Cattle Market Pulse

Ash Flat Livestock Auction Market Report

Ash Flat, Arkansas · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, February 9, 2024

865 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $241.72/cwt -22.93 vs last sale · ≈ $1,013/hd at 419 lb · 20 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 2 heifers $218.63/cwt -14.62 vs last sale · ≈ $1,038/hd at 475 lb · 15 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $225.56/cwt +6.30 vs last sale · ≈ $1,518/hd at 673 lb · 13 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 865 1,283 583
Feeder cattle 700 1,090 425
Slaughter cattle 91 118 118
Replacement cattle 74 75 40

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers were lightly tested. Feeder heifers sold 5.00-10.00 lower. Slaughter cows sold steady to 3.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 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
350–380 366 8 282.50–332.50 $301.68 $1,104 +0.02
400–440 423 3 272.50–300.00 $287.54 $1,216 -13.74
465–480 473 2 295.00–305.00 $299.92 $1,419 +19.72
505–540 526 12 270.00–295.00 $285.68 $1,503 +8.44
575–595 583 5 260.00–275.00 $267.95 $1,562 +8.77
600–630 618 10 250.00–275.00 $257.68 $1,592 +1.12
653 653 4 262.50 $262.50 $1,714 +18.55
704–730 714 11 240.00–252.50 $244.13 $1,743 -0.87
765 765 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,836 +18.75
856 value added 856 9 223.00 $223.00 $1,909 —
1046 value added 1046 9 193.00 $193.00 $2,019 —
1065 1065 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,917 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355 355 1 270.00 $270.00 $958 ±0.00
410 410 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,025 -8.69
455–475 468 3 255.00–272.50 $264.30 $1,237 +3.11
535 535 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,364 +4.11
565 565 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,243 -10.13
600–640 620 2 222.50–230.00 $226.13 $1,402 -11.37
655–673 667 3 230.00–240.00 $236.73 $1,579 +16.73
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
470 470 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,058 ±0.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 305 1 295.00 $295.00 $900 +20.30
350–385 366 8 225.00–250.00 $235.83 $863 -38.07
373 fancy 373 3 260.00 $260.00 $970 -60.00
400–445 419 20 232.50–255.00 $241.72 $1,013 -21.72
460–490 469 8 235.00–260.00 $247.75 $1,162 -17.23
500–540 524 5 235.00–260.00 $250.59 $1,313 +0.69
560–595 576 5 225.00–247.50 $232.83 $1,341 -0.33
600 fancy 600 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,500 -7.50
600–615 606 5 217.50–235.00 $226.95 $1,375 -3.20
668–674 671 12 221.00–229.00 $224.98 $1,510 +5.72
695 fancy 695 1 232.50 $232.50 $1,616 —
710 710 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,740 +40.04
770 770 1 202.50 $202.50 $1,559 +12.57
805 805 1 182.50 $182.50 $1,469 —
823 value added 823 3 189.00 $189.00 $1,555 —
928 928 4 170.00 $170.00 $1,578 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340–345 343 2 230.00–232.50 $231.26 $793 -15.62
375–395 388 5 215.00–220.00 $218.00 $846 -35.69
400–435 425 12 210.00–230.00 $218.17 $927 -22.55
450–485 475 15 210.00–232.50 $218.63 $1,038 -14.62
500–545 523 6 200.00–222.50 $212.50 $1,111 -13.93
585 585 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,170 -7.09
615–640 629 4 190.00–207.50 $197.51 $1,242 -7.22
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420–425 423 2 185.00–200.00 $192.46 $814 -10.97
455–490 481 6 200.00–210.00 $206.79 $995 +0.10

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335–348 345 4 292.50–315.00 $297.97 $1,028 -7.06
365–375 370 2 260.00–265.00 $262.53 $971 -33.94
410–445 419 8 285.00–310.00 $293.75 $1,231 +10.19
450–495 468 7 275.00–300.00 $281.89 $1,319 +6.30
505–535 518 5 265.00–280.00 $273.98 $1,419 +7.43
555–590 573 2 230.00–240.00 $234.85 $1,346 -13.88
605–630 613 3 255.00–272.50 $262.47 $1,609 +32.11
703 703 3 215.00 $215.00 $1,511 +0.87
755–780 768 3 215.00–220.00 $216.69 $1,664 —
820–840 830 2 185.00–205.00 $194.88 $1,618 -23.12
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 2 240.00–252.50 $246.25 $850 -3.60
400–420 411 4 242.50–265.00 $258.24 $1,061 +5.48
450–485 462 8 250.00–265.00 $253.83 $1,173 +1.75
510–545 525 5 240.00–252.50 $248.53 $1,305 +6.43
645 645 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,548 +30.00
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 1 205.00 $205.00 $697 —
470–495 483 2 230.00–237.50 $233.85 $1,129 +8.85
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
2260 2260 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 161.00 $161.00 $3,639 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
790–1315 1073 80-85% 16 77.00–85.00 $81.28 $872 —
1095–1165 1126 80-85% 4 95.00–99.00 $96.75 $1,089 +1.43
960–1445 1131 80-85% 9 87.00–91.00 $88.58 $1,002 -6.74
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1240 1240 75-80% 1 115.00 $115.00 $1,426 —
1005–1785 1366 75-80% 8 101.00–110.00 $105.79 $1,445 +7.30
1355–1560 1443 75-80% 6 96.00–99.00 $98.15 $1,416 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
800–1015 884 85-90% 6 70.00–75.00 $72.55 $641 —
800–1060 949 85-90% 5 65.00–69.00 $67.76 $643 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1395–1675 1518 3 106.00–110.00 $108.33 $1,644 —
1210–1845 1595 4 112.00–119.00 $115.26 $1,838 —
1650–2025 1838 2 120.00–128.00 $123.59 $2,272 -7.91

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
900 900 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 5 700.00 $700.00
900–950 925 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 900.00–1,250.00 $1,079.73
750–1150 950 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 850.00–1,650.00 $1,334.21
850–1100 967 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 120.00–1,450.00 $956.47
900–1000 969 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 13 1,075.00–1,125.00 $1,110.71
830–1200 1048 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 10 650.00–1,600.00 $1,239.22
850–1200 1056 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 14 850.00–1,675.00 $1,299.46
1100–1200 1150 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,000.00–1,550.00 $1,286.96
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
885 885 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 81.00 $81.00 $717
940 940 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 117.00 $117.00 $1,100

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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 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,650.00 $1,650.00 —
975 975 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 6 2,200.00 $2,200.00 —
1000 1000 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,700.00 $1,700.00 —
950–1100 1025 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,350.00–1,500.00 $1,419.51 —
950–1250 1093 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 7 1,350.00–2,350.00 $1,872.22 —

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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.