Cattle Market Pulse

Cattlemen's Livestock Auction Market Report

Belen, New Mexico · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, February 23, 2024

684 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 3-weight M&L 1 heifers $323.15/cwt +19.62 vs last sale · ≈ $1,251/hd at 387 lb · 48 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1 steers $396.11/cwt +18.62 vs last sale · ≈ $1,506/hd at 380 lb · 42 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $301.16/cwt +0.92 vs last sale · ≈ $1,429/hd at 475 lb · 36 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 684 502 364
Feeder cattle 574 395 240
Slaughter cattle 71 71 72
Replacement cattle 39 36 52

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Steer and heifer calves sold 15.00-20.00 higher. Feeder steers and heifers sold 7.00-10.00 higher. Slaughter cows and bulls sold steady to 1.00-2.00 higher on limited comparisons. 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
244 244 5 405.00 $405.00 $988 +5.00
275–285 281 7 370.00–405.00 $397.04 $1,116 +9.45
300–335 321 9 360.00–395.00 $385.41 $1,237 +13.44
324–333 value added 327 8 407.00–410.00 $408.86 $1,337 +38.86
350–373 value added 361 11 402.00–407.00 $406.38 $1,467 +22.18
350–392 387 31 360.00–397.00 $392.47 $1,519 +20.19
400–445 421 17 330.00–365.00 $346.72 $1,460 +10.46
400–449 value added 431 13 370.00–395.00 $380.99 $1,642 +22.04
440 440 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,408 -16.26
450–485 467 11 315.00–340.00 $325.65 $1,521 +9.82
460–498 value added 486 13 355.00–375.00 $360.17 $1,750 —
585–595 588 3 295.00–300.00 $298.31 $1,754 +14.32
625 625 2 272.00 $272.00 $1,700 +11.33
655 value added 655 3 263.00 $263.00 $1,723 —
655–670 664 9 250.00–260.00 $251.67 $1,671 -18.33
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250–280 265 4 300.00–350.00 $331.70 $879 +42.79
295 unweaned 295 1 332.00 $332.00 $979 —
300–345 332 7 340.00–360.00 $349.07 $1,159 +41.28
340 340 3 308.00 $308.00 $1,047 +0.21
355 355 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,065 -24.08
350–390 366 7 330.00–355.00 $344.79 $1,262 +20.71
413–443 424 9 290.00–325.00 $308.79 $1,309 +2.58
460–495 483 7 275.00–305.00 $290.20 $1,402 +4.38
515–540 528 10 255.00–297.00 $279.45 $1,475 +10.44
550–590 569 12 250.00–270.00 $263.02 $1,497 +3.12
628 628 2 238.00 $238.00 $1,495 -6.31
670–695 683 2 220.00–235.00 $227.36 $1,553 +3.35
780 780 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,599 —
820 820 1 207.00 $207.00 $1,697 —
880 880 1 197.00 $197.00 $1,734 —
940 940 1 202.00 $202.00 $1,899 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225 225 1 275.00 $275.00 $619 —
320 320 1 240.00 $240.00 $768 —
363 363 2 285.00 $285.00 $1,035 +68.82
435 435 1 220.00 $220.00 $957 -13.47
475–495 487 3 210.00–245.00 $228.10 $1,111 -7.84
575 575 1 242.00 $242.00 $1,392 +27.00
805–830 818 2 175.00–190.00 $182.61 $1,494 —
895 895 3 186.00 $186.00 $1,665 —
935 935 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,402 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
605 605 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,331 —
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
465 465 1 85.00 $85.00 $395 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210 value added 210 2 340.00 $340.00 $714 —
220–240 227 3 305.00 $305.00 $692 —
250 250 1 280.00 $280.00 $700 -20.00
255–280 266 5 315.00–327.00 $318.53 $847 +18.53
303–339 value added 323 18 340.00–365.00 $350.42 $1,132 +38.48
325–343 340 13 325.00–345.00 $328.65 $1,117 +44.30
350–393 379 9 310.00–325.00 $318.92 $1,209 +27.69
355–394 value added 389 39 322.00–352.00 $324.13 $1,261 +9.93
400–446 428 17 282.00–325.00 $309.49 $1,325 +8.34
466–475 fancy 467 15 320.00–325.00 $320.34 $1,496 —
450–498 480 21 260.00–317.00 $287.46 $1,380 +7.15
515–545 531 14 265.00–287.00 $276.71 $1,469 +5.08
553 fancy 553 4 303.00 $303.00 $1,676 —
550–592 576 5 275.00–295.00 $279.78 $1,612 +19.97
600–632 616 8 237.00–260.00 $248.28 $1,529 -4.43
709 value added 709 7 242.00 $242.00 $1,716 +7.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
190 190 1 287.00 $287.00 $545 —
235–240 238 2 270.00–300.00 $284.84 $678 —
255 255 1 260.00 $260.00 $663 +13.56
375–398 388 9 242.00–300.00 $276.81 $1,074 +16.81
410–445 430 3 260.00–275.00 $266.86 $1,147 +26.86
455–475 467 3 230.00–255.00 $241.48 $1,128 -1.90
520–545 531 7 235.00–260.00 $251.34 $1,335 +6.34
560–595 583 10 230.00–255.00 $244.75 $1,427 —
600–630 615 2 212.00–232.00 $222.24 $1,367 +27.42
695 695 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,529 +3.00
715–720 718 2 195.00–217.00 $205.96 $1,479 —
755–760 757 3 190.00–192.00 $190.67 $1,443 -4.33
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 1 220.00 $220.00 $759 +8.24
365–373 370 3 240.00–242.00 $241.34 $893 +21.34
370 370 1 227.00 $227.00 $840 +7.00
410–445 429 4 200.00–222.00 $210.77 $904 +0.77
455–490 473 2 202.00–210.00 $206.15 $975 —
585 585 1 212.00 $212.00 $1,240 +27.00
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 1 95.00 $95.00 $380 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375–390 383 2 292.00–300.00 $296.08 $1,134 —
435–445 440 2 242.00–277.00 $259.30 $1,141 —
485 485 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,310 +45.00
535 535 1 252.00 $252.00 $1,348 —
555 555 1 242.00 $242.00 $1,343 —
655 655 3 232.00–245.00 $240.67 $1,576 —
785 785 1 217.00 $217.00 $1,703 —
905 905 2 155.00 $155.00 $1,403 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410 410 1 346.00 $346.00 $1,419 —
455 455 1 310.00 $310.00 $1,410 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
900 900 1 159.00 $159.00 $1,431 —
980 980 1 107.00 $107.00 $1,049 —
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
585 585 1 90.00 $90.00 $526 —
765 765 1 99.00 $99.00 $757 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
150 unweaned 150 1 385.00 $385.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
710 710 80-85% 1 107.00 $107.00 $760 —
845 845 80-85% 1 111.00 $111.00 $938 +13.00
885 885 80-85% 1 95.00 $95.00 $841 —
780–1330 984 80-85% 8 105.00–116.00 $112.45 $1,107 —
885–1335 1116 80-85% 8 110.00–119.00 $112.36 $1,254 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
705–715 710 85-90% 2 78.00–80.00 $79.01 $561 -5.22
810–825 818 85-90% 2 85.00–87.00 $86.01 $704 —
675–975 825 85-90% 2 70.00 $70.00 $578 —
710–1235 948 85-90% 3 97.00–101.00 $99.69 $945 +9.69
955 955 85-90% 1 93.00 $93.00 $888 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1110–1385 1270 75-80% 3 99.00–106.00 $101.73 $1,292 —
1670 1670 75-80% 1 99.00 $99.00 $1,653 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1065 1033 2 117.00–120.00 $118.55 $1,225 —
1130 1130 1 115.00 $115.00 $1,300 —
1055–1510 1325 3 105.00–116.00 $110.24 $1,461 -4.45
1410–1620 1492 3 118.00–128.00 $121.62 $1,815 —
1470–1695 1605 4 132.00–139.00 $134.48 $2,158 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
660–910 804 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 117.00–122.00 $119.50 $961
635–1670 889 (<2 yrs)Open 15 119.00–155.00 $140.60 $1,250
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
645–1020 781 (<2 yrs)Open 14 142.00–170.00 $157.71 $1,232
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
665 665 (<2 yrs)Open 2 113.00 $113.00 $751
830–990 913 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 114.00–116.00 $115.33 $1,053
1085 1085 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 109.00 $109.00 $1,183

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
780–860 820 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,010.00–1,050.00 $1,030.00
800–1190 954 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 6 1,100.00–1,350.00 $1,262.50
765–1273 1022 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 9 1,000.00–1,500.00 $1,286.11
1060 1060 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,375.00 $1,375.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
885 885 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 124.00 $124.00 $1,097
845–985 906 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 4 120.00–128.00 $124.50 $1,128
942 942 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 127.00 $127.00 $1,196
Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1160–1195 1178 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 835.00–850.00 $842.50
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
875 875 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,485.00 $1,485.00
995 995 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 1,650.00 $1,650.00

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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.