Cattle Market Pulse

Cattlemen's Livestock Auction Market Report, Belen, NM

Belen, New Mexico · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, September 22, 2023

924 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $235.56/cwt +16.75 vs last sale · ≈ $1,472/hd at 625 lb · 27 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $271.31/cwt +9.59 vs last sale · ≈ $1,424/hd at 525 lb · 23 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1-2 steers $275.49/cwt +3.80 vs last sale · ≈ $1,030/hd at 374 lb · 22 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 924 842 573
Feeder cattle 684 634 412
Slaughter cattle 161 138 117
Replacement cattle 79 70 44

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Steer calves sold 3.00-5.00 higher while heifer calves sold 7.00-9.00 lower. Feeder steers and heifers sold 4.00-6.00 higher. Slaughter cows and bulls sold 4.00-5.00 lower. Trade and 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
285–290 288 2 315.00 $315.00 $907 -7.86
335–348 342 4 320.00–330.00 $323.68 $1,107 +2.22
350–390 363 7 300.00–327.50 $310.96 $1,129 +8.98
405–446 436 19 275.00–305.00 $286.30 $1,248 —
458–498 472 18 275.00–295.00 $283.28 $1,337 +8.28
511–540 525 23 261.00–280.00 $271.31 $1,424 +9.59
555–570 563 5 249.00–254.00 $250.19 $1,409 —
600–637 622 8 247.50–266.00 $254.40 $1,582 +6.42
660–690 674 9 230.00–253.00 $248.81 $1,677 -0.44
705–745 723 15 229.00–244.00 $240.23 $1,737 —
783 783 3 243.00 $243.00 $1,903 —
835 835 1 228.00 $228.00 $1,904 —
883 883 2 247.00 $247.00 $2,181 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
195 195 1 302.00 $302.00 $589 —
210 210 1 270.00 $270.00 $567 -15.00
275–290 283 4 265.00–280.00 $276.15 $782 -15.27
305–340 325 6 260.00–300.00 $280.78 $913 -6.03
370 unweaned 370 1 250.00 $250.00 $925 —
360–395 374 21 245.00–295.00 $276.70 $1,035 +5.01
400–430 414 10 240.00–270.00 $250.90 $1,039 +5.93
460–490 467 7 230.00–275.00 $253.92 $1,186 -7.77
500–520 509 5 235.00–255.00 $239.56 $1,219 +0.90
565–595 582 9 224.00–245.00 $231.80 $1,349 -1.73
600–645 625 27 220.00–242.00 $235.56 $1,472 +16.75
670–685 679 6 222.00–237.00 $226.52 $1,538 +6.52
725–745 735 2 222.00–227.00 $224.47 $1,650 +3.43
835 835 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,920 +14.14
852 852 3 236.00 $236.00 $2,011 +26.00
920 920 2 189.00 $189.00 $1,739 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
195 195 1 250.00 $250.00 $488 +30.00
205–240 220 3 250.00–265.00 $256.27 $564 +4.82
250–295 276 5 217.00–250.00 $229.70 $634 -0.30
335 335 1 240.00 $240.00 $804 +52.41
350–395 374 4 200.00–235.00 $224.73 $840 +9.68
400–435 419 6 200.00–230.00 $217.75 $912 -3.91
450–485 470 5 185.00–237.50 $207.39 $975 +37.28
500–540 519 7 190.00–222.50 $205.52 $1,067 +25.52
585 585 1 197.50 $197.50 $1,155 +17.41
795 795 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,391 -25.00
845 845 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,606 —
885 885 1 173.00 $173.00 $1,531 -12.00
960 960 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,536 —
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 1 81.00 $81.00 $324 —
450–470 460 2 55.00–92.00 $73.90 $340 -18.10
515–549 535 7 83.50–90.00 $88.28 $472 -0.38
555–585 570 2 85.00–90.00 $87.43 $498 -2.69
605–635 608 9 91.00–97.00 $91.70 $558 -0.92
655–660 658 2 88.00–92.00 $90.01 $592 +0.01
720 720 1 87.00 $87.00 $626 +2.00
783 783 2 93.00 $93.00 $728 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
165 unweaned 165 1 410.00 $410.00 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205 205 1 260.00 $260.00 $533 -2.00
255–280 268 2 270.00–272.00 $271.05 $726 —
315 value added 315 1 265.50 $265.50 $836 —
315–325 320 7 245.00–247.00 $245.29 $785 -14.71
350–398 376 13 245.00–257.00 $247.77 $932 -37.23
400–430 417 7 237.00–247.50 $242.09 $1,010 —
441–449 value added 445 11 250.00–251.00 $250.55 $1,115 —
458–486 477 17 242.00–247.00 $245.95 $1,173 —
507–545 517 4 232.00 $232.00 $1,199 —
505–533 value added 526 16 250.00–252.00 $250.12 $1,316 +5.73
553–578 566 8 230.00–252.50 $233.98 $1,324 -1.87
600–645 619 12 218.00–240.00 $229.51 $1,421 +7.36
655–660 658 2 227.00–227.50 $227.25 $1,495 +12.25
700–747 720 11 210.00–234.00 $218.77 $1,575 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 250.00 $250.00 $612 -2.00
260–295 275 6 223.00–262.00 $243.35 $669 +33.35
303–330 315 5 222.50–242.50 $236.04 $744 +9.75
355–398 383 5 210.00–240.00 $226.11 $866 +7.23
390 value added 390 4 248.00 $248.00 $967 +8.00
400–445 425 12 202.00–235.00 $222.62 $946 +22.62
450–495 469 7 210.00–231.00 $225.23 $1,056 +4.23
505–545 527 17 207.00–237.00 $223.44 $1,178 +10.55
550–590 565 10 207.00–230.00 $219.01 $1,237 +2.28
605–618 613 4 212.50–226.00 $218.20 $1,338 +12.06
690 690 1 208.00 $208.00 $1,435 —
785 785 1 202.00 $202.00 $1,586 —
903–930 912 3 170.00–191.00 $183.86 $1,677 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
190 unweaned 190 1 192.00 $192.00 $365 —
210–240 235 8 210.00–238.00 $218.68 $514 -14.13
265 unweaned 265 1 200.00 $200.00 $530 —
285 285 1 225.00 $225.00 $641 -16.15
300 300 2 160.00–170.00 $165.00 $495 -14.80
395 395 1 205.00 $205.00 $810 +6.41
440–445 443 2 190.00–202.00 $196.03 $868 +25.19
455–493 477 8 170.00–207.50 $187.46 $894 +3.26
520–540 527 3 197.50–200.00 $199.15 $1,050 +25.61
550 550 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,210 +46.45
600–635 622 6 169.00–190.00 $176.30 $1,097 +11.63
656 656 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,246 +13.57
705–745 730 4 170.00–180.00 $175.03 $1,278 +19.39
765 765 1 162.50 $162.50 $1,243 +7.97
808–830 811 8 184.00–186.50 $186.18 $1,510 +21.18
860–890 872 5 155.00–191.00 $168.09 $1,466 —
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 1 70.00 $70.00 $196 —
355 355 1 60.00 $60.00 $213 —
425 425 1 82.00 $82.00 $348 —
455 455 1 75.00 $75.00 $341 —
505–540 514 4 55.00–82.00 $71.92 $370 -16.54
550–555 553 4 50.00–70.00 $57.49 $318 -23.51
605 605 1 80.00 $80.00 $484 -4.99
660–670 665 2 60.00–87.00 $73.40 $488 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
150 unweaned 150 1 420.00 $420.00 +10.00
245 unweaned 245 1 300.00 $300.00 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 250.00 $250.00 $575 —
310–340 325 2 232.50–240.00 $236.08 $767 —
420–430 425 2 200.00–222.00 $210.87 $896 —
500–525 513 2 205.00–215.00 $209.88 $1,077 +34.86
565–575 570 2 180.00–190.00 $185.04 $1,055 —
615–630 623 2 185.00–210.00 $197.65 $1,231 +22.33
660–675 668 2 180.00–185.00 $182.47 $1,219 —
745 745 1 154.00 $154.00 $1,147 —
855 855 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,411 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
560 560 1 125.00 $125.00 $700 —
670 670 1 112.00 $112.00 $750 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
600 600 1 125.00 $125.00 $750 —
960 960 1 137.00 $137.00 $1,315 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
175 unweaned 175 1 350.00 $350.00 —
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
565 565 1 83.00 $83.00 $469 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
540–970 738 85-90% 13 23.00–81.00 $48.45 $358 +0.81
670–920 762 85-90% 3 50.00–60.00 $55.35 $422 -4.15
800 800 85-90% 1 77.00 $77.00 $616 +3.57
545–940 805 85-90% 6 90.00–95.00 $92.73 $746 +19.30
770–1010 901 85-90% 8 64.00–75.00 $69.21 $624 —
845–1215 995 85-90% 22 78.00–86.50 $82.74 $823 —
690–1425 1078 85-90% 34 86.00–96.00 $90.75 $978 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
900 900 80-85% 1 97.00 $97.00 $873 —
905 905 80-85% 1 109.00 $109.00 $986 —
940–1515 1155 80-85% 21 102.00–112.00 $104.95 $1,212 —
980–1440 1158 80-85% 21 95.00–101.00 $98.99 $1,146 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
550–980 765 2 70.00–86.00 $80.25 $614 —
1145–1415 1269 5 89.00–100.00 $97.26 $1,234 —
1395–1735 1538 6 106.00–117.00 $112.29 $1,727 —
1530–2245 1819 7 120.00–130.00 $123.02 $2,238 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
635–805 698 (<2 yrs)Open 5 140.00–172.50 $152.90 $1,067
880–930 905 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 133.00–139.00 $136.00 $1,231
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1008 1008 (<2 yrs)Open 5 180.00 $180.00 $1,814
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
483–730 631 (<2 yrs)Open 3 107.00–130.00 $117.33 $740
825–905 865 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 112.50–114.00 $113.25 $980

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Bred Cows

Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
688 688 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 2 800.00 $800.00
700–735 723 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 3 600.00–800.00 $733.33
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
900 900 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 925.00 $925.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
970 970 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 1,600.00 $1,600.00

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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
1045–1165 1125 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 1,600.00–1,725.00 $1,668.75 +52.08
980–1340 1165 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 4 1,500.00–1,700.00 $1,550.00 —
1080–1355 1188 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 4 1,500.00–1,800.00 $1,625.00 —
1245–1365 1305 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,800.00 $1,800.00 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1210 1210 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 2,210.00 $2,210.00 +422.50
1175–1335 1245 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 3 1,850.00–1,950.00 $1,900.00 +112.50
1315 1315 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,800.00 $1,800.00 —
1433 1433 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 2,200.00 $2,200.00 —
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
880 880 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,200.00 $1,200.00 —

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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.