Cattle Market Pulse

Ash Flat Livestock Auction Market Report

Ash Flat, Arkansas · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, October 14, 2022

1,066 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $137.83/cwt +6.17 vs last sale · ≈ $722/hd at 524 lb · 34 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $160.51/cwt +0.47 vs last sale · ≈ $923/hd at 575 lb · 29 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $154.68/cwt -2.13 vs last sale · ≈ $808/hd at 522 lb · 26 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,066 1,114 1,155
Feeder cattle 899 943 1,014
Slaughter cattle 117 111 111
Replacement cattle 50 60 30

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers under 550 lbs traded 4.00 to 8.00 lower, steers over 500 lbs were mostly steady. Feeder heifers under 500 lbs were steady to 4.00 lower while heifers over 500 lbs traded 2.00 to 7.00 lower. Slaughter cows traded 2.00 to 7.00 lower and slaughter bulls were 5.00 lower. Supply was good on feeders however most of the run consisted of short weaned or un-weaned and fleshy cattle that buyers discounted heavily. Extreme drought conditions in the area and fall temperature swings have buyers hesitant to purchase new crop bawlers that moved the market lower on most all ranges of feeders.

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
360–365 363 2 176.00–180.00 $177.99 $646 —
375–380 378 2 151.00–157.00 $153.98 $582 —
400–445 422 5 160.00–182.00 $170.88 $721 -4.05
435–445 440 2 150.00–155.00 $152.47 $671 -4.23
455–495 482 10 150.00–165.00 $156.01 $752 -10.65
500–530 518 3 130.00–148.00 $140.90 $730 -17.46
505–545 523 23 150.00–171.00 $156.48 $818 -1.88
550–595 575 29 148.00–167.00 $160.51 $923 -0.78
605–645 626 12 140.00–156.00 $153.24 $959 +0.99
650–695 673 2 150.00–154.00 $151.93 $1,022 +1.61
725 725 1 130.00 $130.00 $942 -32.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 255 1 165.00 $165.00 $421 —
320–335 328 2 140.00–165.00 $152.79 $501 -6.20
405–445 425 4 140.00–150.00 $143.60 $610 +0.33
450–495 476 7 130.00–155.00 $141.45 $673 +2.37
510–548 532 9 135.00–140.00 $138.67 $738 -3.82
545 545 1 120.00 $120.00 $654 -22.49
550 550 1 120.00 $120.00 $660 -22.43
560–570 564 6 130.00–144.00 $134.01 $756 -8.42
675 675 2 130.00–140.00 $135.00 $911 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
515 515 4 145.00 $145.00 $747 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–385 375 2 130.00–146.00 $137.79 $517 -4.21
420–445 433 2 120.00–130.00 $124.86 $541 -12.03
440 440 1 150.00 $150.00 $660 +13.11
465–495 480 6 120.00–130.00 $126.35 $606 -4.63
485 485 1 140.00 $140.00 $679 +9.02
513 fancy 513 5 147.00 $147.00 $754 —
505–543 524 25 131.00–149.00 $138.23 $724 +9.09
525–545 534 4 115.00–130.00 $123.83 $661 -5.31
550–585 571 10 130.00–144.00 $133.10 $760 +7.76
550–585 572 3 120.00 $120.00 $686 -5.34
600–620 604 5 121.00–125.00 $124.18 $750 -7.84
626 fancy 626 7 140.00 $140.00 $876 —
650–695 670 5 121.00–135.00 $128.56 $861 -7.41
650–690 673 6 110.00–120.00 $118.35 $796 -17.62
700–730 715 2 120.00–132.00 $126.13 $902 —
760–764 764 9 120.00 $120.00 $917 —
778 778 1 115.00 $115.00 $895 —
857 857 3 110.00 $110.00 $943 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
277 thin fleshed 277 10 175.00 $175.00 $485 —
275–290 283 2 131.00–151.00 $141.27 $400 +1.27
325–335 330 2 145.00–150.00 $147.46 $487 +5.72
340 340 1 125.00 $125.00 $425 -16.74
350 350 1 140.00 $140.00 $490 +4.30
365–385 375 2 120.00 $120.00 $450 -15.70
405–430 415 3 120.00 $120.00 $498 -7.03
420–440 432 3 127.00–130.00 $128.98 $557 +1.95
455–470 466 7 115.00–130.00 $120.71 $563 -8.95
475 475 1 120.00 $120.00 $570 -9.66
500–545 524 8 120.00–123.00 $120.78 $633 -0.22
555–590 573 2 120.00–125.00 $122.58 $702 -0.02
605–610 608 2 120.00–125.00 $122.49 $745 +1.49
715–730 722 3 115.00–120.00 $117.98 $852 —
730 730 1 130.00 $130.00 $949 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325–345 335 2 100.00–110.00 $104.85 $351 —
350–390 370 3 106.00–120.00 $111.75 $413 -9.25
405–445 427 3 100.00–113.00 $107.53 $459 -9.47
510 510 1 100.00 $100.00 $510 —
570 570 1 115.00 $115.00 $656 +5.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 1 170.00 $170.00 $484 —
345 345 1 160.00 $160.00 $552 -20.00
375–385 380 3 150.00–171.00 $160.38 $609 -10.15
400–430 420 7 150.00–160.00 $154.97 $651 -6.48
465–470 468 2 131.00–140.00 $135.52 $634 -23.88
450–490 473 15 140.00–155.00 $146.54 $693 -12.86
500–548 529 20 135.00–153.00 $143.79 $761 -5.19
550–585 566 10 140.00–149.00 $143.79 $814 -4.29
580 580 1 120.00 $120.00 $696 -28.08
610–630 623 4 140.00–149.00 $143.98 $897 -4.46
650–685 665 4 136.00–145.00 $141.93 $944 +2.40
673 673 4 120.00 $120.00 $808 -8.00
710 710 1 125.00 $125.00 $888 -1.81
760 760 6 115.00 $115.00 $874 -5.00
820 820 1 110.00 $110.00 $902 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325–335 330 3 130.00–150.00 $143.43 $473 -16.57
360–395 383 4 130.00–150.00 $137.61 $527 -17.70
410–435 424 5 120.00–140.00 $133.96 $568 -10.62
455 455 1 120.00 $120.00 $546 -20.28
450–495 470 11 125.00–140.00 $132.80 $624 -7.48
505–540 518 3 120.00 $120.00 $622 -17.22
500–545 520 6 130.00–135.00 $130.99 $681 -6.23
550–560 553 3 115.00–120.00 $118.31 $654 -16.47
555 555 3 130.00–140.00 $133.67 $742 -1.11
615–630 623 2 120.00–130.00 $125.06 $779 -1.67
660–685 673 3 107.00–120.00 $113.96 $767 -11.83
770–775 773 2 115.00–120.00 $117.51 $908 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 1 120.00 $120.00 $408 —
435–440 438 2 100.00–110.00 $104.97 $460 -10.00
485 485 2 110.00 $110.00 $534 —
620 620 1 100.00 $100.00 $620 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
985–1250 1063 80-85% 6 55.00–61.00 $57.39 $610 —
1055–1435 1204 80-85% 23 61.00–73.00 $64.91 $782 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
720–825 763 85-90% 3 25.00–35.00 $30.17 $230 —
755–865 810 85-90% 2 60.00–65.00 $62.67 $508 +12.67
815 815 85-90% 1 40.00 $40.00 $326 -10.00
875–895 883 85-90% 3 49.00–50.00 $49.66 $438 -14.08
905–955 930 85-90% 2 34.00–35.00 $34.51 $321 —
965 965 85-90% 1 47.00 $47.00 $454 —
950–1120 1029 85-90% 6 54.00–59.00 $57.02 $587 +0.93
960–1155 1063 85-90% 7 49.00–54.00 $51.36 $546 -13.63
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1115–1645 1388 75-80% 5 62.00–70.00 $64.77 $899 +1.72

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
910–1685 1378 6 83.00–88.00 $85.96 $1,185 —
1415 1415 1 54.00 $54.00 $764 —
1255–1835 1593 5 89.00–96.00 $92.40 $1,472 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
890 890 (<2 yrs)Open 1 110.00 $110.00 $979
920–1000 960 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 65.00 $65.00 $624
855–1155 979 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 8 74.00–107.00 $93.39 $914

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
900–1000 963 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 8 625.00–1,050.00 $873.21
900–1100 1000 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 700.00–875.00 $796.25
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
840 840 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 85.00 $85.00 $714
950–1185 1080 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 3 66.00–79.00 $72.63 $784
1400 1400 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 62.50 $62.50 $875

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
850 850 (<2 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 800.00 $800.00

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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
1000–1300 1217 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 6 1,200.00–1,500.00 $1,323.80 —

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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.