Cattle Market Pulse

Low Country Livestock Exchange Market Report

Darlington, South Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, April 16, 2024

355 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 4-weight M&L 2 bulls $289.32/cwt -11.31 vs last sale · ≈ $1,238/hd at 428 lb · 20 head
heavy 2-weight M&L 1 heifers $301.09/cwt -4.91 vs last sale · ≈ $837/hd at 278 lb · 10 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $262.27/cwt +3.57 vs last sale · ≈ $1,238/hd at 472 lb · 10 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 355 406 555
Feeder cattle 251 244 388
Slaughter cattle 34 74 42
Replacement cattle 17 5 21

Market comments — USDA reporter

No comparisons made this week 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 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–392 387 5 292.50–302.50 $300.61 $1,163 -19.53
430–440 438 6 282.50–285.00 $284.59 $1,247 -16.66
459–476 465 10 280.00–285.00 $283.73 $1,319 +11.23
544 544 6 280.00 $280.00 $1,523 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 260 1 330.00 $330.00 $858 —
380 380 1 310.00 $310.00 $1,178 —
461 461 3 302.50 $302.50 $1,395 +2.50
502–521 513 5 285.00–299.00 $290.48 $1,490 -4.52
565 565 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,610 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 275.00 $275.00 $798 —
300 300 1 272.50 $272.50 $818 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210 210 1 300.00 $300.00 $630 +5.00
270–290 274 5 285.00–300.00 $288.18 $790 -17.82
280–282 fancy 282 5 310.00–315.00 $314.01 $886 —
320–345 333 2 285.00 $285.00 $949 -16.37
376 376 4 282.50 $282.50 $1,062 —
432 432 2 280.00 $280.00 $1,210 -2.50
450–490 472 10 250.00–265.00 $262.27 $1,238 +3.57
522 522 2 262.50 $262.50 $1,370 +16.03
563 563 6 255.00 $255.00 $1,436 +14.01
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250–285 265 3 270.00–280.00 $274.84 $728 +19.84
345 345 1 270.00 $270.00 $932 +10.00
403–440 418 6 252.50–267.50 $259.07 $1,083 +1.49
475–495 491 9 232.50–249.00 $246.24 $1,209 +8.74
525 525 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,155 -10.00
530 530 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,246 +5.00
550 550 1 222.50 $222.50 $1,224 —
625–630 628 2 222.50 $222.50 $1,397 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 247.50 $247.50 $730 —
323 323 2 230.00 $230.00 $743 —
390 390 2 245.00 $245.00 $956 —
410 410 1 222.50 $222.50 $912 +9.88
455–495 473 4 220.00–230.00 $223.72 $1,058 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 2 290.00–295.00 $292.50 $687 -19.76
253 253 5 289.00 $289.00 $731 -28.67
300–340 313 6 295.00–305.00 $301.06 $942 -16.44
355–395 375 2 290.00–305.00 $297.10 $1,114 -5.20
400–440 428 20 275.00–293.00 $289.32 $1,238 -11.31
455 455 1 272.50 $272.50 $1,240 +3.79
500–530 518 6 270.00–280.00 $277.48 $1,437 +7.48
520 520 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,404 ±0.00
565 565 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,412 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 1 270.00 $270.00 $770 -12.48
445 445 1 272.50 $272.50 $1,213 —
485–495 491 5 250.00–270.00 $264.07 $1,297 —
565 565 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,441 +19.85
645 645 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,484 —
690 690 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,518 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260–295 278 2 325.00–337.50 $331.64 $922 -0.72
280 fancy 280 1 345.00 $345.00 $966 —
300–345 324 4 310.00–330.00 $324.67 $1,052 —
365–375 370 2 310.00 $310.00 $1,147 -12.25
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
815 815 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 1,080.00 $1,080.00 —
810–1030 908 (<2 yrs)N/A 4 1,133.00–1,365.00 $1,283.49 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
745 745 (<2 yrs)N/A 1 913.00 $913.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
825–1145 968 85-90% 4 120.00–131.00 $124.89 $1,209 —
890–1045 978 85-90% 3 106.00–116.00 $110.32 $1,079 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1190–1450 1320 75-80% 2 136.00–140.00 $138.20 $1,824 —
1360–1575 1470 75-80% 3 121.00–126.00 $123.79 $1,820 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1005–1075 1040 80-85% 2 111.00–121.00 $116.17 $1,208 —
1200–1530 1365 80-85% 2 124.00–132.00 $127.52 $1,741 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
875–1290 1131 6 115.00–132.00 $126.80 $1,434 —
1470–2115 1793 2 142.00–150.00 $146.72 $2,631 —

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Stock Cows

Small 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
690 690 (<2 yrs)Open 1 949.00 $949.00
Small 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
605 605 (<2 yrs)Open 1 748.00 $748.00
Small 3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
620 620 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 682.00 $682.00

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
910 910 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00
Medium and Large 3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
905 905 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 925.00 $925.00

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Barrows & Gilts

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
125–185 166 9 67.50–82.50 $78.08 $130 +3.08
290 290 1 65.00 $65.00 $188 —
305 305 1 32.50 $32.50 $99 —

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Boars

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
530–555 543 2 7.50–10.00 $8.72 $47 —
645 645 1 6.00 $6.00 $39 —

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Bucks Billies

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
50 50 1 115.00 $115.00 +48.33
70 70 1 160.00 $160.00 +93.33
80 80 4 175.00–200.00 $188.75 +122.08
80 80 1 140.00 $140.00 +73.33
100–120 107 3 130.00–220.00 $180.00 —

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Small 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
670–780 725 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 950.00–1,075.00 $1,017.24 —
710–800 755 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 1,425.00–1,525.00 $1,477.98 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
800 800 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,500.00 $1,500.00 —
845 845 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,200.00 $1,200.00 —

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Families

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
80 80 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 175.00 $175.00 -15.00

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Kids

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
50 50 1 110.00 $110.00 +3.33
50 50 1 77.50 $77.50 -29.17
60 60 1 107.50 $107.50 -17.50

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Nannies Does

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
50 50 1 80.00 $80.00 -110.00
80 80 2 150.00–200.00 $175.00 -40.00
100 100 1 120.00 $120.00 —
100 100 2 127.00 $127.00 —
100 100 1 140.00 $140.00 —

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Pigs

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
50 50 1 37.50 $37.50 —
85 85 1 50.00 $50.00 —

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Sows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410 410 1 50.00 $50.00 $205 ±0.00
440 440 1 50.00 $50.00 $220 ±0.00

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Wether Kids

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
50 50 1 67.50 $67.50 —

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Wethers

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
50 50 1 117.50 $117.50 —

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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.