Cattle Market Pulse

Ash Flat Livestock Auction Market Report

Ash Flat, Arkansas · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, March 26, 2021

1,356 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Ash Flat Livestock Auction report →

light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $154.98/cwt +3.09 vs last sale · ≈ $817/hd at 528 lb · 32 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $142.72/cwt +5.99 vs last sale · ≈ $607/hd at 425 lb · 20 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $129.11/cwt +0.83 vs last sale · ≈ $675/hd at 522 lb · 19 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,356 697 499
Feeder cattle 970 637 379
Slaughter cattle 186 40 80
Replacement cattle 200 20 40

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week feeder steers traded mostly steady with some offerings of lighter fleshed weaned steers trading 5.00 to 10.00 higher. Feeder heifers under 500 lbs were 2.00 to 7.00 higher while those over 500 lbs remained mostly steady. Feeder bulls were 5.00 to 9.00 higher. Slaughter cows traded steady to 4.00 higher, slaughter bulls were 3.00 to 7.00 higher.

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
355–390 378 3 162.00–166.00 $164.75 $623 +6.75
415 415 1 145.00 $145.00 $602 -14.67
410–430 423 5 155.00–161.00 $159.82 $676 +0.15
470 470 1 145.00 $145.00 $682 -12.49
455–490 471 9 156.00–162.00 $158.46 $746 +0.97
522 value added 522 10 161.50 $161.50 $843 —
500–541 530 22 148.00–153.50 $152.01 $806 +0.12
560 560 1 154.00 $154.00 $862 +8.00
610–630 616 10 142.00–149.00 $145.51 $896 -2.89
655–673 665 9 140.00–146.00 $142.77 $949 +13.10
710 value added 710 1 141.00 $141.00 $1,001 —
735 735 1 127.00 $127.00 $933 -3.00
750 value added 750 1 134.00 $134.00 $1,005 —
750–760 755 2 121.00–125.00 $123.01 $929 —
800–820 807 3 124.00–125.00 $124.34 $1,003 +3.34
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–395 387 12 140.00–158.00 $151.14 $585 +11.06
405 405 1 143.00 $143.00 $579 +2.92
405–420 thin fleshed 411 4 157.00–161.00 $158.52 $652 —
450–485 472 7 134.50–146.00 $137.42 $649 -4.95
475 thin fleshed 475 1 150.00 $150.00 $712 —
500–535 515 10 131.00–143.00 $136.64 $704 +10.64
560–580 570 2 130.00 $130.00 $741 +9.33
603–640 610 13 120.00–129.00 $126.42 $771 +8.42
660–690 675 2 129.00–130.00 $129.49 $874 +11.99
720 720 1 113.00 $113.00 $814 —
820 820 1 100.00 $100.00 $820 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
468 468 7 146.00 $146.00 $683 —
485 value added 485 10 157.50 $157.50 $764 —
507 507 6 130.00 $130.00 $659 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400–430 407 7 130.00 $130.00 $529 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 2 153.00 $153.00 $436 —
300–340 324 6 141.00–153.00 $147.94 $479 —
375–385 382 3 136.00–144.00 $140.33 $536 +1.82
385 385 1 130.00 $130.00 $500 -8.51
400–440 424 9 134.00–146.00 $143.82 $610 +7.09
425 425 1 125.00 $125.00 $531 -11.73
426 value added 426 10 143.50 $143.50 $611 —
455–490 469 8 130.00–143.00 $135.61 $636 +2.66
500–543 521 15 125.00–137.00 $129.07 $672 -0.42
523 thin fleshed 523 2 138.00 $138.00 $722 —
530–535 533 2 120.00–121.00 $120.50 $642 -8.99
560–590 573 5 122.00–126.00 $123.82 $709 -2.86
605–615 610 2 120.00–123.00 $121.51 $741 +0.70
665 665 1 115.00 $115.00 $765 +3.03
670 670 1 120.00 $120.00 $804 +8.03
705 705 1 100.00 $100.00 $705 -14.95
740–745 743 2 110.00–115.00 $112.49 $836 -2.46
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 1 131.00 $131.00 $367 -9.00
319 thin fleshed 319 12 144.00 $144.00 $459 —
330–345 335 5 115.00–130.00 $126.96 $425 -13.04
350 thin fleshed 350 1 139.00 $139.00 $486 +5.46
375–395 386 9 120.00–134.00 $125.33 $484 -4.15
400–440 thin fleshed 421 6 130.00–136.00 $133.20 $561 —
415–445 433 5 115.00–120.00 $116.94 $506 -3.87
475 thin fleshed 475 1 133.00 $133.00 $632 +3.00
480–485 483 2 120.00–125.00 $122.51 $592 +2.26
510–540 523 7 110.00–120.00 $112.13 $586 -4.06
535 thin fleshed 535 1 120.00 $120.00 $642 —
555–585 570 2 110.00–115.00 $112.43 $641 -7.57
611–640 619 9 105.00–115.00 $111.53 $690 +1.03
665–690 678 2 105.00–110.00 $107.45 $729 -5.13
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
284 284 10 143.00 $143.00 $406 —
557 value added 557 12 125.50 $125.50 $699 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325–335 329 7 161.00–167.00 $164.73 $542 —
355–395 378 5 155.00–165.00 $160.65 $607 +5.65
400 400 1 140.00 $140.00 $560 -8.56
405–445 432 8 145.00–165.00 $153.14 $662 +4.58
453–495 467 9 147.00–158.00 $153.00 $715 +8.19
525–540 534 7 137.00–153.00 $149.85 $800 +7.81
550–580 559 4 138.00–145.00 $141.72 $792 +9.41
605–620 613 2 131.00–135.00 $133.02 $815 +7.30
735 735 2 118.00 $118.00 $867 —
750 750 1 116.00 $116.00 $870 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–320 313 2 155.00 $155.00 $485 +5.00
355–390 372 3 140.00–151.00 $145.40 $541 -1.16
405–445 424 11 130.00–143.00 $131.80 $559 —
435 thin fleshed 435 1 152.00 $152.00 $661 —
470–480 473 3 126.00–139.00 $131.63 $623 -3.26
505–520 thin fleshed 510 3 134.00–143.00 $138.29 $705 —
505–545 525 2 120.00–133.00 $126.25 $663 +2.06
640 640 1 120.00 $120.00 $768 —
677 677 3 100.00 $100.00 $677 —
675–685 680 2 109.00–114.00 $111.48 $758 —
775 775 1 112.00 $112.00 $868 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
720–760 740 85-90% 2 20.00–25.00 $22.43 $166 —
790 790 85-90% 1 45.00 $45.00 $356 —
780–805 793 85-90% 2 45.00–47.00 $46.02 $365 —
845–870 858 85-90% 2 49.00–52.00 $50.48 $433 —
910–950 928 85-90% 3 35.00–40.00 $38.34 $356 +13.34
920–1160 1046 85-90% 10 42.50–51.00 $46.83 $490 —
925–1325 1146 85-90% 10 52.00–61.00 $56.62 $649 +14.26
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1135–1150 1143 80-85% 2 58.00–59.00 $58.50 $669 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1250 1250 75-80% 1 53.00 $53.00 $662 —
1325 1325 75-80% 1 60.00 $60.00 $795 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1265–1815 1603 6 74.00–81.00 $77.42 $1,241 —
1755–2150 1974 4 82.50–90.00 $87.12 $1,720 —

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
708 708 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 59.00 $59.00 $418
860 860 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 59.00 $59.00 $507

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
900–1100 1014 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 11 575.00–1,050.00 $892.51
1000–1225 1108 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 35 650.00–925.00 $789.93
1150 1150 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 5 825.00 $825.00
800–1400 1180 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 49 650.00–1,150.00 $860.89
1200 1200 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 500.00 $500.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1035 1035 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 53.50 $53.50 $554

↑ Back to top

Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1000 1000 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,700.00 $1,700.00 +200.00
1050 1050 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 925.00 $925.00 —
1150 1150 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,325.00 $1,325.00 —
1100–1250 1167 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 3 1,000.00–1,075.00 $1,035.00 —
1200 1200 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 4 1,010.00 $1,010.00 —
1200 1200 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,475.00 $1,475.00 —
1100–1350 1225 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 24 1,035.00–1,510.00 $1,302.12 —
1250 1250 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 7 1,475.00 $1,475.00 —
1250 1250 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,450.00 $1,450.00 —

↑ Back to top

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.