Cattle Market Pulse

Cattlemen's Livestock Auction Market Report

Belen, New Mexico · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, May 17, 2024

526 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $231.42/cwt -8.36 vs last sale · ≈ $1,194/hd at 516 lb · 16 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $302.88/cwt ≈ $1,563/hd at 516 lb · 16 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $257.75/cwt -14.48 vs last sale · ≈ $1,508/hd at 585 lb · 15 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 526 486 597
Feeder cattle 355 314 410
Slaughter cattle 105 134 138
Replacement cattle 66 38 49

Compared to last week: No accurate comparison on steer calves. On heifer calves 5.00-8.00 lower on limited comparison. No accurate comparison on feeder calves. Feeder heifers steady to 4.00 lower. Slaughter cows and bulls 5.00-7.00 higher. Trade and demand moderate.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 2 315.00–317.00 $316.00 $774 +13.69
280 280 1 295.00 $295.00 $826 +5.00
325–340 333 2 285.00–310.00 $297.22 $990 -7.82
355–385 370 4 285.00–315.00 $298.34 $1,104 -19.15
435–445 440 2 265.00–300.00 $282.70 $1,244 -7.78
450–495 471 12 275.00–302.00 $286.69 $1,350 +3.86
500–540 518 12 260.00–290.00 $271.00 $1,404 -12.35
560–597 585 15 242.00–270.00 $257.75 $1,508 -14.48
610–645 625 11 230.00–259.00 $242.22 $1,514 -15.21
670–695 683 2 230.00–245.00 $237.64 $1,623 -7.36
700 700 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,715 +25.86
770 770 1 206.00 $206.00 $1,586 -13.76
945 945 3 185.00 $185.00 $1,748
1015 1015 1 173.00 $173.00 $1,756 -26.00
1055 1055 3 160.00 $160.00 $1,688
1125–1145 1135 2 166.00–180.00 $172.94 $1,963
1250 1250 1 146.00 $146.00 $1,825
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
195 195 2 400.00 $400.00 $780
303–305 304 3 325.00–327.00 $325.67 $990
415–443 435 4 304.00–335.00 $314.93 $1,370
450–488 477 5 320.00–332.00 $329.21 $1,570
510–530 516 16 290.00–320.00 $302.88 $1,563
554 554 7 293.00 $293.00 $1,623 +12.51
610–630 618 5 262.00–292.00 $272.33 $1,683
660–680 672 5 240.00–258.00 $247.99 $1,666
700 700 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,680
750 750 2 227.00 $227.00 $1,702
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
339 339 1 260.00 $260.00 $881
400–435 424 7 200.00–240.00 $233.27 $989 -1.73
455–495 478 6 225.00–250.00 $240.82 $1,151 +20.43
595 595 1 232.00 $232.00 $1,380
625–635 630 4 195.00–222.00 $202.96 $1,279 -28.29
1022 1022 5 167.00 $167.00 $1,707
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
450 450 1 144.00 $144.00 $648
575 575 2 100.00 $100.00 $575
655 655 3 90.00 $90.00 $590
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
160 unweaned 160 1 675.00 $675.00
240 240 1 800.00 $800.00

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225 225 1 300.00 $300.00 $675 +12.50
325–340 333 2 260.00–262.00 $261.02 $869 -3.98
355–395 380 3 252.00–263.00 $258.30 $982 -5.11
415–445 429 4 247.00–272.00 $263.36 $1,130 +2.10
450–490 476 9 220.00–255.00 $238.09 $1,133 -6.54
500–545 516 16 217.00–250.00 $231.42 $1,194 -8.36
565–598 586 8 219.00–245.00 $229.00 $1,342 -6.66
629–635 632 4 217.00–229.00 $223.73 $1,414
650–685 660 5 207.00–228.00 $217.52 $1,436 +0.24
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355 355 2 285.00 $285.00 $1,012
423–445 434 4 272.00–292.00 $281.75 $1,223 -6.37
455–480 468 2 260.00–287.00 $273.14 $1,278 -14.93
505–540 512 5 263.00–272.00 $270.10 $1,383 +7.79
555–565 560 2 245.00 $245.00 $1,372 -2.14
600 600 2 224.00 $224.00 $1,344 -17.05
662–675 665 4 222.00–235.00 $231.70 $1,541 -3.30
700–715 706 5 208.00–225.00 $214.89 $1,517 -20.57
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 260 1 212.00 $212.00 $551
395–398 397 3 215.00 $215.00 $854
445 445 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,024 +33.00
450–470 455 4 175.00–192.00 $179.39 $816 -2.51
500–530 509 9 168.00–210.00 $192.50 $980 +2.50
650 650 1 163.00 $163.00 $1,060
708 708 2 161.00 $161.00 $1,140 -34.00
765 765 1 166.00 $166.00 $1,270
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
85 unweaned 85 1 385.00 $385.00 -15.00
120 unweaned 120 2 300.00–325.00 $312.50
288 288 2 525.00 $525.00
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410 410 1 95.00 $95.00 $390
623 623 2 80.00 $80.00 $498
Small 4 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
345 345 2 525.00 $525.00

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415 415 2 275.00 $275.00 $1,141 +20.00
480 480 1 297.00 $297.00 $1,426 +43.59
505–545 525 2 252.00–282.00 $266.43 $1,399 +21.76
560–580 567 7 202.00–247.00 $227.61 $1,291 -18.39
610–643 625 9 232.00–251.00 $242.61 $1,516 +15.59
650–690 670 2 235.00–242.00 $238.40 $1,597
705–730 718 2 200.00–245.00 $222.11 $1,595 +16.21
760 760 1 147.00 $147.00 $1,117 -47.38
880 880 1 151.00 $151.00 $1,329
900–903 902 3 165.00–174.00 $171.01 $1,543
965–970 968 2 141.00–157.00 $148.98 $1,442
1098 1098 3 150.00 $150.00 $1,647
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 1 335.00 $335.00 $1,172
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
645 645 1 90.00 $90.00 $580

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Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
960–1100 1030 80-85% 2 119.00–131.00 $124.59 $1,283
860–1338 1043 80-85% 21 110.00–119.50 $114.93 $1,199
945–1315 1133 80-85% 22 120.00–132.00 $127.98 $1,450 +15.69
860–1495 1178 80-85% 2 110.00–118.00 $112.92 $1,330
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
540–625 598 85-90% 4 95.00–104.00 $99.87 $597
700 700 85-90% 1 95.00 $95.00 $665
660–860 740 85-90% 3 79.00–97.00 $85.27 $631
675–920 796 85-90% 10 90.00–100.00 $94.50 $752 -7.78
715–1120 927 85-90% 8 100.00–110.00 $104.90 $972

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1075 1075 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,398
1000–1200 1078 5 114.00–133.00 $126.24 $1,361
1208–1830 1420 9 135.00–145.50 $141.01 $2,002
1595–2020 1735 4 148.00–154.00 $149.67 $2,597 +13.32

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
740–820 781 (<2 yrs)Open 5 160.00–187.00 $172.00 $1,343
670–1125 824 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 160.00–170.00 $164.40 $1,355
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
705–1045 827 (<2 yrs)Open 3 140.00–157.00 $146.33 $1,210
725–1250 876 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 7 127.00–150.00 $138.00 $1,209

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
890 890 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 1,600.00 $1,600.00
980 980 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 4 1,225.00 $1,225.00
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
690 690 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 1,025.00 $1,025.00
815 815 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
975 975 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 132.00 $132.00 $1,287
1215 1215 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 124.00 $124.00 $1,507
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
645 645 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,161

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Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
945–1505 1165 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 1,875.00–2,200.00 $2,091.67
1200–1207 1206 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 6 2,050.00–2,400.00 $2,108.33
1346 1346 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 4 1,625.00 $1,625.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
840–985 913 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 1,725.00–1,800.00 $1,762.50 +262.50
915–1145 1004 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 6 1,600.00–1,800.00 $1,689.17

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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.