Cattlemen's Livestock Auction Market Report

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

Head	This sale	Last sale	Last 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

***RESENDING WITH SPECIAL NOTE*** 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 $	≈ $/hd	Δ 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 $	≈ $/hd	Δ 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 $	≈ $/hd	Δ 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 $	≈ $/hd	Δ 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 $	≈ $/hd	Δ 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 $	≈ $/hd	Δ 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 $	≈ $/hd	Δ 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 $	≈ $/hd	Δ 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 $	≈ $/hd	Δ 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 $	≈ $/hd	Δ 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 $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
460	460	1	237.50	$237.50	$1,092	—

Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ 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 $	≈ $/hd	Δ 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 $	≈ $/hd	Δ 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 $	≈ $/hd	Δ 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 $	≈ $/hd	Δ 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	Age	Stage	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	Age	Stage	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	Age	Stage	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	Age	Stage	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	Age	Stage	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	Age	Stage	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	Age	Stage	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	Age	Stage	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	Age	Stage	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	Age	Stage	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.