–186.00 $183.34 $1,260
710–720 715 2 161.00–167.00 $163.98 $1,172 +1.48
765 765 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,300
805 805 1 182.00 $182.00 $1,465
900 900 1 148.00 $148.00 $1,332
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 155.00 $155.00 $519
425–435 430 2 132.00–150.00 $141.10 $607
680 680 1 139.00 $139.00 $945
765 765 1 134.00 $134.00 $1,025
830 830 1 124.00 $124.00 $1,029 +4.00
875–898 892 4 142.00–151.00 $148.79 $1,327
915 915 1 105.00 $105.00 $961
965–970 968 2 110.00–114.00 $111.99 $1,084
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
455 455 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,046 -30.00
540 540 2 238.00 $238.00 $1,285
605 605 4 221.00 $221.00 $1,337
650 650 1 242.00 $242.00 $1,573
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360 360 1 135.00 $135.00 $486
495 495 1 87.00 $87.00 $431
505–530 515 3 85.00–91.00 $88.61 $456
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
135 unweaned 135 1 385.00 $385.00 +110.00

↑ Back to top

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
770 770 85-90% 1 65.00 $65.00 $500
605–1005 819 85-90% 7 70.00–75.00 $70.86 $580 -12.80
755–1070 865 85-90% 5 60.00–76.00 $66.82 $578 +1.12
770–1265 916 85-90% 4 75.00–87.00 $81.97 $751 +14.56
805–1250 928 85-90% 15 79.00–87.00 $82.58 $766 +15.17
800–1310 1039 85-90% 18 88.50–96.00 $92.24 $958 +8.97
925–1400 1163 85-90% 2 88.00–95.00 $90.78 $1,056
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1075 1038 80-85% 2 97.00–107.00 $101.82 $1,057
955–1518 1163 80-85% 12 99.00–108.00 $104.23 $1,212
865–1470 1248 80-85% 23 91.00–101.00 $97.51 $1,217 -3.10

↑ Back to top

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
930–945 938 2 100.00–103.00 $101.49 $952
1000–1815 1397 14 90.00–109.50 $101.60 $1,419
1095–1920 1508 18 110.00–120.00 $115.67 $1,744
1500–1770 1608 6 122.00–130.00 $124.91 $2,009 -2.13

↑ Back to top

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
670 670 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 120.00 $120.00 $804
580–1055 928 (<2 yrs)Open 8 104.50–125.00 $115.31 $1,070
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
705–900 835 (<2 yrs)Open 3 125.00–129.00 $126.33 $1,055

↑ Back to top

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1295 1295 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 1,325.00 $1,325.00
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
855 855 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 925.00 $925.00

↑ Back to top

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
800 800 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,210.00 $1,210.00
925–1245 1021 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 6 1,450.00–1,600.00 $1,545.00 +125.00
980–1155 1068 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,300.00–1,400.00 $1,350.00 +166.25
1240–1380 1306 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 4 1,300.00–1,500.00 $1,421.25
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
745–910 828 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 2 925.00–1,100.00 $1,012.50
965 965 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,200.00 $1,200.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
960–1360 1160 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,625.00–1,675.00 $1,650.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1095 1095 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,150.00 $1,150.00
1245 1245 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,175.00 $1,175.00
Small 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
720 720 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 725.00 $725.00

↑ Back to top

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.