Cattle Market Pulse

Low Country Livestock Exchange Market Report

Darlington, South Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, January 28, 2025

398 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 $279.00/cwt ≈ $1,830/hd at 656 lb · 27 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 398 164 341
Feeder cattle 221 95 217
Slaughter cattle 54 14 41
Replacement cattle 18 7 15

Compared to last week no comparisons made due to limited comparable sales. Moderate offering of average to plain quality cattle with active buyer participation.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 fancy 290 1 420.00 $420.00 $1,218
330 330 1 395.00 $395.00 $1,304 +2.46
355–363 360 3 390.00–400.00 $396.72 $1,428
435 435 1 375.00 $375.00 $1,631
472 472 5 347.50 $347.50 $1,640
579 579 5 295.00 $295.00 $1,708
656 value added 656 27 279.00 $279.00 $1,830
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 1 352.50 $352.50 $1,216
410 410 1 365.00 $365.00 $1,496
460 460 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,518 +35.00
515 515 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,390 ±0.00
550–595 573 2 252.50–270.00 $260.91 $1,495
610 610 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,342 -50.00
680 680 2 242.50–252.50 $247.50 $1,683 -7.50
795 value added 795 2 217.50 $217.50 $1,729
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
470–496 491 5 230.00 $230.00 $1,129
630 630 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,544

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Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 1 280.00 $280.00 $658
345 345 2 245.00 $245.00 $845 -25.00
363 363 7 245.00 $245.00 $889 -26.72
350–390 370 2 280.00–290.00 $285.27 $1,055 +13.55
415 415 1 240.00 $240.00 $996 -31.86
445 445 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,246 +8.14
475 475 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,235
470–488 479 4 220.00–230.00 $224.91 $1,077
510–515 513 3 250.00–260.00 $256.69 $1,317 +4.17
510–535 527 3 210.00–230.00 $220.16 $1,160 -32.36
565–570 569 4 250.00–255.00 $253.76 $1,444
580 580 2 200.00–230.00 $215.00 $1,247
605 605 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,270 -20.00
680–695 688 2 195.00–200.00 $197.47 $1,359
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 310.00 $310.00 $713
285–295 288 3 322.50–335.00 $330.74 $953
310–330 323 4 310.00–335.00 $322.33 $1,041
428 428 2 315.00 $315.00 $1,348 +25.00
505–530 511 4 280.00–282.50 $280.65 $1,434
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410 410 1 180.00 $180.00 $738 -80.00
450–495 475 3 180.00–190.00 $183.37 $871 -66.63
530–535 533 2 180.00 $180.00 $959 -20.00
550 550 2 180.00 $180.00 $990
605 605 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,089

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Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
277 277 2 380.00 $380.00 $1,053
320 320 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,024
385–395 390 2 345.00–350.00 $347.53 $1,355 +7.53
420 420 1 332.50 $332.50 $1,396 +32.50
462–480 468 3 317.50–340.00 $332.31 $1,555 +29.17
563–590 578 5 242.50–257.50 $253.44 $1,465 -14.06
650–685 666 5 242.50–257.50 $251.89 $1,678 +11.89
730 730 1 222.50 $222.50 $1,624
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
341 341 4 237.50 $237.50 $810
368–395 373 6 280.00–285.00 $284.12 $1,060 -15.88
475–490 483 2 285.00–300.00 $292.62 $1,413 +0.12
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 410.00 $410.00 $984
265–285 282 6 380.00–405.00 $400.24 $1,129 +15.24
353 353 2 400.00 $400.00 $1,412

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Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
830–1215 1083 80-85% 8 105.00–129.00 $122.80 $1,330
910–1450 1224 80-85% 17 131.00–151.00 $138.97 $1,701
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
755–865 815 85-90% 3 90.00–110.00 $97.06 $791
905–1325 1077 85-90% 6 121.00–125.00 $122.96 $1,324
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1300–1580 1428 75-80% 6 134.00–149.00 $140.66 $2,009

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1135–1915 1425 8 142.50–158.00 $152.71 $2,176
1970–2190 2080 2 165.00–169.00 $167.11 $3,476 -2.89

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Small 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
785–815 800 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 897.00–900.00 $898.47

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Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1235–1425 1319 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,750.00–1,950.00 $1,860.12
1275–1515 1391 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 2,050.00–2,225.00 $2,124.60
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
925–1065 995 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,375.00–1,500.00 $1,441.90
1350 1350 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,875.00 $1,875.00
Medium and Large 3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
840–1080 940 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 900.00–1,025.00 $947.87

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
104–198 137 11 82.50–110.00 $94.99 $130
210–230 216 4 90.00–100.00 $94.51 $204 +25.54

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N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
60 60 2 140.00 $140.00 -20.00
70 70 1 135.00 $135.00 -25.00
70 70 1 100.00 $100.00 -60.00
80 80 4 160.00–215.00 $187.50 +27.50
80 80 Kids (<1 yr)N/A 1 200.00 $200.00 +40.00
80 80 3 140.00 $140.00 -20.00
80 80 3 110.00–117.50 $113.33 -46.67
80 80 2 140.00 $140.00 -20.00
80 80 1 140.00 $140.00 -20.00
100 100 1 145.00 $145.00 -30.00
100 100 2 130.00–145.00 $137.50 -37.50
100–120 105 4 130.00–165.00 $141.25 -33.75
120 120 2 175.00–220.00 $197.50 +22.50

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Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1215 1215 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 2,200.00 $2,200.00

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N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
80 80 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 150.00–210.00 $186.00

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N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
40 40 1 65.00 $65.00 -42.50
50 50 1 27.50 $27.50
50 50 2 100.00–110.00 $105.00
50 50 1 130.00 $130.00
50 50 2 42.50 $42.50

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N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
50 50 1 75.00 $75.00 -87.50
50 50 4 130.00–140.00 $137.50 -25.00
50 50 1 40.00 $40.00 -122.50
60 60 4 150.00–160.00 $155.00 -7.50
80 80 4 150.00–165.00 $157.50 -22.50
80 80 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 180.00–200.00 $190.00 +10.00
100 100 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 175.00–180.00 $176.67
100 100 1 105.00 $105.00
100–120 105 4 150.00–170.00 $156.25

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N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
6 6 3 67.50 $67.50
40–43 43 8 17.50–20.00 $19.71
75 75 1 80.00 $80.00
95 95 5 105.00 $105.00

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420 420 1 102.50 $102.50 $430

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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.