Cattle Market Pulse

Ash Flat Livestock Auction Market Report

Ash Flat, Arkansas · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, August 23, 2024

779 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 2 steers $274.67/cwt +13.14 vs last sale · ≈ $1,313/hd at 478 lb · 19 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $240.36/cwt -4.88 vs last sale · ≈ $1,256/hd at 522 lb · 17 head
light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $255.83/cwt -12.29 vs last sale · ≈ $1,092/hd at 427 lb · 13 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 779 347 189
Feeder cattle 691 287 149
Slaughter cattle 72 45 30
Replacement cattle 16 15 10

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and feeder bulls sold steady to $1.00 higher overall and Feeder heifer sold steady to $1.00 lower. Supply was strong with a lot of unweaned and fleshier calves. Demand was moderate to low on feeders while strong on slaughter cattle

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
323 323 2 355.00 $355.00 $1,147 —
380–395 385 8 300.00–332.50 $326.50 $1,257 +14.51
430–440 435 2 317.00–322.00 $319.53 $1,390 +9.53
450–465 458 2 300.00–316.00 $307.87 $1,410 —
515–545 530 2 260.00–261.00 $260.49 $1,381 -26.60
540 540 1 275.00 $275.00 $1,485 -12.09
550–580 558 5 270.00–288.00 $277.36 $1,548 -7.09
565–590 579 8 246.00–260.00 $254.86 $1,476 -15.14
600–620 611 4 250.00–256.00 $252.23 $1,541 +17.23
615–640 628 2 240.00–244.00 $241.96 $1,520 -23.66
650–655 653 2 250.00–255.00 $252.49 $1,649 +1.08
670 670 1 238.00 $238.00 $1,595 -13.41
705–745 715 5 230.00–245.00 $237.59 $1,699 -9.87
775 775 1 231.00 $231.00 $1,790 +11.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380–395 388 2 275.00–301.00 $287.75 $1,116 +12.91
415–420 thin fleshed 418 3 300.00 $300.00 $1,254 —
435 435 1 288.00 $288.00 $1,253 +22.91
456 thin fleshed 456 7 290.00 $290.00 $1,322 —
480–494 491 12 255.00–275.00 $265.72 $1,305 +4.19
585 585 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,462 —
665 665 1 219.00 $219.00 $1,456 —
700 700 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,470 —
755 755 1 221.00 $221.00 $1,669 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
416–443 428 7 285.00–287.00 $285.89 $1,224 —
428 value added 428 4 324.00 $324.00 $1,387 —
464 464 5 285.00 $285.00 $1,322 —
747 747 3 230.00 $230.00 $1,718 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
348 348 2 287.50 $287.50 $1,000 —
360–390 378 4 260.00 $260.00 $983 —
410–430 420 2 262.00–263.00 $262.51 $1,103 —
480 480 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,200 +3.20
500–520 510 2 251.00–255.00 $252.96 $1,290 +0.95
500–545 524 15 230.00–245.00 $238.68 $1,251 -13.33
550–580 564 4 231.00–235.00 $233.47 $1,317 -3.92
550–595 566 8 240.00–255.00 $247.09 $1,399 +9.70
600–615 604 4 231.00–245.00 $238.95 $1,443 +2.95
615–645 632 7 220.00–226.00 $222.69 $1,407 +0.69
675 675 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,552 —
908 908 2 164.00 $164.00 $1,489 -16.00
953 953 2 164.00 $164.00 $1,563 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 1 250.00 $250.00 $850 -16.00
368–395 375 5 241.00–247.50 $243.14 $912 -26.86
385 385 1 235.00 $235.00 $905 -35.00
415–425 420 2 240.00–255.00 $247.59 $1,040 +7.59
420 420 1 220.00 $220.00 $924 -20.00
465–475 468 3 230.00–245.00 $238.27 $1,115 +6.79
500–545 523 2 225.00–231.00 $227.87 $1,192 +2.98
545 545 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,090 —
550–595 587 8 210.00–225.00 $222.52 $1,306 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405–445 427 13 254.00–260.00 $255.83 $1,092 -12.29
500 value added 500 2 248.00 $248.00 $1,240 —
522 522 7 242.00 $242.00 $1,263 -1.71

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410–415 thin fleshed 413 2 310.00–312.00 $310.99 $1,284 +13.99
400–435 414 5 280.00–290.00 $285.08 $1,180 +10.14
450–465 458 2 230.00–240.00 $235.08 $1,077 -33.38
460–490 470 3 270.00 $270.00 $1,269 +1.54
535 535 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,177 -30.00
570–580 575 3 240.00–248.00 $244.36 $1,405 —
580 580 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,276 —
610–645 628 2 230.00–239.00 $234.37 $1,472 +12.37
655 655 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,244 —
665 665 1 216.00 $216.00 $1,436 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 325 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,040 -18.39
365 365 1 310.00 $310.00 $1,132 +10.00
365 365 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,095 ±0.00
425 425 1 295.00 $295.00 $1,254 -5.00
455–495 471 7 291.00–303.00 $296.35 $1,396 —
505–545 520 3 240.00–250.00 $245.13 $1,275 -29.87
585 585 1 253.00 $253.00 $1,480 -1.00
670–690 680 2 230.00–235.00 $232.46 $1,581 +7.48
755–790 767 3 200.00–209.00 $205.91 $1,579 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460–473 472 11 280.00 $280.00 $1,322 —
535 535 2 261.00 $261.00 $1,396 —
590 590 2 250.00 $250.00 $1,475 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1015–1550 1256 80-85% 16 135.00–142.00 $137.76 $1,730 —
1335 1335 80-85% 1 115.00 $115.00 $1,535 —
1110–1540 1361 80-85% 5 144.00–147.50 $145.86 $1,985 —
1310–1510 1407 80-85% 3 132.50–134.00 $133.14 $1,873 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
950–985 968 85-90% 2 85.00–95.00 $90.09 $872 -3.79
840–1335 1056 85-90% 7 105.00–115.00 $111.46 $1,177 —
950–1305 1089 85-90% 8 117.00–127.50 $122.21 $1,331 —
995–1275 1139 85-90% 7 129.00–139.00 $133.98 $1,526 +10.98
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1470–1880 1675 75-80% 2 135.00–138.00 $136.32 $2,283 +1.32
1615–1745 1680 75-80% 2 126.00–132.00 $129.12 $2,169 -5.88

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1445–1740 1595 3 150.00–157.50 $152.26 $2,429 -20.36
1755–1865 1810 2 182.50–190.00 $186.14 $3,369 —
1640–2245 1876 4 162.50–177.50 $168.23 $3,156 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1225 1225 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,838

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
925 925 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,350.00 $1,350.00
995 995 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,925.00 $1,925.00
905–1265 1043 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,625.00–2,250.00 $1,914.45
1045 1045 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,850.00 $1,850.00
1160 1160 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,050.00 $2,050.00
1240 1240 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,850.00 $1,850.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
960 960 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,800.00 $1,800.00

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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
900 900 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,700.00 $1,700.00 —
1200 1200 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,800.00 $2,800.00 —
1250 1250 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 2,350.00 $2,350.00 —
1270 1270 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 2,000.00 $2,000.00 —
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
700 700 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,150.00 $1,150.00 —

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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.