Cattle Market Pulse

Cattlemen's Livestock Auction Market Report

Belen, New Mexico · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, February 16, 2024

502 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $315.83/cwt +6.19 vs last sale · ≈ $1,519/hd at 481 lb · 38 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1 heifers $303.54/cwt +23.10 vs last sale · ≈ $1,164/hd at 383 lb · 28 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $300.24/cwt +43.71 vs last sale · ≈ $1,404/hd at 468 lb · 27 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 502 407 270
Feeder cattle 395 311 205
Slaughter cattle 71 53 39
Replacement cattle 36 43 26

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Steer and heifer calves sold 12.00-15.00 higher. Feeder steers sold steady, while feeder heifers sold 10.00-15.00 higher. Slaughter cows and bulls sold 1.00-3.00 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
185 185 1 385.00 $385.00 $712 —
245 245 1 400.00 $400.00 $980 -2.00
260–295 277 3 370.00–405.00 $387.59 $1,074 +30.67
305–330 315 8 350.00–385.00 $371.97 $1,172 +14.91
333 value added 333 3 370.00 $370.00 $1,232 -8.95
350–367 value added 357 7 382.00–387.00 $384.20 $1,372 —
350–373 361 9 367.00–377.00 $372.28 $1,344 +10.62
403–435 value added 412 5 353.00–365.00 $358.95 $1,479 +11.92
400–440 418 18 310.00–350.00 $336.26 $1,406 +23.83
451–496 481 38 302.00–335.00 $315.83 $1,519 +6.19
502–543 522 26 290.00–315.00 $303.30 $1,583 +10.25
550–595 577 5 280.00–285.00 $283.99 $1,639 +0.07
577–578 value added 578 7 300.00–315.00 $308.58 $1,784 —
605 605 3 260.00–262.00 $260.67 $1,577 +7.67
655 655 2 270.00 $270.00 $1,768 +16.25
728 728 2 229.00 $229.00 $1,667 —
785 785 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,766 -15.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
258–280 262 5 277.50–292.00 $288.91 $757 +14.84
300–315 unweaned 308 2 250.00–280.00 $264.63 $815 —
300–315 312 5 277.50–315.00 $307.79 $960 +2.66
355–373 362 7 287.00–340.00 $324.08 $1,173 +37.45
410–440 422 3 285.00–320.00 $306.21 $1,292 +21.21
460–490 478 4 265.00–302.00 $285.82 $1,366 +35.82
505–545 526 4 255.00–285.00 $269.01 $1,415 —
550–570 557 3 250.00–279.00 $259.90 $1,448 +9.90
625–635 633 4 230.00–253.00 $244.31 $1,546 —
655–695 681 7 200.00–237.00 $224.01 $1,526 +4.01
900 900 1 192.00 $192.00 $1,728 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265–270 268 2 200.00–245.00 $222.29 $596 +16.47
350–395 370 4 195.00–250.00 $216.18 $800 +9.18
400–435 418 3 230.00–240.00 $233.47 $976 +46.47
490–495 493 2 225.00–247.00 $235.94 $1,163 —
590 590 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,268 —
780 780 1 193.00 $193.00 $1,505 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
105 unweaned 105 1 550.00 $550.00 —
135 135 1 625.00 $625.00 —
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
585 585 1 75.00 $75.00 $439 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215 unweaned 215 1 292.50 $292.50 $629 —
280–290 285 2 300.00 $300.00 $855 +24.26
285 unweaned 285 1 275.00 $275.00 $784 —
303–340 316 5 267.50–305.00 $284.35 $899 +7.47
315–335 value added 325 2 310.00–314.00 $311.94 $1,014 +16.14
355–395 378 13 265.00–307.00 $291.23 $1,101 +22.82
355–391 value added 388 15 310.00–315.00 $314.20 $1,219 +23.15
400–445 420 13 280.00–308.00 $301.15 $1,265 +50.04
400–445 value added 423 4 310.00–315.00 $313.05 $1,324 +39.43
450–466 value added 464 19 300.00–312.00 $308.63 $1,432 +16.13
450–495 476 8 265.00–297.00 $280.31 $1,334 +26.55
500–515 value added 504 4 293.00–300.00 $294.79 $1,486 —
510–540 520 6 258.00–277.00 $271.63 $1,412 +7.02
555–595 572 11 247.00–275.00 $259.81 $1,486 +15.74
600–643 623 10 230.00–262.00 $252.71 $1,574 +14.82
660 660 1 232.00 $232.00 $1,531 +7.00
710 value added 710 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,668 —
753 value added 753 5 251.00 $251.00 $1,890 —
768 768 2 218.00 $218.00 $1,674 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260–290 273 5 235.00–265.00 $246.44 $673 -19.18
290 value added 290 1 290.00 $290.00 $841 —
335 335 1 260.00 $260.00 $871 +10.00
385 385 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,001 +19.90
400 400 1 240.00 $240.00 $960 -6.83
455–460 458 3 230.00–250.00 $243.38 $1,115 —
495 value added 495 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,287 —
535 535 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,311 —
600–645 623 2 190.00–200.00 $194.82 $1,214 —
695 695 1 217.00 $217.00 $1,508 —
790 790 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,540 —
835 835 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,628 +43.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 1 185.00 $185.00 $435 —
275 275 1 230.00 $230.00 $632 —
315–335 326 4 190.00–230.00 $211.76 $690 —
360 360 1 220.00 $220.00 $792 —
410–435 423 2 210.00 $210.00 $888 +40.00
580 580 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,073 +10.20
665 665 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,230 +30.81

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,005 -60.00
595 595 1 282.50 $282.50 $1,681 —
700 700 1 217.00 $217.00 $1,519 —
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
540 540 1 117.50 $117.50 $634 —
685 685 1 115.00 $115.00 $788 —
850 850 1 108.00 $108.00 $918 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,091 —
965 965 1 146.00 $146.00 $1,409 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
820 820 80-85% 1 98.00 $98.00 $804 —
720–1225 920 80-85% 3 107.00–113.00 $110.55 $1,017 —
1020–1460 1387 80-85% 43 104.00–112.00 $110.60 $1,534 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
595 595 85-90% 1 55.00 $55.00 $327 —
635 635 85-90% 1 68.00 $68.00 $432 -3.00
600–860 730 85-90% 2 83.00–86.00 $84.23 $615 —
715–785 750 85-90% 2 71.00–79.00 $74.81 $561 -17.80
920 920 85-90% 1 90.00 $90.00 $828 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1270–1340 1313 3 112.00–119.00 $114.69 $1,506 —
1170–1640 1405 2 106.00–108.00 $106.83 $1,501 —
1280–1625 1453 2 115.00–123.00 $119.48 $1,736 —
1525–1700 1588 4 124.00–128.00 $125.67 $1,996 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
914 914 (<2 yrs)Open 4 150.00 $150.00 $1,371
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1055 1055 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 114.00 $114.00 $1,203

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1035–1415 1218 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 9 105.00–114.00 $108.33 $1,319
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
675–740 698 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 3 925.00–1,025.00 $975.00
705 705 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 850.00 $850.00
Small 4 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
705 705 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 675.00 $675.00
712 712 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 650.00 $650.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1145 1145 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 1,700.00 $1,700.00
1165 1165 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 1,900.00 $1,900.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
775 775 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 1,100.00 $1,100.00
1045 1045 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 1,500.00 $1,500.00
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
825 825 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,072

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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
650 650 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,175.00 $1,175.00 —
895 895 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,350.00 $1,350.00 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1020 1020 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,600.00 $1,600.00 —

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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.