Sale reports / South Carolina / Darlington Livestock Auction / 2026-04-28

Darlington Livestock Auction

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Darlington, South Carolina · Tue, Apr 28
● Final84 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1956
Feeder Cattle receipts
215 head
▼ 85 vs last sale 300▲ 4 vs year ago 211 · +1.9%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
27 head
▼ 5 vs last sale 32▼ 43 vs year ago 70 · −61.4%
Replacement Cattle receipts
12 head
▲ 5 vs last sale 7▼ 6 vs year ago 18 · −33.3%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

No comparisons made this week due to limited comparable sales. Moderate offering of plain to 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 $340.37/cwt on 8 head, down $14.01 from the prior sale (only 19 head in that comparison). That ranks 12 of 22 comparable sales and sits +0.46 against this barn's trailing median of $339.91.
Average price
$340.37
▼ 14.01 vs prior sale
8 head · 538 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,830
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$453
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 3
$107.49/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−29.58
vs SC average
−83.70 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1508397.492,0192thin
Medium and Large 2549327.591,7995thin
Medium and Large 3540290.001,5661thin
One grade step is worth $107.49/cwt here — about $453 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 200–300 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 sale8 hd
340.37
—
SC average6 barns · 126 hd
369.95
−29.58
National average166 barns · 11,250 hd
424.07
−83.70
This barn, trailing median22 sales
339.91
+0.46
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—Average1,422187.832,6704thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,346166.042,2356thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,048153.241,6068thin
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,143146.951,6802thin

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)Young (2-4 yrs)1,080$2,3001thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,180$1,8382thin
Bred Heifers3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)963$2,2002thin
Bred Heifers3rd Stage (7-9 mo)(<2 yrs)950$1,8001thin
Bred Heifers1st Stage (1-3 mo)(<2 yrs)665$1,4961thin
BullsN/A(<2 yrs)1,000$1,9101thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenAged (>8 yrs)785$1,8501thin
Stock CowsOpen(<2 yrs)985$1,9172thin
Stock CowsOpenMiddle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,065$1,8641thin

Every lot

84 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
Steers200–250Medium and Large 1230565.00/cwt565.00–565.001,3001
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1350515.00/cwt515.00–515.001,8031
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Value Added430525.00/cwt525.00–525.002,2582
Steers400–450Medium and Large 2445450.00/cwt450.00–450.002,0031
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2505400.00/cwt400.00–400.002,0201
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1585445.00/cwt445.00–445.002,6031
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1691350.71/cwt340.00–353.002,4239
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1734359.17/cwt325.00–361.002,63619
Steers700–750Medium and Large 2735230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,6911
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1840320.00/cwt320.00–320.002,6881
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1850310.00/cwt310.00–310.002,6351
Feeder Cattle · Heifers27 lots · lightest first
Heifers200–250Medium and Large 1215555.00/cwt530.00–580.001,1932
Heifers200–250Medium and Large 2218504.71/cwt500.00–510.001,1002
Heifers200–250Medium and Large 3230400.00/cwt400.00–400.009201
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1265590.00/cwt590.00–590.001,5641
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 2278448.47/cwt420.00–470.001,2474
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 3310354.86/cwt350.00–365.001,1004
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1327466.43/cwt460.00–480.001,5253
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 2328427.41/cwt400.00–450.001,4023
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2370415.81/cwt400.00–445.001,5383
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 3395350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,3831
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1405437.50/cwt430.00–445.001,7722
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2410413.17/cwt400.00–420.001,6943
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 3410330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,3531
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2473406.52/cwt400.00–412.501,92320
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 3480277.50/cwt277.50–277.501,3321
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1508397.49/cwt395.00–400.002,0192
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 2520336.03/cwt310.00–350.001,7473
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 3540290.00/cwt290.00–290.001,5661
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 2593314.94/cwt300.00–330.001,8682
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 2705230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,6221
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1Value Added724309.00/cwt309.00–309.002,2379
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 3750295.00/cwt295.00–295.002,2131
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 2765237.50/cwt237.50–237.501,8171
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1791292.50/cwt292.50–292.502,3147
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 2Value Added815260.00/cwt260.00–260.002,1191
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1888280.00/cwt280.00–280.002,4862
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 2890262.00/cwt262.00–262.002,3322
Feeder Cattle · Bulls26 lots · lightest first
Bulls200–250Medium and Large 2205435.00/cwt435.00–435.008921
Bulls200–250Medium and Large 1228602.42/cwt600.00–605.001,3742
Bulls250–300Medium and Large 1268568.11/cwt550.00–605.001,5233
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 3310300.00/cwt300.00–300.009301
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1333549.81/cwt545.00–555.001,8312
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 2345420.00/cwt420.00–420.001,4491
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1362500.00/cwt500.00–500.001,8103
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 3372362.96/cwt330.00–380.001,3503
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 2382431.36/cwt400.00–480.001,6488
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 2Fleshy415400.00/cwt400.00–400.001,6601
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 3425372.15/cwt350.00–380.001,5824
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 2431431.58/cwt405.00–460.001,8604
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 2459437.15/cwt420.00–460.002,0075
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 3480368.39/cwt350.00–380.001,7686
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 2523350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,8312
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 3535320.00/cwt320.00–320.001,7121
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1555398.65/cwt380.00–440.002,2134
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 2583367.34/cwt360.00–375.002,1422
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1605370.00/cwt370.00–370.002,2391
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 2615307.75/cwt300.00–330.001,8934
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 2Fleshy645280.00/cwt280.00–280.001,8061
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 3678270.07/cwt250.00–290.001,8312
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 2680316.76/cwt300.00–330.002,1543
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 2700283.00/cwt283.00–283.001,9813
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1720320.00/cwt320.00–320.002,3041
Bulls900–950Medium and Large 1920290.00/cwt290.00–290.002,6681
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,193183.16/cwt180.00–186.002,1852
Bulls——1,320174.00/cwt174.00–174.002,2971
Bulls——1,980211.00/cwt211.00–211.004,1781
Slaughter Cattle · Cows5 lots · lightest first
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,047150.56/cwt140.00–160.001,5767
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,055172.00/cwt172.00–172.001,8151
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,143146.95/cwt142.00–152.001,6802
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,240171.96/cwt169.00–176.002,1324
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,558154.21/cwt150.00–158.002,4032
Replacement Cattle · Bulls1 lot · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 21,0001,910.00/head1,910.00–1,910.001,9101
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs1 lot · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 37851,850.00/head1,850.00–1,850.001,8501
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows3 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 31,0251,600.00/head1,600.00–1,600.001,6001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,0802,300.00/head2,300.00–2,300.002,3001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 21,3352,075.00/head2,075.00–2,075.002,0751
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers4 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 36651,496.00/head1,496.00–1,496.001,4961
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 18902,300.00/head2,300.00–2,300.002,3001
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 29501,800.00/head1,800.00–1,800.001,8001
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 21,0352,100.00/head2,100.00–2,100.002,1001
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows3 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 36851,404.00/head1,404.00–1,404.001,4041
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 21,0651,864.00/head1,864.00–1,864.001,8641
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,2852,429.00/head2,429.00–2,429.002,4291

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.