Cattle Market Pulse

Cattlemen's Livestock Auction Market Report

Belen, New Mexico · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, May 22, 2026

561 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $317.00/cwt ≈ $2,907/hd at 917 lb · 10 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $364.71/cwt -7.90 vs last sale · ≈ $2,247/hd at 616 lb · 10 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 561 521 571
Feeder cattle 349 280 287
Slaughter cattle 109 133 200
Replacement cattle 103 108 84

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Limited comparisons on all classes, Steer calves sold 5.00-10.00 lower, while no good comparisons on heifer calves. Feeder steers sold steady, with no good comparisons on feeder heifers. Slaughter cows and bulls sold steady to 3.00 lower. Trade and demand moderate.

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
190 unweaned 190 1 525.00 $525.00 $998 -10.00
230 unweaned 230 1 555.00 $555.00 $1,276 —
270 270 1 500.00 $500.00 $1,350 —
295 unweaned 295 2 500.00 $500.00 $1,475 —
355–390 373 8 460.00–480.00 $472.46 $1,762 -60.96
460–490 480 3 410.00–432.00 $424.97 $2,040 -40.70
500 500 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,900 -85.00
585 585 2 400.00 $400.00 $2,340 +4.20
595 595 1 310.00 $310.00 $1,844 -85.80
600–645 616 10 350.00–377.00 $364.71 $2,247 -7.90
650–690 661 6 348.00–370.00 $359.10 $2,374 +13.04
660–685 value added 673 2 380.00–385.00 $382.45 $2,574 —
705–725 716 5 320.00–335.00 $330.99 $2,370 —
763 763 2 329.00 $329.00 $2,510 -1.00
805–840 823 2 295.00–315.00 $304.79 $2,508 -5.21
900 900 1 280.00 $280.00 $2,520 —
1040 1040 1 227.00 $227.00 $2,361 —
1075 1075 1 225.00 $225.00 $2,419 —
1125 1125 1 210.00 $210.00 $2,362 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225 unweaned 225 1 610.00 $610.00 $1,372 +30.00
335 335 2 545.00 $545.00 $1,826 —
418 418 2 492.00 $492.00 $2,057 -113.00
463 463 2 462.00 $462.00 $2,139 —
500–515 506 5 440.00–461.00 $450.92 $2,282 -2.52
570 570 1 427.00 $427.00 $2,434 -8.00
650 650 1 420.00 $420.00 $2,730 +1.62
655 655 1 392.00 $392.00 $2,568 -26.38
705–740 721 8 375.00 $375.00 $2,704 —
755 755 1 375.00 $375.00 $2,831 +25.00
800–810 805 2 320.00–327.00 $323.48 $2,604 —
857–858 857 5 335.00–340.00 $338.00 $2,897 —
917 917 3 340.00 $340.00 $3,118 —
1345 1345 1 260.00 $260.00 $3,497 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 unweaned 325 1 355.00 $355.00 $1,154 —
330 330 1 405.00 $405.00 $1,336 —
380–395 384 4 410.00–445.00 $423.81 $1,627 -20.28
425–435 430 2 295.00–415.00 $355.70 $1,530 -67.68
470–498 484 7 345.00–375.00 $360.66 $1,746 -59.31
575 575 2 310.00 $310.00 $1,782 -80.00
635 635 2 330.00–347.50 $338.75 $2,151 -26.25
700 700 1 300.00 $300.00 $2,100 —
890 890 1 245.00 $245.00 $2,180 —
Small 4 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
362–390 369 4 1,000.00–1,300.00 $1,079.27 —
400–405 403 2 1,600.00 $1,600.00 -250.00
527 527 3 1,400.00 $1,400.00 -300.00
590 590 1 1,250.00 $1,250.00 —
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 1 310.00 $310.00 $1,504 —
590 590 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,357 —
650–660 655 2 175.00–240.00 $207.75 $1,361 +5.04
713 713 2 235.00 $235.00 $1,676 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
155–165 unweaned 160 2 950.00 $950.00 -100.00
200–210 unweaned 205 2 1,000.00–1,025.00 $1,012.80 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
595 595 1 242.00 $242.00 $1,440 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250 250 1 485.00 $485.00 $1,212 -47.57
343 343 2 460.00 $460.00 $1,578 —
370 unweaned 370 1 445.00 $445.00 $1,646 —
385 385 1 445.00 $445.00 $1,713 -21.70
465 465 2 382.00 $382.00 $1,776 -23.00
522–523 522 5 370.00–375.00 $373.00 $1,947 -19.46
575–585 580 2 337.00–360.00 $348.40 $2,021 -19.97
615–635 622 7 328.00–355.00 $334.45 $2,080 -19.33
650–675 663 4 300.00–332.00 $321.90 $2,134 +3.57
700 700 2 317.00 $317.00 $2,219 +7.00
820 820 1 260.00 $260.00 $2,132 -15.00
1000 1000 2 260.00 $260.00 $2,600 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
372 372 3 465.00 $465.00 $1,730 -21.41
750 750 1 320.00 $320.00 $2,400 +20.00
917 fancy 917 10 317.00 $317.00 $2,907 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,380 —
380 380 1 405.00 $405.00 $1,539 —
430 430 1 375.00 $375.00 $1,612 -25.00
490 490 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,715 -11.67
505–520 513 2 325.00–340.00 $332.39 $1,705 —
565–577 573 6 325.00–329.00 $327.33 $1,876 -27.67
700 700 2 275.00 $275.00 $1,925 -5.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
75 unweaned 75 1 600.00 $600.00 —
110–130 unweaned 117 3 650.00–700.00 $668.57 —
175–185 unweaned 178 3 850.00–1,025.00 $964.49 —
285 unweaned 285 1 475.00 $475.00 —
Small 4 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
345 345 1 1,300.00 $1,300.00 —
425 425 1 1,550.00 $1,550.00 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
480 480 1 390.00 $390.00 $1,872 -5.00
515 515 1 335.00 $335.00 $1,725 -10.00
583 583 2 390.00 $390.00 $2,274 +100.00
635 635 1 345.00 $345.00 $2,191 -20.00
650–680 663 5 295.00–345.00 $319.36 $2,117 —
720–730 725 2 325.00–330.00 $327.48 $2,374 —
775–790 783 3 235.00–275.00 $256.54 $2,009 —
810–820 815 2 250.00–285.00 $267.39 $2,179 —
1005 1005 1 207.00 $207.00 $2,080 —
1050 1050 1 210.00 $210.00 $2,205 —
1145 1145 1 195.00 $195.00 $2,233 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 325 1 515.00 $515.00 $1,674 —
438 438 2 447.00 $447.00 $1,958 —
456 456 4 475.00 $475.00 $2,166 +15.00
760 760 1 300.00 $300.00 $2,280 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425 425 1 305.00 $305.00 $1,296 —
490 490 1 200.00 $200.00 $980 —
685 685 2 175.00–232.00 $203.50 $1,394 -46.50
705–725 715 2 175.00–230.00 $202.12 $1,445 —
940 940 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,974 —
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
610 610 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,525 —
715 715 1 217.00 $217.00 $1,552 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
170 unweaned 170 1 775.00 $775.00 —
Small 4 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
480 480 1 1,450.00 $1,450.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
795 795 80-85% 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,272 —
1010 1010 80-85% 1 177.50 $177.50 $1,793 —
795–1320 1089 80-85% 13 150.00–163.00 $159.76 $1,740 -0.14
875–1520 1117 80-85% 27 163.00–175.00 $170.48 $1,904 —
1005–1485 1282 80-85% 19 164.50–176.00 $169.85 $2,177 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
680 680 85-90% 1 80.00 $80.00 $544 —
695–765 730 85-90% 2 147.00–152.00 $149.38 $1,090 +28.24
720–850 759 85-90% 4 102.00–112.00 $107.19 $814 —
809 809 85-90% 7 120.00 $120.00 $971 —
715–1000 846 85-90% 4 117.00–133.00 $125.05 $1,058 —
835–975 900 85-90% 11 142.00–155.00 $152.01 $1,368 —
880–975 923 85-90% 3 140.00–141.00 $140.33 $1,295 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1680 1680 75-80% 1 155.00 $155.00 $2,604 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1030 1030 1 196.00 $196.00 $2,019 —
1305–2335 1570 6 167.00–193.00 $183.39 $2,879 -18.55
1560–1940 1747 6 196.00–209.00 $201.67 $3,523 —
1690–2035 1837 3 210.00–212.00 $210.65 $3,870 -3.22

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
640–1020 759 (<2 yrs)Open 15 250.00–280.00 $267.73 $2,032
780 780 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 167.00 $167.00 $1,303
690–1275 936 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 22 200.00–255.00 $240.14 $2,248
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
735–956 902 (<2 yrs)Open 6 279.00–290.00 $281.83 $2,542

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
770–1170 939 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 4 2,500.00–3,000.00 $2,775.00
965 965 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,500.00–2,900.00 $2,700.00
1150 1150 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,200.00 $3,200.00
1060–1315 1169 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 4 2,600.00–3,100.00 $2,862.50
1185 1185 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,300.00 $2,300.00
1345–1355 1350 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,400.00–2,600.00 $2,500.00
1365–1545 1455 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 2,200.00–2,250.00 $2,225.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
956 956 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 247.00 $247.00 $2,361
835–1093 1007 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 159.00–175.50 $170.00 $1,712
1025–1545 1285 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 146.00–162.00 $154.00 $1,979
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
665–995 790 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 4 1,500.00–2,000.00 $1,800.00
855 855 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 975.00 $975.00
960 960 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 2,300.00 $2,300.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1045 1045 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 3,100.00 $3,100.00
1570 1570 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 2,850.00 $2,850.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1155 1155 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 1,700.00 $1,700.00

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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
798–995 870 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 5 2,500.00–3,400.00 $2,800.00 —
640–1165 903 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 2,500.00–3,500.00 $3,000.00 -316.67
795–1015 905 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 2,500.00–3,000.00 $2,750.00 -566.67
1075 1075 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 2,500.00 $2,500.00 -1,300.00
875–1345 1091 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 8 2,500.00–3,750.00 $3,006.25 -793.75
1175–1360 1257 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 3 2,500.00 $2,500.00 —
1445 1445 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 3,100.00 $3,100.00 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
925 925 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 4,050.00 $4,050.00 —
1010 1010 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 4,000.00 $4,000.00 —
1300 1300 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 3,450.00 $3,450.00 —
1220–1600 1410 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 2 3,550.00–4,200.00 $3,875.00 +12.50
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
780 780 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,800.00 $1,800.00 —

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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.