Cattle Market Pulse

Ash Flat Livestock Auction Market Report

Ash Flat, Arkansas · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, August 20, 2021

951 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 $161.65/cwt +7.00 vs last sale · ≈ $850/hd at 526 lb · 35 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $145.88/cwt +5.35 vs last sale · ≈ $774/hd at 531 lb · 25 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $157.61/cwt +7.61 vs last sale · ≈ $886/hd at 562 lb · 25 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 951 1,326 977
Feeder cattle 786 992 834
Slaughter cattle 100 249 108
Replacement cattle 65 85 35

Market comments — USDA reporter

No comparison is available to last week due to absence of reporter, but compared to two weeks ago feeder steers under 600 lbs traded 2.00 to 7.00 higher with a few instances as much as 10.00 higher, steers over 600 lbs were not well tested but strong demand was noted. Feeder heifers were mostly steady to 2.00 higher. Feeder bulls traded 3.00 to as much as 10.00 higher from two weeks ago. Slaughter cows were 2.00 to 7.00 lower and slaughter bulls were 5.00 lower. There was a good demand on the feeder cattle today with a good supply of quality cattle that were attractive to the buyers.

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
340 340 3 185.00 $185.00 $629 —
420 value added 420 1 193.00 $193.00 $811 —
405–438 429 14 162.00–181.00 $177.11 $760 +16.12
450–485 472 13 160.00–170.00 $165.02 $779 +2.89
500–545 526 35 150.00–168.00 $161.65 $850 +7.00
553–595 562 25 150.00–163.00 $157.61 $886 +17.61
600–645 618 16 145.00–161.00 $151.46 $936 -0.57
625 625 2 142.00 $142.00 $888 -10.03
650–680 665 6 140.00–151.00 $144.85 $963 -2.93
700–725 707 5 135.00–143.50 $141.10 $998 —
745 745 1 130.00 $130.00 $968 —
755–790 771 4 137.00–145.00 $139.73 $1,077 —
832 832 3 130.00 $130.00 $1,082 -9.50
885 885 2 127.50 $127.50 $1,128 —
930 930 1 133.00 $133.00 $1,237 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 155.00 $155.00 $604 ±0.00
405–435 423 6 142.00–160.00 $147.24 $623 -0.59
450–490 471 7 140.00–154.00 $145.87 $687 +1.93
505 thin fleshed 505 1 151.00 $151.00 $763 —
500–545 521 12 130.00–149.00 $140.29 $731 -0.38
550–570 558 4 130.00–150.00 $137.53 $767 -7.47
600–625 613 6 140.00 $140.00 $858 +3.37
685 685 1 130.00 $130.00 $890 +1.50
720 720 1 120.00 $120.00 $864 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
302 302 3 120.00 $120.00 $362 —
430 430 1 125.00 $125.00 $538 ±0.00
455 455 1 120.00 $120.00 $546 +20.00
525 525 1 120.00 $120.00 $630 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
573 573 3 147.50 $147.50 $845 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 1 155.00 $155.00 $465 -8.87
363–390 372 7 147.00–158.00 $153.71 $572 +1.47
414–440 419 15 145.00–155.00 $149.53 $627 +1.32
450–495 461 13 141.00–154.00 $149.34 $688 +1.46
485 value added 485 4 153.00 $153.00 $742 —
498 fancy 498 5 151.00 $151.00 $752 —
505 505 1 135.00 $135.00 $682 -6.62
510–545 531 23 139.00–150.50 $146.17 $776 +11.68
545 fancy 545 1 150.00 $150.00 $818 —
555–585 575 7 130.00–140.00 $137.47 $790 -0.07
613–640 623 7 135.00–142.50 $140.34 $874 +18.05
705 705 1 130.00 $130.00 $916 +10.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 thin fleshed 290 2 160.00 $160.00 $464 —
315 315 1 140.00 $140.00 $441 ±0.00
350–395 376 6 125.00–140.00 $130.08 $489 -6.92
405–445 432 10 130.00–140.00 $133.80 $578 -1.20
450–478 thin fleshed 473 8 135.00–145.00 $138.09 $653 —
450–495 473 5 120.00–130.00 $126.42 $598 -1.40
505–540 521 6 130.00–135.00 $132.54 $691 +5.25
530 thin fleshed 530 1 134.00 $134.00 $710 —
620 620 1 129.00 $129.00 $800 +14.00
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 123.00 $123.00 $412 +4.00
355–395 382 3 110.00–120.00 $113.10 $432 —
430 430 1 85.00 $85.00 $366 -35.00
450 450 1 90.00 $90.00 $405 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–375 362 3 160.00–170.00 $166.73 $604 +0.73
410–435 422 12 155.00–173.00 $163.40 $690 -2.76
450–480 461 7 150.00–170.00 $161.47 $744 +10.91
500–540 515 17 141.00–159.00 $151.25 $779 +6.79
550–595 570 7 138.00–155.00 $145.83 $831 +8.00
600–610 605 2 135.00–140.00 $137.48 $832 +3.62
665–685 673 3 131.00–136.00 $133.32 $897 —
740 740 1 120.00 $120.00 $888 —
800 800 1 110.00 $110.00 $880 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–305 303 5 149.00–155.00 $151.40 $459 —
360–380 372 3 155.00–158.00 $156.02 $580 +15.26
365–390 thin fleshed 372 7 157.00–165.00 $158.62 $590 +3.62
400–445 428 6 140.00–155.00 $151.15 $647 +9.17
470–485 479 4 130.00–147.00 $136.49 $654 -3.51
505–545 527 11 123.00–138.00 $130.76 $689 -3.22
560 thin fleshed 560 1 135.00 $135.00 $756 —
575–595 586 5 125.00–135.00 $130.39 $764 +2.82
605–640 thin fleshed 617 3 130.00–136.00 $133.92 $826 —
633–635 633 5 120.00–130.00 $127.99 $810 +11.82
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
560 560 3 146.00 $146.00 $818 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
840–880 860 85-90% 2 40.00 $40.00 $344 —
860 860 85-90% 2 55.00–65.00 $60.00 $516 —
910–1060 970 85-90% 3 40.00–45.00 $43.18 $419 —
1025 1025 85-90% 1 32.50 $32.50 $333 —
965–1295 1101 85-90% 13 54.00–69.00 $59.82 $659 -5.17
935–1220 1111 85-90% 6 47.50–54.00 $51.99 $578 -13.00
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1105–1300 1208 80-85% 5 58.00–62.50 $61.14 $739 —
940–1395 1245 80-85% 8 64.50–72.00 $67.83 $844 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1200 1200 75-80% 1 62.50 $62.50 $750 —
1315–1705 1471 75-80% 4 65.00–69.50 $67.49 $993 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
805 805 1 65.00 $65.00 $523 —
1105 1105 1 75.00 $75.00 $829 —
1030–1955 1450 18 80.00–92.50 $87.29 $1,266 —
1640–2132 1785 7 94.00–100.00 $95.87 $1,711 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1180 1180 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 70.00 $70.00 $826

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
750 thin fleshed 750 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 550.00 $550.00
900 900 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 650.00 $650.00
1075 1075 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 1,160.00 $1,160.00
1200 1200 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 785.00 $785.00
950–1750 1212 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 34 550.00–1,135.00 $869.83
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1100–1230 1165 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 67.00 $67.00 $781
1145–1350 1257 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 3 63.50–69.00 $65.72 $826

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
800 800 (<2 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 775.00 $775.00
875 875 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,100.00 $1,100.00

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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
1050 1050 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,025.00 $1,025.00 —

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Heifer Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
800 800 (<2 yrs)Open 1 960.00 $960.00 —

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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.