light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers$383.18/cwt-7.18 vs last sale · ≈ $2,026/hd at 529 lb · 19 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 2 heifers$366.42/cwt-21.89 vs last sale · ≈ $1,733/hd at 473 lb · 18 head
light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers$419.00/cwt-7.11 vs last sale · ≈ $1,856/hd at 443 lb · 14 head
Ash Flat, AR 4-weight heifers sold at $386/cwt, running $15/cwt below the AR average ($401) and $36/cwt under Searcy, AR ($422). The class is down $44/cwt from its early July peak of $444.
What this means — computed from this report and its neighbors
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
536
627
623
Feeder cattle
494
571
532
Slaughter cattle
25
40
76
Replacement cattle
17
16
15
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week, despite excessive heat and triple-digit temperatures, receipts were moderate, with some quality offerings available. Demand was light, as the hot temperatures negatively affected buyer demand, along with weakness in feeder cattle futures. Feeder steers sold unevenly, ranging from $12.00 lower to $7.00 higher, with stronger demand noted for 400- to 450-pound steers. Feeder heifers and bulls sold $15.00 to $20.00 lower. Slaughter cattle sold mostly steady.
▼ Feeder bulls: Feeder heifers and bulls sold $15.00 to $20.00 lower
→ Feeder cattle: along with weakness in feeder cattle futures
▼ Feeder heifers: Feeder heifers and bulls sold $15.00 to $20.00 lower
▲ Feeder steers: with stronger demand noted for 400- to 450-pound steers
→ Slaughter cattle: Slaughter cattle sold mostly steady
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.
Cattle Market
Compared to last week, despite excessive heat and triple-digit temperatures, receipts were moderate, with some quality offerings available. Demand was light, as the hot temperatures negatively affected buyer demand, along with weakness in feeder cattle futures. Feeder steers sold unevenly, ranging from $12.00 lower to $7.00 higher, with stronger demand noted for 400- to 450-pound steers. Feeder heifers and bulls sold $15.00 to $20.00 lower. Slaughter cattle sold mostly steady.