Cattle Market Pulse

Ash Flat Livestock Auction Market Report

Ash Flat, Arkansas · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, May 5, 2023

802 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $209.58/cwt +5.03 vs last sale · ≈ $995/hd at 475 lb · 25 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $218.77/cwt +8.43 vs last sale · ≈ $923/hd at 422 lb · 23 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 bulls $214.91/cwt -9.44 vs last sale · ≈ $1,128/hd at 525 lb · 18 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 802 776 677
Feeder cattle 684 662 551
Slaughter cattle 97 84 101
Replacement cattle 21 30 25

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers sold 2.00 lower. Feeder heifers sold steady to 4.00 higher. Slaughter cows sold steady. Slaughter bulls sold 1.00-2.00 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
330–340 335 2 255.00–260.00 $257.46 $862 -10.41
350–390 364 7 237.50–272.50 $250.95 $913 -8.72
401 value added 401 4 272.50 $272.50 $1,093 —
410–440 426 11 235.00–260.00 $251.12 $1,070 -2.18
455–488 476 7 215.00–237.50 $229.71 $1,093 -17.32
500–545 530 17 220.00–240.00 $233.81 $1,239 -2.43
550 fancy 550 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,292 —
555–598 587 5 207.50–220.00 $212.36 $1,247 -17.64
600 600 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,230 -8.93
655–680 665 3 182.50–195.00 $187.58 $1,247 -27.42
720 720 1 187.50 $187.50 $1,350 -6.87
750–785 768 2 170.00–175.00 $172.56 $1,325 -33.44
905 905 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,584 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 1 190.00 $190.00 $608 -40.00
350–395 375 3 220.00–230.00 $226.89 $851 +1.89
410 410 1 225.00 $225.00 $922 +15.06
470 470 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,058 +4.09
505 505 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,111 +4.48
570–580 575 2 187.50–190.00 $188.74 $1,085 -9.21
655 655 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,146 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
465 465 1 190.00 $190.00 $884 +5.00
540 540 1 180.00 $180.00 $972 -12.49
585 585 1 170.00 $170.00 $994 —
640 640 1 130.00 $130.00 $832 -40.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–330 317 5 220.00–235.00 $225.37 $714 +0.97
364–390 371 9 220.00–245.00 $233.15 $865 +8.89
400–445 419 19 202.50–222.50 $215.35 $902 +5.01
436 value added 436 4 235.00 $235.00 $1,025 —
465 465 1 187.50 $187.50 $872 -17.05
450–499 475 24 200.00–220.00 $210.50 $1,000 +5.95
525 fancy 525 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,155 —
520–540 528 5 187.50–205.00 $194.48 $1,027 -11.91
550–595 565 11 185.00–200.00 $190.41 $1,076 -4.40
600–630 614 6 175.00–190.00 $180.81 $1,110 +5.83
655–685 664 5 167.50–180.00 $174.69 $1,160 -0.54
682 value added 682 13 186.00 $186.00 $1,269 —
726 726 5 180.00 $180.00 $1,307 -7.50
900 900 1 123.00 $123.00 $1,107 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
313 thin fleshed 313 2 230.00 $230.00 $720 —
310–340 325 2 195.00–205.00 $200.23 $651 -19.77
350–395 381 10 200.00–217.50 $207.74 $791 —
410–440 424 10 185.00–200.00 $192.75 $817 +0.64
450–495 474 5 185.00–195.00 $190.98 $905 +0.57
510–545 529 7 175.00–187.50 $180.27 $954 -7.23
555–585 578 7 170.00–180.00 $174.27 $1,007 -5.06
605–645 626 4 160.00–170.00 $162.42 $1,017 -2.58
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 1 182.50 $182.50 $575 —
350–395 375 7 160.00–190.00 $180.72 $678 —
530 530 1 165.00 $165.00 $874 -5.90
560 560 1 155.00 $155.00 $868 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 325 1 242.50 $242.50 $788 -11.45
350–390 371 11 230.00–250.00 $239.95 $890 -12.71
373 fancy 373 5 270.00 $270.00 $1,007 —
427 fancy 427 3 265.00 $265.00 $1,132 —
400–445 429 11 220.00–240.00 $228.95 $982 -11.98
455–495 472 14 220.00–245.00 $235.95 $1,114 -0.84
505–545 525 18 205.00–227.50 $214.91 $1,128 -9.44
565–590 580 5 200.00–222.50 $208.90 $1,212 +4.24
615–645 628 3 172.50–190.00 $184.01 $1,156 -21.17
670 670 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,139 -34.88
725–735 730 2 165.00–170.00 $167.52 $1,223 —
870 870 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,348 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355 355 1 220.00 $220.00 $781 +5.00
440–445 443 2 200.00–205.00 $202.51 $897 -5.45
455–485 476 6 205.00–222.50 $215.38 $1,025 +8.75
508–548 529 9 185.00–200.00 $194.28 $1,028 +8.01
555–585 570 5 180.00–192.50 $186.97 $1,066 -3.03
610–645 627 3 160.00–175.00 $169.04 $1,060 -9.24
710 710 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,207 ±0.00
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–380 373 2 182.50–190.00 $186.17 $694 —
430 430 1 175.00 $175.00 $752 -10.00
465 465 1 180.00 $180.00 $837 —
535–545 540 2 160.00–165.00 $162.48 $877 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1665 1665 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 119.00 $119.00 $1,981 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1035–1225 1087 80-85% 7 83.00–87.00 $85.43 $929 +1.44
920–1710 1152 80-85% 26 88.00–95.00 $92.52 $1,066 —
1200–1475 1311 80-85% 9 96.00–98.00 $97.09 $1,273 +4.36
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
775–945 860 85-90% 2 60.00–64.00 $62.20 $535 -1.03
840–1115 978 85-90% 11 72.00–81.00 $76.52 $748 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1220–1610 1411 75-80% 5 100.00 $100.00 $1,411 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
910–1610 1218 4 80.00–102.00 $89.78 $1,094 —
1665–1910 1777 3 115.00–121.00 $117.15 $2,082 +3.64
1710–2130 1861 4 107.00–112.00 $109.60 $2,040 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
745 745 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 91.00 $91.00 $678

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
750–1150 950 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 800.00–1,200.00 $1,042.11
1000 1000 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 850.00 $850.00
950–1100 1017 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 925.00–1,010.00 $980.25
850–1200 1025 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 850.00–1,100.00 $1,011.38
1325 1325 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,025.00 $1,025.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1080 1080 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 94.00 $94.00 $1,015
1170 1170 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 97.00 $97.00 $1,135
1085–1405 1193 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 86.00–100.00 $94.97 $1,133

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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.