Cattle Market Pulse

Cattlemen's Livestock Auction Market Report

Belen, New Mexico · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, May 24, 2024

538 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 $242.00/cwt +10.58 vs last sale · ≈ $1,249/hd at 516 lb · 27 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $243.09/cwt +5.00 vs last sale · ≈ $1,155/hd at 475 lb · 25 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $279.49/cwt +8.49 vs last sale · ≈ $1,456/hd at 521 lb · 21 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 538 526 480
Feeder cattle 379 355 297
Slaughter cattle 122 105 149
Replacement cattle 37 66 34

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Steer calves sold 20.00-25.00 higher, while heifer calves sold 5.00-7.00 higher on limited comparisons. Feeder steers and heifers sold 4.00-6.00 lower. Slaughter cows sold 3.00-5.00 higher and slaughter bulls sold 1.00-2.00 higher. Trade and demand good.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–335 317 3 280.00–325.00 $307.53 $975 +10.31
350 350 1 295.00 $295.00 $1,032 -3.34
400–445 422 3 260.00–300.00 $275.97 $1,165 -6.73
460–498 482 10 257.50–315.00 $287.86 $1,387 +1.17
500–545 521 21 257.50–291.00 $279.49 $1,456 +8.49
570–593 585 4 257.00–275.00 $265.44 $1,553 +7.69
605–630 615 5 227.50–265.00 $248.37 $1,527 +6.15
685–697 694 4 232.00–255.00 $249.32 $1,730 +11.68
710 710 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,491 -35.00
780–787 785 4 201.00–217.00 $204.97 $1,609 -1.03
830–847 843 4 220.00 $220.00 $1,855 —
860 860 3 200.00 $200.00 $1,720 —
940 940 1 188.00 $188.00 $1,767 +3.00
1010 1010 2 188.00 $188.00 $1,899 +15.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–340 320 5 360.00–377.00 $363.24 $1,162 +37.57
355–360 358 2 350.00–355.00 $352.52 $1,262 —
410 value added 410 2 370.00 $370.00 $1,517 —
400–430 420 4 335.00–360.00 $346.16 $1,454 +31.23
450–481 474 10 331.00–355.00 $336.03 $1,593 +6.82
505–540 517 5 305.00–340.00 $322.08 $1,665 +19.20
550 550 2 300.00 $300.00 $1,650 +7.00
600–638 622 9 255.00–280.00 $270.97 $1,685 -1.36
685–695 690 2 252.50–258.00 $255.27 $1,761 +7.28
820–838 832 3 222.00–234.00 $225.94 $1,880 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 265 1 255.00 $255.00 $676 —
300 300 1 225.00 $225.00 $675 —
365–370 368 2 205.00–255.00 $230.17 $847 —
445 445 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,112 +16.73
490–495 493 2 230.00–255.00 $242.56 $1,196 +1.74
503–545 516 6 205.00–250.00 $234.58 $1,210 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
120 unweaned 120 1 520.00 $520.00 —
175 unweaned 175 1 575.00 $575.00 —
250 unweaned 250 1 460.00 $460.00 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
150 unweaned 150 1 600.00 $600.00 -75.00
205 unweaned 205 1 600.00 $600.00 —
Small 4 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
420 420 1 600.00 $600.00 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260–275 268 3 240.00–275.00 $258.20 $692 —
280 unweaned 280 1 271.00 $271.00 $759 —
300–340 315 6 247.00–280.00 $267.40 $842 +6.38
350–370 361 4 240.00–270.00 $252.90 $913 -5.40
410–448 433 17 238.00–262.50 $249.34 $1,080 -14.02
450–495 475 25 230.00–248.00 $243.09 $1,155 +5.00
501–545 516 27 225.00–250.00 $242.00 $1,249 +10.58
550–595 564 14 220.00–252.00 $239.77 $1,352 +10.77
600–633 613 7 212.00–231.00 $224.98 $1,379 +1.25
695 695 1 201.00 $201.00 $1,397 -16.52
715–745 725 4 190.00–205.00 $198.06 $1,436 —
810 810 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,580 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 2 315.00 $315.00 $772 —
365 365 2 290.00 $290.00 $1,058 +5.00
375 unweaned 375 1 260.00 $260.00 $975 —
428 428 2 258.00 $258.00 $1,104 -23.75
460–490 475 3 257.50–260.00 $259.17 $1,231 -13.97
510 510 2 275.00 $275.00 $1,402 +4.90
611–630 615 8 230.00–240.00 $236.48 $1,454 +12.48
655 655 2 235.00 $235.00 $1,539 +3.30
760 760 2 216.00 $216.00 $1,642 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
105–145 unweaned 127 5 400.00–525.00 $455.51 +143.01
158 unweaned 158 2 550.00 $550.00 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 255 1 220.00 $220.00 $561 +8.00
320–338 332 3 230.00–240.00 $236.79 $786 —
415 415 2 217.50–220.00 $218.75 $908 -11.25
660 660 1 182.00 $182.00 $1,201 +19.00
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 4 155.00 $155.00 $512 —
350 350 1 135.00 $135.00 $472 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
140–143 unweaned 142 3 525.00–600.00 $549.65 —
Small 4 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
170 170 1 300.00 $300.00 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 1 245.00 $245.00 $772 —
405 405 5 255.00–280.00 $260.00 $1,053 -15.00
475–495 488 3 255.00–290.00 $266.35 $1,300 -30.65
500 500 1 262.00 $262.00 $1,310 -4.43
555–573 567 3 285.00–287.50 $286.68 $1,625 +59.07
638 638 2 249.00 $249.00 $1,589 +6.39
670 670 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,440 -23.40
750–760 755 2 172.00–222.50 $197.08 $1,488 +50.08
910–940 925 2 167.00–170.00 $168.48 $1,558 -2.53
1015 1015 1 161.00 $161.00 $1,634 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 unweaned 240 —— 1 315.00 $315.00 $756 —
435 435 —— 1 315.00 $315.00 $1,370 —
645–795 720 (<2 yrs)N/A 2 209.00–215.00 $211.69 $1,524 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
110–115 unweaned 113 2 475.00–530.00 $503.11 —
150–175 unweaned 163 2 535.00–550.00 $541.92 —
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
530 530 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,007 —
688 688 2 170.00 $170.00 $1,170 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
180 180 1 625.00 $625.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
940 940 80-85% 1 133.00 $133.00 $1,250 —
805–1410 1024 80-85% 21 112.00–126.00 $119.31 $1,222 -5.28
855–1187 1043 80-85% 18 114.00–129.00 $119.07 $1,242 +4.14
965–1335 1145 80-85% 6 138.00–143.00 $140.31 $1,607 +12.33
815–1390 1175 80-85% 34 127.00–137.00 $131.68 $1,547 +18.76
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
570–845 713 85-90% 3 75.00–82.00 $79.80 $569 -15.20
660–795 750 85-90% 3 92.00–94.00 $93.41 $701 —
710–905 840 85-90% 3 100.00–111.00 $104.23 $876 —
750–921 866 85-90% 7 90.00–96.50 $94.68 $820 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970–1435 1203 2 137.00–148.00 $141.44 $1,702 —
1024–1430 1227 2 124.00–132.00 $128.66 $1,579 —
1245–1675 1403 5 135.00–146.00 $140.24 $1,968 -0.77
1360–1820 1654 5 150.00–160.00 $154.51 $2,556 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
660–1015 916 (<2 yrs)Open 16 178.00–195.00 $183.44 $1,680
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
645–1057 836 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 8 145.00–175.00 $161.00 $1,346
715–968 847 (<2 yrs)Open 5 165.00–177.00 $169.20 $1,433
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
740 740 (<2 yrs)Open 1 132.00 $132.00 $977
898 898 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 125.00 $125.00 $1,122

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
725–870 798 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 1,025.00–1,100.00 $1,062.50
740–965 853 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 1,125.00–1,375.00 $1,250.00
Small 4 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
540–635 588 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 550.00–600.00 $575.00
660 660 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 775.00 $775.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1135 1135 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 142.00 $142.00 $1,612
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
945 945 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 1,025.00 $1,025.00

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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
750–840 795 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 1,200.00–1,250.00 $1,225.00 —
855 855 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,650.00 $1,650.00 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1180 1180 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 2,250.00 $2,250.00 +158.33

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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.