Cattle Market Pulse

Ash Flat Livestock Auction Market Report

Ash Flat, Arkansas · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, April 30, 2021

402 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 bulls $139.65/cwt +1.15 vs last sale · ≈ $707/hd at 506 lb · 11 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $134.30/cwt +1.30 vs last sale · ≈ $647/hd at 482 lb · 10 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 2 heifers $141.12/cwt +8.73 vs last sale · ≈ $527/hd at 373 lb · 10 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 402 626 1,002
Feeder cattle 336 543 876
Slaughter cattle 30 63 126
Replacement cattle 36 20 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, heavy rains and flooding this week across the area contributed to muddy conditions and a lighter than usual run of cattle. Feeder steers traded mostly steady on the few comparisons available from last week. Feeder bulls were mostly uneven. Feeder heifers traded mostly even with the exception of the light fleshed weaned cattle that brought a premium of 5.00 to 10.00. Slaughter cows were 2.00 to 8.00 lower and slaughter bulls were 2.00 to 7.00 lower both on short supply.

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
325 325 1 171.00 $171.00 $556 —
405–430 418 2 140.00–155.00 $147.28 $616 —
438–448 443 6 161.00–165.00 $163.02 $722 —
505–537 533 8 145.00–150.00 $149.41 $796 +14.53
540 540 1 130.00 $130.00 $702 -4.88
630 630 1 140.00 $140.00 $882 -4.80
875 875 1 110.00 $110.00 $962 —
1200 1200 1 110.00 $110.00 $1,320 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
377 value added 377 3 178.00 $178.00 $671 —
380 380 1 140.00 $140.00 $532 +15.00
405 405 1 150.00 $150.00 $608 -0.04
435 value added 435 2 160.00 $160.00 $696 —
465–498 487 4 135.00–142.00 $137.94 $672 +1.86
600 600 1 124.00 $124.00 $744 -4.05
875 875 1 90.00 $90.00 $788 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
423 423 3 160.00 $160.00 $677 —
455 455 4 150.00 $150.00 $682 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
540 540 1 90.00 $90.00 $486 —
615–635 625 2 90.00 $90.00 $562 ±0.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 thin fleshed 290 1 155.00 $155.00 $450 -3.00
298 value added 298 3 160.00 $160.00 $477 —
325–340 thin fleshed 332 3 140.00–145.00 $141.71 $470 -4.29
355–385 thin fleshed 365 4 140.00–145.00 $142.53 $520 +6.01
360–390 372 3 130.00–131.00 $130.35 $485 +4.16
385 value added 385 3 150.00 $150.00 $578 —
410–445 422 3 130.00–135.00 $131.62 $555 +8.58
450–475 464 6 125.00–135.00 $130.68 $606 +6.81
510–515 thin fleshed 513 2 130.00–135.00 $132.49 $680 —
565–580 573 2 115.00–125.00 $120.07 $688 +5.11
640 640 1 100.00 $100.00 $640 -15.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315–330 322 3 146.00–155.00 $151.60 $488 +0.59
365 365 1 140.00 $140.00 $511 -4.01
400–430 thin fleshed 415 2 146.00–150.00 $147.93 $614 —
400–445 421 6 140.00–145.00 $140.81 $593 +0.26
465–488 480 8 135.00–140.00 $136.00 $653 +3.00
485–490 488 2 125.00–130.00 $127.51 $622 -5.49
500–540 520 3 130.00–135.00 $133.27 $693 +3.98
540 540 1 120.00 $120.00 $648 -2.93
590 590 1 120.00 $120.00 $708 ±0.00
605 605 1 130.00 $130.00 $786 +7.14
700 700 1 120.00 $120.00 $840 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415–440 427 3 110.00–120.00 $115.04 $491 +5.04
475 475 1 110.00 $110.00 $522 —
500 500 1 110.00 $110.00 $550 +14.86
570 570 1 85.00 $85.00 $484 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 1 170.00 $170.00 $544 -17.75
400–420 410 3 150.00–160.00 $154.28 $633 -0.47
465–470 468 3 151.00–154.00 $151.99 $711 +2.37
500–540 505 10 140.00–143.00 $140.62 $710 -1.58
515 515 1 130.00 $130.00 $670 -12.20
595 595 1 135.00 $135.00 $803 -0.27
645 645 1 138.00 $138.00 $890 +7.00
730 730 1 118.00 $118.00 $861 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 153.00 $153.00 $513 +3.00
415 thin fleshed 415 1 148.00 $148.00 $614 —
460–480 470 5 140.00–147.00 $143.39 $674 +6.34
605–620 613 2 120.00–122.00 $120.99 $742 —
725 725 1 110.00 $110.00 $798 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
530–540 535 2 115.00 $115.00 $615 —
610 610 1 90.00 $90.00 $549 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
480 480 85-90% 1 30.00 $30.00 $144 —
745 745 85-90% 1 48.00 $48.00 $358 +1.17
740–810 775 85-90% 2 30.00–34.00 $31.91 $247 —
815–895 843 85-90% 3 55.00–58.00 $56.29 $475 +2.79
995 995 85-90% 1 44.00 $44.00 $438 -15.91
985–1140 1056 85-90% 4 46.00–54.00 $51.20 $541 —
1140–1240 1190 85-90% 2 57.00 $57.00 $678 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060–1321 1205 80-85% 6 62.50–64.00 $62.81 $757 +7.31
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1355–1410 1383 75-80% 2 62.00–64.00 $63.02 $872 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1240–1390 1315 2 65.00–72.50 $68.54 $901 —
1270–1700 1485 2 90.00–90.50 $90.29 $1,341 +18.96
1200–2035 1580 5 82.50–85.00 $83.96 $1,327 -11.38

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
990 990 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 66.00 $66.00 $653

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1000–1200 1120 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 5 825.00–1,275.00 $1,085.76
1000–1250 1138 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 4 650.00–800.00 $716.76
1200 1200 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 725.00 $725.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
960 960 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 58.00 $58.00 $557
1110–1290 1196 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 4 60.00–67.00 $62.98 $753
1335–1580 1458 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 64.00–67.00 $65.63 $957

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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
850 850 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 625.00 $625.00 —
700–1050 875 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 695.00–935.00 $839.00 —
850–1100 933 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 925.00–1,000.00 $954.46 —
1100–1400 1250 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,150.00–1,250.00 $1,206.00 —

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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.