Cattle Market Pulse

Cattlemen's Livestock Auction Market Report

Belen, New Mexico · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, March 15, 2024

730 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $257.25/cwt -9.38 vs last sale · ≈ $1,487/hd at 578 lb · 36 head
light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $262.64/cwt -5.61 vs last sale · ≈ $1,103/hd at 420 lb · 32 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $240.20/cwt -12.83 vs last sale · ≈ $1,119/hd at 466 lb · 30 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 730 692 898
Feeder cattle 601 500 683
Slaughter cattle 90 117 139
Replacement cattle 39 75 76

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Steer and heifer calves sold 15.00-20.00 lower. Feeder steers sold steady while feeder heifers sold 12.00-16.00 lower. Slaughter cows sold 3.00-5.00 higher and slaughter bulls sold 8.00-10.00 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
283–288 286 7 365.00–410.00 $380.03 $1,087 -29.97
310–330 323 5 355.00–375.00 $365.94 $1,182 -32.30
350–385 361 7 345.00–360.00 $353.74 $1,277 -26.96
425–438 429 11 320.00–347.00 $327.53 $1,405 -10.84
455–495 469 12 293.00–330.00 $302.86 $1,420 -12.51
500–535 517 22 289.00–315.00 $297.10 $1,536 -0.44
522 value added 522 6 286.00 $286.00 $1,493 —
550–580 561 15 281.00–292.50 $289.41 $1,624 -5.59
600–645 632 12 256.00–289.00 $274.21 $1,733 +8.87
660–695 681 10 255.00–280.00 $262.35 $1,787 -2.20
710 710 2 262.00 $262.00 $1,860 -1.28
805–825 815 2 209.00–240.00 $224.69 $1,831 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225 225 1 355.00 $355.00 $799 —
255–270 260 3 325.00–340.00 $334.81 $871 -11.31
325–345 328 6 300.00–327.00 $322.27 $1,057 -13.84
375–395 390 4 286.00–327.00 $317.14 $1,237 -20.98
400–448 432 27 280.00–322.50 $310.52 $1,341 +9.88
450–496 475 17 270.00–295.00 $284.98 $1,354 -0.10
500–545 516 10 255.00–280.00 $270.41 $1,395 -0.69
531 thin fleshed 531 4 284.00 $284.00 $1,508 —
560–593 584 15 247.00–280.00 $270.01 $1,577 +2.74
610–645 628 3 248.00–257.00 $251.58 $1,580 -4.46
650–695 678 4 225.00–245.00 $233.62 $1,584 +1.12
775–790 783 2 237.00–239.00 $238.01 $1,864 +28.01
835 835 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,586 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–390 378 4 220.00–270.00 $233.88 $884 -24.86
400–445 426 7 220.00–275.00 $253.83 $1,081 +0.08
450–485 466 11 210.00–255.00 $241.28 $1,124 -1.28
520–545 533 2 200.00–222.50 $211.51 $1,127 -26.03
550–598 582 6 225.00–245.00 $238.35 $1,387 +7.98
745 745 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,416 +9.00
760–795 778 3 199.00–220.00 $208.15 $1,619 +22.18
Small 4 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
230 230 1 350.00 $350.00 —
315 315 1 600.00 $600.00 —
355 355 1 535.00 $535.00 —
475 475 1 485.00 $485.00 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
115 unweaned 115 1 500.00 $500.00 —
475 unweaned 475 1 400.00 $400.00 —
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 1 100.00 $100.00 $380 —
615 615 1 102.50 $102.50 $630 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250–256 256 12 310.00–320.00 $310.82 $796 —
338 338 4 291.00 $291.00 $984 -4.15
350–359 356 27 267.50–280.00 $274.58 $978 -42.50
402–432 416 14 255.00–287.00 $269.92 $1,123 -23.69
450–480 470 22 247.00–280.00 $259.38 $1,219 -5.62
518–549 545 28 255.00–273.00 $269.79 $1,470 -5.74
578 578 36 255.00–264.00 $257.25 $1,487 -9.38
620 620 2 240.00 $240.00 $1,488 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 1 300.00 $300.00 $705 +14.88
260–265 263 3 277.50–280.00 $278.32 $732 -8.67
328–345 334 3 245.00–247.00 $245.69 $821 -33.55
370–395 375 18 255.00–260.00 $259.73 $974 -1.84
404–445 420 32 250.00–270.00 $262.64 $1,103 -5.61
450–485 466 30 230.00–252.00 $240.20 $1,119 -12.83
503–520 514 9 223.00–247.00 $232.03 $1,193 +5.03
555–580 569 8 210.00–244.00 $226.79 $1,290 +7.09
610–645 628 2 210.00–222.00 $215.83 $1,355 -0.85
680 680 1 222.00 $222.00 $1,510 —
720–730 725 2 220.00–230.00 $224.97 $1,631 +17.47
790–795 793 3 180.00–197.50 $185.81 $1,473 —
810 810 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,620 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 220.00 $220.00 $638 -4.53
315 315 1 235.00 $235.00 $740 +25.00
355–390 368 4 215.00–235.00 $225.15 $829 +20.15
425–445 435 2 220.00–230.00 $225.11 $979 -14.89
450 450 1 200.00 $200.00 $900 —
520 520 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,170 —
615–625 620 2 192.00–200.00 $195.97 $1,215 +20.97
725 725 1 197.00 $197.00 $1,428 +27.00
790 790 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,422 +9.50
948 948 2 155.00 $155.00 $1,469 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
95 unweaned 95 1 400.00 $400.00 —
120 unweaned 120 2 475.00 $475.00 —
Small 4 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
390 390 1 460.00 $460.00 —
415 415 1 535.00 $535.00 —
470 470 1 510.00 $510.00 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250 unweaned 250 1 322.50 $322.50 $806 —
400 400 1 240.00 $240.00 $960 —
465–475 470 2 207.00–245.00 $225.80 $1,061 -38.63
510–540 525 4 237.00–275.00 $257.97 $1,354 +67.97
615–645 625 3 239.00–243.00 $241.62 $1,510 -2.67
670 670 1 219.00 $219.00 $1,467 -21.00
730–740 735 2 200.00–217.00 $208.56 $1,533 -15.40
765 765 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,415 —
825 825 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,609 +1.31
855–860 858 2 185.00 $185.00 $1,587 +33.00
985 985 1 172.00 $172.00 $1,694 —
1010–1040 1027 3 160.00–180.00 $169.90 $1,745 —
1115 1115 1 182.50 $182.50 $2,035 —
1195 1195 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,972 —
1335 1335 1 168.00 $168.00 $2,243 —
1380 1380 1 150.00 $150.00 $2,070 —
1485–1490 1488 2 152.50–160.00 $156.26 $2,325 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 unweaned 260 1 350.00 $350.00 $910 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
890 890 80-85% 1 112.00 $112.00 $997 —
850–1045 952 80-85% 8 108.00–118.50 $113.96 $1,085 —
900–1285 1079 80-85% 12 120.00–130.00 $126.85 $1,369 —
1025–1180 1109 80-85% 4 134.00–140.00 $136.44 $1,513 —
865–1450 1139 80-85% 10 113.00–136.00 $127.55 $1,453 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
525–655 612 85-90% 3 80.00–90.00 $83.57 $511 +6.57
670–1295 868 85-90% 11 96.00–106.00 $99.78 $866 —
730–965 882 85-90% 3 67.50–76.00 $72.54 $640 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1105–1130 1118 2 130.00–134.00 $131.98 $1,476 —
1015–1885 1359 7 126.50–136.00 $130.78 $1,777 —
1380 1380 1 106.00 $106.00 $1,463 —
1310–2105 1753 13 137.00–155.00 $146.35 $2,566 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
655–1208 922 (<2 yrs)Open 7 130.00–150.00 $143.86 $1,326
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
860–910 885 (<2 yrs)Open 2 167.00–170.00 $168.50 $1,491
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
735 735 (<2 yrs)Open 1 125.00 $125.00 $919

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1025 1025 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,750.00 $1,750.00
920–1145 1026 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 4 1,600.00–1,925.00 $1,756.25
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
825 825 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,250.00 $1,250.00
820–965 873 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 3 1,300.00–1,625.00 $1,491.67
950 950 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 1,550.00 $1,550.00
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
745–875 821 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 4 900.00–1,250.00 $1,043.75
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
948 948 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 123.00 $123.00 $1,166
1150–1235 1193 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 130.00–145.00 $137.50 $1,640
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
670 670 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 700.00 $700.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
935–1060 1010 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 1,825.00–2,100.00 $1,958.33 +8.33
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
750 750 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 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.