Cattle Market Pulse

Ash Flat Livestock Auction Market Report

Ash Flat, Arkansas · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, October 6, 2023

824 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $236.78/cwt -20.76 vs last sale · ≈ $1,584/hd at 669 lb · 20 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $215.84/cwt -14.40 vs last sale · ≈ $1,021/hd at 473 lb · 19 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $224.49/cwt -6.06 vs last sale · ≈ $1,155/hd at 514 lb · 19 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 824 805 1,114
Feeder cattle 695 703 943
Slaughter cattle 101 86 111
Replacement cattle 28 16 60

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers were lightly tested. Feeder heifers sold 1.00-5.00 lower. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. Slaughter bulls were lightly tested. 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
300–345 329 4 270.00–305.00 $290.00 $954 +14.65
355–393 377 4 290.00–301.00 $293.32 $1,106 +7.34
405–425 413 5 279.00–286.00 $283.22 $1,170 +9.59
450–490 468 8 230.00–255.00 $241.05 $1,128 -26.16
469 fancy 469 4 265.00 $265.00 $1,243 —
505 fancy 505 1 269.00 $269.00 $1,358 —
500–540 521 14 240.00–260.00 $247.67 $1,290 -6.88
565–593 577 12 225.00–250.00 $241.07 $1,391 -10.26
600–630 620 11 220.00–244.00 $232.59 $1,442 -13.72
660–678 669 20 220.00–245.00 $236.78 $1,584 -20.76
710–715 712 3 210.00–220.00 $216.67 $1,543 -3.33
750–765 760 3 210.00–228.00 $219.28 $1,667 -10.72
824 value added 824 5 220.00 $220.00 $1,813 —
1245 1245 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,743 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 240.00 $240.00 $744 -15.00
385–390 388 2 250.00–255.00 $252.48 $980 +7.18
410–445 434 5 235.00–255.00 $248.16 $1,077 +16.85
455–495 475 2 200.00–220.00 $209.58 $996 —
525–545 533 3 220.00–230.00 $223.28 $1,190 -21.72
560 560 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,232 -14.89
605 605 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,331 -10.00
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
595 595 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,130 -20.00
710 710 1 169.00 $169.00 $1,200 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315–325 320 4 210.00–220.00 $217.46 $696 -23.60
365–390 375 11 225.00–250.00 $241.92 $907 +9.87
410 fancy 410 1 239.00 $239.00 $980 —
400–440 418 10 206.00–228.00 $217.85 $911 -12.94
453 fancy 453 2 248.00 $248.00 $1,123 —
450–494 474 16 205.00–228.00 $214.69 $1,018 -8.05
495 495 1 170.00 $170.00 $842 -52.74
500 fancy 500 2 245.00 $245.00 $1,225 —
500–545 516 17 210.00–233.00 $222.08 $1,146 -8.47
553 fancy 553 2 229.00 $229.00 $1,266 —
560–595 578 12 200.00–220.00 $211.06 $1,220 -1.08
605–635 622 10 200.00–225.00 $212.86 $1,324 -5.08
669 value added 669 5 225.00 $225.00 $1,505 —
650–695 672 5 185.00–201.00 $195.23 $1,312 -9.93
700–745 716 4 190.00–201.00 $195.20 $1,398 -4.80
935 935 1 157.00 $157.00 $1,468 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 200.00 $200.00 $620 -13.37
355–390 377 7 200.00–213.00 $204.51 $771 -0.53
415–445 430 7 190.00–200.00 $197.23 $848 +1.40
450–495 470 11 190.00–218.00 $202.25 $951 —
520–540 526 9 190.00–206.00 $197.45 $1,039 -7.73
555–560 558 2 190.00 $190.00 $1,060 —
602–630 615 8 185.00–190.00 $189.36 $1,165 -5.72
665 665 1 164.00 $164.00 $1,091 —
705 705 1 161.00 $161.00 $1,135 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
317–340 323 4 260.00–285.00 $278.42 $899 -4.84
355–370 365 3 260.00–270.00 $264.19 $964 -4.65
375 fancy 375 1 295.00 $295.00 $1,106 —
405–445 422 9 269.00–300.00 $279.61 $1,180 +13.43
460–495 478 9 240.00–260.00 $247.33 $1,182 -15.48
500–545 533 10 210.00–235.00 $223.42 $1,191 -6.57
550–595 571 10 210.00–225.00 $216.09 $1,234 -20.99
600–635 617 8 200.00–220.00 $208.22 $1,285 -11.44
655–685 670 4 185.00–200.00 $190.00 $1,273 -25.01
750–780 763 3 170.00–181.00 $175.35 $1,338 -18.65
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 1 250.00 $250.00 $800 —
350–395 369 4 230.00–240.00 $235.08 $867 -1.69
400–445 420 12 240.00–261.00 $250.41 $1,052 +18.08
450–490 468 6 220.00–240.00 $224.96 $1,053 -10.14
540–545 543 2 196.00–201.00 $198.51 $1,078 —
555–590 576 5 180.00–190.00 $185.98 $1,071 —
610–640 623 3 185.00–190.00 $188.34 $1,173 -11.66
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
505 505 —— 7 245.00 $245.00 $1,237 —
1600 1600 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 118.00 $118.00 $1,888 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 325 1 220.00 $220.00 $715 —
430–445 436 5 200.00–230.00 $215.10 $938 —
450 450 1 210.00 $210.00 $945 +10.00
605 605 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,028 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
935–1170 1085 80-85% 11 81.00–85.00 $83.28 $904 -4.27
920–1255 1101 80-85% 10 86.00–90.00 $87.59 $964 —
995–1280 1126 80-85% 7 92.00–95.00 $93.60 $1,054 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1110–1480 1291 75-80% 18 96.00–103.00 $99.25 $1,281 —
1305 1305 75-80% 1 93.00 $93.00 $1,214 —
1655 1655 75-80% 1 106.00 $106.00 $1,754 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
800–820 812 85-90% 3 61.00–68.00 $64.69 $525 —
825–1150 997 85-90% 13 72.00–80.00 $76.10 $759 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970–1675 1323 2 86.00–91.00 $87.83 $1,162 —
1665 1665 1 123.00 $123.00 $2,048 —
1710 1710 1 115.00 $115.00 $1,966 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
645 645 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 70.00 $70.00 $452
925 925 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 110.00 $110.00 $1,018

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
800 800 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 79.00 $79.00 $632
1055 1055 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 89.00 $89.00 $939
1110–1315 1213 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 93.00–97.00 $95.17 $1,154
1155–1320 1225 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 90.00–106.00 $100.64 $1,233
1030–1475 1230 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 8 93.00–103.00 $99.99 $1,230
1470 1470 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 91.00 $91.00 $1,338
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1000 1000 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00
950–1440 1195 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,575.00–1,675.00 $1,635.25

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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 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,050.00 $1,050.00 -230.49

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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.