Cattle Market Pulse

Low Country Livestock Exchange Market Report

Darlington, South Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, May 9, 2023

541 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $195.29/cwt ≈ $1,217/hd at 623 lb · 32 head
light 6-weight S 1-2 heifers $157.13/cwt +4.62 vs last sale · ≈ $984/hd at 626 lb · 26 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 2 heifers $174.81/cwt -4.68 vs last sale · ≈ $984/hd at 563 lb · 21 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 541 658 479
Feeder cattle 379 362 190
Slaughter cattle 52 120 90
Replacement cattle 3 64 48

Market comments — USDA reporter

No comparisons made today due to limited comparable sales. Moderate offering of average quality cattle with active buyer participation.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225–245 238 3 210.00–220.00 $215.14 $512 +0.22
280 280 1 220.00 $220.00 $616 -6.31
360–390 380 4 200.00–225.00 $213.72 $812 -2.50
452–468 fancy 462 5 212.50–217.50 $215.54 $996 —
485 485 1 205.00 $205.00 $994 -7.50
515–536 530 17 202.50–214.00 $210.71 $1,117 +0.71
600 value added 600 9 197.00–202.00 $199.78 $1,199 —
600–640 632 23 190.00–197.00 $193.53 $1,223 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–380 374 4 180.00–195.00 $189.97 $710 -2.48
445 445 1 185.00 $185.00 $823 -5.00
470–476 473 9 180.00–192.50 $186.98 $884 —
540 540 7 175.00 $175.00 $945 —
555 555 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,054 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 255 1 150.00 $150.00 $382 -5.00
360–370 365 2 150.00 $150.00 $548 -20.00
525 525 1 150.00 $150.00 $788 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 325 1 175.00 $175.00 $569 —
575 575 1 170.00 $170.00 $978 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220 220 1 190.00 $190.00 $418 +2.50
280–295 288 2 190.00 $190.00 $547 +2.07
310 310 1 185.00 $185.00 $574 +1.12
365–375 368 3 180.00–185.00 $181.65 $668 -3.38
425–430 428 4 170.00–185.00 $179.99 $770 -3.74
549 549 7 183.00 $183.00 $1,005 +6.37
556–590 563 21 170.00–179.00 $174.81 $984 +1.87
620 value added 620 11 170.00 $170.00 $1,054 —
780 780 6 165.00 $165.00 $1,287 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260–290 275 2 165.00–170.00 $167.36 $460 —
315 315 1 165.00 $165.00 $520 —
355 355 1 155.00 $155.00 $550 -9.87
430 430 1 160.00 $160.00 $688 +0.17
478 478 5 170.00 $170.00 $813 —
600–628 626 26 152.50–165.00 $157.13 $984 +4.62
680 680 3 156.00 $156.00 $1,061 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–340 325 3 195.00–200.00 $198.26 $644 -3.60
440 440 1 195.00 $195.00 $858 +5.00
475 475 1 192.50 $192.50 $914 +3.54
477 value added 477 17 195.00 $195.00 $930 +1.00
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 1 150.00 $150.00 $450 +0.10
385 385 1 140.00 $140.00 $539 —
425 425 1 142.50 $142.50 $606 —
475–485 480 2 150.00–155.00 $152.47 $732 +5.00
510 510 1 140.00 $140.00 $714 —
615–630 625 3 130.00–140.00 $133.28 $833 —
665–675 670 2 135.00–147.50 $141.20 $946 -1.80
710 710 10 145.00 $145.00 $1,030 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405–435 424 4 180.00–190.00 $186.19 $789 -8.81
465–480 473 4 180.00–190.00 $184.37 $872 +5.36
510–540 525 2 180.00 $180.00 $945 —
560–575 568 2 175.00–185.00 $180.07 $1,023 -6.13
605–648 637 6 170.00–185.00 $174.02 $1,109 —
675–693 684 4 167.50–172.00 $169.78 $1,161 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425–440 430 3 195.00–210.00 $205.06 $882 -17.44
455 fancy 455 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,001 —
450–470 462 3 200.00 $200.00 $924 —
530–540 533 3 190.00–200.00 $193.38 $1,031 -11.74
550–563 559 3 192.50–200.00 $197.54 $1,104 -14.46
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435 435 1 145.00 $145.00 $631 —
455–465 460 2 140.00–150.00 $144.95 $667 -5.05
545 545 2 155.00 $155.00 $845 ±0.00
555 555 1 155.00 $155.00 $860 —
640 640 1 155.00 $155.00 $992 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420 420 1 170.00 $170.00 $714 —
450–490 475 3 160.00–170.00 $166.60 $791 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1020–1190 1136 80-85% 7 70.00–86.00 $82.70 $939 -11.43
925–1305 1137 80-85% 13 89.00–102.00 $96.94 $1,102 +2.81
1295 1295 80-85% 1 105.00 $105.00 $1,360 +3.23
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
655–995 926 85-90% 9 71.00–83.00 $78.19 $724 —
840–995 933 85-90% 6 84.00–96.00 $90.11 $841 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1285–1505 1373 75-80% 3 88.00–95.00 $92.09 $1,264 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1140–1425 1267 3 108.00–112.00 $109.53 $1,388 —
1270–1370 1335 3 96.00–100.00 $98.63 $1,317 —
1705–1945 1825 2 121.00–130.00 $125.80 $2,296 —

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Barrows & Gilts

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
125–193 161 7 70.00–80.00 $72.99 $118 —
142–195 170 8 58.00–65.00 $62.21 $106 —
200–270 243 9 54.00–70.00 $59.90 $146 —
305–320 315 3 45.00 $45.00 $142 —
438 438 2 40.00 $40.00 $175 -4.21

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Boars

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
575–595 585 2 3.00–10.00 $6.44 $38 +1.44

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Bucks Billies

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
70 70 3 160.00 $160.00 -15.00
70 70 5 115.00–125.00 $122.00 -53.00
100 100 1 195.00 $195.00 +17.50
150 150 2 250.00–260.00 $255.00 -25.00

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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
850 850 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,200.00 $1,200.00 -225.00
1100 1100 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,225.00 $1,225.00 —
Small 3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
630 630 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 550.00 $550.00 —

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Kids

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
20 20 5 20.00–30.00 $25.00 -28.21
30 30 3 42.20–47.50 $43.97 -9.24
40 40 3 80.00–90.00 $83.33 +30.12
50 50 4 100.00 $100.00 +1.67
60 60 2 130.00 $130.00 +31.67

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Nannies Does

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
50 50 1 162.50 $162.50 +77.50
50 50 1 80.00 $80.00 -5.00
80 80 2 130.00 $130.00 +53.50

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Pigs

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
28 28 8 35.00 $35.00 —
45 45 9 57.50 $57.50 —
68 68 4 52.50 $52.50 —
80 80 4 62.50 $62.50 —

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Sows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 32.50 $32.50 $80 —
360–365 363 2 17.50–22.50 $20.02 $73 —
420–490 459 4 14.00–23.00 $19.04 $87 —
510–550 530 2 10.00–23.00 $16.75 $89 —
770 770 1 22.50 $22.50 $173 —

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Wether Kids

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
50 50 2 117.50–120.00 $118.75 —

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Wethers

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
80 80 1 160.00 $160.00 -10.00

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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.