Cattle Market Pulse

Cattlemen's Livestock Auction Market Report, Belen, NM

Belen, New Mexico · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, December 15, 2023

933 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $248.35/cwt +43.35 vs last sale · ≈ $1,088/hd at 438 lb · 60 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1 steers $320.43/cwt +42.67 vs last sale · ≈ $1,196/hd at 373 lb · 41 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 steers $274.07/cwt +21.38 vs last sale · ≈ $1,151/hd at 420 lb · 35 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 933 998 1,331
Feeder cattle 696 735 1,000
Slaughter cattle 148 173 260
Replacement cattle 89 90 71

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Steer calves were 8.00-10.00 higher, while heifer calves were 10.00-15.00 higher. Feeder steers and heifers were 7.00-9.00 higher. Slaughter cows and bulls were 3.00-5.00 higher, 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
220 220 1 315.00 $315.00 $693 —
255–280 269 4 320.00–325.00 $322.75 $868 +24.30
310–345 329 23 305.00–325.00 $310.44 $1,021 +27.17
356–395 value added 372 32 318.00–337.00 $327.72 $1,219 +11.71
350–395 378 9 270.00–315.00 $294.50 $1,113 +20.07
400–445 418 27 257.00–287.00 $271.84 $1,136 +19.15
400–441 fancy 426 8 277.00–290.00 $281.58 $1,200 —
463 value added 463 13 292.00 $292.00 $1,352 —
450–495 473 21 260.00–280.00 $272.66 $1,290 +20.88
505–540 523 11 242.00–280.00 $268.73 $1,405 +28.56
563–580 value added 579 22 256.00–263.00 $256.31 $1,484 -2.20
565–598 582 9 220.00–254.00 $238.28 $1,387 -0.07
605–616 612 8 220.00–239.00 $232.28 $1,422 +2.28
655–665 660 2 217.00–227.00 $221.96 $1,465 +5.47
677 value added 677 6 225.00 $225.00 $1,523 —
710–730 720 2 210.00–220.00 $215.07 $1,549 +15.07
795–798 796 5 198.00–199.00 $198.20 $1,578 —
810 810 1 196.00 $196.00 $1,588 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
233 233 5 275.00 $275.00 $641 +36.26
250–285 271 11 240.00–300.00 $270.66 $733 +0.80
310–340 329 6 250.00–275.00 $260.08 $856 +24.23
350–396 384 12 223.00–250.00 $236.43 $908 -2.99
400–445 425 5 230.00–255.00 $238.02 $1,012 +1.22
505–545 524 5 210.00–250.00 $233.02 $1,221 +13.02
565–590 574 7 210.00–232.00 $222.12 $1,275 -0.82
660–675 668 2 190.00–192.00 $190.99 $1,276 -11.61
700–740 725 4 189.50–196.00 $193.62 $1,404 +3.33
770 770 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,502 +13.39
845 845 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,521 +3.35
1005 1005 1 144.00 $144.00 $1,447 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255–290 278 3 200.00–220.00 $212.16 $590 +27.28
300 300 1 222.00 $222.00 $666 +23.62
365–385 375 2 172.00–177.00 $174.57 $655 +4.57
405–435 413 4 200.00–202.50 $200.61 $829 +4.84
480–490 487 3 160.00–170.00 $166.71 $812 -13.29
501 501 4 176.00 $176.00 $882 -3.32
570 570 1 187.50 $187.50 $1,069 +11.15
626 626 1 155.00 $155.00 $970 -18.41
675 675 1 176.00 $176.00 $1,188 +10.40
710–730 720 2 160.00–165.00 $162.53 $1,170 +9.64
775 775 1 141.00 $141.00 $1,093 -25.33
930 930 1 149.00 $149.00 $1,386 —
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
495 495 1 60.00 $60.00 $297 +1.86
500–545 521 5 47.00–68.00 $59.27 $309 —
595 595 1 74.00 $74.00 $440 -6.00
617 617 3 74.00 $74.00 $457 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
100 unweaned 100 1 375.00 $375.00 —
155–190 unweaned 173 2 275.00 $275.00 -125.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
175 unweaned 175 1 425.00 $425.00 —
Small 4 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
390 390 1 250.00 $250.00 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210 unweaned 210 1 270.00 $270.00 $567 —
245 245 1 280.00 $280.00 $686 —
260–292 279 5 237.00–275.00 $251.15 $701 +31.15
300–340 314 6 230.00–253.00 $246.54 $774 +26.54
305–345 value added 318 12 244.00–262.50 $246.21 $783 —
350–365 value added 356 10 244.00–267.00 $249.41 $888 —
355–395 385 11 216.00–243.00 $232.14 $894 +12.16
400–440 422 16 212.00–235.00 $221.36 $934 +16.36
425–445 value added 444 44 246.00–262.00 $258.17 $1,146 —
471 fancy 471 5 240.00 $240.00 $1,130 —
460–493 482 25 212.50–230.00 $220.75 $1,064 +5.75
523–532 529 6 215.00–219.00 $218.33 $1,155 +15.16
552–559 value added 556 12 227.50–234.00 $230.73 $1,283 —
555–570 563 8 201.00–224.00 $211.58 $1,191 -8.42
615–648 637 5 202.00–212.00 $206.26 $1,314 —
665 value added 665 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,330 —
658–688 676 5 185.00–197.00 $189.67 $1,282 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275–295 285 2 202.50–230.00 $215.77 $615 +8.77
305–340 323 3 200.00–215.00 $205.03 $662 +2.40
350–394 375 4 194.00–205.00 $200.94 $754 +5.88
405 405 1 190.00 $190.00 $770 +1.63
478–483 481 5 187.00–209.00 $195.75 $942 -2.75
500–545 515 3 180.00–207.00 $194.03 $999 +8.65
550–590 573 4 180.00–209.00 $192.76 $1,105 +2.95
610–620 615 2 180.00–189.50 $184.79 $1,136 +8.09
654 654 7 175.50 $175.50 $1,148 -0.50
720 720 1 162.50 $162.50 $1,170 -6.68
760–765 761 9 162.00–170.00 $163.79 $1,246 -6.98
805–843 835 5 156.00–180.00 $160.63 $1,341 —
885 885 2 146.50 $146.50 $1,297 -18.50
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260–285 277 3 175.00–180.00 $178.28 $494 +6.23
300–345 328 8 150.00–185.00 $170.12 $558 +2.16
350–365 355 3 152.00–157.00 $155.29 $551 -17.30
415 415 2 170.00 $170.00 $706 -3.31
470–485 477 3 160.00 $160.00 $763 +2.50
535 535 1 152.00 $152.00 $813 -11.61
560–590 573 5 165.00–180.00 $170.54 $977 +7.27
660–679 676 6 150.00–172.00 $153.58 $1,038 +3.58
715 715 5 143.00 $143.00 $1,022 +8.00
840 840 2 140.00 $140.00 $1,176 -3.00
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410 410 2 32.50–46.00 $39.25 $161 —
524–530 525 6 40.00–45.00 $40.84 $214 —
550 550 1 45.00 $45.00 $248 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
95 unweaned 95 1 190.00 $190.00 —
105–135 unweaned 117 3 180.00–250.00 $228.00 —
Small 4 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
380 380 3 230.00 $230.00 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
200 unweaned 200 1 410.00 $410.00 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405 405 1 220.00 $220.00 $891 +30.00
495 495 5 230.00 $230.00 $1,138 +40.00
515–548 537 3 190.00–240.00 $224.02 $1,203 +30.07
560 560 1 170.00 $170.00 $952 —
620–645 633 2 155.00–182.00 $168.77 $1,068 —
813–819 816 11 147.00–156.00 $151.89 $1,239 +29.89
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435 435 1 150.00 $150.00 $652 —
490 490 1 150.00 $150.00 $735 —
525 525 1 124.00 $124.00 $651 —
570–580 575 2 120.00–130.00 $125.04 $719 —
740 740 1 122.00 $122.00 $903 —
810 810 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,053 -1.94
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460 460 1 237.50 $237.50 $1,092 —
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
705 705 1 65.00 $65.00 $458 +20.00

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
785–1215 963 80-85% 8 89.00–103.00 $96.86 $933 —
1040 1040 80-85% 1 93.00 $93.00 $967 —
805–1360 1067 80-85% 39 95.00–104.00 $98.37 $1,050 —
830–1390 1070 80-85% 18 84.00–94.00 $91.01 $974 —
1170 1170 80-85% 1 107.00 $107.00 $1,252 +18.25
1570 1570 80-85% 1 109.00 $109.00 $1,711 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
670–800 714 85-90% 4 63.00–76.00 $69.39 $495 —
625–1065 835 85-90% 4 67.00–71.00 $69.30 $579 —
720–1170 964 85-90% 25 80.00–91.00 $86.30 $832 —
760–1185 1003 85-90% 20 80.00–90.50 $86.47 $867 +19.29
1050 1050 85-90% 1 45.00 $45.00 $472 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1630 1630 75-80% 1 103.00 $103.00 $1,679 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
870–1330 1096 4 85.00–94.00 $89.66 $983 —
1115 1115 1 99.00 $99.00 $1,104 —
1000–1555 1266 7 80.50–94.00 $90.39 $1,144 —
1115–1570 1340 13 95.00–105.50 $99.82 $1,338 —
1210–2085 1564 11 108.00–114.00 $109.31 $1,710 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
705–788 760 (<2 yrs)Open 3 107.00–114.00 $111.67 $849

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
855–905 888 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 3 1,300.00–1,325.00 $1,308.33
850–1205 955 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 11 1,150.00–1,410.00 $1,246.82
925–1005 965 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 2 1,075.00–1,150.00 $1,112.50
715–1230 1021 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 11 1,000.00–1,250.00 $1,131.82
1095–1300 1198 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 1,010.00–1,175.00 $1,092.50
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
670–940 783 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 106.00–135.00 $120.00 $940
1170 1170 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 103.00 $103.00 $1,205
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
700 700 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 785.00 $785.00
715 715 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 875.00 $875.00
715 715 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 875.00 $875.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
920 920 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,500.00 $1,500.00
1045 1045 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,425.00 $1,425.00
1095 1095 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 1,575.00 $1,575.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
730–890 810 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 950.00–960.00 $955.00
Medium 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
740 740 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 600.00 $600.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1395 1395 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,500.00 $1,500.00 —
1605 1605 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,850.00 $1,850.00 —
Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
2030 2030 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,700.00 $1,700.00 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
995 995 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,425.00 $1,425.00 —

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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.