Cattle Market Pulse

Ash Flat Livestock Auction Market Report

Ash Flat, Arkansas · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, April 21, 2023

1,123 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $241.64/cwt -6.33 vs last sale · ≈ $1,128/hd at 467 lb · 45 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $213.59/cwt -7.15 vs last sale · ≈ $925/hd at 433 lb · 41 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $190.60/cwt -1.99 vs last sale · ≈ $1,083/hd at 568 lb · 21 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,123 882 586
Feeder cattle 895 729 513
Slaughter cattle 163 132 43
Replacement cattle 65 21 30

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers sold 2.00-4.00 lower. Feeder heifers sold steady to 4.00 higher. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold 4.00-6.00 lower. Demand good for all classes.

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
305–318 314 3 252.50–282.50 $272.78 $857 +17.48
364–397 382 13 255.00–275.00 $268.75 $1,027 +18.95
400–445 420 9 235.00–270.00 $251.20 $1,055 -6.78
437 value added 437 7 285.00 $285.00 $1,245 —
450–490 467 45 225.00–250.00 $241.64 $1,128 -4.70
500–543 527 17 215.00–235.00 $230.00 $1,212 +21.14
550–585 574 13 200.00–220.00 $207.95 $1,194 -39.48
588 value added 588 3 222.50 $222.50 $1,308 —
610–633 626 6 200.00–217.50 $210.92 $1,320 -9.02
665–695 671 9 198.00–207.50 $204.75 $1,374 —
700–745 736 5 195.00–200.00 $195.95 $1,442 +9.35
760–795 776 4 175.00–182.50 $178.11 $1,382 —
825–840 833 2 175.00–180.00 $177.48 $1,478 -5.52
860 860 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,548 —
1060 1060 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,643 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–345 328 2 217.50–235.00 $225.78 $741 —
365 365 1 240.00 $240.00 $876 +26.94
405–430 419 4 225.00–230.00 $228.16 $956 +3.37
470–490 480 3 205.00–222.50 $212.41 $1,020 +2.59
505–545 526 11 190.00–210.00 $201.36 $1,059 -0.31
571 value added 571 4 197.50 $197.50 $1,128 —
550–595 576 14 180.00–195.00 $188.32 $1,085 +0.90
600–640 612 5 170.00–190.00 $180.31 $1,103 —
655–685 671 7 170.00–190.00 $183.43 $1,231 —
700–730 715 4 160.00–175.00 $166.31 $1,189 —
765 765 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,186 —
930 930 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,348 —
1033 1033 2 110.00 $110.00 $1,136 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 180.00 $180.00 $558 —
360–365 363 2 185.00–192.50 $188.72 $685 +3.72
405–445 423 6 182.50–212.50 $193.47 $818 -4.22
485–495 492 3 180.00–200.00 $188.25 $926 +3.18
600 600 1 160.00 $160.00 $960 —
690 690 1 167.50 $167.50 $1,156 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–345 330 12 211.00–245.00 $234.67 $774 +6.25
355–395 374 7 210.00–230.00 $216.65 $810 -0.89
424 value added 424 7 222.00 $222.00 $941 —
400–446 435 34 205.00–220.00 $211.86 $922 -8.88
450–490 467 15 200.00–220.00 $211.86 $989 +4.68
495 495 1 160.00 $160.00 $792 -47.18
500–535 508 16 200.00–215.00 $206.71 $1,050 +9.80
555–585 568 21 185.00–200.00 $190.60 $1,083 +0.19
605–640 613 8 180.00–197.50 $189.62 $1,162 -3.77
650–690 663 14 167.50–186.00 $178.22 $1,182 +0.62
715 715 1 177.50 $177.50 $1,269 -12.50
750–780 762 3 165.00–175.00 $169.93 $1,295 +12.53
800–840 818 3 140.00–150.00 $143.42 $1,173 —
855 855 1 152.50 $152.50 $1,304 —
905 905 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,267 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350–380 364 4 185.00–205.00 $198.81 $724 +1.36
400–440 425 3 175.00–190.00 $184.82 $785 -16.83
450–495 473 5 180.00–192.50 $185.46 $877 -1.01
515–545 526 20 177.50–197.50 $191.09 $1,005 +9.93
550–585 564 6 160.00–175.00 $169.21 $954 -7.10
605–625 619 6 165.00–175.00 $172.09 $1,065 -4.59
690 690 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,104 —
745 745 1 157.50 $157.50 $1,173 —
770 770 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,078 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375 375 1 170.00 $170.00 $638 +4.91
430 430 1 155.00 $155.00 $666 ±0.00
450–460 455 3 160.00–165.00 $163.35 $743 +3.32
535–540 538 3 160.00–165.00 $161.66 $870 —
570 570 1 155.00 $155.00 $884 —
640 640 1 130.00 $130.00 $832 -10.20
775 775 1 120.00 $120.00 $930 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 230.00 $230.00 $529 —
305–345 329 4 245.00–270.00 $252.07 $829 +1.49
365–390 377 6 232.50–242.50 $237.06 $894 -7.53
400–440 426 10 220.00–242.50 $228.80 $975 -15.66
450–490 469 13 210.00–235.00 $221.16 $1,037 -5.72
500–535 513 19 210.00–230.00 $214.83 $1,102 -12.48
555–595 581 7 195.00–210.00 $202.52 $1,177 +5.92
605–635 618 5 192.50–210.00 $196.75 $1,216 +3.40
660–665 663 2 180.00–182.50 $181.25 $1,202 -23.75
720 720 1 177.50 $177.50 $1,278 -2.56
810 810 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,539 +40.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330–340 335 2 210.00–220.00 $215.07 $720 -15.48
430–445 438 3 200.00–220.00 $212.40 $930 -1.10
470 470 1 205.00 $205.00 $964 -3.31
500–545 523 10 195.00–207.50 $198.72 $1,039 -12.67
570–575 573 2 180.00–182.50 $181.26 $1,039 +1.35
665 665 2 168.00 $168.00 $1,117 —
835 835 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,336 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
520–530 525 2 180.00 $180.00 $945 +2.52
585 585 1 155.00 $155.00 $907 -12.50
785 785 1 120.00 $120.00 $942 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
795–1665 1065 80-85% 25 81.00–89.00 $86.66 $923 —
920–1730 1256 80-85% 32 90.00–96.00 $93.39 $1,173 -3.96
1060–1450 1295 80-85% 7 97.00–99.00 $97.89 $1,268 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
830–885 862 85-90% 5 52.00–65.00 $57.03 $492 —
610–1200 866 85-90% 7 72.00–80.00 $74.20 $643 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1300–1495 1398 75-80% 2 100.00–102.00 $101.07 $1,413 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1250–1450 1350 2 95.00–99.00 $97.15 $1,312 —
1100–1610 1360 8 103.00–110.00 $106.64 $1,450 —
1350–2020 1789 9 115.00–124.00 $118.92 $2,127 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
850–1250 982 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 10 700.00–1,250.00 $1,016.11
1000 1000 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 7 1,000.00 $1,000.00
1000 1000 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 1,050.00 $1,050.00
1000–1150 1100 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 1,075.00–1,100.00 $1,092.42
1100 1100 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 10 1,350.00 $1,350.00
1100 1100 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 5 1,035.00 $1,035.00
1100 1100 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 1,150.00 $1,150.00
975–1300 1123 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 14 1,050.00–1,255.00 $1,155.55
1150 1150 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 3 1,150.00 $1,150.00
1200 1200 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,650.00 $1,650.00

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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
950 950 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,275.00 $1,275.00 —
1000 1000 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,175.00 $1,175.00 —
1000–1100 1050 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,030.00–1,200.00 $1,110.95 —

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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.