Cattle Market Pulse

Laurens Livestock Exchange Market Report

Laurens, South Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, January 31, 2024

413 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Laurens Livestock Exchange report →

light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $243.00/cwt ≈ $1,460/hd at 601 lb · 39 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $222.28/cwt -8.67 vs last sale · ≈ $938/hd at 422 lb · 12 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 413 468 229
Feeder cattle 269 305 131
Slaughter cattle 67 89 38
Replacement cattle 10 23 17

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week feeder steers and bulls were 3.00 higher, feeder heifers were unevenly steady. Slaughter cows were 5.00 higher, slaughter bulls were steady. Average offering of average quality cattle with active buyer participation.

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
305 fancy 305 1 320.00 $320.00 $976 +10.00
305–310 308 2 300.00–315.00 $307.44 $947 +22.21
350 350 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,050 +5.00
380 fancy 380 1 325.00 $325.00 $1,235 —
445 445 1 305.00 $305.00 $1,357 +9.10
470–485 fancy 477 3 300.00–310.00 $305.05 $1,455 +10.05
480–495 488 2 285.00–295.00 $289.92 $1,415 +14.97
601 value added 601 39 243.00 $243.00 $1,460 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435 435 1 200.00 $200.00 $870 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 265 1 250.00 $250.00 $662 +10.00
310–320 318 4 240.00–250.00 $247.48 $787 +12.35
325–330 fancy 328 2 255.00–262.50 $258.78 $849 -1.22
360 fancy 360 1 250.00 $250.00 $900 -5.00
370–385 378 5 230.00–240.00 $233.97 $884 +2.19
415–445 422 12 220.00–232.50 $222.28 $938 -8.67
465–495 481 4 220.00–230.00 $226.82 $1,091 +5.02
500–535 515 7 205.00–225.00 $214.68 $1,106 -3.14
550–590 570 3 210.00–215.00 $211.67 $1,207 +4.67
605–620 613 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,287 +9.97
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 1 210.00 $210.00 $598 -10.00
320–325 323 2 220.00–225.00 $222.52 $719 +0.89
365 365 1 210.00 $210.00 $766 -1.23
400–445 425 4 205.00–215.00 $209.94 $892 -7.53
450–495 470 5 195.00–210.00 $204.10 $959 +5.88
570 570 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,140 +12.55
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 190.00 $190.00 $741 —
430 430 1 185.00 $185.00 $796 —
450–480 465 3 185.00–190.00 $187.47 $872 -5.03
525 525 1 180.00 $180.00 $945 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225 225 1 280.00 $280.00 $630 —
285 285 1 285.00 $285.00 $812 —
295 fancy 295 2 325.00–327.50 $326.25 $962 —
315–335 fancy 324 4 320.00–335.00 $327.51 $1,061 +17.74
345 345 1 295.00 $295.00 $1,018 +7.45
350 350 1 280.00 $280.00 $980 -7.51
350–385 fancy 362 3 315.00–330.00 $319.84 $1,158 +9.12
405–430 422 3 310.00–317.50 $312.40 $1,318 +23.78
430–445 fancy 438 3 315.00–330.00 $324.25 $1,420 +16.75
470 fancy 470 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,504 +30.00
465–481 476 7 275.00–285.00 $282.87 $1,346 +9.11
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205 205 1 255.00 $255.00 $523 +5.16
365–390 378 2 255.00–275.00 $264.67 $1,000 +4.61
475 475 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,140 -3.06
510–542 524 5 230.00–245.00 $239.14 $1,253 +35.14
550–585 565 6 225.00–240.00 $232.87 $1,316 +32.87
605–645 623 3 200.00–217.50 $207.32 $1,292 +17.32
650–670 660 2 185.00–190.00 $187.54 $1,238 +7.54
700–725 713 3 182.50–187.50 $185.02 $1,319 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205 205 1 230.00 $230.00 $472 —
320–340 330 2 215.00–230.00 $222.73 $735 —
350–375 363 3 200.00–220.00 $210.23 $763 —
425–440 431 5 200.00–225.00 $210.00 $905 —
480 480 1 200.00 $200.00 $960 -10.00
510–515 513 2 190.00–200.00 $194.98 $1,000 +9.98
585 585 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,228 +30.00
645 645 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,161 —
665 665 1 171.00 $171.00 $1,137 —
705 705 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,304 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1155 1155 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 1,325.00 $1,325.00 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1010–1550 1181 80-85% 4 90.00–105.00 $97.25 $1,149 -15.38
905–1530 1217 80-85% 29 110.00–130.00 $122.50 $1,491 —
1195–1400 1298 80-85% 2 132.00 $132.00 $1,713 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
770–995 897 85-90% 7 85.00–96.00 $92.48 $830 +4.90
885–985 940 85-90% 4 103.00–114.00 $107.10 $1,007 +3.84
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1160 1160 75-80% 1 87.00 $87.00 $1,009 —
1440–1610 1525 75-80% 2 110.00–116.00 $112.83 $1,721 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1195 1195 1 103.00 $103.00 $1,231 —
1305–1825 1565 2 125.00–130.00 $127.92 $2,002 —

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
950 950 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 121.00 $121.00 $1,150

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
860–900 880 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,025.00–1,075.00 $1,050.57
1065 1065 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,225.00 $1,225.00
Small 3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
580–625 603 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 450.00–700.00 $579.67
810 810 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 500.00 $500.00

↑ Back to top

Barrows & Gilts

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
145 145 2 65.00–72.50 $68.75 $100 —
140–170 154 4 80.00–100.00 $89.53 $138 —
260 260 1 42.50 $42.50 $110 -17.50
280 280 1 60.00 $60.00 $168 ±0.00
330–335 333 2 52.50–60.00 $56.22 $187 —

↑ Back to top

Bucks Billies

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
50 50 4 120.00–130.00 $127.50 +47.50
70 70 6 140.00–150.00 $145.00 +65.00
70 70 4 100.00–112.50 $108.13 +28.13
70 70 1 130.00 $130.00 +50.00
80 80 2 160.00–165.00 $162.50 +72.50
100 100 1 210.00 $210.00 +81.67
150 150 1 330.00 $330.00 +80.00

↑ Back to top

Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
965 965 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,675.00 $1,675.00 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
865 865 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,350.00 $1,350.00 —

↑ Back to top

Families

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
60 60 Middle Aged (4-6 yrs)Open 1 185.00 $185.00 —

↑ Back to top

Kids

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
20 20 2 50.00 $50.00 -77.50
30 30 7 87.50–100.00 $89.29 -38.21
40 40 2 47.50–57.50 $52.50 -75.00
40 40 2 125.00 $125.00 -2.50

↑ Back to top

Nannies Does

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
50 50 —— 4 140.00–155.00 $143.75 -16.25
50 50 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 195.00 $195.00 +35.00
50 50 —— 1 120.00 $120.00 -40.00
60 60 —— 2 145.00–155.00 $150.00 -25.00
70 70 —— 1 85.00 $85.00 -25.00
100 100 —— 3 150.00–170.00 $160.00 -40.00

↑ Back to top

Sows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 40.00 $40.00 $118 -2.46
335–390 362 3 37.50–38.00 $37.65 $136 -21.10
415–490 445 3 27.50–40.00 $33.00 $147 +0.50
430–490 463 3 49.00–52.50 $50.54 $234 —

↑ Back to top

Wethers

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
100 100 1 170.00 $170.00 +10.00

↑ 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.