Cattle Market Pulse

Low Country Livestock Exchange Market Report

Darlington, South Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, August 20, 2024

445 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 2 steers $229.00/cwt ≈ $1,658/hd at 724 lb · 24 head
light 6-weight M&L 2 heifers $224.81/cwt +6.81 vs last sale · ≈ $1,390/hd at 618 lb · 13 head
light 5-weight M&L 2 heifers $245.16/cwt +8.74 vs last sale · ≈ $1,279/hd at 522 lb · 12 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 445 348 307
Feeder cattle 235 208 201
Slaughter cattle 66 41 41
Replacement cattle 27 5 33

Market comments — USDA reporter

No comparisons made on feeder cattle this week due to limited comparable sales. Slaughter cows steady. Slaughter bulls 5.50 higher based on limited comparable sales. Moderate offerings 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
340 340 1 255.00 $255.00 $867 —
520 520 3 255.00 $255.00 $1,326 -17.50
540 540 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,242 -42.50
551 551 4 260.00 $260.00 $1,433 -8.67
600 600 1 227.50 $227.50 $1,365 —
605–610 609 6 247.50–250.00 $249.59 $1,520 —
695 695 3 222.50 $222.50 $1,546 -25.50
724 724 24 229.00 $229.00 $1,658 —
770 770 1 217.50 $217.50 $1,675 -11.50
850 850 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,700 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 2 240.00 $240.00 $948 —
410 410 1 200.00 $200.00 $820 —
475 475 1 205.00 $205.00 $974 —
550–580 560 4 200.00–230.00 $212.41 $1,189 —
635 635 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,334 —
670 670 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,474 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375 375 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,200 +20.89
405 405 1 292.50 $292.50 $1,185 -7.50
461 461 4 290.00 $290.00 $1,337 +3.31

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 2 250.00–267.50 $258.75 $621 +28.75
295 295 1 260.00 $260.00 $767 +3.13
340 340 1 245.00 $245.00 $833 -5.00
370 370 1 230.00 $230.00 $851 -15.07
405–435 421 5 242.50–252.50 $247.06 $1,040 -1.60
460–492 483 8 240.00–245.00 $240.89 $1,163 +18.39
515–522 517 10 232.50–257.50 $250.19 $1,293 +30.19
545 545 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,199 -19.16
595 595 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,398 +19.97
600–638 618 10 220.00–232.00 $230.01 $1,421 +5.01
615–625 620 3 200.00–212.50 $207.47 $1,286 -17.53
663 663 3 195.00 $195.00 $1,293 +0.02
695 695 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,251 -14.98
790 790 1 187.50 $187.50 $1,481 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–345 325 2 215.00–220.00 $217.65 $707 —
380 380 1 135.00 $135.00 $513 -80.00
400–435 418 2 210.00–230.00 $220.42 $921 -4.58
450–485 465 5 200.00–220.00 $213.68 $994 -11.32
500 500 1 182.50 $182.50 $912 —
523–525 523 5 215.00–220.00 $219.00 $1,145 —
570 570 1 211.00 $211.00 $1,203 -4.00
580 580 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,102 -25.00
620 620 1 212.50 $212.50 $1,318 +1.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215–235 225 3 280.00–300.00 $289.70 $652 —
310–335 323 2 255.00–280.00 $267.02 $862 -12.98
415–444 430 9 255.00–261.00 $258.84 $1,113 -1.16
510 510 1 232.50 $232.50 $1,186 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205 205 1 250.00 $250.00 $512 —
330 330 1 212.50 $212.50 $701 —
350–355 353 2 240.00 $240.00 $847 —
415 415 1 230.00 $230.00 $954 —
470 470 1 181.50 $181.50 $853 —
450–490 475 3 210.00–230.00 $219.72 $1,044 —
530–545 541 4 200.00–206.00 $204.53 $1,107 —
575–595 585 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,170 -22.50
617 617 4 210.00 $210.00 $1,296 —
705 705 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,375 +5.00
710 710 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,278 -10.00
805 805 3 171.00 $171.00 $1,377 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225–245 235 —— 2 280.00–285.00 $282.39 $664 —
250–290 270 —— 5 260.00–285.00 $275.15 $743 —
370 370 —— 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,036 +0.14
423–425 424 —— 4 272.50–280.00 $278.12 $1,179 +25.59
455 455 —— 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,092 -32.47
505–510 509 —— 4 200.00–227.50 $206.82 $1,053 -31.49
530 530 —— 1 242.50 $242.50 $1,285 +4.19
565–580 573 —— 3 180.00–235.00 $211.69 $1,213 -22.26
820 820 (<2 yrs)N/A 1 172.50 $172.50 $1,414 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215 215 —— 1 330.00 $330.00 $710 —
285–295 290 —— 2 300.00–320.00 $310.17 $899 -13.13
300–340 320 —— 2 295.00–320.00 $306.72 $982 +3.64
387–390 388 —— 3 302.50–313.00 $309.48 $1,201 +4.60
403 403 —— 2 302.50 $302.50 $1,219 +12.50
1195 1195 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 163.00 $163.00 $1,948 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1155–1235 1190 80-85% 3 135.00–141.00 $138.92 $1,653 —
1055–1895 1226 80-85% 33 142.00–161.00 $150.33 $1,843 +17.33
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
825–970 886 85-90% 5 96.00–126.00 $117.91 $1,045 —
855–1250 1060 85-90% 9 131.00–147.00 $140.15 $1,486 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1240–1745 1372 75-80% 5 142.00–152.00 $147.57 $2,025 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1350–2125 1857 3 164.00–174.00 $171.19 $3,179 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
690–750 730 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 110.00–125.00 $115.75 $845
865–885 875 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 60.00–80.00 $70.11 $613
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
780 780 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,131

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1040–1065 1053 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,500.00–1,700.00 $1,601.19
1045–1165 1105 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,700.00–1,750.00 $1,726.36
1145 1145 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,725.00 $1,725.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
965 965 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,750.00 $1,750.00

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Barrows & Gilts

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
100–175 114 8 62.50–80.00 $67.42 $77 +1.57
225–240 236 4 75.00 $75.00 $177 —
330 330 2 50.00 $50.00 $165 —
415–485 462 3 51.00–55.00 $52.20 $241 —
705–795 750 2 40.00–45.00 $42.35 $318 —

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Boars

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
150 150 1 55.00 $55.00 $82 —

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Bucks Billies

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
50 50 3 130.00–150.00 $143.33 +63.33
50 50 1 152.50 $152.50 +72.50
70 70 1 187.50 $187.50 +55.83
70 70 1 195.00 $195.00 +63.33
80 80 1 142.50 $142.50 +2.50
90 90 1 145.00 $145.00 +5.00
110 110 1 240.00 $240.00 +137.50

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
510–520 515 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 1,000.00 $1,000.00 —

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Families

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
60 60 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 200.00 $200.00 —

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Kids

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
15 15 1 35.00 $35.00 +15.00
20 20 12 32.50–110.00 $73.96 +53.96
30 30 5 50.00–100.00 $78.00 +58.00
40 40 4 142.50 $142.50 +107.50
50 50 1 120.00 $120.00 -6.88

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Nannies Does

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
30 30 Yearlings (1-2 yrs)Open 1 80.00 $80.00 —
40 40 —— 1 102.50 $102.50 —
40 40 —— 1 130.00 $130.00 —
40–50 45 Yearlings (1-2 yrs)Open 4 100.00–150.00 $117.50 —
50 50 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 167.50 $167.50 +110.50
50 50 —— 10 92.50–145.00 $120.75 +63.75
50 50 —— 1 87.50 $87.50 +30.50
60 60 —— 1 100.00 $100.00 +50.00
60 60 —— 1 82.50 $82.50 +32.50
80 80 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 150.00 $150.00 +70.00
80 80 —— 1 115.00 $115.00 +35.00
90 90 Yearlings (1-2 yrs)Open 1 110.00 $110.00 +30.00
90 90 —— 1 147.50 $147.50 +67.50
100–120 110 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 140.00–180.00 $160.00 +10.00
180 180 —— 1 250.00 $250.00 —

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Pigs

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
30 30 4 40.00 $40.00 -2.50
51 51 7 60.00 $60.00 -30.00
61–63 62 7 62.50–72.50 $66.86 -23.14
73–75 74 4 50.00 $50.00 -42.50

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Wethers

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
40 40 1 140.00 $140.00 —
60 60 2 142.50–180.00 $161.25 —
120–140 130 2 275.00–325.00 $300.00 —

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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.