Cattle Market Pulse

Ash Flat Livestock Auction Market Report

Ash Flat, Arkansas · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, September 8, 2023

1,351 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $256.69/cwt -5.20 vs last sale · ≈ $1,615/hd at 629 lb · 55 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $238.38/cwt +25.29 vs last sale · ≈ $1,452/hd at 609 lb · 38 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $239.04/cwt +10.36 vs last sale · ≈ $1,363/hd at 570 lb · 33 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,351 718 779
Feeder cattle 1,255 567 643
Slaughter cattle 81 98 101
Replacement cattle 15 53 35

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers sold 3.00 higher. Feeder heifers sold 5.00-7.00 higher. Slaughter cows sold steady to 1.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 higher. 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
305–325 318 6 282.00–302.00 $288.53 $918 +33.53
365–395 384 10 270.00–312.50 $293.73 $1,128 +23.99
405–445 429 6 260.00–277.50 $271.43 $1,164 -0.84
423–432 value added 429 14 330.00–333.00 $330.84 $1,419 —
445 fancy 445 1 315.00 $315.00 $1,402 —
465 value added 465 2 307.50 $307.50 $1,430 —
460–495 478 14 265.00–291.00 $275.15 $1,315 +9.70
505–545 527 17 260.00–284.00 $271.18 $1,429 +7.44
550–595 570 32 245.00–272.50 $260.27 $1,484 +4.94
600–645 629 55 240.00–264.00 $256.69 $1,615 -5.20
655–690 671 31 240.00–262.50 $251.62 $1,688 +1.60
700–735 721 7 235.00–250.00 $245.26 $1,768 +2.11
753–785 760 10 221.00–247.00 $243.11 $1,848 +13.11
810–825 818 2 220.00–246.00 $232.88 $1,905 —
860–870 865 2 222.50–226.00 $224.24 $1,940 +24.24
1080 1080 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,944 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 1 262.50 $262.50 $827 —
350–390 377 3 241.00–262.50 $250.77 $945 —
410–445 427 3 235.00–255.00 $246.86 $1,054 —
455–498 483 11 233.00–260.00 $250.03 $1,208 +24.65
505–545 526 9 230.00–257.50 $244.63 $1,287 —
560–593 579 6 225.00–242.50 $232.72 $1,347 +2.72
605–645 625 2 210.00–230.00 $220.32 $1,377 -14.68
655–665 660 2 225.00–230.00 $227.48 $1,501 +7.48
790 790 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,659 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415 415 3 258.00 $258.00 $1,071 —
475 value added 475 3 285.00 $285.00 $1,354 —
488 488 1 272.50 $272.50 $1,330 —
553–569 value added 562 12 250.00–267.00 $256.97 $1,444 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
495 495 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,089 +20.00
510–545 532 3 220.00–225.00 $223.29 $1,188 —
585 585 4 217.50 $217.50 $1,272 —
600 600 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,260 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–345 327 8 230.00–257.00 $245.35 $802 +5.03
330 fancy 330 1 273.00 $273.00 $901 -2.00
350–383 370 11 257.00–280.00 $270.69 $1,002 +31.69
415–448 436 11 245.00–270.00 $251.26 $1,095 +9.35
439 value added 439 4 300.00 $300.00 $1,317 —
445 fancy 445 1 276.00 $276.00 $1,228 —
450–490 473 18 243.00–269.00 $254.79 $1,205 +11.88
510 value added 510 3 265.00 $265.00 $1,352 +5.00
500–545 520 26 237.50–263.00 $250.26 $1,301 +17.48
550–590 570 33 230.00–256.00 $239.04 $1,363 +10.36
601–640 609 38 226.00–250.00 $238.38 $1,452 +28.52
650–687 669 22 222.00–241.00 $226.06 $1,512 +18.14
670 670 1 187.50 $187.50 $1,256 -20.42
710–715 713 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,569 +5.00
770 770 2 210.00–220.00 $215.00 $1,656 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 1 230.00 $230.00 $759 +30.00
364–395 371 10 230.00–245.00 $240.40 $892 +15.40
405–445 423 12 220.00–242.50 $235.21 $995 +26.07
450–495 480 25 220.00–241.00 $232.32 $1,115 +20.39
500–545 523 27 200.00–235.00 $226.44 $1,184 —
550–595 577 9 210.00–227.00 $220.47 $1,272 +20.47
615–640 628 3 200.00–222.50 $214.16 $1,345 +29.16
660–690 678 4 195.00–210.00 $203.82 $1,382 —
745 745 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,453 +18.15
770 770 2 185.00 $185.00 $1,424 ±0.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
316 thin fleshed 316 7 255.00 $255.00 $806 —
322 322 10 295.00 $295.00 $950 —
377 377 9 247.50 $247.50 $933 —
454 454 5 264.00 $264.00 $1,199 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350–390 370 2 210.00–215.00 $212.36 $786 +22.36
405–420 410 4 202.50–217.50 $208.10 $853 —
450–490 470 2 200.00–210.00 $205.21 $964 +39.21
620–625 623 2 175.00–191.00 $182.97 $1,140 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 1 240.00 $240.00 $564 —
300–320 316 5 275.00–290.00 $286.01 $904 +28.28
320 fancy 320 1 302.50 $302.50 $968 +20.00
350–396 377 14 270.00–302.50 $286.29 $1,079 +15.87
405 fancy 405 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,215 —
400–445 428 17 260.00–280.00 $275.24 $1,178 +6.89
450–490 468 7 240.00–269.00 $263.10 $1,231 -3.30
495 fancy 495 1 277.50 $277.50 $1,374 —
505–542 535 15 240.00–260.00 $251.30 $1,344 +7.14
550–595 567 6 232.50–248.00 $239.22 $1,356 -9.14
600 fancy 600 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,560 —
610–640 617 6 224.00–242.00 $237.57 $1,466 +13.59
690 690 1 238.00 $238.00 $1,642 +10.41
705–740 723 2 215.00–217.50 $216.22 $1,563 +25.22
750 750 1 243.00 $243.00 $1,822 +51.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
304 thin fleshed 304 4 285.00 $285.00 $866 —
310–320 315 2 255.00–260.00 $257.46 $811 +57.46
370–385 375 3 232.50–260.00 $247.67 $929 —
400–445 424 5 230.00–260.00 $250.25 $1,061 +10.31
485–495 490 2 210.00–220.00 $214.95 $1,053 -19.07
530–545 538 3 200.00–220.00 $212.43 $1,143 -7.57
558–580 566 8 190.00–240.00 $209.98 $1,188 -17.02
615–640 628 2 235.00–247.00 $241.12 $1,514 +41.12
765 765 1 206.00 $206.00 $1,576 —
805–835 820 2 185.00–186.00 $185.49 $1,521 —
865 865 1 176.00 $176.00 $1,522 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435 435 2 210.00–220.00 $215.00 $935 —
735 735 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,396 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
715–1070 920 80-85% 3 87.00–93.00 $91.09 $838 —
850–1075 972 80-85% 3 95.00–100.00 $98.16 $954 +7.03
970–1250 1097 80-85% 9 102.00–109.00 $105.01 $1,152 +7.31
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120–1480 1237 75-80% 11 110.00–117.00 $113.75 $1,407 +10.25
1230–1405 1318 75-80% 2 120.00–122.00 $121.07 $1,596 +1.65
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
850 850 85-90% 1 80.00 $80.00 $680 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
968–1760 1263 4 111.00–116.00 $113.11 $1,429 —
1374–2020 1591 9 117.00–127.00 $123.33 $1,962 —
1715–1860 1788 2 130.00–140.00 $135.20 $2,417 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
690–1040 865 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 100.00–103.00 $101.80 $881

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
950 950 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,150.00 $1,150.00
950–1100 1025 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,025.00–1,050.00 $1,038.41
950–1200 1105 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,400.00–1,625.00 $1,490.72
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1115 1115 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 113.00 $113.00 $1,260
1510 1510 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 108.00 $108.00 $1,631

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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 1000 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,575.00 $1,575.00 -60.31
1000 1000 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,910.00 $1,910.00 +274.69
1050 1050 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,700.00 $1,700.00 —
1200 1200 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,750.00 $1,750.00 —

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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.