Cattle Market Pulse

Low Country Livestock Exchange Market Report

Darlington, South Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, September 19, 2023

328 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 3-weight M&L 2 heifers $203.65/cwt -4.65 vs last sale · ≈ $754/hd at 370 lb · 11 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 328 492 423
Feeder cattle 179 267 229
Slaughter cattle 71 60 72
Replacement cattle 16 8 3

Market comments — USDA reporter

No comparisons made this week due to limited comparable sales. Average offerings of average to plain quality cattle with active buyer participation. ** A light demand for cattle with excessive hair **

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 210.00 $210.00 $819 —
450 450 1 210.00 $210.00 $945 +10.00
655 655 1 208.00 $208.00 $1,362 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 230.00 $230.00 $897 ±0.00
470 470 1 242.50 $242.50 $1,140 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
615 615 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,199 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230–245 238 2 207.50–210.00 $208.79 $497 -1.21
280 280 1 200.00 $200.00 $560 —
310–345 328 5 200.00–210.00 $204.47 $671 +2.42
350–395 370 11 200.00–210.00 $203.65 $754 -4.65
440 440 2 197.50–200.00 $198.75 $874 -1.24
450 450 1 200.00 $200.00 $900 -5.00
540 540 2 202.50 $202.50 $1,094 +10.02
560 560 1 202.50 $202.50 $1,134 +7.94
574 574 4 152.50 $152.50 $875 -42.06
625 625 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,250 +6.80
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 1 187.50 $187.50 $647 —
355–375 365 2 180.00–190.00 $185.14 $676 —
405–435 420 2 180.00 $180.00 $756 —
485 485 1 180.00 $180.00 $873 -6.46
510 510 1 180.00 $180.00 $918 -4.93
550 550 1 180.00 $180.00 $990 -7.90
609 609 5 180.00 $180.00 $1,096 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 2 215.00 $215.00 $634 —
325 325 1 215.00 $215.00 $699 —
395 395 1 220.00 $220.00 $869 +1.22
425–430 428 2 210.00–212.50 $211.24 $904 -1.26
465–470 468 2 206.00–212.50 $209.23 $979 -3.27
625 625 1 202.50 $202.50 $1,266 -3.81

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255–288 280 6 220.00–230.00 $226.43 $634 —
355–391 382 4 200.00–230.00 $223.03 $852 -11.97
400 400 1 210.00 $210.00 $840 -1.21
455–495 485 8 190.00–215.00 $197.94 $960 -22.06
515–545 528 5 195.00–210.00 $202.42 $1,069 +3.77
555 555 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,166 +8.06
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 1 200.00 $200.00 $630 -10.00
395 395 1 190.00 $190.00 $750 ±0.00
475 475 1 205.00 $205.00 $974 +17.43
525–545 535 2 190.00–195.00 $192.55 $1,030 +2.55
560 560 2 190.00 $190.00 $1,064 —
600–625 613 2 185.00 $185.00 $1,134 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 240.00 $240.00 $576 —
448 448 3 227.50 $227.50 $1,019 -7.62
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1210 1210 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 1,400.00 $1,400.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
805–1420 1086 80-85% 12 83.00–96.00 $90.57 $984 -0.48
950–1345 1193 80-85% 19 99.00–105.00 $101.32 $1,209 -3.86
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
835–1300 1007 85-90% 6 70.00–94.00 $86.07 $867 —
1155–1170 1163 85-90% 2 101.00–103.00 $101.99 $1,186 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1185–1640 1407 75-80% 5 99.00–106.00 $101.82 $1,433 —
1860 1860 75-80% 1 94.00 $94.00 $1,748 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
975–1415 1195 2 102.50–111.00 $107.53 $1,285 —
1010–2020 1443 6 122.00–129.00 $125.39 $1,809 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
970 970 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 922.00 $922.00
Small 3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
620 620 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 481.00 $481.00

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
965 965 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 950.00 $950.00
1090 1090 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,100.00 $1,100.00
1100 1100 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,125.00 $1,125.00
Medium and Large 3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
805–840 823 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 685.00–706.00 $695.72
Small 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
705 705 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 650.00 $650.00
825 825 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 800.00 $800.00
Small 3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
665 665 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 350.00 $350.00

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Barrows & Gilts

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 92.50 $92.50 $250 —

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Boars

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205 205 1 37.50 $37.50 $77 -12.50
405 405 1 2.00 $2.00 $8 —

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Bucks Billies

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
100–130 117 3 170.00–180.00 $175.00 -68.33
150 150 2 220.00–300.00 $260.00 -50.00
200 200 1 400.00 $400.00 —

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
750 750 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,400.00 $1,400.00 —
800 800 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 825.00 $825.00 —
840 840 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,100.00 $1,100.00 —
900–1080 990 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 1,250.00–1,375.00 $1,318.18 —

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Kids

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
40 40 3 50.00–60.00 $56.67 -83.33
50 50 6 70.00–80.00 $78.33 -51.67
50 50 2 122.50–130.00 $126.25 -3.75
50 50 2 100.00–112.50 $106.25 -23.75
60 60 6 85.00–92.50 $91.25 -38.75
80 80 1 135.00 $135.00 +5.00

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Nannies Does

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
80 80 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 172.50 $172.50 +70.00
80 80 Kids (<1 yr)Open 1 195.00 $195.00 +92.50
80 80 —— 1 110.00 $110.00 +7.50
80 80 —— 4 60.00–70.00 $65.00 -37.50
80 80 —— 6 100.00–155.00 $134.17 +31.67
100 100 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 132.50 $132.50 -108.75
100–120 107 —— 3 80.00–105.00 $93.33 -147.92
100–130 115 —— 2 115.00–142.50 $128.75 -112.50
150 150 —— 2 175.00–195.00 $185.00 —

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Pigs

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
10 10 3 30.00 $30.00 —

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Sows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 54.00 $54.00 $130 —

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Wethers

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
80 80 1 130.00 $130.00 —
100–130 113 4 200.00–290.00 $245.00 —
150 150 2 260.00–280.00 $270.00 —

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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.