Cattle Market Pulse

Ash Flat Livestock Auction Market Report

Ash Flat, Arkansas · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, December 9, 2022

718 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $171.74/cwt +1.75 vs last sale · ≈ $978/hd at 570 lb · 19 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $171.24/cwt +6.21 vs last sale · ≈ $907/hd at 530 lb · 16 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 bulls $160.66/cwt +5.97 vs last sale · ≈ $766/hd at 477 lb · 15 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 718 1,125 0
Feeder cattle 648 942 0
Slaughter cattle 60 133 0
Replacement cattle 10 50 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, Feeder steers under 500 lbs traded 5.00 to 10.00 higher, feeder steers over 500 lbs were 8.00 to 12.00 higher. Feeder heifers under 500 lbs were 2.00 to 5.00 higher, over 500 lbs were steady to 3.00 higher. Slaughter cows were 2.00 to 5.00 lower and slaughter bulls on a light test were 3.00 lower. Supply was moderate and demand was good on most 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
380 value added 380 1 220.00 $220.00 $836 —
400–443 432 4 209.00–210.00 $209.77 $906 +9.77
450–495 477 11 165.00–195.00 $182.31 $870 +2.14
495 495 1 160.00 $160.00 $792 -20.17
515–525 520 2 150.00–160.00 $155.05 $806 -4.95
510–545 526 6 167.00–177.00 $171.52 $902 +11.52
523–537 value added 533 7 175.00–185.00 $177.81 $948 —
545 545 1 156.00 $156.00 $850 -4.00
557–585 568 11 166.00–172.00 $169.83 $965 -0.16
565–573 value added 568 6 176.00–195.00 $179.15 $1,018 —
575–590 583 2 160.00 $160.00 $933 -9.99
633–642 638 10 158.00–170.00 $166.39 $1,062 +7.92
675–680 678 2 159.00–165.00 $162.01 $1,098 +12.01
910 910 1 128.00 $128.00 $1,165 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–310 303 3 150.00–155.00 $153.30 $464 —
350–360 355 3 150.00–170.00 $158.31 $562 —
410 thin fleshed 410 1 170.00 $170.00 $697 +7.00
410–440 431 5 135.00–165.00 $150.10 $647 —
440 value added 440 2 170.00 $170.00 $748 —
470 value added 470 1 150.00 $150.00 $705 —
450–490 471 6 131.00–160.00 $147.03 $693 -0.11
510–540 530 3 135.00–150.00 $145.19 $770 +0.12
530 value added 530 1 155.00 $155.00 $822 —
560 value added 560 2 150.00 $150.00 $840 —
575–585 580 2 145.00–157.00 $150.95 $876 +3.38
600–615 607 3 136.00–140.00 $138.68 $842 -5.06
625 value added 625 2 152.00 $152.00 $950 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 1 121.00 $121.00 $424 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
262–295 270 4 150.00–155.00 $153.64 $415 —
330 330 1 150.00 $150.00 $495 —
350–385 374 8 131.00–150.00 $135.72 $508 +3.69
400–434 417 6 130.00–135.00 $131.86 $550 +2.83
453–495 462 7 125.00–130.00 $129.23 $597 -2.08
480 value added 480 1 140.00 $140.00 $672 —
500–530 518 5 120.00–135.00 $129.06 $669 -1.53
550–595 577 3 120.00–130.00 $126.56 $730 -0.95
620 620 1 130.00 $130.00 $806 +7.10
650 650 1 130.00 $130.00 $845 +5.00
760–785 773 2 125.00 $125.00 $966 +6.66
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 1 155.00 $155.00 $535 —
388 value added 388 3 177.00 $177.00 $687 —
405–445 425 6 140.00–160.00 $151.84 $645 -7.46
465–495 479 7 142.00–153.00 $147.26 $705 -1.90
500 value added 500 1 152.00 $152.00 $760 —
535 535 1 140.00 $140.00 $749 +0.79
550 550 1 135.00 $135.00 $742 -0.01
555 value added 555 3 150.00 $150.00 $832 —
550–585 568 2 145.00 $145.00 $824 +9.99
605 605 1 130.00 $130.00 $786 -6.41
620 620 1 140.00 $140.00 $868 +9.20
655 655 2 130.00–138.00 $134.00 $878 +2.52
720 720 1 135.00 $135.00 $972 -3.00
800 800 1 139.00 $139.00 $1,112 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 265 1 121.00 $121.00 $321 —
340 340 1 120.00 $120.00 $408 -6.00
365–375 370 2 110.00–120.00 $115.07 $426 -0.04
450–465 458 2 110.00–120.00 $115.08 $527 +2.54
500–535 526 4 90.00–120.00 $97.13 $511 —
673 673 2 110.00 $110.00 $740 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 1 190.00 $190.00 $627 -10.00
370 370 1 190.00 $190.00 $703 -2.00
403–445 421 11 160.00–189.00 $176.94 $745 +7.19
451–490 469 10 160.00–193.00 $165.40 $776 +10.13
480–497 492 5 150.00–156.00 $151.17 $744 +1.17
515–540 525 5 145.00–160.00 $153.00 $803 -7.33
550–585 572 3 130.00–135.00 $131.60 $753 -18.39
570–595 583 2 150.00–156.00 $153.06 $892 +3.07
600–645 618 5 137.00–152.00 $143.85 $889 +7.79
650–680 660 3 138.00–147.00 $142.27 $939 +7.69
735 735 1 122.00 $122.00 $897 —
930 930 1 128.00 $128.00 $1,190 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370–390 380 2 145.00–150.00 $147.57 $561 -7.43
400–420 410 2 140.00–155.00 $147.32 $604 +1.51
455–460 458 2 140.00–150.00 $145.03 $664 +8.07
510–520 518 4 130.00–145.00 $134.77 $698 -2.11
550–580 562 3 128.00–135.00 $132.72 $746 -0.74
620–625 623 2 120.00–125.00 $122.49 $763 -1.85
670 670 1 120.00 $120.00 $804 ±0.00

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
775 775 85-90% 1 31.00 $31.00 $240 -36.00
815–870 843 85-90% 2 54.00–55.00 $54.48 $459 +18.41
935 935 85-90% 1 35.00 $35.00 $327 +2.49
965–1240 1083 85-90% 8 57.50–70.00 $61.77 $669 +17.32
950–1300 1105 85-90% 4 50.00–55.00 $53.10 $587 -12.89
1160 1160 85-90% 1 48.00 $48.00 $557 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1020–1205 1099 80-85% 5 58.00–64.00 $60.97 $670 —
1005–1440 1211 80-85% 12 65.00–72.00 $68.34 $828 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1190 1190 75-80% 1 63.00 $63.00 $750 —
1140–1560 1380 75-80% 3 67.50–74.00 $70.61 $974 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
980–1750 1108 6 82.00–90.00 $87.89 $974 —
1025–1250 1113 3 75.00–80.00 $76.72 $854 —
1865 1865 1 97.00 $97.00 $1,809 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
990–1155 1073 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 77.00–107.00 $93.15 $999

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1020–1405 1213 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 69.00–74.00 $71.90 $872
1465 1465 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 79.00 $79.00 $1,157
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
900–1200 1050 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 700.00–900.00 $814.29

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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
800 800 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 700.00 $700.00 —
1100 1100 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 825.00 $825.00 -275.00

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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.