Cattle Market Pulse

Cattlemen's Livestock Auction Market Report, Belen, NM

Belen, New Mexico · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, March 1, 2024

525 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 4-weight M&L 1 steers $351.19/cwt -9.04 vs last sale · ≈ $1,464/hd at 417 lb · 31 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $278.91/cwt +2.10 vs last sale · ≈ $1,068/hd at 383 lb · 28 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $290.88/cwt -18.61 vs last sale · ≈ $1,251/hd at 430 lb · 26 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 525 684 458
Feeder cattle 396 574 275
Slaughter cattle 83 71 79
Replacement cattle 46 39 104

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Steer calves sold 3.00-6.00 higher while heifer calves sold 5.00-8.00 lower. Feeder steers and heifers sold 4.00-7.00 lower, Slaughter cows were 5.00-7.00 higher while slaughter bulls were steady to 1.00 higher. Trade and demand moderate.

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
295 295 2 400.00 $400.00 $1,180 +2.96
295 unweaned 295 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,032 —
305–315 310 4 365.00–410.00 $387.58 $1,201 +2.17
350–390 375 9 370.00–390.00 $378.86 $1,421 -13.61
400–445 417 31 330.00–365.00 $351.19 $1,464 +4.47
450 450 2 325.00 $325.00 $1,462 -0.65
565 565 2 290.00 $290.00 $1,638 -8.31
603–630 615 7 275.00–282.00 $279.57 $1,719 +7.57
653–697 668 12 260.00–287.50 $278.30 $1,859 +26.63
700–720 710 2 257.00–285.00 $270.80 $1,923 —
798 798 5 236.50 $236.50 $1,887 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 310.00 $310.00 $744 —
275–280 278 3 325.00–360.00 $338.38 $941 +6.68
310–340 325 6 320.00–355.00 $336.54 $1,094 -12.53
360 value added 360 2 357.50 $357.50 $1,287 —
350–395 369 11 285.00–340.00 $316.59 $1,168 -28.20
410–449 436 14 275.00–320.00 $307.77 $1,342 -1.02
450–490 483 12 270.00–305.00 $292.98 $1,415 +2.78
500–545 531 9 275.00–300.00 $295.24 $1,568 +15.79
560–570 565 2 240.00–275.00 $257.35 $1,454 -5.67
610–635 625 3 230.00–250.00 $241.60 $1,510 +3.60
690 690 1 236.00 $236.00 $1,628 +8.64
780 780 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,638 +5.00
820 820 1 189.00 $189.00 $1,550 -18.00
890 890 1 189.00 $189.00 $1,682 -8.00
920 920 2 182.00–184.00 $183.00 $1,684 -19.00
1033 1033 2 186.00 $186.00 $1,921 —
1165 1165 4 158.00 $158.00 $1,841 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 260.00 $260.00 $637 -15.00
283 283 2 282.50 $282.50 $799 —
315 315 1 260.00 $260.00 $819 +20.00
350–385 372 3 235.00–265.00 $255.58 $951 -29.42
425–440 433 2 220.00–260.00 $240.35 $1,041 +20.35
480 480 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,200 +21.90
530–540 535 2 230.00–240.00 $234.95 $1,257 —
770 770 1 197.00 $197.00 $1,517 —
870–895 880 5 157.00–180.00 $168.37 $1,482 -17.63
910 910 1 171.00 $171.00 $1,556 +21.00
1050 1050 1 167.00 $167.00 $1,754 —
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
470 470 1 92.00 $92.00 $432 +7.00
645 645 1 89.00 $89.00 $574 —
675 675 1 88.00 $88.00 $594 —
730 730 1 93.00 $93.00 $679 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
185–195 unweaned 190 2 600.00 $600.00 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
225 unweaned 225 1 340.00 $340.00 —
Small 4 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
340 340 1 500.00 $500.00 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 260 2 310.00 $310.00 $806 -8.53
295 unweaned 295 1 305.00 $305.00 $900 —
345 345 2 317.00 $317.00 $1,094 -11.65
355 value added 355 2 327.50 $327.50 $1,163 +3.37
364–395 382 18 295.00–332.00 $306.24 $1,170 -12.68
400–439 429 23 280.00–305.00 $289.95 $1,244 -19.54
437 value added 437 3 298.00 $298.00 $1,302 —
456–498 476 14 272.00–290.00 $279.16 $1,329 -8.30
500–520 508 8 255.00–295.00 $269.46 $1,369 -7.25
560–575 568 2 267.00–290.00 $278.65 $1,583 -1.13
600 600 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,440 -8.28
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260–287 280 6 265.00–305.00 $296.06 $829 +36.06
300–340 314 4 280.00–310.00 $291.24 $914 —
358 value added 358 2 285.00 $285.00 $1,020 —
350–398 385 26 250.00–290.00 $278.44 $1,072 +1.63
400–445 417 14 250.00–275.00 $266.25 $1,110 -0.61
455–475 463 3 245.00–270.00 $261.82 $1,212 +20.34
535 535 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,311 -6.34
560–575 568 2 222.00–262.50 $241.98 $1,374 -2.77
610 610 1 212.00 $212.00 $1,293 -10.24
650–698 679 4 215.00–240.00 $230.81 $1,567 +10.81
710 710 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,526 +9.04
755–770 763 2 172.00–195.00 $183.61 $1,401 -7.06
883 883 4 192.50 $192.50 $1,700 —
915 915 1 187.50 $187.50 $1,716 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220 220 1 240.00 $240.00 $528 —
250 250 1 235.00 $235.00 $588 —
310–345 328 3 220.00–230.00 $224.90 $738 +4.90
370–395 383 2 225.00–245.00 $234.67 $899 -6.67
415–445 428 5 225.00–240.00 $236.10 $1,011 +25.33
455 455 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,024 +18.85
565–595 578 3 166.00–190.00 $177.54 $1,026 -34.46
600–630 615 2 142.00–187.00 $163.95 $1,008 —
655–660 658 2 170.00–195.00 $182.55 $1,201 —
765 765 1 182.00 $182.00 $1,392 —
880 880 1 168.00 $168.00 $1,478 —
940 940 1 161.00 $161.00 $1,513 —
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
575 575 1 92.00 $92.00 $529 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440 440 2 285.00 $285.00 $1,254 +25.70
485 485 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,382 +15.00
510–520 513 5 230.00–280.00 $268.87 $1,379 +16.87
550 550 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,348 +3.00
645 645 1 182.50 $182.50 $1,177 —
665 665 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,297 -45.67
700–735 718 2 197.50–255.00 $226.95 $1,630 —
945 945 1 151.00 $151.00 $1,427 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
195 unweaned 195 1 640.00 $640.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
920–1095 1008 80-85% 2 106.00–110.00 $108.17 $1,090 —
870–1205 1042 80-85% 10 107.00–118.00 $113.83 $1,186 —
910–1335 1063 80-85% 6 112.00–127.00 $118.33 $1,258 —
1050–1483 1242 80-85% 22 119.00–128.00 $124.51 $1,546 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
710 710 85-90% 2 100.00 $100.00 $710 +20.99
720 720 85-90% 2 54.00–84.00 $69.00 $497 -10.01
745–845 785 85-90% 4 80.00–89.00 $85.63 $672 —
665–875 796 85-90% 5 67.00–75.00 $70.66 $562 —
785–970 870 85-90% 12 92.00–100.00 $95.59 $832 —
900–910 905 85-90% 4 97.00–100.00 $99.25 $898 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000 1000 1 111.00 $111.00 $1,110 -7.55
1080–1225 1140 5 104.00–112.00 $109.24 $1,245 -5.76
1155 1155 1 133.00 $133.00 $1,536 —
1365–1735 1565 6 129.00–132.50 $131.00 $2,050 —
1270–1885 1586 9 118.00–127.00 $123.28 $1,955 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1055–1170 1113 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 128.00–135.00 $131.50 $1,464
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
700 700 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 113.00 $113.00 $791
865 865 (<2 yrs)Open 1 118.00 $118.00 $1,021

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
955 955 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 142.00 $142.00 $1,356
845–1200 984 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 7 122.00–130.00 $124.43 $1,224
850–1275 1004 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 11 114.00–130.00 $122.64 $1,231
1115 1115 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 127.00 $127.00 $1,416
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
815–955 905 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 3 1,325.00–1,575.00 $1,425.00
980 980 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 1,475.00 $1,475.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1115 1115 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 1,575.00 $1,575.00

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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
730–985 830 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 3 1,225.00–1,475.00 $1,325.00 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1030 1030 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,725.00 $1,725.00 —

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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.