Cattle Market Pulse

Low Country Livestock Exchange Market Report

Darlington, South Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, May 28, 2024

380 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $298.00/cwt ≈ $1,749/hd at 587 lb · 17 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 380 365 193
Feeder cattle 211 146 97
Slaughter cattle 47 55 32
Replacement cattle 5 7 6

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week no comparisons made due to limited comparable sales, moderate offering of average to plain quality cattle with active buyer participation. Light demand for cattle with excessive hair.

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
587 value added 587 17 298.00 $298.00 $1,749 —
637 value added 637 5 273.00 $273.00 $1,739 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
411–420 413 6 302.50–303.00 $302.92 $1,251 —
490 490 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,372 +37.50
522 522 3 295.00 $295.00 $1,540 +33.92
597 value added 597 3 271.00 $271.00 $1,618 —
613 613 3 275.00 $275.00 $1,686 —
755 value added 755 5 249.00 $249.00 $1,880 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 1 217.50 $217.50 $620 -22.50
370–385 378 2 217.50–235.00 $226.42 $856 +17.68
420–425 423 3 230.00–237.50 $234.15 $990 +14.15
485 485 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,067 +20.00
530 530 1 212.50 $212.50 $1,126 —
550–590 569 4 195.00–205.00 $201.20 $1,145 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 fancy 200 1 350.00 $350.00 $700 —
220 220 2 300.00–320.00 $310.00 $682 +14.00
308–335 314 5 280.00–285.00 $282.46 $887 -17.54
370 370 1 282.50 $282.50 $1,045 —
610 610 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,464 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 265.00 $265.00 $610 —
250–290 263 3 260.00–270.00 $266.84 $702 —
405 405 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,073 +7.83
470–480 475 2 245.00–250.00 $247.47 $1,175 -2.73
500 500 1 252.50 $252.50 $1,262 +17.50
530 value added 530 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,298 —
570 570 1 222.50 $222.50 $1,268 -17.91

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215 215 3 300.00 $300.00 $645 —
293 293 6 275.00 $275.00 $806 —
318 318 3 300.00 $300.00 $954 +37.50
395 395 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,146 +30.00
450–495 473 5 262.50–287.50 $274.14 $1,297 +24.14
505–530 517 3 260.00–277.50 $270.87 $1,400 +18.37
550 550 1 275.00 $275.00 $1,512 +22.50
600–613 610 4 250.00–267.50 $263.19 $1,605 +13.19
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360–395 384 5 250.00–260.00 $255.91 $983 —
400 400 1 257.50 $257.50 $1,030 +15.00
460–490 472 5 230.00–252.50 $245.06 $1,157 —
525 525 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,339 +15.00
565 565 1 222.50 $222.50 $1,257 —
630 630 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,323 —
665 665 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,396 -12.50
725 725 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,522 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
308 308 2 330.00 $330.00 $1,016 —
365 365 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,168 +10.00
405 405 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,215 —
460–485 473 3 292.50–297.50 $295.02 $1,395 +4.17
590 590 1 297.50 $297.50 $1,755 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1075 1075 80-85% 1 151.00 $151.00 $1,623 —
1050–1275 1184 80-85% 5 127.00–131.00 $129.01 $1,527 —
870–1440 1211 80-85% 17 134.00–148.00 $139.37 $1,688 -4.70
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
700–875 776 85-90% 5 98.00–113.00 $106.39 $826 —
1015–1220 1130 85-90% 3 128.00–133.00 $129.80 $1,467 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1770 1770 75-80% 1 135.00 $135.00 $2,390 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
750 750 1 107.50 $107.50 $806 -15.00
980–1445 1220 3 145.00–149.00 $147.25 $1,796 —
1415–2025 1720 2 160.00–165.00 $162.94 $2,803 —

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Stock Cows

Small 3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
605 605 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 787.00 $787.00
705 705 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 687.00 $687.00
Small 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
705 705 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,128.00 $1,128.00
Small 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
705 705 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 934.00 $934.00

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Barrows & Gilts

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
110–193 161 11 60.00–90.00 $76.63 $123 —
200–205 203 4 70.00–77.50 $72.47 $147 —
225 225 1 55.00 $55.00 $124 —
310–335 323 3 50.00 $50.00 $162 —

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Boars

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
115–160 143 3 70.00–87.50 $82.82 $118 —
380 380 2 27.50 $27.50 $104 —
820 820 1 9.00 $9.00 $74 —

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Bucks Billies

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
50 50 Kids (<1 yr)N/A 1 150.00 $150.00 +70.00
60 60 Kids (<1 yr)N/A 2 185.00–195.00 $190.00 +20.00
80 80 —— 1 100.00 $100.00 -60.00
80 80 —— 1 130.00 $130.00 -30.00
80 80 —— 1 150.00 $150.00 -10.00
80 80 —— 2 205.00–235.00 $220.00 +60.00
100 100 —— 1 142.50 $142.50 -108.21
100–110 102 —— 5 185.00–225.00 $213.00 -37.71
150 150 —— 2 300.00–370.00 $335.00 +21.25

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
850 850 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,700.00 $1,700.00 —
Small 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
660 660 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,725.00 $1,725.00 —
Small 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
850 850 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,525.00 $1,525.00 —

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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 3 390.00 $390.00 +47.00
100 100 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 400.00 $400.00 -46.00
100 100 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 6 360.00–510.00 $460.00 +14.00

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Kids

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
30 30 1 52.50 $52.50 +22.50
30 30 1 35.00 $35.00 +5.00
40 40 5 70.00–80.00 $72.00 +37.00
50 50 2 95.00–100.00 $97.50 -27.50
50 50 6 110.00–120.00 $116.67 -8.33
50 50 1 40.00 $40.00 -85.00
80 80 2 140.00 $140.00 +25.00

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Nannies Does

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
50 50 Yearlings (1-2 yrs)Open 1 165.00 $165.00 +95.00
80 80 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 127.50–130.00 $128.75 -21.25
80 80 —— 1 120.00 $120.00 -30.00
80 80 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 195.00 $195.00 +45.00
80 80 Yearlings (1-2 yrs)Open 1 205.00 $205.00 +55.00
80 80 —— 1 85.00 $85.00 -65.00
80 80 —— 1 165.00 $165.00 +15.00
100 100 —— 2 90.00–95.00 $92.50 -107.50
100 100 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 155.00 $155.00 -45.00
100 100 —— 1 120.00 $120.00 -80.00
100–120 110 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 225.00–230.00 $227.50 +111.25
100–120 110 —— 2 220.00–250.00 $235.00 +118.75
150 150 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 335.00–340.00 $337.50 —

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Pigs

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
20 20 9 15.00 $15.00 -5.00
45–46 46 12 37.50–45.00 $39.79 -5.30
70 70 1 65.00 $65.00 +17.94
98 98 3 92.50 $92.50 +17.50

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Sows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 1 40.00 $40.00 $138 —
625 625 1 45.00 $45.00 $281 —
720 720 1 40.00 $40.00 $288 —

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Wethers

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
80 80 1 75.00 $75.00 —
80 80 1 270.00 $270.00 —
100–130 117 3 250.00–300.00 $271.67 -48.33
150 150 1 350.00 $350.00 —

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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.