Sale reports / South Carolina / Darlington Livestock Auction / 2026-02-17

Darlington Livestock Auction

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Darlington, South Carolina · Tue, Feb 17
● Final90 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1956
Feeder Cattle receipts
237 head
▼ 59 vs last sale 296▲ 100 vs year ago 137 · +73.0%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
51 head
▲ 14 vs last sale 37▲ 39 vs year ago 12 · +325.0%
Replacement Cattle receipts
32 head
▲ 23 vs last sale 9▲ 18 vs year ago 14 · +128.6%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: All classes of feeder cattle sharply higher based on limited comparable sales. Slaughter cows sharply higher. Slaughter bulls 6.00 higher. Moderate offerings of average quality cattle with active buyer participation.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $377.51/cwt on 24 head, up $26.95 from the prior sale (only 17 head in that comparison). That ranks 18 of 20 comparable sales and sits +28.22 against this barn's trailing median of $349.30.
Average price
$377.51
▲ 26.95 vs prior sale
24 head · 537 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,027
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$122
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2
$38.50/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+9.59
vs SC average
−51.66 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1529390.352,06516thin
Medium and Large 2552351.851,9448thin
One grade step is worth $38.50/cwt here — about $122 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.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

20 sales
396349302255median 349.3002/1003/3105/1208/0409/15
Heifers 500–600 lb: high $381.92, low $268.91, median $349.30 across 20 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale24 hd
377.51
—
SC average6 barns · 100 hd
367.92
+9.59
National average184 barns · 15,729 hd
429.17
−51.66
This barn, trailing median20 sales
349.30
+28.22
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

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—Average1,778191.103,3997thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,453177.862,58520
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,137172.101,95619
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,185135.001,6001thin

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)1,422$2,7033thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,044$2,0993thin
Bred Heifers2nd Stage (4-6 mo)(<2 yrs)870$1,8701thin
Cow-Calf Pairs2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,103$3,4252thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,062$2,4833thin
Stock CowsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)1,143$2,3204thin
Stock CowsOpen(<2 yrs)872$2,0726
Stock CowsOpenMiddle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,070$1,7846

Every lot, as filed

90 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.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
HeifersMedium and Large 3Value Added600–650608307.50/cwt307.50–307.501,8702
HeifersMedium and Large 2Value Added450–500451410.00/cwt410.00–410.001,8493
HeifersMedium and Large 2Value Added750–800766317.50/cwt317.50–317.502,4329
HeifersMedium and Large 1450–500450430.00/cwt430.00–430.001,9351
HeifersMedium and Large 1200–250232588.63/cwt575.00–600.001,3663
HeifersMedium and Large 1350–400375453.82/cwt450.00–455.001,7024
BullsMedium and Large 2700–750718314.98/cwt310.00–320.002,2622
BullsMedium and Large 2400–450442466.68/cwt460.00–470.002,0633
BullsMedium and Large 3300–350325410.00/cwt410.00–410.001,3331
BullsMedium and Large 3250–300268404.88/cwt395.00–420.001,0853
HeifersMedium and Large 1Fancy500–550500420.00/cwt420.00–420.002,1001
HeifersMedium and Large 2Fleshy450–500485350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,6981
BullsMedium and Large 2600–650635330.00/cwt330.00–330.002,0962
BullsMedium and Large 2650–700669334.02/cwt330.00–340.002,2355
BullsMedium and Large 2450–500459436.24/cwt420.00–460.002,0028
BullsMedium and Large 2350–400385450.00/cwt450.00–450.001,7332
BullsMedium and Large 3350–400360350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,2601
BullsMedium and Large 3750–800785280.00/cwt280.00–280.002,1981
BullsMedium and Large 1300–350338516.50/cwt500.00–530.001,7463
BullsMedium and Large 2500–550500370.00/cwt350.00–390.001,8502
BullsMedium and Large 2550–600572346.62/cwt340.00–350.001,9833
BullsMedium and Large 1550–600579394.83/cwt390.00–415.002,2865
BullsMedium and Large 2300–350315480.00/cwt480.00–480.001,5121
BullsMedium and Large 2800–850818308.83/cwt300.00–317.502,5262
BullsMedium and Large 1200–250230600.00/cwt600.00–600.001,3801
BullsMedium and Large 1350–400373508.16/cwt500.00–520.001,8956
BullsMedium and Large 1250–300265650.00/cwt650.00–650.001,7231
BullsMedium and Large 1500–550518426.91/cwt420.00–430.002,2118
BullsMedium and Large 1400–450422493.79/cwt480.00–500.002,0849
BullsMedium and Large 1600–650615377.50/cwt377.50–377.502,3221
HeifersMedium and Large 2800–850800272.50/cwt272.50–272.502,1801
HeifersMedium and Large 2550–600567346.06/cwt335.00–350.001,9625
HeifersMedium and Large 1600–650612346.63/cwt345.00–350.002,1213
HeifersMedium and Large 1250–300260559.62/cwt545.00–580.001,4553
HeifersMedium and Large 1500–550531388.37/cwt380.00–405.002,06215
HeifersMedium and Large 1400–450407455.77/cwt445.00–460.001,85511
HeifersMedium and Large 2750–800765312.50/cwt312.50–312.502,3911
HeifersMedium and Large 2200–250240480.00/cwt480.00–480.001,1521
HeifersMedium and Large 2600–650623331.07/cwt325.00–335.002,0635
HeifersMedium and Large 2700–750725320.00/cwt320.00–320.002,3201
HeifersMedium and Large 2400–450448410.00/cwt410.00–410.001,8373
HeifersMedium and Large 2450–500471398.51/cwt390.00–412.501,87716
HeifersMedium and Large 2250–300270430.00/cwt430.00–430.001,1611
HeifersMedium and Large 3600–650610285.00/cwt285.00–285.001,7391
HeifersMedium and Large 2300–350335430.00/cwt430.00–430.001,4411
HeifersMedium and Large 2650–700685330.00/cwt330.00–330.002,2611
HeifersMedium and Large 3250–300265385.00/cwt385.00–385.001,0201
HeifersMedium and Large 2500–550528361.50/cwt355.00–370.001,9093
SteersMedium and Large 1400–450422492.40/cwt490.00–500.002,0784
SteersMedium and Large 1350–400395510.00/cwt510.00–510.002,0151
SteersMedium and Large 1750–800768340.00/cwt340.00–340.002,6113
SteersMedium and Large 1850–900890310.00/cwt310.00–310.002,7591
SteersMedium and Large 1500–550526442.50/cwt442.50–442.502,3283
SteersMedium and Large 2Fleshy450–500465414.68/cwt400.00–430.001,9282
SteersMedium and Large 1Value Added700–750748347.50/cwt347.50–347.502,5992
SteersMedium and Large 2500–550514404.87/cwt400.00–410.002,0814
SteersMedium and Large 2650–700675350.00/cwt350.00–350.002,3633
SteersMedium and Large 2400–450430470.00/cwt470.00–470.002,0211
SteersMedium and Large 1550–600563435.00/cwt435.00–435.002,4494
BullsMedium and Large 3400–450445380.00/cwt380.00–380.001,6911
BullsMedium and Large 3200–250240365.00/cwt365.00–365.008761
BullsMedium and Large 1Value Added400–450413507.50/cwt507.50–507.502,0964
BullsMedium and Large 2Fleshy450–500477393.16/cwt375.00–410.001,8755
BullsMedium and Large 1Fancy350–400365550.00/cwt550.00–550.002,0081
BullsMedium and Large 1Fancy300–350340560.00/cwt560.00–560.001,9041
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 2—9502,950.00/head2,950.00–2,950.002,9501
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1—1,2553,900.00/head3,900.00–3,900.003,9001
Cow-Calf PairsSmall 1—9002,100.00/head2,100.00–2,100.002,1001
Cow-Calf PairsSmall 1—8852,400.00/head2,400.00–2,400.002,4001
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 2—1,4002,950.00/head2,950.00–2,950.002,9501
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1—1,4222,703.05/head2,575.00–2,900.002,7033
Stock CowsMedium and Large 3—7401,590.00/head1,590.00–1,590.001,5901
Stock CowsMedium and Large 2—8601,967.62/head1,875.00–2,055.001,9682
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1—9232,302.28/head2,230.00–2,350.002,3023
Stock CowsMedium and Large 2—1,1352,085.00/head2,085.00–2,085.002,0851
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1—1,1452,397.91/head2,275.00–2,500.002,3983
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1—1,0752,550.00/head2,550.00–2,550.002,5501
Bred CowsMedium and Large 2—1,0281,873.91/head1,825.00–1,925.001,8742
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 2—8701,870.00/head1,870.00–1,870.001,8701
Stock CowsMedium and Large 3—8451,350.00/head1,350.00–1,350.001,3501
Stock CowsMedium and Large 2—1,0931,787.25/head1,750.00–1,850.001,7874
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1—1,2052,205.00/head2,205.00–2,205.002,2051
Bulls——1,595195.46/cwt191.00–200.003,1183
Bulls——1,808180.43/cwt176.00–185.003,2623
Bulls——2,240210.00/cwt210.00–210.004,7041
CowsBoner 80-85%—1,151175.11/cwt168.00–186.002,01615
CowsBoner 80-85%—1,083160.79/cwt156.00–165.001,7414
CowsBreaker 75-80%—1,441180.40/cwt171.00–187.002,60017
CowsBreaker 75-80%—1,523163.48/cwt157.00–169.002,4903
CowsLean 85-90%—1,185135.00/cwt135.00–135.001,6001

How this sale compares

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.