Cattle Market Pulse

Ash Flat Livestock Auction Market Report

Ash Flat, Arkansas · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, September 15, 2023

1,198 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $221.69/cwt -17.35 vs last sale · ≈ $1,268/hd at 572 lb · 32 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 bulls $263.53/cwt -1.37 vs last sale · ≈ $1,244/hd at 472 lb · 25 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $224.18/cwt -27.60 vs last sale · ≈ $1,166/hd at 520 lb · 23 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,198 1,351 1,862
Feeder cattle 914 1,255 1,682
Slaughter cattle 239 81 140
Replacement cattle 45 15 40

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers sold 2.00-4.00 lower. Feeder heifers sold 5.00-8.00 lower. Slaughter cows sold 1.00-3.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold 2.00-4.00 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
305–320 309 9 255.00–290.00 $282.37 $873 -6.16
385 fancy 385 1 303.00 $303.00 $1,167 —
350–398 386 12 260.00–287.00 $280.06 $1,081 -13.67
425–448 443 10 260.00–281.00 $266.31 $1,180 -5.12
450–490 472 19 255.00–281.00 $269.27 $1,271 -5.88
500–545 527 5 260.00–279.00 $266.68 $1,405 -4.50
555–585 577 14 245.00–260.00 $248.11 $1,432 -12.16
600–640 618 11 240.00–263.00 $251.16 $1,552 -5.53
650–665 658 2 230.00–239.00 $234.45 $1,543 -17.17
710–745 733 3 239.00–253.00 $243.86 $1,787 -1.40
950 950 1 216.00 $216.00 $2,052 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360–370 365 2 240.00–250.00 $245.07 $895 -5.70
415–430 425 3 230.00 $230.00 $978 -16.86
475–495 485 5 220.00–240.00 $232.12 $1,126 -17.91
520–540 530 3 220.00–240.00 $228.54 $1,211 -16.09
555 555 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,276 -2.72
600–645 625 3 220.00–230.00 $223.44 $1,396 +3.12
740 740 2 225.00 $225.00 $1,665 —
760–790 775 2 225.00–230.00 $227.55 $1,764 +17.55
810 810 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,822 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
622 value added 622 6 266.00 $266.00 $1,655 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460 460 1 210.00 $210.00 $966 -10.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–340 330 14 240.00–255.00 $245.67 $811 +0.32
355–398 372 16 225.00–250.00 $238.55 $887 -32.14
400–445 424 18 220.00–243.00 $233.76 $991 -17.50
450–490 471 22 220.00–243.00 $233.00 $1,097 -21.79
500–545 520 23 210.00–235.00 $224.18 $1,166 -26.08
550–595 572 32 210.00–235.00 $221.69 $1,268 -17.35
600–645 618 17 210.00–231.00 $224.06 $1,385 -14.32
635 fancy 635 1 237.00 $237.00 $1,505 —
650–695 674 7 210.00–235.00 $225.81 $1,522 +38.31
700–730 711 9 200.00–220.00 $215.55 $1,533 -4.45
750 750 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,688 +10.00
825 825 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,650 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315–340 332 9 200.00–225.00 $220.53 $732 -9.47
350–375 365 3 210.00–220.00 $216.58 $791 -23.82
410–445 424 4 200.00–210.00 $205.07 $869 -30.14
455–485 472 5 190.00–220.00 $206.87 $976 -25.45
510 510 1 190.00 $190.00 $969 -36.44
565 565 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,130 -20.47
605–635 620 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,240 -14.16
750 750 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,500 +15.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 3 220.00 $220.00 $737 -75.00
648 value added 648 10 220.00 $220.00 $1,426 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
372 372 3 190.00 $190.00 $707 -22.36
430–440 435 2 180.00–190.00 $184.94 $804 -23.16
485 485 1 180.00 $180.00 $873 -25.21

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–335 318 4 260.00–283.00 $268.11 $853 -17.90
370 fancy 370 1 295.00 $295.00 $1,092 —
360–390 376 7 250.00–270.00 $259.84 $977 -26.45
410 fancy 410 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,168 -15.00
400–445 414 14 250.00–276.00 $261.91 $1,084 -13.33
450–495 472 25 251.00–279.00 $263.53 $1,244 +0.43
500–545 520 13 230.00–250.00 $241.13 $1,254 -10.17
520 fancy 520 2 260.00 $260.00 $1,352 —
550–595 569 18 218.00–236.00 $227.46 $1,294 -11.76
600–640 626 9 210.00–230.00 $219.13 $1,372 -18.44
685 685 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,678 +7.00
710 710 1 194.00 $194.00 $1,377 -22.22
770 770 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,471 -52.00
950 950 1 192.00 $192.00 $1,824 —
1010 1010 1 176.00 $176.00 $1,778 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 305 2 250.00 $250.00 $762 -7.46
365–390 379 4 220.00–240.00 $229.77 $871 -17.90
410–445 430 5 220.00–245.00 $231.06 $994 -19.19
470 thin fleshed 470 1 264.00 $264.00 $1,241 —
455–495 475 13 220.00–240.00 $232.47 $1,104 +17.52
505–520 514 5 214.00–222.00 $219.18 $1,127 +6.75
570–595 589 11 200.00–217.00 $214.55 $1,264 +4.57
645 645 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,290 -41.12
665–675 672 3 200.00–210.00 $206.36 $1,387 —
820 820 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,558 +4.51
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
472 472 3 235.00 $235.00 $1,109 —
613 613 6 210.00 $210.00 $1,287 —
696 696 6 192.00 $192.00 $1,336 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 1 200.00 $200.00 $630 —
380 380 1 200.00 $200.00 $760 —
400–405 403 2 190.00–200.00 $195.03 $786 -19.97
490 490 1 180.00 $180.00 $882 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
825 825 80-85% 1 93.00 $93.00 $767 —
930–1320 1026 80-85% 8 94.00–96.00 $95.54 $980 —
890–1245 1052 80-85% 19 97.00–105.00 $100.59 $1,058 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1345 1345 75-80% 1 98.00 $98.00 $1,318 -23.07
1115–1605 1348 75-80% 8 106.00–111.00 $108.37 $1,461 -12.70
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
725–870 807 85-90% 5 70.00–82.00 $75.87 $612 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1355–1860 1533 5 106.00–112.00 $109.80 $1,683 —
1375–1855 1609 8 113.00–120.00 $117.57 $1,892 —
1520–1820 1715 3 122.00–131.00 $125.48 $2,152 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1030–1050 1040 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 108.00–118.00 $112.95 $1,175
1195 1195 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 113.00 $113.00 $1,350
1045–1310 1208 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 107.00–113.00 $110.55 $1,335
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1050–1100 1075 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,200.00–1,250.00 $1,225.58
1100–1200 1133 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,100.00–1,750.00 $1,361.76

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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
950–1000 975 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 1,350.00–2,000.00 $1,666.67 —
1050 1050 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 13 1,825.00–2,050.00 $1,963.46 +263.46
1100 1100 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 4 2,400.00 $2,400.00 —
1050–1150 1117 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 3 1,250.00–1,650.00 $1,524.63 —

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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.