Cattle Market Pulse

Cattlemen's Livestock Auction Market Report

Belen, New Mexico · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, August 16, 2024

521 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $216.93/cwt -1.01 vs last sale · ≈ $1,471/hd at 678 lb · 16 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $263.83/cwt ≈ $1,005/hd at 381 lb · 14 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1 steers $308.04/cwt -6.09 vs last sale · ≈ $1,112/hd at 361 lb · 13 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 521 659 667
Feeder cattle 346 431 379
Slaughter cattle 111 123 159
Replacement cattle 64 105 129

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week; Steer and heifer calves sold 8.00-10.00 higher. Feeder steers had no accurate comparisons. Feeder heifers were steady to 2.00 lower. Slaughter cows and bull were 4.00-6.00 higher. Trade and demand good. ** THERE WILL BE NO INSPECTOR AVAILABLE AUGUST 23**

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
325–335 330 2 280.00–305.00 $292.69 $966 +5.45
355–390 370 4 260.00–305.00 $293.15 $1,085 +16.73
375 unweaned 375 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,069 —
425–440 435 3 257.00–275.00 $264.05 $1,149 -10.95
465–498 479 10 247.00–287.00 $272.51 $1,305 +7.10
505–535 514 5 247.00–270.00 $263.25 $1,353 -10.40
550–595 571 9 222.00–265.00 $252.95 $1,444 -18.10
600–648 632 7 220.00–242.00 $228.65 $1,445 -21.49
655–685 669 6 217.00–227.00 $221.98 $1,485 -28.12
700–747 734 7 205.00–230.00 $221.48 $1,626 -6.29
780 780 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,716 +0.73
808 808 2 212.00 $212.00 $1,713 -8.00
980 980 1 205.00 $205.00 $2,009 +41.49
1000 1000 2 187.00 $187.00 $1,870 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 value added 260 3 387.00 $387.00 $1,006 —
255–295 281 4 335.00–370.00 $356.44 $1,002 +6.44
305–325 315 2 345.00–355.00 $349.84 $1,102 +21.40
354–395 361 13 265.00–335.00 $308.04 $1,112 -6.09
425 425 2 300.00 $300.00 $1,275 -18.14
465–473 470 3 305.00–320.00 $315.06 $1,481 -13.76
917 917 5 197.00 $197.00 $1,806 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210 210 1 255.00 $255.00 $536 -3.06
340 340 1 245.00 $245.00 $833 +2.78
368–390 379 4 210.00–250.00 $220.29 $835 -10.25
400–415 408 2 235.00–245.00 $240.09 $980 —
485–495 491 4 205.00–242.00 $214.13 $1,051 —
500 500 2 202.00–212.00 $207.00 $1,035 -30.54
575–598 584 6 192.00–220.00 $207.44 $1,211 -22.44
615–633 629 4 195.00–200.00 $196.22 $1,234 -4.74
865 865 2 185.00 $185.00 $1,600 —
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
473–480 477 4 107.00–118.00 $114.73 $547 +4.73
530 530 1 107.00 $107.00 $567 -17.00
580 580 1 117.00 $117.00 $679 -0.06
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
165 unweaned 165 1 400.00 $400.00 -200.00
235 unweaned 235 1 600.00 $600.00 +30.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
130–140 unweaned 135 2 325.00–400.00 $361.11 —
Small 4 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
345 345 1 550.00 $550.00 -110.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
135 135 1 300.00 $300.00 $405 -10.00
210–225 217 3 280.00–310.00 $295.35 $641 -5.75
280 280 1 290.00 $290.00 $812 -10.00
305–345 326 4 265.00–280.00 $273.98 $893 +13.98
355–395 381 14 257.00–280.00 $263.83 $1,005 —
408–443 423 5 240.00 $240.00 $1,015 ±0.00
453–493 469 10 225.00–242.00 $234.63 $1,100 +2.63
517–540 527 12 220.00–242.00 $236.63 $1,247 +0.40
550–595 573 2 215.00–230.00 $222.21 $1,273 -2.75
605–625 617 3 215.00–247.00 $227.36 $1,403 -5.00
655–695 678 16 202.00–242.00 $216.93 $1,471 -1.01
715–723 721 4 192.00–200.00 $198.02 $1,428 -17.00
781–790 784 7 200.00–210.00 $207.12 $1,624 —
850 850 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,742 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 1 250.00 $250.00 $712 +30.00
375–380 378 2 240.00 $240.00 $907 +40.00
405 405 1 220.00 $220.00 $891 —
500–545 524 4 212.00–215.00 $212.72 $1,115 +12.72
575–595 585 2 202.00–212.00 $206.91 $1,210 +15.01
620–632 631 8 192.00–200.00 $192.98 $1,218 -17.02
653 653 2 187.00 $187.00 $1,221 -8.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–230 218 3 335.00–345.00 $339.81 $741 —
305–330 315 3 265.00–315.00 $293.62 $925 +3.96
439 439 7 251.00 $251.00 $1,102 -29.00
670–695 683 2 220.00–237.00 $228.66 $1,562 -3.34
773 773 3 240.00 $240.00 $1,855 —
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
680 680 2 105.00 $105.00 $714 +6.90

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 unweaned 280 1 160.00 $160.00 $448 —
500 500 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,250 —
553 553 3 175.00 $175.00 $968 -63.25
610–625 618 2 160.00–195.00 $177.29 $1,096 -25.63
695 695 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,390 -21.41
730 730 1 223.00 $223.00 $1,628 +5.53
785 785 1 177.00 $177.00 $1,389 —
860 860 1 153.00 $153.00 $1,316 -27.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
120 unweaned 120 1 525.00 $525.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
810–1115 964 80-85% 8 140.00–149.00 $143.77 $1,386 +13.41
815–1430 1051 80-85% 20 126.00–137.00 $132.15 $1,389 —
975–1150 1063 80-85% 2 127.00–134.00 $130.21 $1,384 —
800–1355 1127 80-85% 38 136.00–146.00 $139.92 $1,577 +0.59
1060–1255 1173 80-85% 3 147.00–149.00 $147.71 $1,733 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
610–670 640 85-90% 2 83.00–90.00 $86.66 $555 -3.30
660–935 798 85-90% 2 101.00–105.00 $102.66 $819 -16.18
780–875 828 85-90% 3 105.00–110.00 $107.30 $888 -7.20
875 875 85-90% 1 128.50 $128.50 $1,124 +7.29
685–1310 902 85-90% 16 116.00–125.00 $121.04 $1,092 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1380 1380 75-80% 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,932 —
1975 1975 75-80% 1 124.00 $124.00 $2,449 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1548 1233 6 134.00–147.00 $137.65 $1,697 —
1355–1685 1518 6 155.50–160.00 $157.83 $2,396 +9.43
1455–1900 1651 8 161.00–169.00 $164.51 $2,716 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
485–815 687 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 12 150.00–175.00 $162.25 $1,115
635–950 745 (<2 yrs)Open 14 170.00–185.00 $180.29 $1,343
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
755–910 819 (<2 yrs)Open 5 190.00–195.00 $192.40 $1,576

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
725 725 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,232
860 860 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,290
975 975 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,462
980 980 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,421
990 990 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 157.00 $157.00 $1,554
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
525 525 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 650.00 $650.00
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
606 606 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 117.00 $117.00 $709

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1130–1280 1161 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 5 2,225.00–2,600.00 $2,345.00 -343.89
1165 1165 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 2,600.00 $2,600.00 -88.89
1170 1170 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 2,000.00 $2,000.00 -688.89
1230 1230 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 2,750.00 $2,750.00 —
1290 1290 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,800.00 $1,800.00 —
1315 1315 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 2,100.00 $2,100.00 -487.50
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
975 975 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,700.00 $1,700.00 -680.56
715–1215 1025 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 6 1,725.00–2,025.00 $1,916.67 —
1155 1155 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,725.00 $1,725.00 —
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
975 975 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,400.00 $1,400.00 —

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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.