Cattle Market Pulse

Arkansas Cattle Auction LLC Market Report

Searcy, Arkansas · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, May 18, 2021

401 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Arkansas Cattle Auction LLC report →

light 4-weight M&L 1 bulls $146.08/cwt -12.25 vs last sale · ≈ $643/hd at 440 lb · 14 head
light 4-weight M&L 2 heifers $132.85/cwt +0.29 vs last sale · ≈ $548/hd at 412 lb · 13 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $151.00/cwt +6.70 vs last sale · ≈ $879/hd at 582 lb · 12 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 401 1,072 696
Feeder cattle 314 808 541
Slaughter cattle 62 146 105
Replacement cattle 25 118 50

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and bulls under 500 lb sold 2.00 to 7.00 higher, over 500 lb were mostly 5.00 higher. Feeder heifers under 500 lb sold steady , over 500 lb were 2.00 to 4.00 higher. Slaughter cows and bulls sold steady. Supply was light due to heavy rainfall in the area, demand was strong.

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
265–285 277 5 195.00–212.50 $202.45 $561 +18.16
310–345 330 3 170.00–197.50 $185.57 $612 +3.98
355–390 375 6 161.00–187.50 $170.37 $639 +2.63
400–440 425 3 170.00–174.00 $171.36 $728 +6.80
460–485 475 4 155.00–168.00 $161.41 $767 -5.11
500–535 513 3 147.00–160.00 $151.43 $777 -3.46
573–589 582 12 151.00 $151.00 $879 +6.70
605 605 2 148.00 $148.00 $895 +9.87
665–692 685 4 143.00–144.00 $143.24 $981 +13.15
735 735 1 135.00 $135.00 $992 -1.01
755 755 1 124.00 $124.00 $936 -1.01
800 800 1 109.00 $109.00 $872 -5.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 thin fleshed 300 1 160.00 $160.00 $480 ±0.00
325–335 330 2 155.00–160.00 $157.46 $520 —
395 thin fleshed 395 1 157.00 $157.00 $620 -15.47
425 thin fleshed 425 2 153.00 $153.00 $650 —
455–495 475 2 147.50 $147.50 $701 +6.25
550–565 558 4 137.00–140.00 $138.48 $773 +7.49
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
500 500 3 141.00 $141.00 $705 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 180.00 $180.00 $414 —
280–295 290 3 165.00–170.00 $166.61 $483 +7.61
315–345 328 4 135.00–150.00 $143.14 $469 -14.36
365 365 4 147.50 $147.50 $538 +3.86
405–430 412 5 134.00–147.50 $137.90 $568 +0.56
400–440 423 3 120.00–123.00 $121.02 $512 -16.32
470–480 474 4 125.00–132.00 $128.99 $611 +4.46
475 475 1 120.00 $120.00 $570 -27.50
500–540 524 8 122.00–131.00 $125.71 $659 -1.91
550–590 578 6 123.00–127.00 $126.16 $729 +3.46
600–640 624 5 118.00–128.00 $122.00 $761 +2.54
650–695 657 7 121.00–124.00 $123.26 $810 +3.51
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275 thin fleshed 275 2 170.00 $170.00 $468 —
330 330 1 130.00 $130.00 $429 ±0.00
350–390 368 4 130.00–140.00 $135.10 $497 +0.10
365–393 thin fleshed 379 4 132.50–135.00 $133.70 $507 -2.30
400 400 2 137.50 $137.50 $550 +8.87
410 410 1 124.00 $124.00 $508 -4.63
407–432 thin fleshed 415 10 128.00–135.00 $132.81 $551 -5.65
485 485 1 119.00 $119.00 $577 -8.35
480–491 thin fleshed 489 7 125.00–130.00 $127.14 $622 —
500–540 523 9 110.00–127.00 $121.91 $638 +0.72
560–580 570 2 107.00–118.00 $112.60 $642 -5.40
615 615 1 112.50 $112.50 $692 —
625 thin fleshed 625 4 122.00 $122.00 $762 —
720 720 1 111.00 $111.00 $799 +11.00
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400–430 415 2 97.50–110.00 $103.52 $430 -6.48
535 535 1 115.00 $115.00 $615 —
550 550 1 104.00 $104.00 $572 —
610 610 1 104.00 $104.00 $634 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
654 654 4 124.00 $124.00 $811 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 178.00 $178.00 $552 +20.50
365–370 366 4 149.00–172.50 $162.83 $596 +7.08
415–445 440 9 145.00–154.00 $152.23 $670 +22.23
441 441 5 135.00 $135.00 $595 +5.00
460–495 483 10 150.00–154.00 $152.73 $738 +0.02
485 485 1 129.00 $129.00 $626 -23.71
520 520 2 120.00–135.00 $127.50 $663 -17.05
515–530 523 3 141.00–147.00 $144.66 $757 +17.66
585 585 1 135.00 $135.00 $790 -5.00
600–645 625 3 127.00–132.00 $128.94 $806 -2.32
680 680 1 125.00 $125.00 $850 +5.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 152.50 $152.50 $473 +15.90
335 thin fleshed 335 2 190.00 $190.00 $636 +39.00
355 355 1 142.50 $142.50 $506 +11.16
425–440 435 3 135.00–145.00 $141.74 $617 +2.47
490 thin fleshed 490 1 150.00 $150.00 $735 -5.03
500–545 523 3 120.00–135.00 $129.89 $679 -8.42
550–585 568 2 110.00–135.00 $122.89 $698 -12.11
705 705 1 103.00 $103.00 $726 -7.00
813 813 3 100.00 $100.00 $813 ±0.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
408 408 3 159.00 $159.00 $649 —
553 553 4 135.00 $135.00 $747 -16.00
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440 440 1 115.00 $115.00 $506 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
735 735 85-90% 1 45.00 $45.00 $331 —
840 840 85-90% 1 55.00 $55.00 $462 —
830–1070 938 85-90% 6 51.00–58.00 $55.10 $517 —
985 985 85-90% 1 29.00 $29.00 $286 -33.12
880–1155 1030 85-90% 4 60.00–64.00 $62.45 $643 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
995 995 80-85% 1 58.00 $58.00 $577 —
910–1260 1129 80-85% 10 60.00–70.00 $65.08 $735 +4.36
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1475–1930 1610 75-80% 4 60.00–71.00 $63.81 $1,027 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1235–1970 1669 6 74.00–86.00 $82.61 $1,379 —
1755–1965 1861 4 91.00–96.00 $93.53 $1,741 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
760 760 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 72.00 $72.00 $547
770–875 828 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 5 56.00–71.00 $62.95 $521
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
720 720 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 600.00 $600.00

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
915 915 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 550.00 $550.00
795–1210 981 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 4 510.00–800.00 $697.03
1035–1160 1117 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 925.00–1,200.00 $1,073.88
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
910–1130 1055 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 4 58.00–78.00 $66.67 $703

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
890 890 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 860.00 $860.00

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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
900 900 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 825.00 $825.00 -50.00
950–1000 975 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,100.00–1,475.00 $1,292.31 —

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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.