Sale reports / South Carolina / Darlington Livestock Auction / 2024-05-07

Darlington Livestock Auction

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Darlington, South Carolina · Tue, May 7
● Final67 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1956
Feeder Cattle receipts
184 head
▼ 141 vs last sale 325▼ 195 vs year ago 379 · −51.5%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
33 head
▼ 43 vs last sale 76▼ 19 vs year ago 52 · −36.5%
Replacement Cattle receipts
17 head
▲ 8 vs last sale 9▲ 14 vs year ago 3 · +466.7%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

No comparisons made this week due to limited comparable sales. Moderate offering of average quality cattle with active buyer participation.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $224.27/cwt on 12 head. That ranks 1 of 22 comparable sales and sits −115.63 against this barn's trailing median of $339.91.
Average price
$224.27
12 head · 544 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,219
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$218
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 3
$34.36/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−5.67
vs SC average
−43.32 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1550242.501,3334thin
Medium and Large 2549226.861,2453thin
Medium and Large 3536208.141,1155thin
One grade step is worth $34.36/cwt here — about $218 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale12 hd
224.27
—
SC average5 barns · 78 hd
229.94
−5.67
National average178 barns · 10,823 hd
267.59
−43.32
This barn, trailing median22 sales
339.91
−115.63
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

22 sales
396349302255median 339.9103/1004/2107/0709/1511/03
Heifers 500–600 lb: high $381.92, low $268.91, median $339.91 across 22 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Bulls—Average1,736149.292,5925thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,446116.911,6914thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,182111.391,31611
CowsLean 85-90%Low96290.368695thin

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age
Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,010$1,5001thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,190$1,4251thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,035$1,3393thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)875$1,1251thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)975$9001thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,225$1,9501thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,183$1,9382thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenAged (>8 yrs)730$1,4251thin
Stock CowsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)1,075$1,3221thin
Stock CowsOpen(<2 yrs)835$1,1271thin
Stock CowsOpenMiddle Aged (5-8 yrs)960$1,0723thin
Stock CowsOpenAged (>8 yrs)820$6771thin

Every lot

67 lots · USDA AMS · Low Country Livestock Exchange - Darlington, SC
Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Steers11 lots · lightest first
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1Value Added318325.00/cwt325.00–325.001,0342
Steers350–400Medium and Large 3360242.50/cwt242.50–242.508731
Steers400–450Medium and Large 3430240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,0321
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Value Added437300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,3113
Steers400–450Medium and Large 2442292.50/cwt292.50–292.501,2935
Steers450–500Medium and Large 2450275.00/cwt275.00–275.001,2381
Steers450–500Medium and Large 2Value Added452277.50/cwt277.50–277.501,2543
Steers450–500Medium and Large 3490240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,1761
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2529276.37/cwt260.00–290.001,46211
Steers650–700Medium and Large 3680207.50/cwt207.50–207.501,4111
Steers700–750Medium and Large 2735218.41/cwt218.00–220.001,60514
Feeder Cattle · Heifers23 lots · lightest first
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1265272.55/cwt270.00–275.007222
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 2280242.37/cwt240.00–245.006792
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 2311260.02/cwt257.50–262.508094
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 3322217.53/cwt202.50–230.007003
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1Value Added323290.00/cwt290.00–290.009373
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1350272.50/cwt270.00–275.009542
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1Value Added384273.00/cwt273.00–273.001,0487
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2388257.50/cwt257.50–257.509993
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 3390205.00/cwt205.00–205.008001
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1407270.00/cwt270.00–270.001,0993
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2416244.95/cwt240.00–250.001,0194
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2475247.35/cwt225.00–252.501,1756
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 3480212.37/cwt200.00–225.001,0192
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2Fleshy495225.00/cwt225.00–225.001,1141
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 2500235.00/cwt235.00–235.001,1751
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 3526206.42/cwt200.00–217.501,0864
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1543242.50/cwt242.50–242.501,3173
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1570242.50/cwt242.50–242.501,3821
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 2573222.79/cwt215.00–230.001,2772
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 3575215.00/cwt215.00–215.001,2361
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 2608218.36/cwt215.00–220.001,3283
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 2Value Added625225.00/cwt225.00–225.001,4062
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 3655195.00/cwt195.00–195.001,2771
Feeder Cattle · Bulls12 lots · lightest first
Bulls200–250Medium and Large 1210320.00/cwt320.00–320.006721
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1310300.00/cwt300.00–300.009301
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 3330222.50/cwt222.50–222.507341
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 3350247.50/cwt247.50–247.508661
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 2400280.00/cwt280.00–280.001,1201
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 2465280.00/cwt280.00–280.001,3021
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 3488252.46/cwt250.00–255.001,2322
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 2520259.15/cwt250.00–272.501,3483
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 3526241.82/cwt240.00–245.001,2724
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 3Fleshy540220.00/cwt220.00–220.001,1881
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 2585241.50/cwt235.00–250.001,4135
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 3663197.49/cwt195.00–200.001,3092
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls1 lot · lightest first
Bulls——1,736149.29/cwt143.00–152.002,5925
Slaughter Cattle · Cows5 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%88875.64/cwt70.00–84.006723
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,073112.44/cwt112.00–113.001,2062
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,158104.70/cwt98.00–111.001,2124
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,195115.21/cwt112.00–125.001,3777
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,446116.91/cwt112.00–125.001,6914
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows5 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Small 3820677.00/head677.00–677.006771
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 2830887.68/head835.00–941.008882
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 28351,127.00/head1,127.00–1,127.001,1271
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,0751,322.00/head1,322.00–1,322.001,3221
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,2201,440.00/head1,440.00–1,440.001,4401
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows6 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 28751,125.00/head1,125.00–1,125.001,1251
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 29201,221.67/head1,025.00–1,400.001,2222
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 2975900.00/head900.00–900.009001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 21,0101,500.00/head1,500.00–1,500.001,5001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1901,425.00/head1,425.00–1,425.001,4251
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2651,575.00/head1,575.00–1,575.001,5751
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs4 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Small 37301,425.00/head1,425.00–1,425.001,4251
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,1502,025.00/head2,025.00–2,025.002,0251
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,2151,850.00/head1,850.00–1,850.001,8501
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,2251,950.00/head1,950.00–1,950.001,9501

This sale against other markets

South Carolina weighted averages
One sale is one barn on one day. The state ladder is every South Carolina auction USDA reported that week, weighted by head — the fairer test of whether a lot sold well.