Cattle Market Pulse

Ash Flat Livestock Auction Market Report

Ash Flat, Arkansas · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, March 8, 2024

478 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 $275.87/cwt +12.69 vs last sale · ≈ $1,324/hd at 480 lb · 11 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 478 722 593
Feeder cattle 405 570 454
Slaughter cattle 51 132 79
Replacement cattle 22 20 60

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and feeder heifers were lightly tested. No trend established. Slaughter cows sold 3.00-8.00 higher. 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
315 fancy 315 1 357.50 $357.50 $1,126 —
310–345 333 4 300.00–335.00 $321.65 $1,071 -6.73
365 fancy 365 1 355.00 $355.00 $1,296 —
385–395 389 4 310.00–335.00 $321.29 $1,250 -9.11
400–435 421 5 300.00–335.00 $317.16 $1,335 -0.78
450–470 463 6 300.00–320.00 $311.33 $1,441 -4.47
535–545 540 3 295.00–325.00 $311.60 $1,683 +13.31
550–575 563 2 277.50–292.50 $284.83 $1,604 +7.55
625 fancy 625 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,781 —
635–640 638 2 250.00–255.00 $252.49 $1,611 —
740 740 1 242.50 $242.50 $1,794 +11.29
825 825 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,980 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–330 315 2 250.00–260.00 $255.24 $804 +7.80
395 395 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,066 +30.20
430–445 438 2 285.00–290.00 $287.46 $1,259 +14.60
480 480 2 282.50–290.00 $286.25 $1,374 -2.44
525 525 1 277.50 $277.50 $1,457 +15.75
640 640 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,600 +17.50
750 750 2 235.00 $235.00 $1,762 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–335 320 4 292.50–315.00 $308.95 $989 +35.81
325 fancy 325 1 325.00 $325.00 $1,056 +22.50
385 fancy 385 1 305.00 $305.00 $1,174 —
385–390 388 3 270.00–285.00 $278.30 $1,080 -15.02
400 fancy 400 1 282.50 $282.50 $1,130 —
400–445 421 4 252.50–270.00 $259.13 $1,091 -25.09
450–495 480 11 260.00–285.00 $275.87 $1,324 +25.87
510–540 530 8 247.50–272.50 $260.16 $1,379 +3.17
555 fancy 555 1 275.00 $275.00 $1,526 +22.50
555–595 572 5 245.00–255.00 $248.61 $1,422 +18.80
600–640 627 3 235.00–245.00 $238.19 $1,493 +16.93
670–695 683 3 210.00–232.50 $224.87 $1,536 +19.96
775–780 778 2 200.00–210.00 $205.02 $1,595 +0.02
800 800 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,520 -10.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–325 312 3 260.00–285.00 $268.85 $839 +33.76
375–395 383 3 240.00–260.00 $246.61 $945 -19.61
410–430 420 5 225.00–250.00 $236.57 $994 -14.27
480–495 486 4 240.00–255.00 $246.86 $1,200 -0.56
500 500 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,100 -13.28
615 615 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,445 +26.00
770 770 1 202.50 $202.50 $1,559 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
487 487 6 267.50 $267.50 $1,303 +24.50
608 608 6 237.50 $237.50 $1,444 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430 430 2 210.00–220.00 $215.00 $924 -20.00
490 490 1 185.00 $185.00 $906 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–320 fancy 310 2 360.00–375.00 $367.74 $1,140 —
300–340 314 4 300.00–320.00 $307.41 $965 -7.80
355–395 375 5 295.00–320.00 $304.15 $1,141 -22.92
390 fancy 390 1 352.50 $352.50 $1,375 —
405 fancy 405 1 332.50 $332.50 $1,347 —
405–435 425 3 290.00–315.00 $301.09 $1,280 -17.86
465–490 472 7 290.00–315.00 $303.31 $1,432 -11.63
500–540 518 3 277.50–295.00 $287.32 $1,488 -9.50
545 fancy 545 1 317.50 $317.50 $1,730 —
555 fancy 555 1 310.00 $310.00 $1,720 —
555–590 578 4 267.50–287.50 $280.04 $1,619 +9.04
640 640 2 255.00 $255.00 $1,632 +9.90
660 fancy 660 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,782 —
693 693 2 240.00 $240.00 $1,663 —
725 725 1 227.50 $227.50 $1,649 +5.00
750–755 753 2 230.00–235.00 $232.51 $1,751 -12.49
820 820 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,845 —
900–930 915 2 220.00–225.00 $222.54 $2,036 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
540 540 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,404 -10.11
620–640 630 2 225.00–250.00 $237.30 $1,495 +17.30
650 650 1 227.50 $227.50 $1,479 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1665 1665 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 139.00 $139.00 $2,314 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1035–1250 1098 80-85% 5 104.00–109.00 $106.83 $1,173 —
1110–1145 1128 80-85% 2 128.00–134.00 $131.05 $1,478 —
1115–1290 1168 80-85% 8 111.00–119.00 $115.56 $1,350 +8.78
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1275–1405 1317 75-80% 5 113.00–119.00 $116.42 $1,533 -0.10
1210–1530 1365 75-80% 6 125.00–132.00 $127.04 $1,734 +20.84
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
770 770 85-90% 1 84.00 $84.00 $647 —
935 935 85-90% 1 107.00 $107.00 $1,000 +26.08
900–1135 985 85-90% 4 89.00–98.00 $92.90 $915 —
1175 1175 85-90% 1 74.00 $74.00 $870 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1200–1675 1476 5 119.00–125.00 $122.46 $1,808 —
1440–1810 1564 6 130.00–137.00 $131.76 $2,061 —

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
600–890 745 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 90.00–108.00 $100.75 $751

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1085–1185 1135 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 118.00–133.00 $125.17 $1,421
1110–1330 1206 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 115.00–128.00 $122.92 $1,482
1455 1455 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 132.00 $132.00 $1,921
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1000–1200 1083 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,550.00–1,800.00 $1,676.92
1100 1100 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,000.00 $2,000.00

↑ Back to top

Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
800–900 867 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 3 1,000.00–1,125.00 $1,038.46 —
1050 1050 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,850.00 $1,850.00 +127.21
1200 1200 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,325.00 $2,325.00 —

↑ Back to top

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.