Cattle Market Pulse

Low Country Livestock Exchange Market Report, Darlington, SC

Darlington, South Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, March 12, 2024

426 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $272.97/cwt ≈ $1,789/hd at 655 lb · 43 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $237.50/cwt ≈ $1,449/hd at 610 lb · 32 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $257.79/cwt ≈ $1,472/hd at 571 lb · 27 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 426 488 416
Feeder cattle 250 252 217
Slaughter cattle 57 52 86
Replacement cattle 14 12 35

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week no comparisons made on feeder cattle due to limited comparable sales, slaughter cows 6.00 higher, slaughter bulls 12.00 higher. Moderate 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
295 295 1 325.00 $325.00 $959 +12.50
378 378 2 320.00 $320.00 $1,210 —
415 415 1 325.00 $325.00 $1,349 +5.00
490 490 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,421 ±0.00
572 value added 572 14 296.00 $296.00 $1,693 —
579 579 7 287.50 $287.50 $1,665 +37.50
655 value added 655 42 273.40 $273.40 $1,791 —
675 675 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,721 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405 405 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,012 —
460 460 3 250.00 $250.00 $1,150 —
625 625 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,438 +15.00
695 695 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,494 —
765 765 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,530 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,102 +10.00
445 445 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,246 —
470–480 475 2 270.00–280.00 $275.05 $1,306 +5.05
535 535 1 275.00 $275.00 $1,471 +15.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
282 value added 282 3 290.00 $290.00 $818 —
325 fancy 325 2 280.00 $280.00 $910 —
365–395 fancy 380 2 287.50–290.00 $288.80 $1,097 +13.80
388 value added 388 3 289.00 $289.00 $1,121 —
400 400 1 272.50 $272.50 $1,090 —
415–420 fancy 418 2 295.00–297.50 $296.24 $1,238 —
490 490 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,200 —
500–545 523 2 252.50 $252.50 $1,321 —
550–573 value added 571 27 255.00–258.00 $257.79 $1,472 —
610 value added 610 32 237.50 $237.50 $1,449 —
650 650 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,430 —
712 value added 712 7 214.50 $214.50 $1,527 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205 205 1 250.00 $250.00 $512 +15.00
299 299 5 260.00 $260.00 $777 —
315–330 325 3 220.00–235.00 $229.92 $747 -0.08
375–390 385 3 232.50–250.00 $240.71 $927 +10.71
420–445 433 3 225.00–232.50 $229.22 $993 +15.92
470–490 483 3 212.50–215.00 $213.31 $1,030 -4.19
500–520 514 4 220.00–237.50 $228.08 $1,172 -1.94
560 560 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,260 —
607 607 4 227.50 $227.50 $1,381 +27.50
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265–270 268 2 210.00–220.00 $215.05 $576 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–345 325 4 320.00–335.00 $328.94 $1,069 +17.79
365–395 384 4 325.00–332.50 $329.35 $1,265 +20.65
400–445 419 5 310.00–325.00 $317.76 $1,331 +5.66
460–495 483 3 290.00–305.00 $300.24 $1,450 —
540 540 1 272.50 $272.50 $1,472 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 1 280.00 $280.00 $966 -18.15
375–390 382 3 280.00–300.00 $290.81 $1,111 +2.04
475 475 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,188 -40.00
535–545 540 2 250.00–270.00 $260.09 $1,404 —
555–585 572 3 240.00–250.00 $246.76 $1,411 -3.24
640 640 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,504 ±0.00
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425 425 1 210.00 $210.00 $892 -47.50
538 538 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,130 -22.16
555 555 1 207.50 $207.50 $1,152 -22.41
630 630 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,323 -20.04
655 655 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,343 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
910 910 (<2 yrs)N/A 1 1,625.00 $1,625.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
665–880 785 85-90% 11 72.50–95.00 $86.91 $682 —
915–980 948 85-90% 2 107.00–113.00 $110.10 $1,044 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1020–1145 1087 80-85% 3 89.00–102.00 $95.76 $1,041 -16.78
1100–1440 1254 80-85% 9 110.00–126.00 $116.66 $1,463 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1435–1705 1602 75-80% 3 117.00–124.00 $121.55 $1,947 —
1670–1705 1688 75-80% 2 134.00–143.00 $138.45 $2,337 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1135–1725 1415 4 104.00–126.00 $118.71 $1,680 —
1525–1930 1666 4 133.00–148.00 $142.42 $2,373 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1095 1095 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,470.00 $1,470.00

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
940 940 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,100.00 $1,100.00

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Barrows & Gilts

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
110–175 142 13 50.00–72.50 $64.79 $92 +22.75
148 148 3 80.00 $80.00 $118 +37.96

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Bucks Billies

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
80 80 2 170.00–175.00 $172.50 -17.50
125 125 1 235.00 $235.00 +160.00
140 140 1 195.00 $195.00 +120.00
150 150 4 255.00–260.00 $257.50 +40.28

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
780–1005 900 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 3 1,800.00–2,100.00 $1,979.72 —
980–1005 993 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,725.00–1,775.00 $1,749.69 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
820 820 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,175.00 $1,175.00 —
795–860 826 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 4 1,025.00–1,200.00 $1,138.92 —
Small 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
745 745 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 875.00 $875.00 —

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Kids

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
20 20 1 47.50 $47.50 +22.50
30 30 2 42.50–50.00 $46.25 +11.25
30 30 13 65.00–70.00 $65.38 +30.38
40 40 2 135.00–145.00 $140.00 +105.00
40 40 2 175.00–185.00 $180.00 +145.00
50 50 1 200.00 $200.00 +155.00
50 50 3 150.00–160.00 $155.00 +110.00
60 60 1 225.00 $225.00 +145.00
100 100 1 300.00 $300.00 —

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Nannies Does

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
50 50 —— 4 70.00–80.00 $75.00 +15.00
50 50 Yearlings (1-2 yrs)Open 1 185.00 $185.00 +125.00
50 50 —— 4 130.00–135.00 $133.75 +73.75
60 60 —— 1 150.00 $150.00 +90.00
60 60 —— 1 120.00 $120.00 +60.00
80 80 —— 5 105.00–110.00 $109.00 +9.00
80 80 —— 2 165.00 $165.00 +65.00
120 120 —— 1 145.00 $145.00 +25.00

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Pigs

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
20–25 23 6 10.00–17.50 $14.17 -30.83
31–38 35 8 22.50–25.00 $23.88 -21.12
55 55 2 40.00 $40.00 -10.00
60–62 61 7 42.50 $42.50 -29.21
62–63 63 5 52.50–55.00 $53.49 -18.22
90–93 92 6 52.50 $52.50 -17.50

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Sows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 40.00 $40.00 $108 —
840 840 1 105.00 $105.00 $882 —

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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.